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Dubai enjoys, without a doubt, one of the best locations on the planet. Situated halfway between Europe and Asia, few destinations take more than 8 hours direct flying time to or from Dubai. Just overnight from London, four hours from Nairobi, three hours from Mumbai, 8 hours from Hong Kong and a direct flight from the United States or Australia, Dubai is definitely a destination of choice for vacationing.

Dubai Travel Guide

The Origins of the name Dubai

Dubai offers a range of hotels to suit every taste, whim and budget! From the glitzy, opulent and of the most expensive and only seven star hotel in the world all the way through to the very affordable. It is ranked the second world’s most popular destination for shopping after the United States and ahead of popular shopping destinations like Singapore, France, UK, and Hong Kong among others.

Dubai has established itself as a major destination for an eclectic array of local and international events and earned its reputation as the sporting capital of the Middle East. Throughout the year, Dubai hosts a range of popular annual sporting activities, dazzling entertainment attractions, as well as conferences and exhibitions. It has a lively nightlife. Hotel bars range from sophisticated cocktail lounges to typically informal British and Irish pubs and Western-style lounges.

Dubai The Perfect Tourism Destination

In the 1820s, Dubai was referred to as Al Wasl in British documents. Few records pertaining to the cultural history of the UAE or its constituent emirates exist because of the region's oral traditions, which meant that folklore and myth were not written down. In local folklore, the name Dubai was called to the location as an attribution to a woman called Dabya (Arabic: دبية‎).

Many theories have been proposed as to the origin of the word Dubai. One theory suggests that the word Dubai was used to describe the souq, which was similar to the souq in Dibba. Another theory states that the name came from a word meaning "money", as people from Dubai were commonly believed to be rich due to the thriving trading center of the location. An Arabic proverb says "Daba Dubai" (Arabic: دبا دبي‎), meaning "They came with a lot of money. According to Fedel Handhal, a scholar on the UAE's history and culture, the word Dubai may have come from the word Daba (Arabic: دبا‎) (a past tense derivative of Yadub (Arabic: يدب‎), which means "to creep"), referring to the slow flow of Dubai Creek inland. The poet and scholar Ahmad Mohammad Obaid traces it to the same word, but to its alternative meaning of "baby locust" (Arabic: جراد‎) due to the abundant nature of locusts in the area before settlement.

Despite the abundance of theories on the city's name, none can be truly verified due to the lack of primary sources regarding Dubai's nomenclature.

Dubai Int Airport - Dubai Marina: 34 Km - 25/30 mins

Al Makhtoum Airport - Int Airport: 64 Km - 45 mins

Marina - Yas Island: 93 Km - 45/50 mins

Int Airport - Abu Dhabi Airport: 130 Km - 60/70 mins

Al Makht. APT - Abu Dhabi APT: 96 Km - 50/60 mins

Int Airport - Liwa: 320 Km - 180/200 mins

Int Airport - Sharjah: 59 Km - 20/40 mins

Int Airport - Ajman: 32 Km - 20/30 mins

Int Airport - Umm Al Quwain: 57 Km - 30/40 mins

Int Airport - Ras Al Khaimah: 100 Km - 60/70 mins

Int Airport - Fujairah: 155 Km - 110/120 mins

Dubai Borders

North: Arabian Gulf (Also called Persian Gulf)

West: Abu Dhabi

South: Abu Dhabi & Sharjah

East: Sharjah

Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB) is an international airport serving Dubai. It is a major airline hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. The airport is operated by the DNATA (Dubai Airports Company) and is the home base of Dubai's international airlines, Emirates, FlyDubai and Emirates SkyCargo; the Emirates hub is the largest airline hub in the Middle East; Emirates handles 64 per cent of all passenger traffic, and accounts for about 50 per cent of all aircraft movements at the airport. 

DXB is ranked the second busiest airport in the world in terms of international passengers according to Airports Council International’s latest figures. The airport serves more than 125 airlines flying to more than 260 destinations (pax + cargo) across six continents. 

Year to date passenger traffic (Jan-Feb) rose 13.5 per cent to 12,075,952 passengers, up from 10,640,120 during the first two months of 2013. 

Al Makhtoum International Airport (IATA: DWC) AIRPORT BUILT FOR THE FUTURE At the heart of DWC is the Al Maktoum International Airport. Built for the future, the airport once completed will have the capacity to handle 12 million tonnes of annual cargo capacity and 160 million passengers. The infrastructure required to accommodate four additional CAT III-certified runways capable of handling four superjumbo aircraft landings simultaneously, 24 hours a day, is already in place. Phase 2 of the airport, which includes the construction of an additional two automated and one non-automated cargo terminals, is currently under way. This is expected to increase the total cargo capacity at Al Maktoum International Airport to 1.4 million tonnes per annum. Concurrently, the groundwork for an exhibition area designated as the new permanent home of the Dubai Airshow beginning in 2013 is also in progress. - 

Population: 2.271.741 (2014 Estimate) 

Area: 497.1 square miles (1,287.5 km2)

Elia Locardi Travel Photography

Dubai is a unique destination that is both a dynamic business centre and a tourist paradise, offering more attractions, shopping, fine dining and quality hotels. From the timeless tranquillity of the desert to the lively bustle of the souk, Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions for visitors. The emirate embraces a wide variety of scenery in a very small area. In a single day, the tourist can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty villages to luxurious residential districts and from ancient houses with wind towers to ultra-modern shopping malls.

Find Dubai's complete list of activities here

Engage while in Dubai

Seaplane UAE Tourism Guide

Seaplane UAE Tourism Guide

Skydive Dubai - UAE Tourism Guide

Skydive Dubai - UAE Tourism Guide

Burj Al Arab UAE Tourism Guide

Burj Al Arab UAE Tourism Guide

Dubai Fountain UAE Tourism Guide

Dubai Fountain UAE Tourism Guide

Desert Safari UAE Tourism Guide

Desert Safari UAE Tourism Guide

Dubai Cruise Terminal 2010 marked the opening of a modern cruise passenger terminal was inaugurated forming part of a complete redevelopment of the old Port Rashid area.  The replacement passenger terminal covers over 3000 square meters and is intended to manage two ships at the same time thus allowing an increased number of visiting ships. Arabic style domes, carvings and arches are the key design features of the building. This frontage echoes up-to-date Arabic design, and reflects Dubai's rich history as a sea port. The cruise terminal has lots of services like currency exchange, duty free shop, souvenir shops, a post office, ATM machines and business center. The cruise terminal provides two bus shuttles, one each to Mercato Mall and City Center.

The only DUBAI EVENT AND TRAVEL PLANNER SOURCE. Find  detailed and technical information on Hotels, Venues, Activities and more in Dubai.

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