Destination guide for Dubai

Dubai is busiest (and most expensive) in high season in winter, when it’s warm enough to lie by the pool by day, but the cool evenings require an extra layer. Winter is lively, with locals out on the streets; the rest of the year they’re hibernating in the air-conditioned cool.

The shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are splendid if you like the heat, but only the hardiest travellers visit during the scorching summer, when temperatures regularly hit the mid 40s Celsius, with surprisingly high humidity.

While Dubai’s sleek Metro now links Dubai International Airport to many parts of the city, the most convenient way to get to your hotel is by taxi, Uber or the local equivalent, Careem.

You’ll find a long line of metered cabs outside arrivals, 24 hours a day. Many hotels offer free shuttles as part of packages so check when you book.

The gleaming Dubai Metro is impressive and will swiftly move you between malls while the abras (water taxis) will zip you across the Creek. Unless you’re staying at a hotel with a shuttle service, you’ll otherwise have to rely on taxis, Uber or Careem, but at least they’re plentiful and affordable.

For day trips, hire a car. The roads are superb and well signposted – it’s the drivers you need to worry about, so keep your wits about you.

There’s a wide range of quality accommodation all over the city, so where you stay in Dubai depends on your interests.

If you’re here to work on your tan, base yourself at a beach resort on the Jumeirah coast, Dubai Marina or The Palm. If shopping is a higher priority, opt for a hotel around Downtown Dubai, or near a Metro stop.

For travellers more interested in heritage and culture, check into a charming boutique hotel in Al Fahidi, beside Dubai Creek. Budget travellers will find bargains in Deira and Bur Dubai.

Excellent cafés and restaurants can be found all over Dubai. For cheap eats such as curries and kebabs, head to Bur Dubai or Deira. Downtown, DIFC and the Marina are home to the fanciest options.

If you want an alcoholic drink, head to a hotel, club or free zone, such as DIFC or Media City, which are the only places where alcohol can legally be served.

There are plenty of rooftop and beach bars for sundowners with sea views along the coastal strip, beach clubs where you can soak up the sun (and cocktails) all day, and night clubs in some of the city’s hotels where you can dance until the small hours.

Friday brunch is something of an institution in Dubai, with most hotels laying on weekly all-you-can-eat feasts of Bacchanalian proportions, with unlimited alcohol thrown in too.

The most atmospheric places to shop for souvenirs are the traditional souks (bazaars) in Deira and Bur Dubai on either side of Dubai Creek, although the vendors can be annoyingly persistent at times.

Shopping malls are dotted all over the city, including the monumental Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates found off Sheikh Zayed Road.

For many visitors, the big malls are destinations in themselves, mini-cities within the city, home to entertainment zones and hundreds of restaurants.

What to buy

Must-buy souvenirs include carpets, Arabian attars (perfumes), brass coffee pots, Aladdin-style slippers, Bedouin jewellery, antique khanjar daggers, Gulf-style incense burners, dates, and fluffy toy camels for kids.

The United Arab Emirates is consistently ranked as being among the safest destinations in the world. You can drink the water, leave doors unlocked and stroll the city late at night. Roads are in very good condition but the driving can be erratic by most Western standards.

The desert sun can be scorching, so wear long loose clothing, a hat, and slather on plenty of sunblock. Consider bringing a shawl or jacket as the air-conditioning can be icy in malls, restaurants and bars, and winter evenings can be cool, especially out in the desert.

Unsurprisingly, summers are very hot, but the winter months are a delight. If you do visit in summer, you can avoid the worst of the heat and sightsee after 5pm when it’s cooler, and when the locals head out. Spend your mornings by the hotel pool, lunch at a restaurant, and afternoons at an air-conditioned mall or museum.