Cheap flights to Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai city guide

Brief History

Although archaeologists tell us that people have been living in Dubai and the surrounding area for thousands of years, we know almost nothing about the earliest inhabitants. By the medieval period, Dubai was a major city on the shores of the Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf), and it was an important site of Britain’s fight against the Ottoman Empire. Since World War II, Dubai has shared in the oil wealth of the Emirates and other Gulf states, and has grown quickly into a glamorous world city.

Transportation

Although there are a couple of cities nearby (e.g. Sharjah, Abu Dhabi) that have international airports, nearly all international travel to the United Arab Emirates begins with flights to Dubai International Airport. There are direct flights to Dubai from over 100 countries, and the airport is one of the main hubs for numerous regional and global airlines. There are two options for getting from the airport into Dubai: taxis and public transit. While taxis are still the most popular option, Dubai has opened a fairly extensive metro system that serves the airport, and buses run between the airport and several locations in the city center.

Dubai is a huge and extremely spread-out city, but fortunately it has the best public transportation system in the Middle East. Taxis are still the most common way for locals and visitors to get around, but the Dubai metro and associated bus system (much of which was only completed as recently as September of 2011) is also a good option. There are also “water buses” which are a fun and unique way of getting up and down Dubai’s long coastline or along the Dubai Creek.

Popular Attractions

• Dubai has a fascinating juxtaposition of old and new – one of the most enjoyable things to do in the city is simply walk up and down the streets of its different districts and look at the mixture of old brick and stone buildings with gleaming glass-and-steel towers.
• Burj, Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, is located in Dubai. The best place to view it from is nearby Emaar Street, a large thoroughfare from which you can see Burj Khalifa, Burj Dubai, and many of the other massive and iconic buildings of downtown Dubai.
• Dubai is a shopper’s paradise. There are dozens of enormous malls selling every conceivable kind of item. The city’s transportation network is largely built around the malls, so it is easy to get a taxi to and from the mall.

Food

Although Dubai is a global city with a huge immigrant population, it also has unique Middle Eastern foods that are worth trying. The most popular is the shawarma, a kind of pita-bread sandwich with grilled meat. Shawarma are available from street vendors on nearly every corner. You can also try the world-famous fala-fil (falafel), which is also available from street vendors.

Tips for Travelers

• Once a year, usually in winter, Dubai hosts the Global Village, a gathering of countries from all over the world. Every country sets up a pavilion with food, cultural displays, and souvenirs. This is a great way to go around the world in just a few hours!