If you are thinking of a Dubai vacation, you will not be getting what you might think. You might expect a Muslim country with strict rules, and practically living in the past. Well, you will be in for a shock because Dubai is not like that. Located on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf, it is the ideal meeting place of East and West, even though Istanbul claims to hold that title. But that is only geographically.

Culturally, Dubai has expanded from the 1960s onwards, when the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his father pulled their country into the 20th century, and turned it into a cosmopolitan centre of business and luxury that has as its capital the fastest growing city in the world. The old Dubai intermingles with the new, and round one corner lies the old traditional town with its wonderful old mosque and old fort that was used to fight off invaders from the east and west, and then round the other you have the tallest and most modern skyscraper hotel in the world.

That’s Dubai. It is composed of two halves, Bur Dubai and Diera, separated by The Creek, an inland waterway that forms a natural harbor and navigable channel through the center of the city. The Creek area, in fact, is the site for some of the most modern hotels you will find anywhere in the world, and it is a fact that at least half of the tall cranes in the world are situated in Dubai. Diera is where the modern buildings are still being erected, while on the other side of The Creek, Bur Dubai, you have the traditional heritage area and Dubai Museum, situated in the Al Fahidi Fort with its diorama displays of traditional Arab life. Here you find exhibits of old dhows and the pearl fishing that once was the main income of Dubai before the Japanese pearl fisheries became too strong to compete against.

If you are a golfer, Dubai has a lot offer with the championship Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, to which visitors are welcome, and of course, The Emirates Golf Club, the first all grass course in the Middle East and home to the European PGA Desert Classic. The other sport that Dubai is famed for is horse racing, and the Godolphin Stables are named after one of the three Arab stallions that founded today’s thoroughbred racing blood lines.

The Dubai skyline is something you must see. Manhattan may be good, but Dubai is in a class of its own. The Burl al-Arab is the tallest hotel in the world, claimed to be taller than the Eiffel Tower. It is built in the shape of the sail of a traditional Arab dhow sailing boat, the sail being the most awesome feature, and is built on a man made island in the Gulf. Speaking of hotels, since you are in a Muslim country, there are no pubs. However, in Dubai, alcohol is allowed to be served in hotels to cater for Western tastes. There are other provisions made to Westerners here, though we should not dwell on those.

Although Dubai is advantageously sited with respect to the trading routes from the East and the West, it was still only a small trading town until the late nineteenth century when the British ‘discovered’ it and it became part of the Trucial States, or Oman. It became part of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, the formation of which was largely due to the efforts of Sheikh Maktoum of Dubai and Sheik Zaved of Abu Dhabi. Its rich history, as part of ‘the Pirate Coast’, is evident in the old parts of the city still remaining such as the fort, and displayed in the Dubai Museum.

No Dubai vacation would complete without a visit to the souks. The souks, or souqs, are traditionally market places, or places where things are sold, and the main souks in Dubai are the Gold Souk, where gold jewellery is sold by the weight of the gold plus a ‘making charge’, the Spice Souk (wonderful spicy smells), the Perfume Souk (wonderful scents) and the Fish Souk (not so wonderful smells and perfumes). These are traditional style markets, apart perhaps from the Perfume Souk that seems to be dominated by the classic perfume houses rather than anything truly traditional.

There are too many attractions in Dubai to talk about here, but a Dubai vacation also offers the wonderful Dubai Children’s City and Creekside Park, and the flumes of the Wild Wadi Water Park close to Jumeirah beach. Dubai has so much to offer, whether you are interested in history, shopping, keeping the children entertained or just out for a good time. Dubai has it all!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_Sanchez

Dubai is such an exciting and diverse travel destination that it attracts millions of visitors annually – particularly during the winter months when the weather is perfect for every single activity from sunbathing and scuba diving to camel racing and desert safaris.

If you’re planning a trip to Dubai here’s a guide to the types of attractions and activities you and your family can plan on enjoying.

First things first, as stated the winter months from November through to March are the most popular time of the year to visit the emirate. The weather is perfect with daily sunshine and high temperatures but the sun is not at its most intense which means that visitors can actually get out and about and not have to avoid the desert heat that radiates excessively in Dubai in the summer.

In January each year Dubai plays host to the now world famous Dubai Shopping Festival, a retail extravaganza that annually attracts in excess of 3.3 million visitors who come to enjoy the month long festival and associated celebrations.

The shopping festival is such a hit because the luxury bargains that tax free Dubai is world renowned for are available at sale prices for example, and every single day there are incredible prizes to be won from luxury cars to substantial cash lump sums! Add to this the fact that the Dubai Shopping Festival is a family experience and has daily events and activities for children and nightly firework displays for example and you can see why January is such a great time to be vacationing in Dubai.

Once you’ve shopped in the gold souk and the incredibly luxurious malls and marketplaces you might like to get away from the crowds and head out away from the emirate into the desert on a camel or jeep safari; alternatively you could try sand skiing, dune or wadi driving and then have a desert picnic feast.

Heading back into Dubai there are two great ways to get to know more about this historic and incredibly interesting city – a visitor can either take to the air or the water ways and get a unique glimpse of the emirate. Taking an aerial tour of Dubai in a helicopter is a once in a lifetime experience; or for those who prefer something more sedate why not cruise Dubai’s waterways in a traditional wooden dhow.

For those who’re after a more action packed experience from their vacation in Dubai why not try thunder bowl, horse riding in the desert, go karting, golf, ice skating or deep sea fishing? And for those with traveling to Dubai with children there are a whole host of exciting adventure parks to try from Dubai Wonderland to Wild Wadi, from Magic Planet to the soon to be completed Snow Dome.

Whatever type of event, activity or attraction you’re after Dubai can satisfy your every whim. With daily cultural events, nightly entertainment activities and a whole world within one emirate waiting to be discovered what are you waiting for? Book your vacation today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Williamson

Dubai has become an international hotspot for property and the demand for real estate is so intense that property prices have seen considerable appreciation in the last two or three years. Dubai has always been known for extraordinary architectural developments and breathtaking designs, and following are three of Dubai’s most luxurious and most exclusive developments.

La Residence at The Lotus :

Great art picks up where nature ends. The Lotus has been inspired from the spectacular surroundings of the site location, the water surrounding it and one of the most celebrated flowers in the world. The Lotus, a residential complex in the heart of Business Bay, the architecture has been motivated by the petals of the Lotus flower and comprises of four towers on a circular podium with its form tapering at the bottom and the top.

La Residence at the Lotus is a spectacular 58-storeyed tower located on an island and is adorned with a grand entrance and separate lobbies. It is pixilated with solid state lighting which animates the façade at night and encourages natural cross ventilation at all times.

Damac Heights at Dubai Marina:

Top designer house ‘Aedas’ deserves praise for the architectural magnificence of Damac Heights, the 90-storey splendor. Monarch of all it surveys in the prestigious Dubai Marina and overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, the 8th man-made wonder of the world, this signature tower offers the most exclusive penthouses, duplexes, 3, 2 and 1 bedroom apartments in the world. Come home to limitless luxury, with all the fine details of fine living right inside your home. This is what life at the very top is all about.

Lotus Heights at Business Bay:

It is located in the heart of Business Bay, the bustling residential and commercial district of Dubai. Lotus Heights is the third building in The Lotus Development. Lotus Heights is a spectacular 64-storey tower with 20 floors of dedicated Signature residence - 10 floors of Signature penthouses with dedicated lift concierge, exclusive lift lobby and personal elevator. And 10 floors of opulent duplex Signature apartments. The remaining 40 floors are made up of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments.

Known as Signature penthouses, these are the most exclusive luxury penthouses limited to only a few. Damac Properties are the largest private master developers in the Middle East offering the most luxurious and exclusive Dubai Real Estate,Dubai Freehold Property and Dubai Investment Property for sale.

Dubai is one of the hottest holiday destinations. It is also a fast growing business center with the world’s premier business hotels and multinational trading companies setting up their centers. Dubai plays host to the world’s richest horse race, million dollar lotteries, international tennis and golf tournaments and month-long shopping festivals.

Direct flights are available from the US to Dubai, starting from different cities. Leading European and US airlines such as Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air France, Austrian Airlines, and Air Canada are providing direct services. Packages offer round trips with or without accommodation, meals, and connecting travel options. One can approach travel agencies to negotiate for better deals on their travel offers. Travel agencies work on direct contract with airline companies and provide discounted airfare from their consolidated air tickets purchased from them. Besides, they also extend travel insurance, discounted cruises, and hotel discounts at the destination. Bloomington, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fayetteville, Fort Laude Dale, Harrisburg, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Santiago, Spokane, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington, Wilkes-Barre are the cities that have direct flights to Dubai.

The minimum airfare (economy class) from New York is $480, Bloomington $1145, Chicago $642, Dallas $718, Denver $727, Detroit $685, Fayetteville $877, Fort Laude Dale $758, Harrisburg $741, Houston $488, Las Vegas $877, Los Angeles $501, Minneapolis $748, Miami $742, New Orleans $964, Orlando $778, Philadelphia $629, Pittsburgh $777, Santiago $1028, Spokane $977, Seattle $758, St. Louis $574, Washington $587, & Wilkes-Barre $1095. The mentioned airfares do not include taxes or fees and are subject to change.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian

Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates, is one of the most modern cities in the world, and the fastest growing. It is expanding, not only outwards into the desert, but also into the Arabian Gulf with massive ambitious reclamation projects. There are certain aspects of Dubai that all travelers should be aware of, and other than the obvious landmarks, certain parts of Dubai that they should not miss.

The currency in Dubai is the U.A.E. dirham, or Dh for short, with around 3.6 – 3.7 Dh per American dollar, though this varies, of course, with the strength or weakness of the respective currencies. You can exchange currencies in lots of places in Dubai including hotels and some shopping malls.

The official language is, of course, Arabic, but English is spoken more widely than Arabic due to the population of Dubai being only around a third native Emiratis or Arabs from neighboring countries. French is also common and German is also spoken in hotels. The majority of the 70% non-Arab population is from Asian countries such as Pakistan, India and the Philippines. Communications are advanced, and the vast majority of hotels have internet facilities. The Dubai government recently opened an ‘Internet City’ close to Jumeirah beach, not far from the Dubai Hard Rock Café. Yes, they do have one of those!

Most natives to Dubai drink bottled water, not for health reasons, but because the water supply is from desalination plants and is not as pleasant to drink as the normal tap water you may be used to. Dubai is hot! And I mean hot! Keep your head covered and keep up a high fluid intake. Use sunblockers wherever possible and the best tip you can be given is when in Dubai, do what the Dubaians do!

Dubai is a fairly safe place as big cities go, and mugging is practically unknown. Theft is not a problem as elsewhere though you should always take basic security precautions, and keep passports and money secure. Don’t pack all your money and credit cards in the one place, more in case you lose anything that in case they get stolen.

The rest depends on your reason for visiting Dubai. People visit Dubai for lots of different reasons, from work to pleasure. If you want shopping, Dubai has some of the biggest shopping malls in the world, and when completed, the Dubai Mall will be the biggest shopping mall on the planet. Dubai is rich in shops and markets, or souks, of all kinds ranging from the gold souk to the most elegant boutiques to grace any city. If you want to buy it, you should be able to get it in Dubai.

If it’s entertainment you want, Dubai has everything you could want, though there are limitations given its Muslim background. There are cinemas, cruses, discos and shows with both a western and an eastern flavor. You will not find gambling, since it is prohibited, as are the seedier types of entertainment commonly found in western cities.

Dubai is famous for its horse racing. The Dubai World Cup at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse is the world’s richest horse race, and here you will see some of the best bred Arabian thoroughbreds the world has ever seen. Only ten minutes from the city center, you can have a breakfast tour round the racecourse, taking in the jockey’s rooms, checking out the horses and stables and everything else that goes into the running of a large racecourse.

If it’s golf you want, the Emirates Golf Club is a grass course, the first in the Middle East, and there is also the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Both are championship standard and open to visitors. The Emirates is home to the European PGA Desert Classic, though it is not a true desert course.

If you like food, most restaurants offer Lebanese and Turkish food, and there are also a number of Pakistani and Indian restaurants to complement the wide range of western style restaurants and hotels. There are plenty American burger joints and the hotels provide a wide range of bars with associated music and entertainment. If you prefer to eat on water, you can try one of the many floating restaurants on converted dhows that cruise around the Dubai Creek.

As for hotels, Dubai has the best there is. The Burj Al Arab is the world’s tallest hotel, and there are whole raft of super-hotel complexes either under construction or in the planning stage. The new Trump Hotel planned for the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah looks superb, though there is no shortage of five star hotels in Dubai.

There is also a lot of private accommodation being built, though currently the demand exceeds supply. If you intend purchasing residential property in Dubai for personal use, you will find the market less competitive later in 2007 when it is estimated that the supply of new buildings will finally exceed the number of people wanting it. However, this may change when mortgages become available.

Dubai City is growing rapidly, and no expense is being spared on providing luxurious accommodation and surroundings. It is a beautiful city to visit, and everybody should visit at least once. The best advice to take is to plan your visit before you arrive and make whatever bookings you require in the way of hotels, tours, concerts, etc. well in advance, since many tourist facilities will be impossible to visit unless you do so.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_Sanchez

Dubai, a relatively new tourist destination, is basically a desert city with excellent infrastructure and superb tourist amenities. Its liberal policies as well as its convenient location just three hours away from most Asian countries and five hours away from Europe, make Dubai very popular as a short-break destination for tourists from both countries that are looking for exciting shopping, fine dining, great partying and a host of unique sporting events.

Though Dubai can get extremely humid and hot in the summer months, with temperatures touching 50 degrees Celsius from May to September, it is a great place to visit during the more pleasant months of September to April.

As a prerequisite to obtaining a tourist visa to Dubai, your passport should be valid for a minimum of six months before your arrival. Individuals who intend to spend less than thirty days in the United Arab Emirates may apply for a tourist visa, whereas visit visas are issued to those who intend spending more than 30 days in the country.

Dubai, a city of superlatives, is home to the tallest, highest, largest and fastest. It is home to Burj Dubai, which upon completion in 2008 will be the tallest building in the world, surpassing the Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

Dubai offers visitors a host of unique experiences including the exciting Dune Bashing, thrilling hot air balloon rides, golfing or for something entirely different- sand golfing. Visitors to Dubai can experience the extreme as they go skiing and snowboarding in the large, specially built snow skiing center or go sand-skiing and sand boarding in the hot desert sands. Wild Wadi, a water amusement park, in the heart of the city is a great place for kids and adults alike. The Overnight Desert safari is as different but just as exciting as the Morning Desert safari. The Dubai Dhow Cruise takes you sailing down the Dubai Creek while aboard a wooden dhow that is traditionally decorated. Marvel at the major landmarks that are beautifully lit up at night as you take a midnight cruise for a completely different experience.

With so much to see and do in Dubai, maybe you’d need much more than just a short break after all.

Exploding with the beauty of natural wonder and intrigue, you will find the city of Dubai situated within the United Arab Emirates. It is here that the land stretches to reveal endless deserts, beaches, and other grand explorations in art, culture, and history. With regal hotels and delicious cuisine, the city swells with a wide range of attractions and activities that keep the locals and tourists alike busy and quite pleased with their surroundings. Dubai is home to a variety of interesting neighborhoods, satisfying commercial finds, and exciting districts to explore, including Old Dubai, Bur Dubai, and the old Bastakiya district

Major Attractions

Whether you are a shopper at heart or enjoy the sights and sounds of the great outdoors, a wealth of major sights throughout the city are offered. While Lancy Plaza and Mercate Mall are decent locations to run up the credit card bill, the third largest mall in the world (Mall of Emirates) can be found in Dubai. This delightful locations busts at the seams with theaters, arcades, an impressive food court, and the largest indoor ski slope across the globe. Additional attractions bringing in the tourists include the indoor and outdoor exhibits at the Dubai Zoo; and the relaxing atmosphere of Jumeirah Beach.

Nightlife

To experience some of the best nightlife in Dubai, many consider the larger hotels in the city as the “place to be.” Some of the best bars are situated within these town gems, where the entire city opens to a variety of entertaining, exciting, as well as less expensive hot spots. In Dubai, the concept of “Happy Hours” is a popular approach towards enjoying the nightlife, as is “Ladies Night,” which seems to dominate Tuesday and Sunday nights. Usually, the busiest nights to party are experienced on Thursdays and Saturdays in Dubai.

Weather

As you begin to plan a trip to Dubai, you may want to check the Weather Channel to better prepare for the overall climate and upcoming temperatures. In Dubai, the average highs and lows are quite pleasant for the area. Summers bring hot and humid weather, while cooler days prevail from September to May. As for the rain, it tends to shuffle in during the months of January and February.

It is a place where you can enjoy every bit by adventure, fun and exciting roller coaster ride on the sand dunes. Not only this but you can enjoy dream dinner and Belly dance in Desert Safari.

If you are planning a visit to Dubai’s Desert Safari then you should know about its importance. The Safari desert in Dubai is a real dreamland and heart of Arabian people. Visit to Dubai will be unfinished without an excursion of Dubai’s Safari Desert.

If you want to go on a journey to mountain from desert then, don’t worry! There is an action-packed in Dubai’s Desert Safari who can take you there in just a drive.

How the journey starts?

It starts with a hard driving in sand by an expert driver. When you will be in desert, you will enjoy the camel ride (ship of desert) which can make you take a small tour to the local village to see the traditions of desert life. Not only this but, you can enjoy the sand skiing or Wadi-Bashing in Desert Safari. When it comes the time of night, it is the time to enjoy the taste of desert banquet.

The most exciting thing is the serving of food under the start-lit night. You are going to served with a barbecue and many other Arabian dishes. You can also plan the romantic dinner and you can also get to see the belly dance and smoking of hookah in the Desert safari.

Visitors can not have the excited period in Dubai, if they do not visit a magical place like Desert Safari. For the safety and ease, lot of tours offer tour operators. And you can choose the one which you think suits you better.

There are three things to be considered when planning a mystical Dubai Desert Safari Tour

• Evening Desert safari or Dune Dinner
• Overnight Desert Safari
• Hatta Safari or Wadi Bashing

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophia_K

In order to make wise investment decision, it is of paramount importance that you know how the property market of Dubai operates. This is quite important because Dubai property market is still in its early stages. Therefore, it is hardly a surprise to know that property market of Dubai operates differently from the US or United Kingdom market.

Getting Professional Help

If you are interested in purchasing a commercial property in Dubai, make sure that you take some professional help first. Most of the real estate brokers have direct access to commercial properties from real estate developers. Real estate brokers will not only take into account your requirements but also give you advice through out the buying process and help you deal with the legal aspects too.

Off-plan Properties

Real estate developers of Dubai have realized the fact that at present, the real estate market is buzzing with demand for commercial property. Because of this, recent months have seen various new off-plan projects being released in the market. Plenty of businesses are seeing this new trend as a good choice to pay high rents that are being commanded in some portions of Dubai.

With high growth rate in Dubai, plenty of foreign business houses are interested in doing business here. The Dubai government has realized that need of the day is quality commercial space that is in high demand by local as well as foreign companies. If the government is not able to provide that, chances of achieving an even higher growth rate get slim. It is worth mentioning in this regard that there is quite a bit of under supply of office space for businesses in Dubai at the moment.

Less Volatile Investment

Point to be noted here is that commercial property investment is normally much less volatile as compared to the residential property investment. It has been noticed that as a tenant you are required to stay in the premises for a longer period of time. On the basis of the lease agreement, you are restricted to hold on to your investment.

Ready Occupancy

At this time, there are only small finished commercial developments completed in Dubai. If you are one of those investors who want immediate returns on your investment, then purchasing commercial property in Dubai is best for you. Because of shortage of completed property in Dubai at present and the big number of new businesses also coming, there is a good chance that demand may outweigh supply.

To conclude it can be said that purchasing commercial property in Dubai is recommended and highly profitable at this time. Not only it is fruitful as an investment option but also quite advantageous if you want to start a new business. However, before you buy commercial property in Dubai, contact one or two reputed real estate brokers to get some insight into the property market of Dubai. Following this process will ensure that you will not make any mistake during the buying process.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophia_K

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is one of the world’s fastest growing employment hotspots in the world. Up to 20 new companies establish themselves in the emirate’s free trade zones every week and since 2002 some 650 companies have registered in the Dubai Media City free trade zone alone.

Particularly in the fields of tourism, IT, media and finance there are significant job opportunities for qualified personnel and if you’re interested in working in Dubai here’s a guide to employment in the most exciting, tax free, fastest growing multi cultural location in the world.

Yes, you heard me right, Dubai is tax free – if you live and work in the emirate your income will be paid to you gross and furthermore, if you buy a house to live in you will not be subject to property taxes because direct personal taxation is against the law in Dubai!

The emirate currently has 15 free trade zones and 7 more are in the planning stages. The free trade zones are where foreign businesses can establish themselves and grow without the restriction of corporate taxation for example and without having to submit to a local majority shareholding structure. As a direct result of all of the incentives offered to overseas businesses, take up in the free trade zones has been incredible and employment opportunities for foreign personnel are being created within them on a weekly basis.

To work in Dubai you require a work permit and a residency visa and the majority of employers arrange these for their expatriate work force when they appoint them. If you’re planning on travelling to Dubai to look for work you can enter the country on a temporary visa and then as soon as you secure employment you can apply for your work permit and visas. Rules relating to the period of time you can remain in the country on a temporary visa vary depending on the country you herald from and you should check with your local UAE embassy on rules that apply to you before you travel.

Most business in Dubai is done on a networking basis and so when you first arrive it can feel a little alien to have to immediately get out there and start introducing yourself to people. But don’t worry, you soon get used to it. Just make sure you have a pocketful of business cards to hand whenever you leave your accommodation as trading in business cards is the first step to successful networking!

Once you’ve settled into the different working hours in Dubai – many businesses close for a few hours in the afternoon and no local people take appointments on a Friday – and once you’ve settled into the fast pace of your social life you will begin to love your new surroundings. The quality of life achievable in Dubai for expatriates is quite possibly inimitable elsewhere as such emphasis has been placed on creating a paradise where foreign workers can work hard, play hard, live life to the full and experience everything in one day from skiing on an indoor slope to playing golf to diving to camel riding in the desert.

Expatriates make up 94% of the population in Dubai and as a direct result you can almost guarantee you’ll make friends very quickly and easily. The environment in Dubai is so multi cultural, open and free and there are a great deal of social clubs and events designed for people to meet up and make friends. These all help ease new residents into their brand new life. Everyone makes a great effort to get along in Dubai because they are all in the same boat together – working away from home but enjoying being in a country that offers first class business opportunities and a tax free lifestyle – could you ask for more?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Williamson