Dubai

Dubai is hot! Both literally and figuratively. A United Arab Emirate on the edge of the Arabian Gulf, it first emerged as a serious tourism destination in the 1980s, its balmy winter climate and pale sandy beaches fusing with its Middle Eastern exoticism and 21st century standards to upstage other more traditional holiday choices. And thanks to the booming oil economy, not to mention the seemingly bottomless pockets of the ruling Al-Maktoum dynasty, there seems no limit to the country's future prospects, the world class hotels just the warm-up act in its rise to superstardom.

Indeed, Dubai's affluence is quite evident the moment you step off the plane. The new airport is state-of-the-art and the taxi transfers are usually luxurious Mercedes-Benz affairs. Every recreational facility you can think of is on offer at your resort, few of which seem to buy into the concept that 'less is more' when it comes to size, design or style. In fact, it will quickly come as no surprise to discover that Dubai was the venue of the world's first 'seven-star' hotel, and whilst it is generally agreed that this is more a marketing term than a measure of excellence, it does give you an idea of the standards the country aspires to - this is a place that sets the rules, rather than follows them. And the water park, golf courses, designer spas, shopping malls and yachting marinas ensure every possible market is covered.

In fact, now that most of its 40-mile coastline has been developed, land reclamation is the name-of-the-game here. The 'Dubai Waterfront' is a new off-shore project that includes canals, a theme park and a jaw-dropping development called 'The World'. Consisting of 300 private islets built in the shape of the continents, the $14 billion project won't be completed until at least 2009, but by then it is anticipated all of it will have been sold for private homes or exclusive hotels.

Yet despite all of these extravagances, Dubai does manage to retain a sense of its own culture, history and traditions. Amidst the shopping malls, fast-paced highways and ultra-modern office blocks, you'll still find narrow alleys, towering minarets, ancient forts and old wind towers. The 'creek' that divides the main city is still best crossed by traditional abra (or water taxi), and it's quite common to spot traditional wooden dhows traversing its length and laden with cargo for African, India and Pakistan. And whilst the centuries-old souks might now have diversified into electronic goods and the latest consumer items, spices, silks and gold are still very much on the agenda - the famous Gold Souk, for example, sells 22 and 24 carat gold jewelry for some of the lowest prices in the world.

And then, of course, there's the desert, the place to escape to when you really want to discover the Middle East. There are organized excursions available to introduce you to the camel farms, sand boarding and belly dancing traditions, but if you really want to explore this unusual region, why not treat yourself to a few days in one of its luxury resorts? Dune safaris, horseriding and camel trekking are just some of the activities they offer and you can see interesting wildlife like horned oryx and shy gazelles. The star-filled night sky might even prompt you to reflect upon the unique rags-to riches story of this amazing corner of the world!