Often nicknamed the “Vegas of the Middle East”, Dubai is much more than a town filled with tacky hotels and flashing lights. Yes everything is here is larger than life and it’s true that some of its shopping malls verge on being slightly ostentatious. But if you look beyond its shiny exterior you’ll discover a tiny emirate that has everything you could ask for in a holiday. Miles of white sandy beaches provide great spots for a barbeque or for simply relaxing beneath a palm tree, while adrenaline-seekers can go para-sailing or jet skiing instead. And since most travellers taking flights to Dubai merely use it as a hub to stopover on route to Asia why not stay a few days – or a week - and explore all that this desert city has to offer. Just be sure to keep these 13 rules in mind when out and about so as not to offend the city's culture.
Dubai’s shopping malls and souks surmount any in the region and are usually the first stop for travellers coming off their flights to Dubai. The Mall of the Emirates is the largest and has an indoor ski slope, the first of its kind in the Middle East; while Deira’s Gold Souq has an extensive selection of Indian and Arabian gold.