United Arab Emirates
Welcome to Dubai, one of the world's most exciting new travel destinations. Lying on the blue waters of the southern Gulf and backed by the majestic desert, Dubai offers visitors year-round sunshine and five-star luxury, plus the adventure of a unique Arabian experience. Dubai is a land of fascinating contrasts, a distinctive blend of modern city and timeless desert, east and west, old and new. Known in the region as the 'city of merchants', Dubai has, for generations, welcomed seafarers and traders to its shores. Today, this tradition of courtesy and hospitality lives on. The streets are clean and safe, and travellers are sure to be charmed by the city's warmth and friendliness. The city has superb facilities for sports, shopping, dining and entertainment and is well equipped to cater to the diverse needs of individual travellers, families or incentive groups.
See and Do
From the timeless tranquillity of the desert to the lively bustle of the gold souks, Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions. In a single day, the tourist can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks. The highlights of your visit are quite likely to be Jumeirah Mosque, the souks, Dubai Museum, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum's house, the Grand Mosque, Jumeirah Hotel and Burj al Arab and Jumeirah beach. Enjoy a romantic dinner under moonlit skies with Arabic music on an illuminated traditional dhow, or take a four wheel drive over desert dunes. Don't miss the opportunity to spend a magical evening in the desert, where a drive over the sand dunes is followed by a barbecue dinner and live entertainment.
Shopping
Shopping is one of Dubai's main attractions and there is plenty of opportunity to grab both international and local goods. Reduced import duties, the lack of a sales tax and attractive prices is what makes shopping here as economical as it is pleasurable. The Dubai Shopping Festival in early January / February is a massive, city-wide event. All the larger stores and the malls slash prices and you can get great discounts on international goods. Check out the large malls around the city, especially around Beniyas Square, Al-Rigga and Al-Hiyafa Road. The Al Bustan is one of the city's most popular malls. On the other end of the retail spectrum are the old souks of Deira and Dubai Souk in Bur Dubai. These offer a vivid shopping experience with intoxicating sights, sounds and aromas. More esoteric local products include carpets, Bedouin jewellery and Arabian souvenirs.
Dinning
Dubai's many restaurants and entertainment spots provide a truly international array of choices. Its restaurants cover everything from coffee shops to fine dining and specialty outlets. The nightlife scene is equally varied, with many bars, pubs, discos and nightclubs open until the small hours. Dubai is an excellent place to sample all kinds of Middle Eastern cuisine including Iranian, Moroccan and Lebanese. Arabic cuisine makes up an important part of most buffet spreads. Specialities include hoummus, a paste made from chickpeas and sesame seeds, ghuzi, a whole roast lamb on a bed of rice mixed with nuts, wara enab, vine leaves stuffed with rice and Koussa mahshi, stuffed courgettes. Plump, sweet dates feature at the end of every Arabic meal.THE BEST PLACES TO EAT
Dubai
Indian
Handi Restaurant: Taj Palace Hotel, (between Al Maktoum and Al Riqqa) Roads in Deira, P.O.Box 42211, Dubai. Tel:+9714 223 2222.
Local Cuisine
Times of Arabia: Madinat Jumeirah, The Arabian Resort. Tel: +9714 3668888.
Burj Al Arab, Dubai *****
An iconic symbol of affluence, the Burj Al Arab, Dubai, Jumeirah's famous sail-shaped structure, is possibly one of the world's most easily recognised landmarks
LOCATION
The Burj al Arab hotel is part of the Jumeirah Beach Resort, situated 17 kilometres south of the city of Dubai. Soaring 321 metres, Burj al Arab towers above the renowned Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Wild Wadi Water Park.
AMENITIES AND FACILITIES
Offering personalised service in the most luxurious surroundings imaginable, your private butler will ensure that every need is met. Everything here is the ultimate in comfort.
Burj al Arab does not have regular hotel rooms, only 202 suites, each arranged over two floors. Ranging from 169 square metres to an astonishing 780 square metres, the floor to ceiling windows offer breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. With rch textures and exuberant colours, each suite features a sumptuous living and dining area, a state-of-the-art entertainment system and office facilities.
DINING
Recognised as one of the top ten best hotel restaurants in the world, Burj al Arab's signature restaurant Al Mahara serves Chinese and Western influenced seafood. Al Iwan offers a Middle Eastern and international buffet. Majlis al Bahar boasts alfresco Mediterranean specialities. Al Muntaha's contemporary European cuisine, the Juna Lounge with its fine selection of cigars, the international Skyview Bar, Sahn Eddar's light fare and afternoon tea and Bab Al Yam, with its international delicacies and stunning views complete the palette.
SPECIALS
Relax in the outdoor pool or on the private beach or sweat it out in the spacious gymnasium. Enjoy complimentary access to Wild Wadi Water Park.
The Assawan Spa & Health Club on the 18th floor offers a magnificent view of the Gulf, as well as treatment rooms, hydrotherapy baths, oriental massages, a stand-up solarium, a sauna, steam rooms and a Jacuzzi, two swimming pools, a squash court, fully equipped fitness studios and an aerobics floor.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR KUONI'S CUSTOMERS
A complimentary bottle of wine.
The Taj Palace, Dubai *****
Located in the heart of Dubai, this five-star deluxe hotel offers impeccable amenities and service, ensuring that you have a memorable stay here.
LOCATION
The hotel is only minutes from the renowned shopping malls and a mere 10 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
AMENITIES AND FACILITIES
Specially created with the discerning business and leisure traveller in mind, this hotel offers 159 executive rooms and suites, each with their own balcony. The hotel has 90 serviced apartments, an exclusive Taj Club, a Dubai executive floor, five multi-cuisine restaurants, a health club, two rooftop pools and an ayurvedic spa offering soothing massages.
DINING
From casual, all-day eateries to formal, fine dining, guests can look forward to a wide selection of delectable dishes and refreshing non-alcoholic drinks.
At the award-winning Handi, northern Indian cuisine is served with flair. Le Rendezvous offers à la carte and buffet breakfasts. The smart, 24-hour Lobby Lounge offers a selection of international flavours. Sakura is a Japanese / Pan-Asian restaurant with a teppanyaki and sushi bar. Topkapi is a unique restaurant offering a refreshing selection of Turkish and Arabic specialities. At Verdi, guests can experience delicious Italian fare and a friendly atmosphere.
SPECIALS
The Taj Spa remains the only five-star spa offering authentic ayurvedic treatment in this Arabian cosmopolitan city. The hotel also boasts one of the largest rooms in the city - an amazing 61 square metres!
SPECIAL OFFER FOR KUONI'S CUSTOMERS
Stay for three nights and enjoy a dune safari with a barbecue dinner.
Dubai Delight
DubaiOn this compact, five-day holiday, explore the Dubai Museum and the famous gold and spice souk. Then visit the fascinating underground Dubai Museum housed in the Al Fahidi Fort, the colourful textile market and the gold souk. Spend a magical evening in the desert. Enjoy a drive over the sand dunes followed by a barbecue dinner and live entertainment. Enjoy a moonlit cruise on board a traditional dhow with a local buffet dinner and live belly dancing.
On the cruise, you will see some of the most impressive examples of Dubai's architecture. These include Sheikh Saeed's house and the Heritage village. During the cruise, savour a sumptuous buffet dinner which includes seafood, grilled meats and seasonal vegetables. Dubai is the only place where we strongly recommend a shopping tour! The 'shop till you drop' tour includes visits to malls like Burjuman, Al Ghurair and the Deira City Centre. You will also visit Al Fahidi Street, the place to buy electronics and the Naïf Souk with its abundance of textiles. Dubai Gold Souk offers some of the finest and purest gold at competitive prices, with a dazzling array of international designs.