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JD · 07-28-2015, 02:09 AM

I live in Dubai (and Abu Dhabi). I can tell you pretty much whatever you want to know, heck, maybe even meet you for a beer when you come!

To answer your questions and some of the other things brought up:
- yes, a "car" is best as Dubai is huge and spread out. But you don't need to rent one, taxis are plentiful and cheap and really, the best way to get around (especially if you are drinking; no tolerance here). The Metro is indeed open and quite good, but it serves a very linear portion of the city, you won't be able to get everywhere using it, especially if your hotel is not near a station
- you should take a trip to Abu Dhabi as well (only one hour away), it gives you a better sense of the local flavour of the UAE because Dubai is a facade of it. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is something to see. In November, Abu Dhabi hosts their F1 race, so you may want to check that out. In addition to the race, there are numerous concerts, festivals, and parties. Lots of fun to be had.
- Hotels in Dubai are awesome but very expensive, especially in November. There are two good clusters to choose from: the Marina area, which is not Dubai proper, but it's a great area to stay, or downtown Dubai, which is the area near and around Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa. You could also choose one of the beach resorts out on the Palm Jumeirah which is a whole other stratosphere of cost. But they are really nice. What hotel you choose really depends on your budget.
- You can get busy with all the well-publicized Dubai tourist traps like Ski Dubai and going to the top of the Burj Khalifa, but other things you should not miss include doing a desert safari with dune bashing, renting a seadoo and exploring the waters (this is actually more fun in Abu Dhabi because of the numerous islands there)
- if you're into night life, there are a few world class clubs in Dubai. White is the one I would say is worth checking out if you're only going to one. It's amazing.
- make the drive out to Al Ain or Fujeirah or Ras Al Khaimah (rent a car they're day trips) - these trips give you a better sense of what the UAE is all about and the varying landscapes and places. Dubai is cosmopolitan and doesn't truly represent the local people that well. This one is sort of optional though. When friends and family come to visit, we do this if we run out of other things to do, which isn't often the case!

Feel free to ask anything else. I've been to a number of the countries in the region, but I doubt you're that interested in a vacation to Saudi Arabia or Iraq. Bahrain may be worth checking out, but my impression is it's not that different than the UAE.

07-28-2015, 02:09 AM	#20
JD First Line Centre Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Not Abu Dhabi Exp:	I live in Dubai (and Abu Dhabi). I can tell you pretty much whatever you want to know, heck, maybe even meet you for a beer when you come! To answer your questions and some of the other things brought up: - yes, a "car" is best as Dubai is huge and spread out. But you don't need to rent one, taxis are plentiful and cheap and really, the best way to get around (especially if you are drinking; no tolerance here). The Metro is indeed open and quite good, but it serves a very linear portion of the city, you won't be able to get everywhere using it, especially if your hotel is not near a station - you should take a trip to Abu Dhabi as well (only one hour away), it gives you a better sense of the local flavour of the UAE because Dubai is a facade of it. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is something to see. In November, Abu Dhabi hosts their F1 race, so you may want to check that out. In addition to the race, there are numerous concerts, festivals, and parties. Lots of fun to be had. - Hotels in Dubai are awesome but very expensive, especially in November. There are two good clusters to choose from: the Marina area, which is not Dubai proper, but it's a great area to stay, or downtown Dubai, which is the area near and around Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa. You could also choose one of the beach resorts out on the Palm Jumeirah which is a whole other stratosphere of cost. But they are really nice. What hotel you choose really depends on your budget. - You can get busy with all the well-publicized Dubai tourist traps like Ski Dubai and going to the top of the Burj Khalifa, but other things you should not miss include doing a desert safari with dune bashing, renting a seadoo and exploring the waters (this is actually more fun in Abu Dhabi because of the numerous islands there) - if you're into night life, there are a few world class clubs in Dubai. White is the one I would say is worth checking out if you're only going to one. It's amazing. - make the drive out to Al Ain or Fujeirah or Ras Al Khaimah (rent a car they're day trips) - these trips give you a better sense of what the UAE is all about and the varying landscapes and places. Dubai is cosmopolitan and doesn't truly represent the local people that well. This one is sort of optional though. When friends and family come to visit, we do this if we run out of other things to do, which isn't often the case! Feel free to ask anything else. I've been to a number of the countries in the region, but I doubt you're that interested in a vacation to Saudi Arabia or Iraq. Bahrain may be worth checking out, but my impression is it's not that different than the UAE.