Somak's Dubai - A Strictly 21st Century City
By Louise Newton

At the start of the millennium British site visitors began crowding to Dubai - one of seven United Arab Emirates. 6 years on, the approaching opening of The Palm Jumeirah offshore complex (aka 'the 8th marvel of the world') and The World Islands, continent shaped manufactured islands at Jumeirah, looks readied to guarantee Dubai's condition as the 21st century star.

A designer's dream, Dubai's ultra-modern sky line places New york city's right into the shade. It boasts several of one of the most abundant principles ever conceived - buildings whose peaks appear like the nib of a pen; office obstructs shaped like super-slim cyndrical tubes and hotels constructed to represent a blown sail or breaking wave. In between are smaller sandstone structures - often royal residences or mosques - whose design harks back to Arabian times as our picture books would represent them.

However Dubai has to do with greater than unusual and fantastic resorts. Sunlight and sand (the beach range) form the backdrop to bargain-hunting in modern malls and traditional souks, experience hikes into the desert, Arabic culture-cramming and golf. With a choice of international courses golf, Dubai has earned an excellent track record among expert golfers and keen beginners alike.

Away from the fairways Dubai is a consumer's heaven. Super modern cool malls like Bur Jaman and City Centre compare acquainted names like Benetton, Laura Ashley and Debenhams with local Arabic ones. The souks supply an even more atmospheric experience. A stimulating aroma comes from big bowls of spices in the city's flavor souk whilst the much bigger gold souk flaunts a substantial selection of chains, Julio Iglesias style and more discreet.

15 minutes away, Jumeirah Beach makes an optimal vacation base. Here luxury beachfront hotels line up alongside one another behind miles of white sand beach and the superficial aqua waters of the Arabian Gulf.

From Jumeirah 4-wheel drive jeeps grab daily for the Sundowner dune-bashing ride over the red dunes of Murgham to a Bedu encampment, full with stomach dancer. Active-city breakers can also try camel racing, sand snowboarding, wadi slamming and even go winter sports in the world's largest snowdome. Lounge-lizards will possibly prefer the hotel sun deck. [http://www.somak.com] www.somak.com