Overview
Within hours of arriving first timers soon usually stop mouthing trite phrases like ‘but that is impossible' or ‘surely they couldn't'. In
ultra ambitious Dubai nothing is impossible and they surely could. Think lush
championship golf courses in the desert, massive
manmade islands in the shape of the world and
ski slopes in one of the most arid corners of the planet.
Dubai is no longer looking over its shoulder at ‘The West'; it is far too busy showing what an Arabic emirate can do on its own with what many observers are increasingly viewing as an insight into the future of cities the world over.
It is difficult to believe today that less than a century ago Dubai was little more than a desert-strewn wildscape where
Bedouin tribes roamed the sands and a huddle of settlers crowded around the banks of the lifeblood creek. Even as Europe embarked on the mass industrial destruction of WWI, Dubai still had no running water, no real roads and the main mode of transport was the camel.
Dubai first grew as a hub on the
ancient trading route between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley and, by the 19th century, a
small fishing village had taken root at the mouth of Dubai Creek. The village was inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe, who were led by the Maktoum family, the dynasty that still presides over Dubai today.
The city's remarkable success story really began in the 1960s. During the process of shaking off the shackles of
British colonial rule,
oil was struck in 1966 and Dubai has never looked back. Since the 1960s, the population has mushroomed to almost 1.5 million and now an ever-growing number of hotels welcome in the temporary
expat workers and tourists who help propel the economy.
Indeed, only around a quarter of the emirate's population are actually ethnically Emirati in a population mixture that has to be one of the world's most
cosmopolitan. This diversity discourages any real ethnic tensions and while conflict might rage further north in Iraq, Dubai so far has been trouble free.
Dubai's evolution has been dramatic, with
sweeping skyscrapers and gleaming office blocks rising up everywhere. The rulers of Dubai have a penchant for grand projects - one year the
world's tallest tower (Burj Arab), the next a string of
offshore manmade islands (the three Palms and the World) and now
Dubailand, a massive project that will bring over 45 major projects to a massive leisure oasis in the desert.
Dubai seems to know no end to its ambition, nor does it have any inhibitions, with more
grand plans slated, such as Dubai Mall (the
world's largest mall) and the
colossal new airport at Jebel Ali, which will dwarf the existing one, already the Middle East's busiest.
Even with regional instability in recent years tourism (now responsible for 30% of the emirate's GDP) remains remarkably resilient in this tolerant and stable part of the Arab world with more and more tourists flocking to Dubai every year. This is unsurprising really, considering the
idyllic climate for much of the year, with
constant sunshine and only an average of five days of rainfall annually. During summer, however, the heat is extreme, making trips away from air-conditioned vehicles and buildings unbearable.
The future prospects of the emirate's tourist industry and its economic situation as a whole may ultimately be governed by developments in the rest of the Middle East, but for now Dubai is a city on the rise and rise....
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Tourist Information
Walking Tours
Dubai is a sprawling city that can be difficult to walk around and there are no official signposted tours. However, a self-guided stroll around the older central parts of Deira and Bur Dubai is a great way of discovering the delights of the city, exploring its traditional souks or stumbling across hidden mosques or wind towers.
‘A Walk through the City of Contrasts’, covering Bastakiya and including an abra ride from Shindagha across the Creek and a walk through the gold and spice souks, is offered by Arabian Adventures (tel: (04) 303 4888; website: www.arabian-adventures.com).
Bus Tours
A number of companies offer half-day city tours, including Arabian Adventures (tel: (04) 303 4888; website: www.arabian-adventures.com) and Net Tours Dubai (tel: (04) 226 6655; website: www.nettoursdubai.com). Tours vary depending on the operator but most go to the old and new Dubai souks, Jumeirah Mosque, the thriving commercial area and include a creek crossing by abra (local water taxi). Another option is to see Dubai by night. Post-tour dinner in one of Dubai’s many restaurants is usually a feature of the night-time tours, which also incorporate the mosques, palaces and souks. The tours operate a very organized system, with pick-up at all main hotels.
Boat Tours
Arabian Adventures (tel: (04) 303 4888; website: www.arabian-adventures.com) offers a variety of cruises on Dubai Creek, aboard a 20m (65ft) schooner, which sets off onto the Arabian Gulf. Alpha Tours (tel: (04) 294 9888; website: www.alphatoursdubai.com) operates evening dhow dinner cruises, which take 2 hours. Alternatively, tourists should go down to Dubai Creek and charter a traditional abra (water taxi), for a short river tour lasting 60-90 minutes. The length of the tour and the price should be agreed in advance. Otherwise, visitors can just ride one across the creek to the other side (journey time – 5 minutes).
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