MAIN TravelMiddle East United Arab Emirates

Rich in oil - as it is in natural beauty and cosmopolitan luxury - the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located in the Middle East next to Saudi Arabia and Oman.

For a majority of fun-loving tourists, Indian Ocean beaches are the main attraction here with long white-sand stretches ranging from completely wild and free, to highly developed around resorts and major hotels.

In contrast, vast swaths of desert accented by steep mountainside makes up most of inland UAE.

Don't expect to hear much Arabic spoken, as the country's oil industry attracts a truly cosmopolitan population where English is the common language used by many, especially at hotels and major tourist spots.

Seeing Dubai

The capital and central business hub is Abu Dhabi, known for its sleek skyscrapers and luxury hotels. However, for most tourists the typical entry point is Dubai, a fast growing metropolis gaining the attention of sophisticated travelers everywhere.

Now most famously known as the home of the world's tallest skyscraper, the UAE and its oil riches have also given rise to the world's most expensive hotel located in Dubai (a typical room at The Burj nets $2,000 a night) as well as Ski Dubai, one of the world's tallest indoor ski slopes located at the Mall of the Emirates, the planet's biggest shopping mall.

Known as the Arab world's top "shoppers paradise", Dubai attracts visitors near and far to its traditional souqs (markets) and other modern malls where electronics, gold jewelry, and couture fashion are virtually duty free. If you're traveling around year's end, don't miss the weeks-long Dubai Shopping Festival beginning in December.

More about UAE and Dubai travel around the Web:

Other UAE must-sees include the museum at Al Ain, a former caravan stop, and any of the country's coastal beaches including the stunning natural beauty of Khor Kalba ...

UAE Travel - The official government site with helpful guides for getting around and what to see and do, when to go, with interactive tours, photos and video clips, practical travel tips, weather facts.

Hello Dubai - The online travel brochure with a good overview for the first-time traveler on what to see and do - from shopping tours to camel races - with hotel directory and contact details, practical travel tips.

Dubai Tourism - Comprehensive guide (use the top menu) to major attractions and city landmarks, the best duty-free shopping, entertainment, hotels & online booking, with an interactive map leading visitors around the streets of Dubai, photo gallery, Webcam, video clips, free weekly travel newsletter.

Dubai travel guide - Wikitravel entry with an extensive look at the UAE's premier city including how to get there and get around, top tourist attractions, an insider's view on local customs, practical safety tips and related resources, photos.

Time Out Dubai - The digital version of the print magazine with feature stories on what's happening around town this week with entertainment news and event schedules.

also see in Mideast Travel -> Oman | Qatar Saudi Arabia