Dubai Creek Golf course

Straddling two main areas of Dubai, Bur Dubai on the one side and Deria on the other side the creek is still the heartbeat of the city. Full of life and small Abra’s zipping across the water it is must see part of Dubai.

Sheikh Zayed Road

Sheikh Zyaed Road at night

If there was a jugular vein of Dubai then Sheikh Zayed Road is it. Often reduced to the worlds longest traffic jam , set on both sides by cloud piercing Skyscrapers Sheikh Zayed Road is also the ultra chic place to be seen in Dubai.

Burj al-Arab

The self acclaimed Seven Star Hotel, comprising 202 duplex suites, this is the place to stay when in Dubai. The Burj Al-Arab is probably one of the most iconic buildings in Dubai, with a beautiful light display taking place at night that lights up the Hotel in various colours.

Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeriah

The eighth wonder of the world, a Palm shaped man made island standing just off the coast of Dubai this is a marvel of modern engineering. Lined with Villas and mostly still under construction it houses the Atlantis Hotel another icon of Dubai.

The Mall of Emirates

There are many malls in Dubai the ones worth a visit are: Emirates Mall , it has Ski Dubai an indoor ski slope. Ibn Battuta Mall for it’s themed layout and Dubai Mall the newest and biggest Mall in Dubai with 200 Gold outlets, a gigantic Aquarium and much more.

Dubai Marina

Dubai Marina

The home of the cranes in Dubai it seems this whole place is under construction, this is New Dubai and well wroth a walk around the Marina to see a city within a city rising.

Jumeirah Beach

Mingle with the locals and savour the Arabian sea, white sands and deep blue waters. Even if you are not in Dubai for a beach holiday you have to see the beaches and catch a glimpse of the Burj Al-Arab.

The Souks

Old Souk Bur Dubai

Whether it be the Gold souks , spice souk or perfume Souk a trip to old Dubai isn’t complete without seeing the way most of Dubai lived before it became global. The souks really remind you where in the world you are in the Middle East, almost a feel of being in Cario (almost).

Jumeirah Mosque

The most photographed building in Dubai for sure, carved in sandstone and from the Fathamid period of Islamic History it is like many things in Dubai lit up at night, creating a must have photo opportunity.

Dubai Museum

Dubai Museum

This is the place to come to see the way people lived in Dubai before oil was discovered. Whether it be pearl diving or old traditional living standards Dubai Museum will guide you through the history of Dubai.

High-tech trains arrived from Japan this weekend from leading railway system manufacturer Hitachi Ltd,

Testing begins at Palm Jumeirah as new trains arrive from Japan - Passenger journeys to begin in April 2009

Robert Lee, Nakheel Managing Director, Investment Projects, said:

“It’s great to see the Palm Monorail trains well and truly on track. Having the first monorail in the Middle East here in the Palm Jumeirah is indicative of Nakheel’s vision, leadership and ambition as a developer. It will ensure we continue to play a critical role in Dubai’s growth as a global centre for tourism, and marks our commitment to creating sustainable transport systems, hand-in-hand with our partners at the RTA.”

Tests on the trains will be carried out for the next six months before the monorail is opened to the public in April next year. The new system will carry thousands of passengers each day between Gateway Station at the trunk of Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis’ Aquaventure Station on the crescent, calling at Trump International Hotel & Tower and the luxury retail centre Palm Mall en route. The system will ultimately connect to the Dubai Metro following the introduction of RTA’s Al Sufouh tramline, with direct links to Dubai Airport and other major transport hubs.

The Palm Monorail is being developed by a consortium of leading international companies led by the Marubeni Corporation. The system is fully automatic and driverless, although an attendant will be on board at all times. The monorail will initially carry up to 2,400 passengers per hour per direction in four separate trains, each made up of three cars. At full capacity, the figure will rise to a maximum of 6,000 people in nine vehicles.

Source: Zawya

The Atlantis Hotel, on the iconic Palm Jumeirah island, originally said it had “rescued” the animal, which is recognised as an endangered species.

The hotel is now refusing to say if or when the whale shark will be released.

Environmentalists and Dubai residents are now demanding that the shark – nicknamed Sammy by one paper – should be released into its natural habitat.

The Atlantis hotel, which opened last month, was billed as the biggest and one of the best resorts in Dubai.

But it has already witnessed some major setbacks. A fire billowed smoke through the lobby three weeks before the opening.

Then, a week after opening, one of its main water valves ruptured, resulting in no water in much of the hotel.

Now the focus is on the 4m (13ft) whale shark that circles the hotel’s aquarium – a tank built to invoke the ruins of Atlantis, the so-called Lost City.

Mobilisation

The shark, who could grow up to 12m (39ft), was caught off the coast of Dubai six weeks ago.

The management talk of “rescuing” an animal, who was in distress, but former employees have told the local press that capturing a whale shark was always part of the hotel’s plan to provide an added tourist attraction.

An independent survey has shown more than a third of those questioned would be more likely to visit the resort to see it, but there is a growing swell of public opinion that the animal should be released and tagged.

Whale sharks are protected under the Cites convention and the plight of this member of an endangered species has captured the imagination of the public.

One popular newspaper has launched a freedom campaign.

Children are talking about it in school assemblies and local environmentalists are strongly urging its release.

Source: BBC News By Julia Wheeler