Looking at the gleaming metropolis of 21st century Dubai, it is difficult
to believe that just thirty years ago Dubai was little more than a desert-strewn
wilderness where Bedouin tribes roamed the sands and a huddle of settlers
crowded around the banks of the lifeblood creek. Even as Europe embarked
on the mass industrial destruction of the First World War, Dubai still had
no running water, no real roads and the main mode of transport was the camel.
Dubai first grew as a hub on the ancient trading route between Mesopotamia
and the Indus Valley. By the 19th century, a small fishing village had taken
root on the Shindagha peninsula, at the mouth of Dubai Creek. The village
was inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe, who were led by the Maktoum family,
the dynasty that still presides over Dubai today. The city's remarkable success
story really began in the 1960s. During the process of shaking off the shackles
of British colonial rule, oil was struck in 1966 and Dubai has never looked
back. Since the 1960s, the population has increased tenfold to over a million
people, largely through expat labour, making it one of the most cosompolitan
places in the world. Emiratis represent only around one fifth of the total
population. Dubai's evolution has been dramatic, with sweeping skyscrapers
and glittering office blocks rising up on the banks of the Creek and along
Sheikh Zayed Road, site of the new Dubai International Financial Centre.
Development has been well managed, with a structure and order to the city
that demonstrates that the oil wealth has been well handled and channelled.
The rulers of Dubai have a penchant for grand projects - one year a new extension
to the port facilities, the next the world's tallest purpose-built hotel,
the world's largest artificial islands, and now the US$18 billion Dubailand,
a huge conglomeration of leisure projects, sport, resorts, shopping malls,
residential and theme parks.
What to do - Places to visit
Beaches
Dubai's main beaches run along Jumeira Road. In truth, it is one long beach
divided up by hotels and private clubs, interspaced by a few public access
beaches.
The Jumeira beaches have soft white sand that slip into the shallow
warm turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf. Hotel beaches are very well maintained
with luxury facilities. This usually means lawns and swimming pools with
beachside food and beverage service.
The public has access to use private or
hotel beach clubs with daily rates that vary from $10 to $50.
There is also
a public beach at Al Mamzar Park on the Deira side of the Creek. The public
facilities include playgrounds, barbecue sites, food kiosks, and picnic areas
for families.
January temperatures are pleasant so the beaches are full of Europeans.
Summer temperatures can reach 45-50 degrees centigrade with equally high
humidity.
Hotels
Dubai is home to over 250 hotels which include some of the world's
most luxurious establishments. They are designed to accommodate business travelers
as well as tourists. The hotels also enrich the local social life as they include
a wide range of restaurants, bars, shops, and live entertainment.
The Burj Al
Arab is the world's tallest hotel. The Jumeirah Beach Hotel is another of the
many famous hotels that line the long stretch of hotels on Jumeira Beach.
The
view from the Sheraton Jumeirah Beach is indicative of the scenery that can
be enjoyed without ever leaving one's room.Travel Guides From Amazon.comBook
your Dubai hotel here
Night Life
Dubai entertainment includes cinemas, concerts, dhow cruises, discotheques
as well as live entertainment that includes Middle Eastern as well as Western
choices.
There is a wide selection of bars and pubs to be found in the major
hotels. Frequently several different kinds of music will be provided during
the course of an evening. Below is Moondance, an international band that has
been making music in the Sirroco Club for the last several years.
Desert
Dubai may be an ultra-modern city in the 21st Century but its heart
and soul is rooted in the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula.
Desert activities
attract visitors and residents alike. One can experience midnight at an oasis
under the stars in a bedouin camp with camels tethered nearby. Or enjoy the
thrill of 4 or 3-wheeling through the endless dunes. Falconry remains a popular
sport throughout the Middle East.
Visitors will find information about various
activities and excursions available at most hotels.
Admiral Plaza 
