Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DUBAI
04 / POP 2.1 MILLION
Aboard approaching airplanes, passengers wrestle against fastened seat belts for an aerial
view: space-age skyscrapers that sprout across an endless desert hemmed in by a coastline
etched with palm-shaped archipelagos. Welcome to Dubai, the 21st-century Middle Eastern
Shangri-la powered by unflinching ambition and can-do spirit. The motto: if you can think
of it, it shall be done. The world's tallest building? Check. Skiing in the desert? Check. Is-
lands shaped like the entire world? Check.
Under the leadership of its ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai has
become a centre of finance, tourism and trade. Solidly on the path of recovery following
the 2009 global financial meltdown, the tiny emirate is once again a major power player
and
the
place to do business in the Middle East.
For visitors, Dubai is an exciting place to visit, with lovely beaches, sophisticated res-
taurants and bars, world-class shopping, ultra-luxe hotels, and awe-inspiring architecture,
including, of course, the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.
But there's more to the emirate than 21st-century glitz and glam. Despite appearances,
Dubai's culture is solidly rooted in Islam and generations of Bedouin heritage. Glimpses of
the past are rare but can still be had along the creek, in the souqs of Deira and the historic
Al Fahidi Neighbourhood. A few hours spent here will open up your eyes to another Dubai,
a Dubai before it became an experiment in a new kind of urbanism. It's this juxtaposition
of the traditional past and the high-tech present that makes it such an intriguing and com-
pelling place to visit.
