Destinations
Region: Dubai Emirate, UAE
Known for: Burj Khalifa, Old Dubai, desert safaris
Nearest airport: Dubai International (DXB) or Al Maktoum (DWC)
Best season: November to March
Dubai holds the title of the most visited city in the world by international air passengers, and it’s not an accident — it sits at the crossroads of nearly every long-haul route connecting Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, with an airport and tourism machine built specifically to capitalise on that position rather than its own relatively small local population.
What surprises a lot of first-time visitors is how genuinely split the city feels. Old Dubai is the Al Fahidi neighbourhood, the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, the Creek crossings by abra water taxi — a working, pre-oil commercial city that’s still more interesting than most visitors give it credit for. Modern Dubai is the Burj Khalifa, the Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Downtown — engineered spectacle, sure, but executed at a scale and quality that’s genuinely impressive even once you know exactly what it is.
And the desert isn’t some far-flung add-on — it’s right there. Dune safaris and Bedouin camp dinners are bookable through any hotel concierge with about an hour’s notice.
Want the full picture? See the separate guides covering Dubai’s transformation from fishing village to global city, what to wear given the city’s contextual dress expectations, and a 3-day itinerary covering both Old and New Dubai.
