Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Directory A-Z
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out
http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com
. You'll find
independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
Accommodation
Accommodation options throughout this topic are listed in this order: budget, midrange and top end, and according to au-
thor preference within each category.
During local holiday periods (particularly over
eid,
the Islamic feast) and popular festivals (such as the shopping fest-
ivals in Dubai and Kuwait), as well as Western holidays (Christmas and New Year) and major fixtures (like the Dubai
Rugby Sevens), travellers should book well in advance. Discounts in the summer (except in Salalah in Oman) are com-
mon.
Outside the big cities, accommodation is scarce and choice limited. Rooms in all categories generally have air-condi-
tioning, hot water, telephone, fridge and TV (usually with satellite channels, including BBC and CNN).
ACTIVITIES
The Peninsula offers many opportunities for engaging with the sea and with the desert interior although many of these
activities require resourcefulness (such as survival and map-reading skills) or the help of a specialist agency (especially
for rock climbing, caving and desert safaris). The Arabian and Red Seas offer some of the best diving and snorkelling in
the world.
WHAT WHERE HOW
NOTES
• Sharqiya
Sands
• Khor al-
Adaid
• Socotra
Camel
Treks
Arrange through local
desert camps
Choose a mounted rather than a walking guide for a more au-
thentic experience.
• Jeddah
• Muscat
• Salalah
• Musandam
• Socotra
The Red Sea is one of the world's top diving destinations; the
Arabian Sea offers easier access but has less coral. Both are
wows in the water but low-key experiences on land.
Diving &
Snorkelling
Contact Extra Divers
• Manama
• Doha
• Musandam
• Dubai
• Muscat
Dhow
Rides &
Dolphin
Spotting
See country directories
for details
Go early in the morning for the best chance to see pods of dol-
phins in action. In Dubai you can swim with them.
