Telephone numbers should be preceded by 011-971-4 when dialed from the United States.
Getting There
You can fly on one of several international carriers with at least one stopover or travel nonstop from New York City on Emirates airline. The government-owned Emirates, based in Dubai, began its thirteen-hour route from JFK Airport in 2004. (Now there are two daily.) Each of the dozen first-class suites has a door, a bed, a television and a phone for ordering meals whenever you want. Business class features window and aisle seats that recline almost fully. In every class, each seat is equipped with more than 500 on-demand audio and video channels, a telephone, e-mail and SMS instant messaging. All passengers benefit from the airline's fiber-optic lighting system: cabin illumination changes throughout the flight, fooling the body into resetting its internal clock and--with any luck--reducing jet lag. Round-trip economy seats from $1,085, business-class seats from $6,235, first-class seats from $9,780. 800-777-3999; emirates.com.
Lay of the Land
The easiest way to orient yourself in Dubai is in relation to Dubai Creek, which runs through the city. Dubai's downtown business center, Deira, lies to the east, and Bur Dubai, the commercial and historic hub, to the west. Jumeirah Beach, where you'll find the bulk of the luxury-vacation beach resorts, is about fifteen miles farther west; the twenty-minute cab ride from Dubai Creek costs $15.
Hours of Operation
Dubai is eight hours ahead of the United States. As of this fall, the city officially changed its weekend to Friday and Saturday. Because Friday is a holy day for Muslims, store hours can be erratic, so it's wise to call ahead. For most stores, weekday hours are from 9 A.M. to 11 P.M. Many shopping malls are open seven days a week.
What to Do
You can golf all day and night, thanks to the floodlights that illuminate the courses at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (011-971-4-295-6000; dubaigolf.com) and the Nad Al Sheba Club (011-971-4-336-3666; nadalshebaclub.com).
While the art scene has yet to fully develop, history buffs should visit the tiny Dubai Museum (011-971-4-353-1862), in the old Bastakiya neighborhood; it's filled with displays and hands-on exhibits showing what life was like in the pre-oil days. Concert and theater aficionados will enjoy performances at the Madinat Theatre (011-971-4-366-6546), in the Souk Madinat Jumeirah; Sheikh Rashid Hall (011-971-4-332-1000), in the Dubai World Trade Center; and other venues.
The tour operator Arabian Adventures (arabian-adventures.com) can organize an assortment of regional experiences: try sand surfing or book a traditional Sundowner dinner safari in the middle of the desert an hour south of Dubai. First there's a camel ride and then a bit of "dune bashing" (a stomach-churning ride up and down the sand dunes in an SUV driven by a trained guide). Afterward you will be treated to an Arab meal of grilled meats and salads under a tent. The excursion concludes with a belly-dancing show. Locals consider the safari a touristy thing to do, but it's very entertaining. You'll laugh a lot and come home with some marvelous photos.
Although betting is prohibited in the UAE, the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse (011-971-4-336-3666) will host camel races through March 2007, in addition to the famous annual Dubai World Cup horse race, in the spring.
Except for the long flight, Dubai caters to children. Kids will enjoy the Dubai Zoo (011-971-4-349-6444) as well as the rides and wave simulators at Wild Wadi Water Park (wildwadi.com), next to the Burj Al Arab hotel, on Jumeirah Beach. Come 2008, you'll want to return for the debut of Dubailand (dubailand.ae), an amusement park that sounds as if it will be every Disney and Six Flags theme park rolled into one, with on-site spas, resorts and (this being Dubai) plenty of shopping.
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