Dubai

Introduction

Burj Kalifah

© All Rights Reserved RobandEve

Dubai is the second-largest of the seven emirates that together constitute the United Arab Emirates. This is one of the fastest growing areas anywhere in the world with buildings being erected at an enormous speed. Plans are even more ambitious with hundreds of high rise buildings to be added (including the highest building in the world) and thousands of islands in the form of the world or palms which are for the rich and famous only. Unfortunately, much of the old and original Dubai is hidden away in between, but can still be found in the old quarter of the city.

Sights and Activities

Shopping is a major activity for Dubai visitors. Ibn Battuta mall, Mall of the Emirates, Bur Juman, Magrudy's shopping mall are some of the numerous malls that have sprouted around the city in the past decade.

Burj al Arab

Burj Al Arab

© All Rights Reserved neilcrespi

The Burj al Arab (the tower of Arabs) has become a landmark of Dubai, and one of the most famous buildings virtualy overnight after being finished in 1999. The very recognisable building that is shaped to resemble the sail of a Dhow, a local fishing boat. The structure is 321 metres tall, and stands on an artificial island 280 metres away from the beach. It is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
The building serves as a luxery hotel with 202 rooms. A hotel room is not cheap, the cheapest room costs about a thousand US$ a night, the Royal suits sets you back around US$ 28,000. If you want to arrive in style from the airport you can be picked up by a Rolls Royce or a helicopter.

Burj Khalifa

Officially opened on 4 January 2010, Burj Khalifa (Arabic: برج خليفة‎ "Khalifa Tower"), formerly known as Burj Dubai, took six years to complete. The tower is named after Khalifa bin Zayed, the current President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi. With a height of 828 metres (2716 feet), Burj Khalif is the tallest man-made structure in the world, topping the previous recordholder (Taipei 101) by a staggering 319 metres. It also is nicknamed "the Needle" and "The Tower of Bable". It has 168 floors, with the upper 30 to 40 floors being so small that they are useless, apart from storage room. Counting all the floors and the podium, it has 465,000 m² of surface space. In the skyscraper you will find 1,044 luxury appartments, 49 floors of offices and the 7-star Armani Hotel, with 160 rooms that are designed by Armani. An observation deck, named At The Top, is located on Level 142 of the tower. Tickets for At The Top are available online and also from the reception at the lower ground level of The Dubai Mall, located within the building.

Jumeirah Beach

VIEW FROM THE BAR AT TEH TOP OF THE BURJ!

© All Rights Reserved dwalker66

Jumeirah Beach is the famous beach resort area about 15 kilometres south of the centre of Dubai. The Burj al Arab is located here, as well as the Jumeirah Beach hotel and the waterpark 'Wild Wadi'. There is also the Jumeirah Mosque, one of only a few mosques which is open for non-Islamic tourists, which has regular morning tours. In 2009, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was held here as well.

Events and Festivals

• Dubai Shopping Festival
• Dubai Summer Surprises
• Eid in Dubai
• Modhesh
• Ramadan in Dubai

Weather

Weather in Dubai generally is warm to hot and dry. The hottest months are between June and September when temperatures can rise up to 45 °C or even more. Humidity can be high as well, although this mainly applies to the coastal areas. Still, the best times to visit are from October to April with warm and dry conditions, although some rainshowers are possible during the wintermonths.

Getting There

By Plane

Dubai International Airport (DXB) is a major airport just 4 kilometres southeast of Dubai centre. Dozens of airlinies serve hundreds of destinations. Emirates Airlines has its base in Dubai. It has flights to over 100 cities in about 55 countries, making it one of the biggest airlines in the world. It handled almost 41 million passengers in 2009, resulting in the 15th busiest airport in the world. As of June 2009, there over 5,600 weekly flights operated by nearly 100 airlines to over 200 destinations across all six continents.

To/from the airport

• The airport is served by the Dubai Metro, which will operate 2 lines through the airport. The Red Line (Dubai Metro) has a station at Terminal 3, and at Terminal 1. The metro provides services between 06:00am and 10:15pm everyday except Friday, when it operates between 02:05pm and 11:15pm.
• Dubai Buses run by the RTA run a number of routes to around the city but mainly Deira, available at the Airport Ground Transportation Center and the Arrivals. Bus stations are situated opposite both Terminal 1, 2, and 3. Local buses 4, 11, 15, 33 and 44 can be used to connect with Terminal 1 and 3, while bus 2 connects with Terminal 2. Dubai International Airport Buses provide air-conditioned transport into the city centre and over 80 hotels in the city.
• Coach service is available to major cities and towns like Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Sharjah.
• Government owned Dubai Taxi Agency provides taxis, which provides 24 hour service at the arrivals in every terminal.

The new Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) will start passenger operations from March 2011 onwards and will be one of the largest airports in the world and a major hub for flights between most continents.
Some of the main destinations from Dubai International Airport are Moscow, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Nairobi, Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Johannesburg, Rome, Hong Kong, Auckland, Cairo, Cape Town, Casablanca, Shanghai, New York, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Perth, Seoul, Washington, D.C., Istanbul and Bangkok.

A great alternative for some low-cost airlines is the nearby Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) which is just about half an hour from downtown Dubai. It has flights to most major cities in the Middle East and also to various cities in India and other countries in southern Asia and eastern Africa. It is the main hub for budget carrier Air Arabia, which has the bulk of flights.

By Car

It's easy to get to/from Dubai, though the traffic during rush hours can be dramatic. Once you are outside the city, traffic is relatively light though, except on the route to Sharjah.

By Bus

There are daily connections between Dubai and Muscat, the capital of Oman, taking around 4 to 5 hours.

By Boat

Several ferries and fast catamarans travel between Iran and Dubai. Connections include Bandar Lengeh to Dubai, and Bandar Abbas to Dubai. Check the Iran Traveling Center for more details about schedules and prices.

Getting Around

By Car

Many people get around by car but the roads get extremely congested, especially during rush hours. Travellers wanting to drive themselves better keep it to a minimum.

By Public Transport

• Taxis are the most common means of public transport. However, it is also one of the most frustrating ones as it is very difficult to get one during peak hours or in front of shopping malls. One would have to walk a long distance to get away from the crowds waiting to catch a cab to have a better chance of getting one.

• More buses now ply the city than in the 90's but information on the bus routes is not easily available to the new visitor and bystanders on the road do not help with queries.

• On the 9th of September 2009, the Dubai Metro started operations. It is a fully automatic system, the waiting platforms are airconditioned and there are special VIP areas as well. The first line to be opened was the Red Line, the Green Line is still under construction and there are a few more lines planned as well. The Green Line will start operations in June 2010 if all goes well. After this completion, it will be the longest fully automatic metro network in the world (current is in Vancouver). The Red Line runs from Jebel Ali Port, the American University in Dubai, through the city centre to Al Rashidiya. The Green Line will run from Festival City, through the city centre, Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 and the Airport Free Zone. The Purple and Blue Line will form a major transport connection between the current airport and the new Al Maktoum International Airport, expected to be in operation from June 2010 onwards. Both lines will be in operation from 2012 onwards and a Yellow Line was announced in 2008, but has no deadline of operation yet. For an overview, see the Dubai Metro Map

• An easier way of crossing the Dubai Creek is by abra, essentially a small ferry. Abra stations are located along the Creek on both the Bur Dubai and Deira sides, and the system of filling the boats is remarkably efficient. The cross-river trip costs 1 AED per passenger, payable to the driver after the boat has left the station, and affords a very picturesque view of the city. Abras set off very regularly, and the service is available round-the-clock. The Waterbus is another option for tousists who want to go by boat but avoid the abra crowd (or the heat). It is a part of Dubai's public transport system. The waterbus also features a 'tourist route' round trip. While this is convenient, it can get quite expensive (AED 50 for an adult, AED 25 for a child).

By Foot

Some areas are easily navigated on foot, but mind the heat in summer, when it's better to stick to short distances and use public transport and taxis as well.

Sleep

Budget and Midrange

• Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien is part of the Starwood properties in Dubai. Located on Rolla street in Bur Dubai, the apartments are lovely self-contained units with a kitchenette, cable TV, IDD facilities and a lovely bathroom. Prices are from AED 300 - 500 per night (80 - 140 US dollar) for an apartment for two. A great bargain in the expensive city.

Learn

• American University in Dubai
• University of Dubai
• British University of Dubai

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

==External Links

• Dubai Emirate Website
• Dubai Municipality Website
• Official Tourism Website