by Andre Sanchez

A Dubai vacation, within the United Arab Emirates, is not what you think it might be. Dubai is the second largest of the Emirates after Abu Dhabi and although it was once a town used by Bedouin traders, it now offers top class cuisine, excellent night life and even a ski slope.

Sure, you will get what you expect of an Arab city – the markets, or ‘souks’ as they are called, and all of the traditional food and dress, but if you want to stay western with your food, then you can . . . and in style! Dubai is a place where you can rub shoulders with the very wealthy and very famous. So where do you stay while on holiday?

If you decide on a Dubai vacation, there is a wide variety of accommodation types from backpackers’ hostels to five star luxury hotels. There is something to fit everybody’s pocket and, despite what you may have heard, Dubai is not only for high rollers and the rich. It offers a unique experience of true Arabia that will remain in your memories all of your lives.

When you land at Dubai you are in a modern clean airport comparable with some of the best in the west. Dress is generally casual, and while Muslim women generally wear the traditional head covering, normal dress for a resort vacation is quite acceptable. There is no need for you to observe any specific dress code. As for entertainment, there is plenty to do on a Dubai vacation!

You can bet on the camel racing at the Nad el Sheba track, or wait till evening when the thoroughbred Arabs race. These beautiful horses are a sight to behold for anyone that knows about horses. You can visit high fashion stores or buy some very cheap laptops and MP3 players. With the tax free shopping, everything will be less expensive than you will pay at home, and half the fun is buying these things while on vacation in the Middle East. Because, as many people fail to remember while on vacation, Dubai is a middle eastern country.

There is frequently a misunderstanding of what a middle eastern desert country can provide to the visitor. After all, it’s all sand and no water, isn’t it? Well, absolutely not! If you think that you are totally mistaken! The snow park has temperatures down to -2 Celsius and it’s one of the few places in the Middle East were you have to wear warm clothing and gloves. Not only does it offer skiing, but also tobogganing and has a twin bobsled course. Children love vacations, and they can enjoy themselves in the snowball gallery and snow cavern. It’s marvelous for you and the kids and totally unexpected in a desert setting.

However, if you are considering a holiday in the Middle East, bear in mind that in summer Dubai can reach 102F, and it’s best for a winter or early spring holiday unless you really like the heat. With average mid-day temperatures of 95F to 105F it’s pretty warm, and even at night it rarely gets below 70F. In winter and early spring expect a cool 75F – 95F daytime temperature. If you like cold go to Alaska, not Dubai!

And how about the golf? There are several golf courses in Dubai, and more on the way, designed by people such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Colin Montgomerie, and if Arizona and Nevada can have world class golf courses, why not Dubai? You don’t have to carry your bit of magic carpet around to tee off from in the sand – these courses are world class. Like the Emirates Golf Club that hosts the Dubai Desert Classic that attracts the best golfers in the world. To play and lunch there is an unbelievable experience. If the heat gets to you, you can avoid the high temperatures by playing at the Nad al Sheeba golf club, an eighteen hole course that is fully floodlit till midnight.

If you make the right decision, Dubai offers the Desert Safari, but not on camels . . . in SUVs! You can enjoy climbing and shooting down sand dunes at amazing speeds, and the water theme park is up to anything Disney can provide. The annual Dubai shopping festival is world renowned, with the gold souk, perfumes and all the exotic delights with which you associate this part of the world. The beach, with its clean white sand, is a dream and that water is so refreshing in this climate. Dubai zoo is close to Jumeirah beach and is great for the kids, or even adults who are interested in the wide range of wildlife that it has.

A Dubai vacation is a delight and I can recommend it to anybody . . . individual or family!

Have You Considered a Dubai Vacation? was originally published at http://www.globallifenow.com