Dubai is
to the Middle East what Hong Kong is to Asia: a capitalist boom
town buzzing with activity. Most visitors to the region stop
here for at least a day to browse the shops, eat in the restaurants
and soak up the atmosphere of a city that oozes wealth and a
general air of self-satisfied confidence.
Nestled
between the languid Southern Gulf waters and sweeping desert,
cosmopolitan Dubai is blessed by a superb year-round climate,
and with its numerous opulent hotels, towering attractions,
peerless shopping, stunning entertainment and commercial opportunities,
makes Dubai an ideal destination for the traveller enjoying
a luxury vacation or business trip.
Dubai's
cityscape is undergoing dramatic redevelopment, with a number
of record-breaking projects - including the planet's tallest
five-star deluxe hotel (the Burj al-Arab), largest man-made
marina (Dubai Marina) and largest man-made island (Palm Islands)
- in progress. The Dubai Waterfront project is set to add 500
miles of man-made waterfront filled with canals and hotel-rich
islands: a development the size of Manhattan!
Vast investment
in luxury golf and entertainment resorts - such as Dubailand
and Dubai Golf City - means the city is set for even more dramatic
growth as a prestige destination, and Dubai's strategic Middle
East location has made it popular as an international convention
city.
Recognised
as one of Asia's premier shopping cities, Dubai's tax-free shopping
attracts visitors with its range of quality goods, notably gold
and jewelry, electrical items and stylish fashions from Europe.
The city's fine department stores, malls, boutiques and souks
are complemented by a first-rate airport shopping centre and
even retail festivals - adding a dash more entertainment to
an already heady retail scene. Dubai is a world-class venue
for many top sporting events: the Dubai Desert Classic Golf
Tournament, the Dubai Tennis Championships, Sevens Rugby Union
tournament, Emirates off-shore Power Boat Grand Prix, and the
UAE Desert Motorsport Challenge amongst them. Perhaps the city's
blue riband sporting event is the world's richest horse race,
the Dubai World Cup - a thrilling night time spectacle contested
at the Nad Al Sheba track that attracts the finest thoroughbreds
from around the globe.
Amongst
Dubai's foremost outdoor attractions are its breathtaking golf
courses: layouts such as Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the
Emirates Golf Club set a memorable challenge. Take a desert
safari or try the unusual desert pastime of ice skating at the
rink in the Galleria shopping mall.
With its
surfeit of great restaurants, bars, live music venues and nightclubs,
Dubai offers full-on evening entertainment, after which you
can retire to truly luxurious accommodation. Dubai offers over
400 luxury hotels, meeting the needs of the most discerning
guests. Many of the world's most prominent hotel chains operate
star-class hotels in the Emirates, among them being the seven-star
Burj Al Arab. Even the standard facilities are exceptional with
swimming pools, tennis courts and fully equipped health centres
coming as standard. Top hotels generally offer a choice of fine
restaurants, with several waterfront hotels having excellent
beaches and extensive watersports facilities.
