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.
