Fifty years ago, Dubai was little more than a port town surrounding a creek, on the egde of sandy wastes. Today Dubai is one of the world’s most rapidly expanding cities offering visitors an enticing mixture of beach, shopping, culture and the buzz of the undisputed capital of the Arabian Gulf. Although most visitors head straight for Jumeriah Beach, we urge visitors to consider a few nights in the desert, experiencing one of the other Emirates or combining a Dubai holiday with a holiday in neighbouring Oman.