There's more to Dubai than skyscrapers and luxury hotels,
says local travel agent Mark Haughton of Escape Worldwide. The city also acts
as a hub for destinations across the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Dubai is one of the Middle East's most dynamic cities, and
one that has seen more change in the last decade or so than anywhere else on
the planet. Major construction projects, including offshore islands, the famous
man-made 'palms', huge shopping centres and even the world's tallest building –
the 829-metre-high Burj Khalifa - have turned Dubai from a fairly small town in
to one of the world's most visited cities.
It's a great place to start a holiday, with water parks,
beaches, museums and superb shopping in the form of the historic souqs as well
as the more modern outlets, with the likes of the Dubai Mall, three times the
size of our own Westfield Stratford City. Spend a few days exploring the city,
or a little longer to take in the beach too, before moving on.
It's then a case of deciding where you want to head to after
a stay in Dubai, and the choice couldn't be wider. In less than 30 years the
airline of Dubai, Emirates, has built up a network that links the city to over
120 destinations across the world, many lending themselves perfectly to a
holiday combining Dubai with beach resorts, bustling cities and more. As the Emirates
network is so comprehensive, holidays that combine Dubai with other places tend
to be extremely flexible, so you can suit your own timescale.
The islands of the Indian Ocean are very well served by
Emirates from Dubai, with regular connections to Sri Lanka, the Maldives,
Mauritius and the Seychelles. The beautiful islands of the Maldives offer one
of the most popular combinations with Dubai, twinning its quality hotels and
renowned service with pure indulgent escapism, where there's nothing to do but
relax. From the moment your flight from Dubai arrives at the airport you'll be
straight into the island's way of life – there can't be many airports where the
runway is right on the beach.
If you're looking for something more than just beaches to
complete your holiday, then Sri Lanka is a superb option. Away from the coast,
the island's interior is crammed with interest, including the ancient cities of
the north, the cultural heartland of Kandy in the centre and the beautiful
mountain scenery and tea plantations further south. Spend a few days exploring
with your own car and driver – a flexible and great value way to go at your own
pace.
One of the newest routes from Dubai is to the Thai beach
resort of Phuket. Holidays to Thailand have always been flexible, so why not
combine Dubai and Phuket with a few nights in the chaotic capital Bangkok, or
in the northern countryside around Chiang Mai, before finishing off on the
beach in the south of the country.
Dubai is a great place for a holiday, but combine the city
with other destinations and it's easy to turn a great holiday into the trip of
a lifetime.
Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays
http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk
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