Dubai demands that you dress differently, during different times of the year. Let me start with summer. Dubai, during summer, is one of the hottest places on the planet. Temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius. This means that walking out on the roads is literally impossible, if you are accustomed to the cold climate of the US and Europe. If you are an Asian or Australian, you have better chances of surviving the heat, though you will have to do so by biting your teeth.

So the only other way out is to dress smart. During summer, trousers are a no-no. Always stick to shorts. Wearing sleeveless clothes is a good idea, but if you are prone to sunburns, then refrain from doing so.
But shorts and sleeveless clothes are considered offensive by some locals, so you had better dress so at your discretion.
Wear airy slippers but ensure that the padding is thick to ensure that the heat from the ground does not seep into your feet.
When you go to the desert, my advice is that you do not wear shoes and instead wear sandals. The reason being, all the sand will go into your shoes and it is a pain in the neck to clear it out.

Anyways, I dont think anyone in their sane minds will venture out into the desert in the middle of the summer season in Dubai. It is suicidal to do that.
Now, if you visit during Nov or Dec, the weather is pretty pleasant. It is pretty much like Texas during the day but it does get chill during the night. Pack those leather jackets and silk clothes because now would be a good time to use them.
Drink a lot of water because many people might face dehydration while traveling because Dubai is situated in the heart of the desert. The advantage in Dubai is that all the buildings, cars,buses and hotels are air-conditioned so when you are indoors, there is nothing to worry about. In fact, you can even pay a visit to Ski Dubai at the Mall of the Emirates!

The Palm Island is a man-made island, in the shape of a palm tree. It is sitll under construction. It is a very very massive residential spaces undertaking. It is lined with skyscraper residential buildings, whose prices are absolutely through the roof. Typical prices for a bedroom apartment is around 700000$ ! There are also sprawling villas that are avilable for those who are so rich, that they do not know what to do with all the money that they have! At Dubai. there is always something for those, for whom nothing seems expensive.


The area of the Palm is around 5 Sq.Kms. The best way to see this exotic island is by air. The aerial view is simply awesome (see photo). There are 2 other Palms coming up namely, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira. There is abslutely no othere place like the Palm elsewhere in the world. Constructing this mammoth is definitely an engineering feat. A few years back, there was nothing here but the plain old sea. But now, after years of construction work, It houses several thousand extraordinary, supremely expensive, skyscraping housing complexes. Wierd? You think? Nah, that's just Dubai.

There is a monorail that runs through the trunk of the tree shaped island, that links the various parts of the island. Imagine this. Staying on the 40th floor of a skyscraper, built on a man-made island, near on of the world's most beautiful beaches, which overlooks a really really huge column of skyscrapers on the other side, with a monorail when you look down from the window situated near several malls, pools and an awesome marina. Whew!! It is going to take quite a while for you to get over that list.
Apart from the residential complexes, there are also several private villas and guess what. They come with their own private beaches. They also have their own 24 hr water patrol service, that constantly monitors activity in these waters.

To top this all, there is also a 6 lane underwater tunnel to link the different parts of the Palm! Well, I can keep on writing about the Palm. The post wil just go on and on and on. All I can tell you is that the Palm has to be seen to be believed. Period.

The scenic flight is an awesome way to tour Dubai. The flight rates start at around 65$ for around an hour. The tour involves a hot-air baloon ride that offers you a fantastic view of the city's major tourist attractions. Right from the Tennis court atop the helipad at the Burj-Al-Arab, to splendid views of the majestic Arabian desert; The flight offers it all.
For guests staying at the Burj, there is a special helicopter service from the hotel to the VIP lounge at the Dubai International Airport. The rates are pretty steep though. It can go upto 2500$ for each ride to and from the Burj!!

Malls in Dubai offer more than just plain shopping. They concentrate a lot on the architecture, which in itself seems to be attractin several thousands of tourists each day. Apart from the Mall Of The Emirates, there are many other malls in Dubai. If you are not able to visit the emirates mall, then you can check out some of these malls that might be close to where you are staying.


Burjuman Centre:




This is one of the most beautiful malls in Dubai. It looks amazingly classy and is filled with a vareity of superb architectural styles. Its architecture oozes oomph and is a contrast to the otherwise crowded malls. It is a mall where you dont have to rush from shop to shop and you can just relax and shop and of course, admire the architecture. Quite a few major brands are present here, but not as exclusive as Mall Of The Emirates.It is situated near the Trade Center road , near Al Karama. (The image to the right is a snapshot of the Burjuman Center.)



Dragonmart:

This is one very long mall. No floors. No breathtaking views. But very very long. It is the main Chinese market in Dubai. It is not your average glittering, shining mall but has more of a Chinese kind of flavor to it. It is an ideal place for you to get silk clothes or street footwear and dead cheap prices. It is situated near the Oman highway.


Emirates Towers Boulevard:


This is more like the Beverly Hills of Dubai. All major international designer brands are present here. This is not a place for window shopping. It is more for the seriously-looking-out-for-something-very-chic kind of shopper. So if you are in the mood for designer labels, head to the Emirates Tower Boulevard.


Ibn Battuta Mall:

This is a mall comprising of very traditional architecture. Architecture from Africa, India, Egypt and several other places, can be seen here. This is not as exciting as the other malls that you would find in Dubai.


Dubai Mall:

There are more than about 50 malls in Dubai. And now, the biggest of them all is set open in 2008. The Dubai Mall.Built over 12.1 Million Sq.ft., Dubai Mall is all set to make a grand entry into Dubai's top real estate deals. I possibly cannot list all of its features here. But it will definitely make global news, once its doors fly open later this year. It is being built close to the world's tallest tower, the Burj Dubai Tower. (The images are an artist's comception of the Dubai Mall). The mall will contain a 3-storey tall walk through aquarium and a glass walk-through area!! The image shown to the right shows how the walk-through aquarium will loke upon completion. Dubai has really broken the barrier this time by building such a huge mall. The Dubai Mall, once opened is sure to be a major tourist attraction in Dubai.
The Dubai Mall is being built to resemble an ocean liner from the outside and has facilities to house thousands of shops in its several phases.
There is just so much to do in Dubai that you will never ever get bored in this awesome city. Period.

Ok. Here goes. Mall Of The Emirates. It is the Third largest shopping mall in the world. There are about 400 major brands, that have their own stores in the mall. All major international brands have managed to fit in their outlets in this mall, right from Gucci and Versace to Ralph Lauren and Bvlgari. And of course there's Carrefour, Burberry and DKNY and all the other stores that you would find in other malls.



Although Mall of the Emirates, might not have indoor roller coasters like the mall at Times Square, Kuala Lumpur, it does have another feature. Ok. Hold your breath. It has an indoor ski slope!!.

The indoor ski slope, also known as ski Dubai, is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It is unusual to be skiing in the middle of the desert, but at Dubai, nothing is impossible.The ski slope is the third largest of its kind in the world. It attracts several thousand visitors every day. There are also many restaurants overlooking the indoor slope. So not in the mood for skiing, you can always sip on that cup of hot maddening crowd.
There are several restaurants spread out through the length of the entire mall and also adjoining Ski Dubai. Many major international joints have their outlets in the Mall Of The Emirates. Still not impressed?
There is also a multiplex (Cinestar Cinemas) at the mall where you can just sit back and enjoy that new action flick that you have been wanting to see for so long. The facilities offered at the mall are numerous and are sure to suit every member of the family.
It has everything from jewelleryand cell phones, to designer shoes and clothes. So head to the Mall Of The Emirates for one hell of a weekend!!

'Wild' is the only word that I can use to describe this awesome activity that is unique to Dubai. The desert safari is Dubai's version of a roller coaster on solid land and not in the air. This is definitely one of the most fun things that I have ever done.

The desert Safari starts off with an off-terrain vehicle picking you up from your hotel and taking you to campsite situated about 15 minutes into the desert, off the main highway. The first leg of the safari involves a really wild dune bashing ride through the huge sand dunes of the Dubai desert.
That is when you realise the true potential of these 4 X 4 vehicles. It is an activity that is gaining popularity in the Middle East.
After the first leg, I was dropped off at the desert camp. The desert camp is beautiul. It consists of a large seating area and a stage in the middle for the belly dancing show. There are other activities inside the camp like henna painting, glass painting and other traditional Arab art activities. It is a welcome respite from the maddening Dubai lifestyle. There is absolute calm over the desert and one can just lie down there all night long starring into the starry sky. Later, after sunset, Dinner begins. The dinner spread is paradise! Kebabs come right off the grill and onto your plate. Hot food served in the cold desert surroundings. Tastes better than most of the food than I have tasted before.

This is followed by the belly dancing show. This has to be one of the most difficult dancing techniques ever. Truly spectacular performance by the young woman. The belly dancing session saw several people get up from their seats and dance on the stage. Or if you want to stay away from all the limelight, you can just lie back on the sand next to the fire and smoke your sheesha. Sheesha served here is of very good quality. Many visitors stay overnight in these camps and this allows you to truly experience the desert. I stayed in a small hut in the desert camp. It runs entirely on solar energy and there is usually no pwer supply after 11 pm. So it is just you, your rug and the desert sand. Dont miss out on this. Before the morning sun came up, I managed to climb to the top of a very tall sand dune with my naked feet and watch the sunrise over the horizon.
It was a glorious sight.I was speechless.
So make sure to go on the desert safari when you visit Dubai as it gives you a true taste of Dubai.

There are too many tourist attractions to list in Dubai. This site contains information about all the major tourist attractions. Everytime I visit Dubai, I find that there are around 5 new tourist attractions, 20 new hotels, 15 bridges and a few 10000 people more in Dubai. It is one of the most fastest growing cities in the world and this exponential growth can be primarily attributed to the amazing tourism potential in the region. You cannot possibly get bored in Dubai because there is so much to do. So do explore this site for more details!

Situated smack in the middle of the great Arabian desert, Dubai stays hot for most of the year. Temperatures touch the 50 degree celsius mark. It is literally impossible to walk out on the roads during peak summer that often occurs during the months of April and May.
The ideal time to visit would be around Nov-Dec and this is the time when Dubai stays pleasant with bearable temperatures.
So while planning your trip to Dubai , make sure to pack loads of thin and airy cotton clothes and leave behind those leather jackets and jerkins. Wearing sleeveless clothes is a good idea to combat the extreme heat at Dubai. But ensure that you do not venture out too much in these clothes or you till get sun burnt. So dress well. Dress practically.

Restaurants are aplenty in Dubai. Dubai is truly a melting pot of different cultures with cuisines like Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, Arabian and several more. It gives a real taste of Asia.
Below are some of the best restaurants in Dubai:

Thai Restaurants:

The Benjarong restaurant has got to be the best Thai restaurant in Dubai. It is situated in the Dusit hotel and offers a fantastic view of the desert. The food is served piping hot and has the traditional authentic Thai taste.
But close follows the Blue Elephant. Though I have not personally visited this restaurant, its reputation is clear proof of the great food that is served there. The Blue Elephant hs tasted success in London and is looking to repeat the same here in Dubai.

Italian Restaurants:

My choice would be the La Vigne restaurant in Century Village. It is one of the best Italian restaurants that I have ever dined in. Though there is the Cappa Nuovo and the Venezia restaurant, my personal favorite is the La Vigne. The food is reasonably priced. The ambience is not something out of the world but the food is simply awesome. So be sure to visit this restaurant while at Dubai.

Indian Restaurants:

Indian cuisine is one of the most widely avaiable in Dubai. To begin with, visit the Saravana Bhavan or Sangeethas (both are located within 100 metres of each other) for breakfast. They offer excellent South Indian delicacies, all served piping hot.
For lunch, try the Sukh Sagar (situated in Al Karama) or the Gazebo. These 2 restaurants offer very good North Indian food. Apart from these, there are several other joints like the Bombay Chowpati chaat joint which has awesome Indian chaat ( chaat is something like a street snack in India and Bombay Chowpati totally rocks in this division ). So if you are looking for Indian food, head to these restaurants.

Chinese Cuisine:
Dubai has too many Chinese restaurants to list out. Though I have been only to the Golden Dragon and the Chinese Kitchen, there are several other options. These restaurants offer quality chinese food at affordable rates and are the apt choice to get a taste of Chinese street food. Every area in Dubai has atleast 2 Chinese restaurants. So wherever you are staying, you will never be far away from a Chinese restaurant.

Arabian:
I think Arabian restaurants would be only too easy to find Dubai! So there would be no use of me posting their names here.

I think the above list of restaurants is far far away from exhaustive. These are just some restaurants that top my favorites list. So if you are an adventurer, go ahead and visit the many other restaurants in Dubai.Enjoy!

Duabi is full to the brim with international joints like Pizza Hut, Subway, Burger King, KFC and what not. It has a wide variety of fast food joints ranging from traditional Thai cuisine to spicy Indian cuisine!
Most of these joints are fairly priced. Take Burger King for example. An average burger+coke+fries combo would cost you around 6$-7$ at the most. Compared to the other restaurants in town, these joints are a good way to save on money and catch up on lost time.
There are also many Mexican food joints, some situated inside local markets, thus making them the ideal stop to eat while shopping. Do not mistake local markets for Malls. Malls form a separate segment altogether. I'll come to that later.

Dubai has an exotic range of hotels to choose from, the most exquisite of them all being the Burj-Al-Arab. If you are a traveller with a lot of cash to burn, try staying at the Burj-Al-Arab, the world's only 7 star hotel. Burj Al Arab pampers you right from the moment you step off your plane. It has a helicopter transport service that ferries you, to and from the hotel. Apart from this, it also has a tennis court situated on the helipad ( I am not too sure whether they have removed the court now ).Apart from the Burj, there is a horde of 5-star hotels in Dubai. There are several new hotels still under construction , set to open in the near future. Apart from 5 star hotels, there are also 3 star hotels in Dubai though they are not as famous as their higer end counterparts. Dubai is known world-wide for its hospitality services.
There are also hotels for the budget traveller. A good example is the Arabian Courtyard, with prices beginning at around $40! The Princess hotel is another option due to its close proximity to the Dubai International Airport. There are also hotels like the Burjuman Rotana which caters to the moderate budget traveller. Overall, there are numerous options as far as hotels are concerned.

Dubai is well connected by air to almost every city in the world. It has one of the largest airports in the world and is definitely one of the most posh airports in the world. Swanky interiors greet every passenger that arrives at DXB international airport. It has one of the best duty-free shopping centres in the world and that in itself is a tourist attraction. All major airlines operate to Dubai.