Its ever-changing skyline, desert backdrop and futuristic vision make Dubai an exciting place to explore.

Dubai is dominated by modern architecture, sleek lines and towering buildings giving it an almost sci-fi like feel. The city however doesn’t loose sight of its traditions and Bedouin Heritage, which can be experienced in the form of falconry, camel racing or even haggling for spices and gold in the souks or cruising the creek on a traditional Dhow.

Dubai is situated in the Persian gulf, is one of seven United Arab Emirates (UAE) states and is the second largest emirate after Abu Dhabi. It has established itself as a global city and business hub within the Middle East. Although its oil reserves helped shape the city, its main revenues now come from different areas such as tourism and real estate.

Dubai has a desert climate and is largely hot, dry and humid through most of the year. The best time to visit would be from November through to the end of March when the weather is more bearable, although this is peak season so hotel rates will be considerably higher.

Temperatures begin to rise during April and May, then in the peak summer months of June, July and August temperatures can be in the high 40°C (116°F) range. Some days it can be almost impossible to explore outdoors, however all the hotels and malls have excellent air conditioning and many of the hotels even cool down the pools during those months. Due to the scorching temperatures some great hotel deals can be found, with some offering half board options for very reasonable rates.

September can still be extremely hot, with the temperature starting to drop slightly in October to be around mid 30°C (95°F). 

Dubai isn’t typically a walking city, everything is spread out mainly along the Sheikh Zayed Road, it has a desert climate and there is a lack of pedestrianised areas and walkways making it tricky to navigate on foot. There are of course areas you can walk around such as the marina, massive shopping malls and old souks.

MRT

Dubai has a fully automated metro system, it’s above ground and offers great views of the city and surroundings along your ride.

Tickets come in the form of a nol card which you can also use to pay for buses, trams and taxis. Metro fares are relatively cheap with trips starting as little as AED 3.

Bus

There are nearly 1,500 buses servicing the city, most of which are comfortable and air conditioned as are the bus stations and shelters, Single fares start from AED 3.

Taxis

Taxis are also readily available and can be flagged down nearly anywhere. A 1.8 mile (3 km) ride will cost you between AED 9–13 and this is the best means of transport at night. Rush hours are generally from 7:00 am to 10:00 am and 4:30 pm till 8:00 pm.

Boat

There are other means of transport such as boats and ferries and traditional Dhow boats and Abras. A trip across Dubai Creek on a Dhow will cost you AED 1 each way.

Monorail

Palm Jumeirah has a monorail connecting the palm to the mainland at Dubai Marina. The monorail stops at the Palm Gateway which is the base (trunk) of the palm, as well as Al Ittihad near Galleria Mall and Atlantis Aquaventure at the Atlantis Hotel. A round trip will cost you AED 30.

Dubai’s currency is the UAE dirham (AED or dhs) and note denominations are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000.

Average costs (in AED)

• 3 star hotel 170–500
• 4 star hotel 190–1300
• Three course meal for two in a mid-range restaurant 140–250
• Pint of beer 40
• A regular coffee 15
• Budget lunch 15–30
• Taxi from the airport into the city around 40–70
• Metro ride from the airport to the city 3–5
• A 2 hour pass for indoor skiing 500

There are many sights and attractions in this futuristic, cosmopolitan city. Below are just some of most popular things to see and do in Dubai.

Burj Khalifa Observation Deck

This incredible building is the tallest in the world at almost 830 metres (2,722 ft) high, including the antenna. It officially opened in 2010 and took 6 years to complete. The magnificent structure dominates the skyline and looks stunning, glistening in the sunshine and then all lit up at night. There are two observation decks, AT THE TOP is on level 124 and 125 and for an extra cost you can also go up to the AT THE TOP SKY level on 148. The SKY level has the world’s highest observation deck at 555 metres (1,821 ft) complete with an outdoor terrace. The views are unbelievable from both observation decks, with the other skyscrapers below paling in comparison to the Burj Khalifa. Ticket prices vary depending on the time of day you visit, but tickets for AT THE TOP start at AED 135 per person and AT THE TOP SKY start from AED 370. The Atmosphere restaurant and lounge are on the 122nd floor and have the same outstanding views. They serve everything from breakfast, small plates, high tea and dinner with set menu and à la carte options.

Ski Dubai

Located in the Mall of Emirates is an area of 22,500 square metres covered in snow all year round, with slopes, a chair lift, penguins and an interactive snow park. Skiers and snowboarders of all levels will enjoy the various slopes and there is even a freestyle area for snowboarders. There are 5 different runs that vary in difficultly, height and gradient and the longest run is 400 metres with a fall of over 60 metres. The Snow Park is 3000 square metre and has bobsled runs, a snow cavern, tobogganing hills and the colony of Gentoo and King Penguins. Within Ski Dubai there is also a cafe mid-slope with great views, a ski school and a 150 metre long zip line called the Snow Bullet. Given it’s unlikely you will pack skiing gear on a trip to somewhere that never snows all equipment and clothing is available for hire. The opening times vary depending on time of day and year, but the earliest it opens is 9:00 am and the latest it closes is midnight (with the occasional exception of 2:00 am). Prices vary depending on what activity you wish to do (e.g. a two hour ski slope session with all the gear is AED 210).

The Dubai Fountains

Situated in the outside area of the Dubai Mall is the world’s largest performing fountain on the huge, man made Burj Khalifa Lake. The water, music and light spectacle performs to a selection of different songs and there is over 22,000 gallons of water in the air at any given time. There are many vantage points to watch the fountains, such as the directly outside the Dubai Mall or from one of the many surrounding restaurants and bars. The afternoon shows are at 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm, except on Fridays when they are at 1:30 pm and 2:00 pm. Evening shows are every half an hour between 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm daily. To get a closer view of the performance you can pay to go on the Dubai Fountain Lake Ride or the Dubai Fountain Boardwalk.

Gold and Spice Souks

These traditional markets are located in the Deira area of Dubai. Deira is one of the oldest part of Dubai so is one of the more historic areas to visit. In the Gold Souk there are over 300 shops with everything from delicate, glistening rings to pieces that cover almost your entire top half. It’s amazing to see that much gold on display in one place and this is a great place to window shop, even if you aren’t actually looking to purchase any of the dazzling delights. The nearby Spice Souk has narrow alleyways with beautifully displayed, rainbow-coloured spices and herbs laid out to attract buyers to their stall or shop. The list is endless of what spices you can buy here from goods for cooking, medicinal or creating delightful aromas. Bear in mind it can get very hot while walking around this area. Some of the shops are air conditioned, but try to visit in the morning or evening as many of the stores close during the hottest part of the day (1:00 pm till 4:00 pm). The souks are open from 10:00 am till 10:00 pm everyday, apart from Friday when then don’t open in morning and open at 4:00 pm.

Madinat Jumeirah Resort

A huge, luxury resort set along its own private beach with traditional style Arabic architecture featuring 3 grand hotels, traditional summerhouses and stunning villas as the accommodation options. There are also over 50 restaurants and bars, shops and a traditional style souk located within the resort. The dining options offer a distinct theme, delicious food and amazing cocktails with a huge variety of different cuisines on offer and some of them have fantastic views of the nearby Burj Al Arab. There are beautiful canals intertwining throughout the resort so a popular way to relax and see the resort is by going on the Abra Tour. The traditional style boats take you on a 20 minute circular tour around the resort and run every 20 minutes daily from 10:00 am in winter and 11:00 am in summer until 11:00 pm. The fee is AED 85 per person and the boat accommodates a maximum of 10 people. The tour departs and returns to a station within the souk.

The Dubai Mall

Dubai’s largest mall, also happens to be the world’s largest mall when measured by total area. There are over 1,200 shops from high-end luxury fashion to popular high street names and a huge number of restaurants, coffee shops and fast food outlets to choose from. There is also a 22 screen cinema, a huge ice rink, the gigantic remains of a dinosaur that is millions of years old, an extreme fear experience, a VR (virtual reality) Park and an Emirates flight simulator. The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater zoo is also located within the mall and you can view the massive 10-million litre aquarium tank from the mall without paying the entrance fee. Inside the Aquarium there various different experiences with different fees for each. The Dubai Fountains and the Burj Khalifa are located just outside the Dubai Mall.

4×4 Desert Safari Trips

There are many different trips on offer if want to head out in the desert. There is everything from morning safaris to whole day and evening safaris and even overnight safaris. They can involve anything from dune bashing, sand boarding, camel rides, falconry and BBQ’s with traditional entertainment. Most companies offer the various different lengths of safari so you can just pick the one that best fits what you want to experience. The driver will usually collect you from your hotel and drop you back there after the safari. It is unbelievably hot in the desert, especially in summer, so be sure to wear covered shoes if you are including sand boarding on your safari as the sand is extremely hot when trying to climb back up the dune (we found out the hard way!).

Downtown Dubai

A large-scale modern development that is home to the gigantic Dubai Mall, the towering Burj Khalifa, performing Dubai Fountains and Souk Al Bahar. The area oozes luxury and has several world class hotels, a huge number of shops and restaurants, an ice rink and an aquarium, making this a must-see area for tourists. The whole area was only developed recently with the attractions only starting to open in 2008. With the largest shopping mall by total area in the world, the tallest building in the world and the largest choreographed fountain in the world, the developers were certainly out to impress and they didn’t fail to deliver. Being situated just off the Sheikh Zayed Road makes Downtown Dubai easily accessible via the metro or a taxi.

Jumeriah Beach

The Burj Al Arab hotel, Madinat Jumeriah hotel and entertainment complex, Wild Wadi Water Park and The Beach Mall are just some of the attractions at this long stretch of shoreline. There are many luxury hotels along this coast, with most having their own private section of beautiful beach. This is an affluent suburb with extravagant villas, art galleries, boutiques, beauty salons and lovely parks. Some of the stay-at-home female residents who have quickly become accustomed to a lavish lifestyle have been nicknamed ‘Jumeriah Janes’.

The Palm Jumeriah

One of the world’s largest man made islands is a must-see for many visitors, even if just to fully appreciate the sheer scale of The Palm. The famous Atlantis hotel and water park takes centre stage at the end of The Palm’s trunk on the outer Crescent of the palm. Many other luxury hotels are also located on the palm containing fine-dining restaurants, spas and beach clubs. The palm is well developed with roads, tunnels, and public transport to allow easy access to the various hotels. It takes about twenty minutes to drive from the base of the trunk to a hotel at the end of the Crescent so bear that in mind when planning days out as it may take longer to get somewhere then you think.

Dubai Marina

Luxury yachts are surrounded by glistening skyscrapers, including the incredible twisted Cayan Tower. There are a huge number of restaurants in the area, many with al fresco, waterfront dining available. The Dubai Marina Mall, as the name suggests, is also located here and leads out onto the waterfront. Yachts can be hired out with crew and many different types of boat trips are available that can take you through the huge canal and marina with towering buildings on either side and out around the nearby Palm. This area also extends out to the beachfront where there are more luxury hotels, The Beach JBR and The Walk JBR — outdoor entertainment developments with many shopping and dining options.

Old Dubai

Situated on Dubai Creek, this area is best known for it’s gold and spice souks. Take a trip on the creek on an abra (traditional, long, open sided boats) for just one dirham to experience even more of the oldest and most authentic area in Dubai. The Dubai Museum, built inside the Al Fahidi Fort and the historic quarter of Al Bastakiya, showcasing original architecture are also located in this area. Bear in mind you are much more exposed to the elements when on the river and exploring the souks and historic areas so try to visit at cooler times of the day. This is also still a very traditional part of Dubai so it is important to dress conservatively.

• Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building at almost 830 metres (2,722 ft).
• Dubai’s average rainfall is just 3.71 inches.
• 85% of Dubai’s population is foreign.
• One of every four cranes in the world is situated in Dubai.
• The Burj Al Arab Hotel cost a whopping 1 billion dollars to build.
• The Burj Al Arab hotel has 22,000 sq feet of 24 carat gold leaf covering its various interiors.
• Dubai has robots that race camels.
• Dubai has the most epic police cars made up of Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bentleys.
• Dubai has ATMs that sell solid gold bars — you can but anything from a 2.5 gram gold coin up to a one ounce gold bar.