MAIN Travel Middle East United Arab Emirates

Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building at 512.1 metres (1,680 feet),

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.

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. UAE 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.

Often called the Arab world's "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.

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

More about UAE and Dubai travel around the Web:

UAE Travel - The official goverment 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.

Discover UAE Wildlife - A virtual photo tour of the coutry's flora & fauna with information on the Abu Dhabi lagoons, national nature preserves, camels and desert wildlife, prized coastal areas and offshore islands.

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.

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