Dubai

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Dubai (???) is one of the United Arab Emirates.

	dubai Travel Guide : 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By train 2.3 By car 2.4 By bus 2.5 By boat 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Learn 7 Work 8 Buy 9 Eat 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid-range 9.3 Splurge 10 Drink 11 Sleep 11.1 Budget 11.2 Mid-range 11.3 Splurge 12 Contact 13 Stay safe 14 Cope 15 Get out

Understand

The Switzerland or Singapore of the Middle East, this tiny emirate has become rich not (just) from oil, but from trade and tourism. It is a city of superlatives. For the fastest, biggest, tallest, largest and highest, Dubai is the destination.

The weekly off is on Friday. Most local companies are off on Thursday and Friday while most multi-nationals and banks are off on Friday and Saturday.

• Dubai Tourism (http://www.dubaitourism.ae/) - Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing

Get in

By plane

• Dubai International Airport (http://www.dubaiairport.com/diainternet/) (DXB) is the largest hub in the Middle East and the home base of the UAE's flag carrier Emirates (http://www.emirates.com/).

• Famous for its duty-free shopping (http://www.dubaidutyfree.com), the airport is a destination in itself.

By train

Metro Rail is expected in 2009, but not for inter-city travel.

By car

There are a countless number of Rent-A-Cars that will provide a mode of transportation for very cheap rates and very little paperwork. An International Driving Permit is now being asked for. In the past this was only needed for travel outside of Dubai.

When driving on the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed road, the junction numbers are not in logical order! Junction 13 is just after 18 and are rarely as shown on the maps. Road names can also be very confusing with slight differences in spelling being very important.

By bus

Use the Dubai Public transport as a cheaper means of traveling within the several districts in Dubai. The fare comes up to an easy 1.50 AED, affordable for those who prefer a cheaper mode of transport. There's a bus stand on almost every road in Dubai and with all the friendly people in Dubai, you won't find it difficult to get help at any point of time. Self-explanatory maps and route marks and their bus numbers are placed inside every bus stand. At any time, if in doubt, simply ask the bus driver for help!

By boat

The Dubai Public transportation has also provided travel by boat or what they call an "abra". The abra station is located at the popular Deira creek, opposite the Twin Towers and close to the underground pass. Again, do not hesitate to ask for directions if you're lost. People are generally very helpful and understanding with tourists. With the guidance of hundreds of ushers, board the abra if you intend to get to the other side of the city i.e Bur Dubai. It's much easier using this means of transport instead of driving to Bur Dubai. This way, you have the added advantage of not only enjoying an inexpensive boat ride (it costs only .50 fils per person), but also avoiding the hassles of everyday traffic.

The Abra boats funtion 24 hours, moving back and forth from Deira Abra station to the Bur Dubai Abra station.

If its a cruise you're looking for, however, enjoy the variety of boat cruises offered at the creek. The prices vary from 200 AED per person to a higher price depending on the type of boat/ship, the number of hours and the on-board entertainment. Most ships offer a belly dancer as part of the on-board entertainment.

Get around

Taxis are reasonably priced and easily found on all main roads in built-up areas, 24 hours. The official taxis (cream color) are a lot cheaper than people approaching you at the airport saying "you want taxi?". Driving standard in Dubai ranges from poor to wild - taxis are some of the worst on the roads.

Dubai has a good bus service with buses at intervals of about 20 min in general. The main bus stations are Gold Souq Market (in Deira) and Bur Dubai bus station (in Bur Dubai). Bus services are also available to other emirates. Ramadan timings differ.

Dubai Municipality has embarked on an ambitious project to introduce a Metro Rail system. According to the official site Dubai Metro (http://vgn.dm.gov.ae/DMEGOV/dm-metro-construction) construction is expected to start in a few years and complete by 2009.

See

• 'Ibn Battuta Mall' Commissioned in early 2005 this mall is worth visiting less for the shopping it offers and more for the architectural ambience created in its six courts designed according to the traditional architecture of China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalusia

Do

Dubai is a shopper's paradise. Shops open as early as 9 am and stay open to 11 pm. There are innumerable shopping centers and malls around town to keep any shopper happy!

As Dubai has grown from a small town into a bustling city, so has the entertainment. There are many music and sport events through out the year. Dubai also has a Dubai Shopping Festivaland (http://www.dubaishoppingfestival.com/) Dubai Summer Surprises to entertain visitors and residents.

Most 3-5 star hotels have bars and nightclubs for those interested in the nightlife.

There are endless water-sport opportunities as Dubai has some of the whitest and sandiest beaches in the world, as well as the Wild Wadi water amusement park. Ocean temperatures range from 28-32 degrees Celsius, meaning you might as well forget a hotel and bathe in the ocean. Very salty though.

Head out to the desert in an SUV for a 'Desert Safari'. The drivers will take you for a roller-coaster ride over sand dunes, show you the sunset from a strategic vantage point and then take you to a lavish dinner with music and dance to complete the atmosphere. For a brief while you would experience what it is like to be a Sheikh!

Learn

Dubai has set up a free-zone Knowledge Village (http://www.kv.ae/) to house institutes and universities, providing both on-line and in-class training.

Work

Dubai presents an affluent stylish image to the visitor. What is not so obvious to the regular visitor are the people that actually make it work. Unfortunately, the people working in the service industries are underpaid, often have very poor working conditions and no employment rights. For example, a hotel waitress in one of the top hotels could expect $400 per month and to work very long hours. It is common for people to come from Asia and CIS countries, attracted by the Dubai image, but many return home disillusioned.

Buy

Dubai is practically synonymous with shopping. The huge amounts of cargo passing through its port and the low tariffs ensure that practically anything is available at competitive rates.

Most things in Dubai can be haggled for - if you are prepared to barter, you can probably get things cheaper still.

Eat

Budget

Shawarma is the most available (and cheap!) food in Dubai. It should costs AED 3 (80c) for the plain-jane variety and up to AED 5 ($1.30) for the more exotic Lebanese and Iranian varities.

Fala-Fil is also available at about the same costs as the shawarma.

Mid-range

Most of the American fast food chains have set up shop in Dubai, including KFC, Chillis, Starbucks, McDonalds. The beauty of the food in Dubai is that you will probably find cuisine for every taste.

Splurge

The only way to get into the Burj Al Arab (http://www.burj-al-arab.com/) is to either stay or eat there. The cheapest option is to book an afternoon tea (around GBP 28)- you can then wander aroud the hotel to take in all its glory.

Drink

Try the rooftop swimming pool on top of The Hilton (Creek). Small bar but wonderful views especially at sunset. The cocktail bar on the 24th floor of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel has good views along Jumeirah beach and the Burj al-Arab Hotel - the photo at the top of this page was taken there.

Sleep

Budget

• Dubai Youth Hostel. 1 (http://www.hostelsweb.com/cities/dubai.html)

Mid-range

• Ascot Hotel. Bur Dubai. Has Russian, Irish and Thai themed restaurants.

Splurge

• Burj al-Arab. 2 (http://www.burj-al-arab.com/). A self-proclaimed seven-star hotel, this striking sail-shaped building is a symbol of Dubai and one of most opulent hotels in the world. Rack rates over US$700 per night.
• Jumeirah Beach Hotel.3 (http://www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com/). Next to Burj al-Arab and run by the same company.
• Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
• Jebel Ali Hotel & golf resort. Jebel Ali, take exit 13 on the Sheikh Zayed road
• Dusit Dubai. Thai hotel on Sheikh Zayed road.
• Crowne Plaza. Sheikh Zayed road.

Contact

Stay safe

Eating or drinking publicly during daylight hours is an offence during Ramadan.

Cope

Get out

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