Dubai has a very eventful social calendar. With international sporting events,
shopping and entertainment festivals, music and cultural programmes held at
various indoor and outdoor venues all year around.

Varying from the world's richest horse race - The Dubai World Cup, and
international jazz festivals, to the home grown Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai
also hosts regionally significant exhibitions and trade shows on a regular basis.

While the actual dates of many important events are timed to match the season,
the Lunar calendar and the holy month of Ramadan change from year to year.
The chart below provides a guideline to the city's many events:

The city of Dubai embraces its namesake creek, dividing it into two halves. The
main sightseeing circuit in Dubai is split between Bur Dubai and Deira which lie
on opposite sides of the water, and the gently curving Dubai Creek is an
attraction in itself. You will have plenty of opportunities for some brilliant views
of the city from the water: gleaming skyscrapers on one side, and old trading
dhows on the other.

Deira's many attractions include the historic quarter of Bastakia, as well as old
souks and covered marketplaces. Wandering along the alleys, you can explore
the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. The Dubai Museum is housed within the
beautifully restored Al Fahidi Fort, and is a must-see for first time visitors to Dubai.
Built in 1799 to defend the city against invasion, it has served as both palace and
prison and the museum's collection includes life-size figures and galleries
depicting Arab houses, mosques, date gardens, desert and marine life.

On the Bur Dubai side, Heritage Village, located in the Shindagah area, is a
family destination where you can watch potters, weavers and artisans at their
crafts. The adjoining Diving Village offers a cultural microcosm of pearl diving
and fishing. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, a museum restored from the house
of Dubai's former ruler and dating back to the late 1800s, is within the same
complex. With its unusual layered rooms and authentic wind towers, Sheikh
Saeed's House showcases regional architecture at its best.

If you drive west from the city centre, you will reach the popular suburb of
Jumeirah, home to some of Dubai's finest luxury hotels and resorts, unspoilt
stretches of sunny beaches and water sports complexes. In Jumeirah is the
Grand Mosque, re-built in 1998, with the city's tallest minaret, nine large domes
and 45 small domes - a distinguished landmark and an important place
of worship.

About 115 kms south east of Dubai, in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains,
is the 3000 year old Hatta Village, an important historical site for the region. The two
towers overlooking the village used to be defence fortresses against hostile
invaders, and during a relaxed day at the Village, you can visit the Houses of
Traditional Handicrafts and Palm Products, The Castle Centre, and the 200 year old
Sharia Mosque.

In contrast to the traditional attractions of Dubai and the surrounding areas, the
city boasts world-class business and leisure facilities.

Dubai is home to Ski Dubai – the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. This
unique resort spans 22,500 square metres, which is temperature controlled at -1°
to -2°, and covered with real snow throughout the year. The theme of Ski Dubai is
that of a mountain resort – with qualified instructors to guide you through the
intricacies of learning to ski or snowboard. Inside the resort, a retail shop,
themed restaurants and the world's largest Snow Park, offer something for everyone.

Dubai is a veritable shopper's paradise! Whether it is for gold, electronics,
carpets, spices, textiles or more.

The city is one of the largest retail gold markets in the world, selling everything
from ingots to intricately hand crafted jewellery, and bargaining is welcomed
almost everywhere. The Gold Souk area in Deira has glittering street-front
stores and hides dozens of alleys housing smaller shops. The newly built
Gold and Diamond Park on Sheikh Zayed Road is an attraction for serious
jewellery shoppers.

The city is also home to some of the Middle East region's most prestigious
shopping malls, boutiques and department stores that house retailers of haute
couture, hi-tech electronics, home furnishings and accessories or traditional
Arabic crafts. Dubai is famous for offering top international brands at
unbelievably reasonable prices.

The larger shopping mall complexes also house cinema theatres, food courts,
entertainment centres and play areas for children, allowing for complete family
shopping experiences.

Choose to browse through the older markets and the narrow walkways located
in the Meena Bazaar, Karama and Naif areas, dedicated to inexpensive
reproductions of international brands; leather goods and textiles; computer and
electrical accessories and Arabic perfumes.

Most shopping venues and cultural destinations sell a range of gifts and souvenirs
representing Dubai: The Seven Sands of the UAE, traditional Bedouin jewellery,
sand art, packaged dates and date products, Arabic sweets, wooden crafts and
palm leaf handicrafts.

Dubai is an exciting year round destination that offers unlimited opportunities
for rest and recreation, be it a walk through a lush green family park, an
adventurous day in the waters of the Arabian Gulf, or a pampering session
at one of the many health spas.

Beaches: Some of Dubai's beaches are attached to private hotels, where, for a
small fee, you can spend the day on the sand and in the waters of the Arabian
Gulf. Other beaches and waterfronts – the Corniche and the Creek – are free for
public access, and feature a range of water sports offered by several operators.

Desert safaris: One of Dubai's most popular tourist attractions is the desert safari:
a unique experience that combines an adventurous 4WD car ride over sand
dunes with camels, belly dancers, henna designers, falconers, and a barbecue
dinner by starlight. Other attractions include sand
skiing, sand boarding, sand karting and 4WD desert driving

Fishing: The warmth and shelter of the Gulf attract a large variety of fish, and
several local companies provide full and half day trips to the best fishing waters
about 12 kms offshore from the mainland.

Golf: Dubai has the unique distinction of being the only golfing centre in the
world to host major international tournaments on both the European and Asian
PGA circuits. Visiting golfers can choose from various clubs and courses, each of
championship quality and presenting a different type of challenge.

Treatments and therapies: Dubai is home to an extraordinary number of spas and
wellness clinics, ranging from internationally renowned brands to ancient Chinese
and Indian holistic treatments

The best place to enjoy authentic Arabic 'shisha' while watching the sun go
down is an outdoor Café at Heritage Village, located on the banks of Dubai
Creek." Recommends: Jassim Ahli, Government Officer, InterContinental
Residence Suites Dubai Festival City.

The biggest array of herbs and spices from Middle East and Asia is offered at the
traditional open-air Dubai Spice Souk" Recommends: Joseph Braganza, Front
Office Manager, InterContinental Dubai Festival City.

The most exclusive golf course in Dubai is Al Badia, to be found at the Dubai
Festival City." Recommends Christian Pertl, Director of Sales and Marketing,
InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City.

The best place to enjoy traditional offerings of Emirates is the Desert Safari
campground. Henna painting, camel riding, sand skiing, belly dancing, 4x4
driving through endless sand dunes, falcon watching are just a few of many fun
activities" Recommended by: Stuart Nielsen, Director of Food and Beverage,
InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City.

The total area of Dubai is approximately 2,428 sq miles.

The seven independent emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al
Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah came together to form the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) in the year 1971. While Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the UAE,
Dubai remains its commercial centre.

Dubai is located on the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, in the South West
corner of the Arabian Gulf.

Dubai enjoys 365 days of warm sunshine, with cooler evenings and occasional showers in the months between November to March.

The UAE has a sub-tropical, arid climate with infrequent and irregular rainfall,
amounting to less than 13 centimetres a year. Temperatures range from a low of
10 degrees (Celsius) to a high of 48 degrees. The average daily maximum is 24
degrees in January, rising to 42 degrees in July.

The UAE is 4 hours ahead of GMT (+4 GMT).

Dubai is home to a little less than 1 million residents with 79% of the
population employed.

Dubai offers a variety of inexpensive and efficient public transportation and you
can choose between metered local taxis, intra-city and inter-city buses, private
car hire services and abras (local boats).

The UAE is one of the world's wealthiest countries, with a GDP of US $54 billion
(2000), and has the third-largest proven oil reserves in the world. While oil and gas
production form its foundation, Dubai is increasingly broadening its economic
activity to include: real estate, tourism, trading and manufacturing.

Owing to the resources and foreign enterprises located in Dubai, more than 80%
of the population are expatriates from across the globe and the city is home to
almost 200 nationalities.

While alcohol is served at restaurants mostly located in hotels, it can also be
purchased at the Arrival Duty Free store in Dubai International Airport or with a
special permit valid for non-Muslim residents only. Dubai operates a zero
tolerance policy to driving under the influence of alcohol.

The official currency of the UAE is the Arab Emirates Dirham (AED or Dhs). Each
Dirham is divided into 100 fils and is held constant against the US Dollar at an
average of 3.67. All banks operate from 8.00am to 1.00pm, Saturday through
Wednesday and 8.00am to 12.00pm on Thursdays. Currency exchange houses
are open until late in the evening. All international credit and debit cards are
widely accepted.
Currency Converter.

Visitors are free to dress according to their personal choice. Dress sensibly,
although very revealing clothes shouldn't be worn in public or places of worship.
Shorts and skirts are acceptable for ladies. Most Emirati men and women still
choose to wear the traditional national dress. Lightweight summer clothing can
be worn for most of the year, but the temperature can drop quite sharply at night
during the winter.

The standard electricity supply is 220/240 volts. American appliances may
need a transformer.

Dubai is extremely well known for its warm hospitality and rich cultural heritage,
and the Emirati people are welcoming and generous in their approach to visitors.

While Arabic is the official language, English is very widely spoken, especially in
business. Given the large size of the expatriate population, several other
languages are also used in everyday life, headed by Hindi, Urdu and Farsi.

Photography of buildings and sights is widely acceptable. Local people,
especially the women, do not take kindly to being photographed without their
prior permission. In general, it is best to avoid taking photographs (or video
footage) of any individual in a National Dress.

Dubai is a very safe city for visitors and residents alike, with minimal chances
of untoward events. However, locking your car and minding your personal
belongings is always recommended.

Travellers holding passports with a right of residence in the following countries
can get a visa on arrival at Dubai International Airport - a visit visa valid for 60
days is stamped directly in your passport by immigration officials:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
GCC Countries, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, The Netherlands,
New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Vatican City.

Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing - link to webpage

Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry - link to webpage

Click here to download Map of Dubai