Dubai

Dubai, UAE

Any visitor would feel bowled over by the city's luxury. Dubai is a place where money sloshes around. People come here to rake it in or shell out.

The city rising on deserts brings “Tales from One Thousand and One Nights” to life. High-rises glisten in the sunlight. Green trees and grass sway in breezes. Big-name designers have been pushing the envelope of creativity.

Getting around

• Burj Khalifa Tower

  The 162-story, 818-meter high tower, the world's tallest building, takes the shine off the other skyscrapers and is a telling example of the country's superlative style. In “Mission Impossible 4”, Tom clings to its outside glass surface like a spider man, eliciting sharp intakes of breath and low whistles. Get onto the observatory on the 123rd floor. Powerful telescopes tempt those hoping to look into the distant desert.

• Burj Al Arab

  Another architectural wonder in Dubai – jutting out into the sky on an artificial island stretching 280 meters into the Persian Gulf, it's a marvel to behold. This sail-shaped silhouette is more than just the world's first seven-star; it's a destination in its own right, an icon of modern Dubai. Yet for all the wonder this stunning structure provides when you finally see it in person, it is the service within that really makes it extraordinary. The 56-story, 321-meter high hotel offers 202 luxurious double-room suites, a lavishly decorated restaurant on the top of the building, and AI-Mahara seafood restaurant located under the sea accessible by a submarine.

• Palm Islands

  Three huge palm trees horizontally floating on the sea are in fact artificial islands. There's also a map of the world pieced together with 300 islets.

• Dubai Mall

  A shopping spree is always tantalizing, but in the world's largest retailer, if you are budget-minded, you'd better figure out how to keep a tight grip on your purse before you go.

• Gold Souk

  The world's largest gold marketplace takes the fancy of gold freaks. Hundreds of gold shops stand shoulder to shoulder. Gold necklaces cascade down. Gold bracelets and rings heap up.

  
  
  
• Sand surfing

  This traditional local game has evolved into a popular thing to do for tourists. Let your car hurtle down a sand dune and the sense of weightlessness will make your heart skip a beat.