If you don't have the time for a full-day city tour, or if you have wisely decided that your suicidal tendencies aren't sufficiently strong to evoke the need to hire a car & drive in Dubai's crazy traffic, the Big Bus Tour is a convenient & safe alternative to see the city. You can hop-on & off at your leisure (tickets are valid for 24 hours). Tours operate daily between 09:00am - 05:00pm. PRICES (year 2008): Adults: AED 175.- Children (aged 55.- (2 adults & 2 Children) (1 US $ = 3.67 AED / Dirhams) One ticket covers 2 routes: If you want to see the "real Dubai" & best sights, I recommend the Red Route, which includes the Dubai Creek, Al Fahidi Fort & Dubai Museum, the Souks (bazaars) and a few shopping malls. The Blue Route covers mostly the 5-star hotels & fanciest shopping malls. I guess this tour is useful if you want to take a lot of pictures for "showing off" later ;-) Free Walking Tour: (October - April only!)

STARTS: Al Fahidi Fort (Dubai Museum) Stop 3.
FINISHES: Dubai Gold Souk stop 6 (where you rejoin your tour). Free Dhow Creek Cruise: Daily from Abra Station (stop 7) at 11:30am, 01:30pm, 03:30pm and 05:30pm.
 

Shows the history & life of the United Arab Emirates back to the very beginning; nothing boring about it. The Museum is located in Al Fahidi Fort, which is thought to be one of Dubai's most ancient buildings. The walls are made of coral / shell rubble & are cemented together with lime. Wooden poles support the upper floor and the ceiling is made of palm fronds & mud.. The historic fort dates back to around 1799 (give or take a few years... nobody is sure) & was converted into a museum in 1970. Officially inauguration on May 12th 1971. The museum's realistic life-size displays provide an insight into the city's traditional occupants. The wide ranges of exhibits include old weapons, scenes from every-day trading, schooling, farming, dhow building, fishing, pearl diving & social life, to an impressive array of military artifacts. Don't worry about whispering in here; loudspeakers reinvent the sounds of the markets with quarrelling traders, singing children & grunting camels, which makes it fun for children as well! At the entrance, you can browse through a collection of old maps of the Gulf, together with aerial photographs showing Dubai's considerable urban expansion between 1960-1980. There is a video of the city's rapid development throughout the past 3 decades, and believe me: it is still expanding just as rapidly today! Opening Hours: 7 days a week. Sat - Thur: 08:30am - 08:30pm / Friday: 02:30pm - 08:30pm (Closed on Public Holidays) TIP: Once you're done in the Museum, walk towards the creek and stroll through the adjacent Textile Souk for an unforgettable experience. Af if you are still thirsty for history, visit the nearby HERITAGE VILLAGE

Desert Tour - Dune Bashing with the professionals
Most tour operators organize an pretty exciting variety of excursions & tours around the Emirates & Oman, for large groups & invididuals, sight-seeing tours in the cities & even ocean cruises. Check with your tour operator to assist you with your choice of hotel, and also in case you need to apply for a visit visa. Most agencies run the "standard tourist programs", but prices tend to vary by quite a bit, so it pays to "shop around" & compare. Many tour operators offer Desert Safaris (only camera shots!) eiter for 1/2 days, full days or overnight stays with dinner & entertainment in their respective desert camps. If you get sick easily, bring travel-sickness tablets... it gets rough & bouncy! :-) A typical Desert Safari will start in the afternoon with some driving through the dunes & end at the respective organizer's desert camp where you will be treated to a buffet dinner, sand boarding, camel riding, music, drinks & belly dancing. We spend New Year's Eve 2007 at the SNTTA Camp & had a great time! (Don't worry: there are fully functional toilets with tiled floors & wash basins.)

Here's a list of reputable tour operators:

SNTTA Emir Tours: Tel +971-4-282 9000 http://www.sntta.com

Arabian Adventures: (part of Emirates Airlines) Tel +971-4-303 4888 http://www.arabian-adventures.com

Desert Adventures: Tel +971-4-224 2800 http://www.desertadventures.com

Net Tours: Tel +971-4-266 6655 http://www.nettoursdubai.com

Do you want to take the wheel into your own hands? Go on! Rent a 4x4 car & be daring!
 

Souk is the Arabic word for Market. Just adjacent to the Gold Souk, the Spice/Perfume Souk offers a multitude of Arabic fragrances & seasonings, with exotic aromas from cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla & incense, imported from all over the region. Even after all these years, I still LOVE walking through the narrow passages, sampling with my nose & eyes, vibrant colours, hectic merchants, running delivery men... yes, this truly is one of the few places where time seems to have stood still... TIP: If you pass by a bakery/restaurant, try a "Zaatar Manakish" - a hot, cheesy bread sprinkled with thyme; delicious! Most of the herbs & spices you find here are far cheaper than in Europe & possess far stronger flavour, such as cinnamon sticks, saffron & cloves. There are hundreds of shops offering a profusion of heavy, oily scents in the adjacent "Perfume Souk". A little goes a long way! Frankincense and "Buchhur or Oud", the traditional incense that is sprinkled over glowing coals, is widely used by Gulf Arabs in their homes & on their clothes. TIP: Don't forget to bargain; don't accept the first price & be sure to compare prices in the numerous shops. Many shops sell small "incense sets" consisting of a miniature Persian carpet, and a small wooden & golden chest containing myrrh and frankincense - the famous gifts the 3 Wise Men brought the Christ Child. TIP: Women visiting the Souk should please make sure their legs & shoulders are covered. Dubai is very safe, but the Souks are male-dominated areas where every bit of female skin is gawked at. You may even find that some men will follow "indecently" dressed women around, in the belief that they are prostitutes. Opening Hours: Sat to Wed 10:00am - 01:00pm & 05:00pm - 10:00pm. Fridays: 05:00pm - 10:00pm. NOTE: The main walkway is open to the elements, only the individual shops have air-conditioning. Therefore, only visit the souks after sunset during the summer.

Souk is the Arabic word for Market. With Dubai being a trading hub for gorgeous materials from the subcontinent, it makes perfect sense to buy by the yard & tailor the style of your favourite garment. From cotton to silk, chequered lumberjack to beautiful Indian Sari, lace & netting, Pashmina Shawls, it's all here. This is the Textile Souk, where you can see exquisite fabrics to suit every taste and wander around the small winding alleys enjoying the historic sights & sounds. After all: "Bur Dubai" means "old Dubai". --> (Also see my Tourist Trap Tip on Pashmina Shawls!) More than shopping, I enjoy walking around the souk because it's one of the simpler, more "basic" & traditional parts of the city. And even though the Textile Souk recently received a major overhaul & restoration, it's still a lot more traditional & down-to-earth than shiny, cold & modern malls (and a lot cheaper, too). I have bought curtain material, fashion jewellery & also an Indian Saree here (see photo). TIP: Don't forget to bargain; don't accept the 1st price & be sure to compare prices. If you find that you need more cash (very possible) there are ATM machines and a Thomas Cook exchange bureau. TIP: Women should please make sure their legs & shoulders are covered. The Souks are male-dominated areas where every bit of female skin is gawked at. Some men will even follow "indecently" dressed women around, believing they are prostitutes. The heart of every shopper & every photographer will gasp with joy when entering the souk along the historic creek. Don't miss it! Opening Hours: Saturdays - Thursdays 09:00am - 01:00pm & 04:00 - 10:00pm. Fridays 04:00pm - 10:00pm NOTE: The main walkway is open to the elements, only the individual shops have air-conditioning. Therefore, only visit the souks after sunset during the summer. (Cross the creek & explore the Gold Souk on the opposite shore as well!)

http://www.skidubai.com/   Map

Complete with artificial Venician canals & fake cobble stones, I must admit: even though it's pretentious beyond all belief - at least the Souk Madinat is a nice area to sit outside & enjoy the sunshine :-) This is basically the "up-market Version" of the original Dubai souks. It's like some foreign architect got his hands on the ancient bazaar-concept & forced it go undergo plastic surgery = it's pretty, but it's simply not the "real thing". To reach various restaurants along the artificial waterway, the hotel offers complimentary boat rides on "Abras" (traditional water taxi). I much prefer the "real thing" on Dubai Creek, click here if you're interested: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/14d9ee. For the *least* amount of "Disneyland-feeling" I recommend visiting Souk Madinat after the sun has set: this is when the lights come on, the shadows & reflections distort from what is merely a copy of true Arabian heritage, and the whole architectural brilliance of the area is no longer merely bearable; its mystic beauty really shines under the camouflage of night. Paths lead visitors through a bazaar-like atmosphere with 75 open fronted shops. TOURIST TRAP WARNING: You'll see plenty of souveniers, pashmina shawls, posters & drawings, etc. for sale here. DON'T BUY! You can buy the exact same things for about 40% of the price in the Gold & Spice Souk, Textile Souk or Karama Shopping Strip. The ONLY shop that I would recommend for purchases is "Gallery One", a store selling regional art and beautiful black&white photographs of Dubai. This place is wonderful for taking memorable photographs & having a meal, but not for shopping. Some of the restaurants are licensed (= serve alcoholic beverages) and some are not. For a full list of the various eateries & all the stores, click here. Opening Hours: 7 days a week, 10:00am - 11:00pm

Souk is the Arabic word for market. Even today "Dhows" (wooden cargo ships) from the Far East, China & India discharge their goods at the docks adjacent to the Souks. I'm no great fan of jewellery (isn't my fiance lucky!) but a trip to the Gold Souk truly demonstrates why Dubai has earned itself the title of "City Of Gold". It's worth a visit even if you have no intention of buying, just to soak in the atmosphere of shops glinting with 18, 21 & 22 carat gold, showing-off the abundant riches of this region. Gold is aggressively promoted with special offers & raffle draws during Dubai Shopping Festival & Dubai Summer Surprises. Many different shades of gold are available: white, pink, yellow & even purple. There are also a few shops selling silver jewellery, semi-precious stones, diamonds & platinum. Prices here are among the lowest in the world (also lower than in the airport's Duty Free) & largely determined by weight; also depending on whether the piece is machine-made or by a craftsman. TIP: Don't forget to bargain; don't accept 1st price & be sure to compare the numerous shops. In the narroweside streets, enjoy a relaxing break with a cup of tea or Arabic coffee in small restaurants. These side-street shops offer souvenirs, jewel-studded belly-dancing belts, traditional Local & Indian clothes & fabrics, coins for collectors, etc. TIP: Women should please make sure their legs & shoulders are covered. The Souks are male-dominated areas where every bit of female skin is gawked at. You may even find that some men will follow "indecently" dressed women around, believing they are prostitutes. Opening Hours: Sat to Wed 10:00am - 01:00pm & 05:00pm - 10:00pm. Fridays: 05:00pm - 10:00pm NOTE: The main walkway is open to the elements, only the shops have air-conditioning. In summer, only visit after sunset. (Cross the creek & explore the Textile Souk on the opposite shore.)