Note from Guidora: This is a guest blogpost from Ibtisaam Ganief, www.sekari.com

Top 10 Reasons why Dubai is the Best Destination in the UAE

Dubai is known for its incredible skyline, blissful beaches and seven-star hotel, as well as its creative and inspired architecture, culture and luxurious lifestyle, it’s no wonder the city – which is a relatively new tourist destination – is growing in popularity year after year. In this article we look at and explore the top ten reasons why Dubai is the best destination to visit in the UAE.

It is Home to an Incredible Skyline

If you enjoy architecture, Dubai is the place to see. Home to some 900 completed skyscrapers, you can understand why Dubai’s skyline is so impressive. Amongst the hundreds of skyscrapers is some of the most impressive buildings you will ever lay eyes on, including the tallest man made structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa, situated in Downtown Dubai. Some other notable architectural feats include The Palm Island which is the world’s largest artificial island home to multi-million dollar mansions and an array of five-star luxury hotels, but wherever you are in the city, you’re never too far away from a breath-taking view.

It’s a Multi-Cultural Melting Pot

Expats from all over the world make up 80% of Dubai’s population, with almost 200 different nationalities calling the magical city their home, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. But what sets Dubai apart from other cosmopolitan cities around the world – like New York or London (that have2 been inhabited for hundreds of years) – is that Dubai’s expats are mostly first-generation, and bring with them many different cultural traditions, making the diversity in the city exceptional and meaning you will meet and make friends with an array of interesting people from all across the globe.

The Grub is Spectacular

Whatever your taste in food, there is an array of delicious options – including Arab, Persian, Filipino, Chinese, British, America, French, Japanese, Indian, Pakistani and much more – to choose from, from high-end restaurants to street food or food festivals, you won’t be disappointed. Some of the notable restaurants in Dubai that are worth visiting are Gordon Ramsey’s new dining spot the Bread Street Kitchen and Bar which just recently opened at Atlantis the Palm which offers British-European cuisine, Le Petite Maison located at DIFC which is a French-Mediterranean eatery, and Japanese restaurant Zuma which is also located at the DIFC. So if you’re a big foodie and enjoy indulging in a wide range of delicious eats, Dubai is the perfect place to visit on your next holiday.

The Climate is Perfect All Year Round

One of the main reason so many tourists visit Dubai is because of its warm and sunny climate. Dubai has more than 300 days of sunshine each year, and with over 1 000 kilometres of coastline to enjoy with a drink in hand, it’s understandable why it’s the go to place for the perfect sun-filled holiday. It’s good to know that even in conservative Dubai, women show up at the beach in their trendiest bikini – as long as it covers all of the important bits of your body.

You can Shop Until you Drop

With a host of very large shopping malls to choose from, including Dubai Mall which is the biggest mall in the world, each is filled with a variety of shops that cater for all pocket sizes and tastes. It seems that there are high-end retails on every corner in Dubai, so it’s no surprise that it is one of the top locations for travellers to indulge in some much-needed retail therapy. And, what’s unique about Dubai’s shopping scene, is that instead of having January sales like the rest of the world, Dubai has a month-long shopping festival that includes concerts and giveaways which include cars and gold.

You can go Skiing in the Desert

I know it’s hard to imagine, but there is a ski slope in the desert – which is another unique focal point which makes Dubai the best destination in the UAE to visit. Located in the Mall of Emirates, a shopping centre, Ski Dubai offers visitors some relief from the heat outside and some snowy fun. It is the Middle East’s first indoor ski centre and has tube slides, slopes and jumps and a 3 000-metre interactive Snow Park and Zip Wire – it really has it all!

Experience a Friday Brunch

Attending one of Dubai’s Friday Brunches is an experience you will never forget. What you need to know, however, is that Friday Brunch is not a brunch in a traditional sense, but is more of an over indulgent all you can eat and all you can drink feast where friends and family get together to catch up, drink (a lot) and have a really good meal. Of course it is not limited to friends and families, tourists attend too to socialise, spend time with those they have gone on holiday with and to experience how very messy a Dubai brunch can really get. Brunch happens at around lunch time and continues until dinner time, and tend to include more drinking than eating. This week end tradition (as Friday is the first day of Dubai’s weekend) can carry on for at least five hours and takes place at hotels among other places.

It is Possibly the Biggest Travel Hub in the World

Recently Dubai International Airport took over from London as the busiest airport in the world for international passenger traffic, and it’s not surprising as over 70 million passengers passed through their gates. Emirates Airline – Dubai’s state carrier – has also grown into the world’s largest international airline. Dubai is incredibly close to two-thirds of the entire population with only an eight-hour flight, no matter where you are in the world, there is most probably direct flights to the City.

Experience the Traditional Gold Souk

If you would like to take a more traditional approach to shopping after you have experienced the big malls that call Dubai their home, you can head down to the Gold Souk. Located in the oldest part of the city, the Gold Souk is an Arabian jewellery market that sells all sorts of beautiful, glittery goodies. Since the 1940’s, the souk has been the central area of trade in Dubai, with an estimates 10 tons of gold present in the souk at any given time. It is a wonderful experience, talking to sellers, seeing so much gold in one place at one time and buying something special to take home with you.

The Nightlife is Electric

From beach bars to night clubs, there is no shortage of nightlight in this electric city. Its beaches are filled with people soaking up the sun and relaxing by day, and turn into the place to party by night with some of the best DJs on the international circuit playing music and entertaining the crowds. If you want to party elsewhere, Pacha, Mahiki and Blue Marlin Ibizaa re some of the biggest international night clubs in the city where you can party all night long and until early the next morning.