For the last few years, Dubai has been a firm favourite for holidaymakers and with good reason. It is far enough away to be classed as long-haul, yet short enough to be a comfortable flight. There is a huge range of Dubai rentals and vacation accommodation on offer and at very good prices – especially since the Emirate has been experiencing financial problems.
What is there to do there? The favourite has to be the beach holiday. Many of the luxury hotels dotted around the coast offer incredible facilities, many of them seeming to try to outdo each other and you could happily spend a week or two at places like the Jumeirah Beach or the Mina Al Salaam without surfacing.
But surface you must because there is so much more to enjoy. If you have the stomach take a half day to go dune bashing – going up and down huge sand dunes at incredible speed in a four by four. And for the active there is also dune surfing on a small board – although it can be difficult to get back up the dune in the heat it is amazing fun coming down. End the day with a typical Bedouin feast in a tent in the desert for a perfect day.
Shopping is also to die for. Get lost in the Gold Souk where you can pick up some inexpensive and often really unusual items of jewellery. And when it gets too hot pick any of the huge themed malls.