Where to stay in Dubai

See

Dubai is a mixture of old and new, traditional and modern. From old traditional souks and historical buildings (now being preserved for cultural reasons or already part of the national heritage) to modern Dubai's overwhelming shopping malls, incredible artificial islands and giant modern skyscrapers that include the world's tallest building, Dubai is a world in itself and offers plenty of wonderful attractions. The city has numerous museums and historical buildings, but Dubai Museum is a must see for a first-time traveller to the Emirates. It provides a glimpse of the old life of Dubai, its people and their culture and heritage. A number of other museums are located in nearby Sharjah.

Eat

Shawarma is the most available food item on almost all streets (and cheap) in Dubai. It is the Arabic equivalent of the burger. It is meat that has been cooked on a skewer and then cut into thin strips and placed into a kuhbus (pita) bread with vegetables and dressing. There is the plain-jane variety and the more exotic Lebanese and Iranian varieties. The shawarma sold by Indian restaurants are arguably the cheapest. Another local snack is fala-fil (felafel, falafel), which is as cheap as shawarma. Traditional Emirati food normally involves rice and meat/chicken cooked with different spices.

Drink

Dubai has supercharged the nightlife in the last decade and most international known brands have a sister location in town. Most 3-5 star hotels have bars and nightclubs for those interested in the nightlife. World-class DJs frequent Dubai's nightclubs, and many A-list musical celebrities are adding Dubai to their list of tour dates. There is nothing missing and during the high tides of the party time, the impression of being in Ibiza is not misleading. Most of the night life is geared at the beaches of Jumeirah or the Dubai Marina. Bur Dubai is more family-oriented (e.g. Dubai Fountain), while Deira was able in parts to maintain its more Arabic focussed style.

Stay safe

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world with regard to street crime. Call 999 if you need police attention. If you heard the sound of cannon fire, don't panic! It actually marks the time to break the fasting during Ramadan. This tradition started in Dubai since 1960. This is because most mosques in the UAE did not have loudspeakers several decades ago, so they used a cannon instead - which had a loud sound - to inform local residents that the fasting time was over. Driving and pedestrian safety has also been an issue given the different nationalities that share the road. Do not jaywalk or cross where there are no clear pedestrian markings.