Dubai is one of the most popular tourist spots in the world. Situated on the Persian Gulf and bordering Sharjah to the north-east and Abu Dhabi to the south-west, Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which in turn is located on the Arabian Peninsula.

Located along a coastal strip and bordered by deserts, Dubai, otherwise called Dubai City, is the major as well as the capital city of the emirate of Dubai. In terms of area, Dubai is the second largest emirate, after Abu Dhabi, and population wise, Dubai is the largest of all emirates.

Once a typical desert destination, Dubai has now been transformed into an international level city, boasting of excellent infrastructure facilities, superb tourists' amenities, and above all, liberal laws and regulations. In addition, due to its strategic location which is just five hours fly from Europe and three hours fly from many of the Middle East countries and destinations such as India, Dubai attracts people from across the world. Further, the destination boasts of excellent accommodation and dining facilities, shopping options, sporting events, and incredible choices to indulge in an array of activities.

From archeological sites and beaches to museums, gardens, and amusement parks, Dubai comes with an array of attractions. For those who want to indulge in a number of recreational as well as water sport activities, then Dubai's beaches provide great opportunities. Beaches in Dubai are categorized into free public beaches and paid beach clubs. Khor Al-Mamzar, Kite Beach, Russian beach, and Umm Suqeim, are popular among the free public beaches in the area.

Most popular among the paid options in Dubai are Jumeirah Beach Park, Royal Mirage, and the Al Mamzar Beach Park. All of these options are attached with excellent facilities such as clean sea water and white sand, swimming pools, picnic areas, picnic tables and barbeques, and sheltered public beach. If you are a history buff, then the destination has some superb options to amuse you in the form of Jumeirah, Al Sufooh, and Al Ghusals, all of which have more than 2000 years old graveyards. Additionally, the archeological site in Jumeirah is home to a number of stone walls, ancient dwellings, huge stone house, and an old souk.

A trip to Dubai would not be complete without taking a tour to many of the interesting museums in the destination. For instance, the Dubai Museum, housed within the Al Fahidi Fort, has on display an array of art and artifacts that date back to 6th century BC. There are also artifacts that even date back to 3rd century BC. Equally worth mentioning is the art galleries in the region, such as, Majlis Art Gallery near the picturesque Bastakia Quarter, Creations Art Gallery at the Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai International Art Center and Creative Art Center at the Jumeirah/Umm Sequim, Al Abbar Art gallery and Bagash Art Gallery in Bur Dubai, and the Hamarain Center in Deira.

If you are vacationing with your family and kids, then you should not miss to take a tour to some of the best amusement parks in the destination, such as, the Wild Wadi Water Park and Dubai Snow Park. All these serve as an excellent base for a perfect family vacation. Dubai's serene parks and gardens are also a best option for a perfect family vacation. Just few among many of the parks and gardens in the city are Creekside Park, Mushrif Park, ZA'Abeel Park, and Safa Park.

Other not to miss attractions in Dubai are Jumeirah Mosque, noted for its stupendous Islamic architecture; Palm - the world's largest man made island; Burj Dubai - the world's tallest building; Dubai Zoo, which is home to some rare species of animals such as Arabian Wolf; Bastakiya, dotted with a number of traditional courtyard-type houses; and the Heritage Village, where you can see weavers and potters engaged in their crafts.

Apart from these attractions, people touring the place can engage in a number of activities. For instance, if you are a golf enthusiast, then Dubai presents a range of golf courses of international standards, such as, Majilis Course, Wadi Course, and the Al Awir course.

Similarly, if you are looking for a unique experience, then take a desert safari tour, for which you can make use of services of tour operators. Above all, don't leave the destination without having some shopping. With a number of gold souk and options for buying items such as electronic, textile, and carpet items, Dubai is truly a shoppers' paradise.