Dubai Beach Resort Guide

There is nowhere quite like Dubai. In this unique resort destination nothing is impossible - they have built golf courses in the desert, opened the Gulf's first indoor ski slope, created the world's first 7-star hotel and, in the latest outlandish project, are just finishing construction of ‘The World', a string of islands in the shape of the globe. Add in sweeping beaches, bath temperature waters and first-rate facilities and it is easy to see why Dubai has become such a popular destination over the last decade.

Dubai is not really a party destination as such with its main visitors being couples and families. These tend to be from Western Europe with the months leading up to Christmas and just after very popular as the weather is at its best.

The emirate of Dubai lies on the western shores of the Gulf in the Middle East. It is surrounded by various other emirates, which are also members of the United Arab Emirates. The country of Oman is to the east. Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the nearest airport. The emirate spreads out from the warm waters of the Gulf across a flat plateau, with sweeping sand dune strewn deserts inland and the rugged mountains in the north and east on the border with Oman.

Dubai experiences an arid subtropical climate and is sunny year round. The summer months can reach unbearably hot temperatures between June and September when it often reaches heights of 45°C (113°F). Temperatures throughout the rest of the year still remain warm with an average of 27°C (80°F), with the coolest months being December to March when there is a refreshing sea breeze and cooler nights. Rainfall is very rare in Dubai, and when it does occur in the cooler months, it doesn't last for very long.

Dubai boasts a long stretch of Gulf coastline, much of it sprinkled with fine sand and turquoise waters. The heart of the action is on Jumeirah Beach. This coastal strip is awash with luxury hotels, with many boasting their own corners of beach with all the usual facilities such as sun loungers and parasols. A range of watersports is also available. These are best arranged through your hotel. The best public beach is found at Mamzar park, where families and holidaymakers relax together amid the green palm trees.

The city of Dubai boasts plenty to see and do. You can take a cruise on a traditional dhow through Dubai Creek, visit one of the city's impressive mosques or just stroll around the older quarters taking in the sights and smells of this bustling urban centre. A cheap and cheerful way to see the city like a local is on one of the old abras, the small boats that charge a nominal fee to ferry you from one side of Dubai Creek to the other. Dubai also boasts around 12 golf-courses, with more being built all the time, and is perfect for taking in a round or two.

Many of Dubai's hotels offer holidaymakers a range of things for their children to do, from kids clubs through to beach games. For adventurous children a 4-wheel drive into the deserts on an organised trip offers the chance to bounce up and down the sands ‘dune bashing'. These trips can include a camel ride and a Bedouin-style meal in a desert camp.

Dubai is one of the best destinations in the world for shopping. Holidaymakers with money to burn can hit the duty-free shops at the airport, the city's maze of massive air-conditioned malls or the atmospheric old souks, which offer a very different retail experience right in the heart of the city. Good traditional buys include gold and silver jewellery, as well as exotic spices.

As a Muslim country the sale of alcohol is controlled, but holidaymakers can enjoy alcohol in many of the city's hotels, restaurants and clubs. For Western-style nightlife there are numerous choices in the city's hotels; for a local experience you can also smoke a shisha pipe or take tea at one of the centre's more authentic haunts.

Diners in Dubai are spoilt for choice, as whatever your favourite food is the chances are it will be on offer here. The city's restaurants and hotels source top notch ingredients from around the world with very high standards across the board. For a more authentic local dining experience head into the city centre around the souks for small informal restaurants and street stalls.

The area around Dubai Creek is easily explored on foot, but the rest of the emirate is very spread out, with Jumeirah Beach, where most of the hotels are, one long increasingly busy strip not pleasant for walking along. The city's bus system is reasonably efficient, though very much geared towards locals. Taxis and hire cars are a much better way of getting around and are handy for getting between hotels and restaurants as well as making day trips out of the city. The abras are useful for getting across the Creek if you are on foot.

Taking a day trip out to the Hajar Mountains is one of the most popular day trips in Dubai. A number of companies take holidaymakers out across the deserts towards the Omani border. One of the highlights of the trip is ‘wadi bashing' when the 4-wheel drive vehicles thump through the mountain water pools in a dramatic splash. Lunch is often included on these safari trips.

If you enjoy fine dining then make a beeline for Verre. (Hilton Dubai Creek, Beniyas Road) (www.gordonramsay.com/dubai) This is the chance to sample the cooking, or at least the cooking styles, of legendary Scottish chef Gordon Ramsay. Ramsay's first Asian venture has been a roaring success with the same top quality ingredients and creative cooking that made his British restaurants so popular.

Dubai International Airport (DXB)