Dubai has been labeled as the “Paris of the Middle East” because of its enchanting character and charm that radiates a luxurious lifestyle that many people are dreaming of. The area is a unique blend of modern skyscrapers and the everlasting deserts that complement each other to make Dubai as a perfect holiday destination. When you pass along the Sheikh Zayed road seeing many skyscrapers, super mega malls and a lot of multi-million offshore developments. Dubai may look like a place just famous for exporting petroleum abroad, but for anyone who stays for few more days in Dubai can tell you more about what definitely Dubai is as a city.

Though Dubai has been known for its exceptional and world class modern structures, it has an old district too. Deira, Al Satwa, and Port Rashid is a great place to reside because it teems with life. You can find a 17th-century British fort in the area.

You can have a taste of the “real Arabia” in Dubai’s marketplace by riding an “abra” boat that cruises along the creek where you can find gold souks. Al Karama and the nearby Al Satwa are really a melting pot. It is a home of a different culture from Pakistani and Indian immigrants as well as Syria and Lebanon expats. Therefore, you can try different kinds of food quick and easy as the cultures’ distinction varies also to their food specialties.

There’s a huge number of immigrants in the City, the majority of them are Westerners that were grouped in the upmarket Marina, the most glamorous Palm also known as the brand new Downtown Dubai.

The next is the home to Dubai’s one of the most outstanding landmarks, the gargantuan tower named as Burj Khalifa along with the enormous and prestigious Dubai Mall. Few meters from the sea shore are new hotels which are really great for your stay.

Not far from the airport on Sheikh Zayed Road is the Wafi Mall. This mall is an Egyptian-themed and is one of the known shopping centers. On the nearby area are Ibn Battuta Mall and Mall of the Emirates, both of these malls are popular for offering different products from selling designers’ clothes to pungent perfume collections. But, do not get stuck in the malls, the city also brags their stunning beaches and the majestic desert scenery that you will love to experience.

Getting around Dubai

Dubai’s public transport is really organized, the buses, water buses (Abra), and the metro are managed by the Nol integrated ticket system which can be accessed through this website (www.nol.ae). You have to get a prepaid card for Nol before you can use any of the transportations. If you have one, it can be topped-up or you can simply buy it at any metro station, bus stops or any branches of Waitrose, Spinneys, Carrefour, and the Emirates NBD Bank.

There are four types of ticket/card but these two are the most efficient and convenient for travelers or for those who plan to stay long:

• The Red Ticket – designed exclusively for visitors, it only cost Dhs2. It can only be reloaded 10 times and must be topped-up with the exact fare before each trip.
• The Silver Card – This costs Dhs20 with a credit amount of Dhs14. It can store up to Dhs500 of credit amount. This card will last up to five years.

Metro

The Dubai Metro which was built with the help of the Japanese has transformed the city travel for the visitors and locals. This is one of the anticipated travel experience for everyone who visits Dubai. However, the problem is during the hot months, the short walking distance can be very unbearable. There are four lines for this megaproject, The Red, Purple, Green, and Blue as well as the tram lines. Red and Green lines were opened last September 2009, the Green line was in March 2010, and the Blue and Purple lines were not yet announced.

The Red Line is the longest which travels 32 miles or 52 kilometers. It connects other destination from the airport terminals 1 and 3 going to Deira and heading to Sheikh Zayed Road up to Jebel Ali. While the Green Line can travel 22 kilometers or 13 miles that will connect Bur Dubai, Deira and the mouth of the Creek up to the Business Bay.
For the prices, schedules and other relevant information, you can check www.rta.ae . There is also an available file to download called as the Metro Pocket Brochure which serves as your guide. There are rules to be followed when using the metro, such as the baggage limit allowed and strictly no chewing gum inside the train.

The train can run every 4-6 minutes on average. The Red line is more frequently used than Green. The trains are driverless and are real with the use of high-end technology. It can accommodate 643 passengers and provides Silver and Gold card holder a different seat, as well as the areas reserved for elderly passengers, wheelchair users, women, and children. The facilities of Metro include parking at the stations, vending machines, ticket booths and clean toilets.

Bus

Dubai’s bus service is commonly used for transportation but it is not highly recommendable for the visitors for a city tour because it is purposely for the lower-income workers. For trips to other Emirates, there are reliable bus services from Al Ghubaibah Bus Station in Bur Dubai going to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and sometimes Hatta.

Taxi

This is still the best way of touring around the city that the Metro cannot reach yet. Cabs are metered fairly, comfortable and air-conditioned. Mostly, taxis can be booked just on the street or sometimes pre-booked. From the airport, the taxi’s meter starts at Dhs20, and through the city, it starts at Dhs3.

Here are list of telephone numbers for main taxi operators in Dubai:

• Cars Taxis – tel. no: 04 800 269 2900
• Dubai Taxi – tel. no: 04 208 0808
• National Taxis – tel. no: 04 600 339 0002
• Metro Taxi – tel. no: 04 600 267 3222

Take note that the street names are rarely used in Dubai, except for the highways, the navigation is usually by the local landmarks. This is how taxi drivers will expect to have the direction rather than giving the street address.

Abra or Waterbus

Dubai is divided into two by the Creek which can be crossed by an Abra or sometimes called as Waterbus. The Abra is an air-conditioned waterbus that reaches different points on the Creek which cost Dhs4 for a roundtrip journey, they do not offer single fares. It can be payable only using the Nol card.

Travelling to Dubai

A tour package that offers airfare and hotel accommodation deals are much cheaper than separately booked airfare and hotel. The best prices for traveling to Dubai is between May – September, prices are a bit low because this is also the hottest time of the year in the UAE. For a rough estimate, from the UK, based on two adults for five nights stay at a five-star hotel deluxe room and airfare with free breakfast and hotel transfer, the price will start around £1,200 in low season and £1,500 during the peak season.
If you are not on a tour package, the cost for a standard double room price starts at around Dhs 300 – 350 per night and in a one-star hotel, it will cost you about Dhs750/night. And of course, the infamous seven-star Burj Al Arab will start at Dhs10,000 per night for a suite.

Budgeting and planning for your trip

Check the Internet for the best promo flights and best deals for accommodation as there are lots of good value tour packages available. Dubai is an expensive place for some visitors, though dining in restaurants and traveling around using the public transportation is not very pricey.