Not to be missed! Our TOP 10 hits – from the absolute No. 1 to No. 10 – TOP 10 help you plan your tour of the most important sights. BURJ KHALIFA P88 hotel is the symbol of the UAE. The tallest building on earth (im­ Make sure to book well in advance age left) entices people in with if you’d like to come here for some its 452m (1,483ft)­high viewing tea or a cocktail. terrace up on the 124th floor. You’ll feel on top of the world in THE SOUKS IN DEIRA P43 Dubai’s number one attraction. A shopping experience straight out of the Arabian Nights: The DUBAI CREEK P38 Spice Souk is awash with the This natural creek is the city’s scent of spices and perfumed lifeline – it’s where the story of this oils, and the Gold Souk boasts modern metropolis began. over 200 jewellers huddled to­ gether in rows. DUBAI MUSEUM P62 Dubai’s most beautiful museum SHEIKH SAEED AL has been set up in the historic MAKTOUM HOUSE P68 Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest building The current ruler, Sheikh in the city. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, spent part of his BASTAKIYA P66 childhood in this historic The old wind towers and palaces wind­tower palace by the Creek. built by Persian merchants along The structure is a national monu­ the Creek have been beautifully ment today. restored. They’re home to muse­ ums, shops and restaurants today. THE DUBAI MALL P92 Dubai’s largest mall is a city within JUMEIRAH MOSQUE P90 a city: All the top fashionistas have Dubai’s most beautiful mosque – a store here alongside some a magnificent ivory­coloured outstanding restaurants and the edifice – is the only Islamic place Dubai Aquarium. of worship in the UAE that non­ Muslims can visit. DUBAI MARINA P118 Dubai Marina – the largest artificial BURJ AL ARAB P116 marina in the world – is surrounded Standing on its very own artificial by an impressive array of extra­ island, Dubai’s most famous luxury ordinary high­rise buildings. The Magazine The Magazine MEET THE MAKTOUMS One family runs the city-state of Dubai like a high-powered However, the diversity of its economy kept Dubai afloat. corporation: The Maktoums. The President of the emirate is In 1958 Sheikh Rashid bin Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. With members Saeed Al Maktoum became Dubai’s ruler, bringing a clear of his family controlling key businesses, Sheikh Mohammed and compelling vision for the is at the helm of the world’s fastest-growing city. future of the city. The Sheikh and his advisors formulated a bold strategy fuelled by oil. The Founding of Dubai Dubai’s Maktoum dynasty dates from 1833 when a tribal group moved A Life of Luxury from neighbouring Abu Dhabi and settled around Dubai. At that time, It’s thanks to this raw material the area that is now the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was ruled by dis­ Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum that the young state enjoys parate tribal families but, under the leadership of Sheikh Maktoum bin such an outstanding economic Buti (“bin” means “son of”), the Dubai people focused on building their position in the world today. Nevertheless, the separate Emirates differ community through trade, fishing and pearling. very substantially in terms of the deposits and volume of the crude oil and natural gas they can produce, which has a subsequent knock­on The City Grows effect for their individual prosperity. Abu Dhabi has the richest supplies A number of crucial decisions aided Dubai’s rise from a desert village of both oil and gas, followed by the Sheikhdoms of Sharjah and Dubai. to the economic metropolis it is today. First, the Maktoums welcomed Dubai’s oil reserves are actually quite limited, and only contributed immigrants. Traders from around 2% of the Gross Domestic Product in 2011. For that reason, “Dubai’s Rise: From Persia (modern Iran) and Dubai has sought to diversify its own economic base. Knowing that Abu India were encouraged to Dhabi would need to import heavy industrial equipment to build refineries, desert village to relocate and Dubai’s souks platforms and rigs, Sheikh Rashid had Dubai’s Creek dredged back in became a flourishing trade 1960. The new deep­water port allowed larger cargo ships to dock and economic metropolis” hub. Commercial taxes were it wasn’t long before Abu Dhabi was paying to unload its industrial abolished under Sheikh shipments at Dubai’s new port. Maktoum bin Hasher (ruled 1894–1906), but it was under Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum (ruled 1912–1958) that Dubai’s development Passengers Flock Through Dubai Airport moved up a gear. The very same year, Sheikh Rashid also shrewdly invested in an interna­ In the first two decades of the 20th century, the population doubled tional airport. Now a major world hub, it contributes around 25 per cent of to 20,000 but the city was hit by the global recession of the 1930s. Dubai’s GDP and welcomed over 57 million passengers through its gates 10 11 Deira Getting Your Bearings TOP 10 Getting Your Bearings " Dubai Creek P38 ' The Souks P41 Deira is a wedge of intensively developed, bustling and often con- gested city protruding towards the mouth of Dubai Creek. The Creek Don’t Miss forms one side of Deira. The other side is a mishmash of business + Dubai Festival City P46 and residential buildings stretching along the corniche to Al Mamzar Beach Park and the border with the emirate of Sharjah. At Your Leisure Deira is urban Dubai at its most hectic. Bisected by the , Heritage House P47 main road to Sharjah, this corner of Dubai is the city’s - Al Ahmadiya School P48 oldest and its most frenetic. It can be exhilarating or . Al Mamzar Beach Park P48 frustrating in equal measure but there are plenty of amazing sights. The main area of interest for the visitor is the triangle from the Maktoum Bridge to the corniche. The dhow wharf is where the traditional ships are unloaded; some Dhows jostle for space on Dubai Creek as Al-Mamzar of their goods are sold in Deira’s Mamzar14 14 traders transport their goods souks. These souks are a BeachBeach Park Park delight for the senses, spices, fruits and fish and the warm beauty of filled with the colour gold. Further down the Creek, several five-star and scents of hotels occupy prime waterfront positions. Inland aha Road A of Al Garhoud Bridge, with an attractive setting 103 Road Al Baraha Road b u B overlooking Dubai Creek, is the new Dubai a k Al Khaleej Road Al RasheedAl Rasheed Road Road e Festival City shopping and leisure waterfront r A d a l complex, which contains the new Al Badia o S R Naif Road i d Golf Club. Out to sea, a colossal Palm Island a d h i q k Deira is being built offshore from Al Hamriya Port. reet u b Al MateenaAl Mateena St Street e a 7 S Covered R It is progressing slowly due to the recession Heritage l Gold Souk o A Souk a but once plans are fulfilled, the man-made House d 7 Road Al-Khattab 12 alah island will be larger than Paris. Al Ahmadiya Baniyas S Al DinlR Doin Ro 13 Square ad School 7 Deira Old Souk, Al Riqqa Cemetery n B b Spice Souk an I iy r as A e l M m Dubai R ak U o to a R um Creek d oa 2 d Dubai Festival City 11 One of the best ways to see the buildings along Dubai Local men in the Deira Textile Creek is from Souk the waterway 34 35.