ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
DUBAI
Left: Dining with views of the city at the Cé La Vi’s rooftop terrace
ARABIAN GULF
Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Dubai Frame Deira Al Fahidi Bur Dubai
Burj Khalifa Downtown 2 miles Kite Beach DUB AI West Palm The Beach, JBR
Platinum Heritage Bedouin Camp 40 miles
ABU DHABI Dubai
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
GETTING THERE & AROUND Airlines including Emirates, British Airways, Royal Brunei and Virgin Atlantic fly direct between the UK and Dubai, with over 50 flights per week from Heathrow alone. Regional airports are well served by Emirates with direct routes from Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle.
emirates.com
ba.com
flyroyalbrunei.com
virginatlantic.com Average flight time: 7h. Some areas, such as the Marina and the Creek, are easy to walk around, but the wider city isn’t pedestrian-friendly. Yet, Dubai has a relatively small sprawl: driving from one end to the other takes around 40 minutes. Taxis are good value and easy to hail, costing 1.97 AED (44p) per km, and services such as Uber and Careem are also available. The Metro system is even cheaper, from 3 AED (65p) per journey, and serves a linear route the length of the city, including Dubai International Airport.
rta.ae
AFTER HOURS DUBAI OPERA: This 2,000-seat opera house hosts some of the finest names in classical music, notably talents from across the Middle East — as well as concerts, plays and ballets thanks to a flexible floorplan. Come early for a tour of the dhow-shaped building, with backstage access to dressing and trap rooms.
dubaiopera.com CÉ LA VI : Downtown’s glittering towers seem close enough to touch from this roof terrace: up on the 54th floor of Address Sky View hotel, it’s pure Dubai glamour. Sit at the Skybar, where the order of choice is a zesty-sour ‘shiso margarita’ (tequila, yuzu, agave and sumac).
celavi.com SUNSET KAYAKING: Watch as the city skyline becomes a silhouette against the pink sky on a sunset paddling excursion. Crystal Clear Watersports has glass-bottomed kayaks fitted with yellow neon lighting; as the skyscrapers’ lights flicker to life, so do yours.
crystalclearwatersports.com
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NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL
LIKE A LOCAL SOCIAL MEALS: Supper clubs in Dubai reflect the city’s diaspora. Nicaraguan cuisine is served by candlelight at Girl and the Goose, while K’iin whips up a Mexican menu in an open kitchen. Or keep an eye out for Eye Heart Rabbit, a wandering Middle Eastern pop-up.
girlandthegoose.com
kiin-supperclub.com
instagram.com/eyeheartrabbit EVENING STROLLS: Creek-side Al Seef is a new-build homage to ancient Arabia — a modern district with palm-thatched roofs and brass-studded doors. Its sikkas (alleyways) come alive at night, especially on Fridays, when locals socialise over mint lemonade.
alseef.ae DOWN TIME: Hotels in Dubai offer seriously flashy outdoor fun. Emiratis in the know rely on discounted passes like Groupon to access these five-star facilities for the day; Fairmont the Palm, for example, has several pools, a white sand beach and a watersports centre.
groupon.ae fairmont.com
WHEN TO GO For winter sunshine, visit between November and February, when temperatures hover at 25C and chances of rain are extremely low. Prices are lower in spring (March and April) and autumn (September and October), but the mercury climbs to around 35C. During summer (late May to August), expect daily highs of 45C and drenching humidity, even at night.
MORE INFO
visitdubai.com Pocket Rough Guide Dubai. £9.99
HOW TO DO IT On the Beach offers seven nights at Al Seef Heritage Hotel, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, in a souk- view Heritage Room, from £807 per person, B&B, based on two sharing, including return flights from Heathrow.
onthebeach.co.uk
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