Travel
Airports
Airports at Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al-Ain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Fujairah all handle international flights, however, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are by far the largest and most commonly used.
Emirates Airlines flies to Dubai from Melbourne and Sydney daily and four times a week from Perth. Gulf Air has a number of flights to Abu Dhabi from Sydney and Melbourne. Both carriers offer connecting flights to other cities in the Middle East and Europe and have very good reputations for safety and reliability. A number of other airlines fly to Dubai via Asia including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines and Royal Brunei.
Ground transport
Transportation between the various emirates and cities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is by private car or shared taxi. Taxis are plentiful and relatively cheap, and increasingly most taxis in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain have meters. When using non-metered taxis, travellers should agree on a fare before entering the taxi.
A car can be rented at the airport or from hotels in most major cities and towns.
Hotels
In the UAE, there is an expansive range of international and local hotels for you to select from. Your choice of hotel will obviously depend on your budget, preferred location, and services offered.
Dining
A wide variety of good quality dining out options are available where you can find almost any type of food including Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean, Polynesian, Tex Mex, Indian and much more.
Tipping
Tipping is not very common, a service charge is usually added to the bill in more expensive restaurants.
Tourist attractions
Dubai Creek
Dubai Creek separates the city into two towns. Deira lies to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. It is possible to take a boat trip down the creek, which gives an interesting view of Dubai.
Burj al Arab Hotel
Designed to resemble a billowing sail, this luxury hotel soars to a height of 321m, dominating the Dubai coastline. With 202 two-storey suites, this hotel describes itself as the 'finest that the world has to offer'.
Burj Dubai
Burj Dubai is expected to be the tallest building in the world and the tallest man-made structure when it is completed in 2008. An observation deck will be located on the 124th floor.
The Palm Islands
The Palm Islands are the three largest man-made islands in the world, and are being constructed on the coast of Dubai. Each island (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, and Palm Deira) is being built in the shape of a date palm tree with a trunk, a crown with fronds, and surrounded by a crescent island. The first Palm, Palm Jumeriah, is expected to welcome 20,000 visitors a day, with a monorail to transport passengers to a variety of island locations. When complete, the Palm Islands will also feature attractions such as hotels, malls and theme parks.
Souqs
Dubai has a number of souqs (market places) hawking goods such as gold, clothing, CDs and souvenirs. Most popular among tourists are the gold souq and the spice souq.
There are a number of other attractions in the other Emirates. It is recommended to buy a guidebook for your visit.