United Arab Emirates

Few people go to the Emirates without a plan. You usually know your dates already and have a rough idea of what you want: the beach, the city or a trip with kids. What remains are the practical questions: which emirate to stay in, how much to budget, what to buy in advance and how to get from the airport. This section answers them.

Most of the articles cover Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We break down the tickets for the Burj Khalifa and explain when you can skip the upper observation deck. There are separate pieces on the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Burj Al Arab hotel: what to see inside and how to get in. The general overview of Dubai takes in the city from the skyscrapers to the markets of Deira. For a short trip, the one-day Dubai itinerary and the plan for a day trip to Abu Dhabi will come in handy. Ras Al Khaimah has guides of its own: mountain routes, the flight over the canyon, hotels.

The second big group is about where to stay. We compare the areas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi for different kinds of trips and put together hotel selections built around one clear feature. A private beach, an "all-inclusive" plan, a kids' club and babysitter, entertainment, alcohol included in the package. Each selection explains who the option suits and where its weak points are. Hotels in Sharjah and Ajman with their own beach and desert camps for an overnight stay are covered separately, along with overviews of the country's beaches, parks and resorts.

The third group deals with practicalities. How to get from Dubai airport to your hotel by metro, taxi or bus. How to rent a car without overpaying. What a trip budget is made of: hotel, food, transportation, tickets. There are articles on the weather by month, the summer heat, Ramadan and New Year, rules of conduct and alcohol. Add to that shopping, souvenirs, bars with a panoramic view, clubs and a cruise in the Persian Gulf.

Every article opens with a short conclusion: the main point is made in the first paragraphs. Practical blocks follow: how to get there, what to buy in advance, where you can save. We check prices and opening hours against official websites and state the source and the date of the check. We write about the downsides plainly. If an expensive ticket is not worth it or a month is too hot for walking, the text says so.

The section is meant for people who plan on their own and want to decide quickly. It works for a first trip, for a family vacation by the sea and for a short stopover of a few days. It will be less useful if you are looking for a detailed history of the country or a handbook for relocating and working there. There are no ready-made tours here: we only explain and compare. We do not interpret entry rules or insurance: on such questions we show what to look at and where to check with official sources.

It is best to start with the overview pieces: itineraries for a first trip and the comparison of the country's resorts. They help you pick an emirate and work out how many days you need. Then read the article on your month, because the weather changes the program a lot. After that, choose an area and a hotel, and finish with tickets, the trip from the airport and the budget. This order saves time.

The section is part of "Asia" within "Destinations". It has a subsection, "Dubai", which gathers the articles about that city alone. If you are still comparing options for a beach vacation, open the neighboring sections "Turkey", "Maldives", "Thailand", "Vietnam" and "Indonesia". For trips of a different kind, "Armenia", "Azerbaijan" and "India" are close by.

We update the articles: prices, schedules and visiting conditions change, and the texts have to be revised. We check the data against the official websites of the attractions and carriers. If a text shows a date of the check, go by it. Before buying tickets, still open the official website and make sure the conditions have not changed. That way your trip plan rests on current data.