Things To Know Before You Go to Dubai

Where To Stay
There are thousands of hotels, including Western chains, easily scoutable on the Web. The real question is which neighborhood to stay in. All other things being equal, and if you're willing to spend a bit, I'd recommend the beach hotels in the Jumeira area. But the biggest consideration is Dubai's hellish traffic—the city becomes completely gridlocked three times a day—so consider the spots where you're likely to spend most of your time, and then imagine interminable taxi rides back and forth to your hotel if it's distant from those spots. A metro is being built, but it's not even close to being finished as of early 2007.

Web Sites
Dubizzle.com functions as a sort of Craigslist for Dubai. It also features reviews and will give you a real sense of what the local expat community is up to.

Books
The Lonely Planet guide is, of course, useful. I also read Don't They Know It's Friday?, by Jeremy Williams. Written with the businessperson in mind, it provides some valuable insight into Gulf culture and etiquette.

Tips
Americans need no special visa to enter Dubai. However, the guidebooks suggest that anyone with an entry stamp from Israel in his passport may face some difficulty.

Once you're there, travel is exceedingly easy. Everyone speaks English. Taxis are plentiful and cheap enough to be taken all the time. The streets are also incredibly safe. There is no reason whatsoever to be intimidated by going to Dubai.

My feeling is that many Western tourists dress too revealingly on Dubai's streets, given the cultural history of the place. Certainly no one (except possibly me) will yell at you if you wear shorts and a tank top, but you might fit in a little better if you stick to pants and tops that cover your shoulders. On the tourist beaches, pretty much anything (except nudity) goes.

I highly recommend eating all the Lebanese food you can.

Choose your time of year carefully. People I know who've spent a summer in Dubai tell me it's not an experience they'd wish upon anyone.