Dubai

Dubai is a unique and fascinating cocktail of 'east-meets-west' and 'old-meets-new'. All year round glorious sunshine, warm inviting Arabian Gulf waters and a majestic desert tell only one side of the story. Temperatures tend to soar from mid-May to September. This intriguing oasis is quite simply the ultimate destination. It offers a flavour of Arabia alongside a chic and cosmopolitan lifestyle. In addition to sunbathing on uncrowded, pristine beaches there is the option to engage in a plethora of pursuits including watersports, desert safaris, camel rides, horseracing, dune driving, superb duty-free shopping, exotic souks (markets offering gold, carpets and spices), historic mosques, palaces and Bedouin villages. In addition, over recent years Dubai has become an increasingly popular destination for golfing trips, with a selection of championship courses available to challenge the most accomplished of golfers.

Beyond the hotels and resorts, there are endless opportunities to experience the diversity of Dubai. From 4-wheel drives or camel riding in the dunes of the desert, excursions into the Hajar Mountains and moonlit cruises along the Creek, to snow-skiing and tobogganing in the Snowdome. As the world's third largest indoor ski slope, the piste will excite and challenge all levels of skiers. For the less energetic, why not visit the fascinating Dubai Museum, indulge yourself with some shopping at the many malls and souks or treat yourself to Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab's Skyview Bar. So whether your preference is a city tour, a romantic dhow cruise or the thrills and spills of camel-riding and sand-skiing in the desert, to make the most of your holiday, we can suggest a variety of excursions that are offered locally by our agents.

Amongst the local excursions that are recommended are:
Jewel of the Persian Gulf - a tour of Dubai city including the Bastakia area and an 'abra' (water-taxi) ride on the Creek.
A Day in the Desert - a full day excursion including a picnic lunch.
Rides & Slides - sand skiing and camel riding in the desert.
Hatta Pools - a full day excursion including a picnic lunch.
Dune Dinner - an excursion into the dunes of the Dubai desert, including a barbecue dinner.
Dubai City Tour - a guided tour around this exciting and ever evolving city.
Dhow Cruise with Dinner - on the famous Dubai Creek.

Building developments in Arabia
There are currently fairly widespread building works taking place throughout Arabia and in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular. This is all part of a government strategy to ensure that these Emirate states remain at the forefront of advancement to meet the anticipated future demand of the discerning traveller. Dubai especially has developed a reputation for its bold and innovative approach in creating architectural wonders, and for its cutting-edge infrastructure, architecture and design. Both Emirates recognise however that any unavoidable disruption requires to be kept to an absolute minimum and hotels make every effort to ensure that guests have an enjoyable holiday. These developments are not under the control of If Only..., nor are we necessarily always made aware of them in advance. However,we do liaise with our local agent regularly. Generally, any disturbance is minimal and any impact on your holiday is negligible. Despite the existence of the building works, the room occupancy rates remain high.

*Weather patterns are unpredictable and this data should be used as a guide only. Rainfall data is per month.