Why Travel to This Region?

Modern marvels combined with traditional Arabian hospitality, Dubai offers the tourist an enchanting stay. For natural splendors, Dubai has both desert and sea. Visitors can laze on the pristine white-sand beaches, scuba dive, snorkel, and try their hand at deep-sea fishing, or head inland and enjoy exciting desert safaris, with 4x4 wadi-bashing and sand-skiing on the stunning dunes. For visitors enticed by an exotic Arabian experience, camel and horse racing, falconry displays, traditional dhow tours, and exploring the old souqs (markets) are not to be missed.

However, the main draw of Dubai is its unimaginable growth and unprecedented development as a true 21st century city. Towering skyscrapers dot the sky, culminating in the Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest man-made structure. Unbelievably luxurious hotels abound, including the Burj al-Arab, the face of Dubai, a deluxe “7 star” hotel sailing into the calm blue waters of the Persian Gulf. Developments currently under construction include the reclaimed islands of The Palm and The World, the Dubai Waterfront, the Hydropolis Underwater Hotel and Resort, and Dubailand, an enormous mix of amusement parks, shopping and residential complexes, sporting facilities and even recreated life-sized Wonders of the World, including the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and the Pyramids of Giza.

Other attractions include the Mall of the Emirates, where visitors can put on their ski boots and hit the slopes at the Middle East’s first indoor ski resort, traditional dhow cruises on Dubai Creek, championship golf courses, and a lively night-life scene, including restaurants featuring cuisine from the region and around the world, and a variety of bars, cafés and nightclubs. Other Middle Eastern destinations are just a stone’s throw away, including Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Jordan.

Just 8h30 from Johannesburg, 5h from Nairobi and 4h20 from Cairo, Dubai is an ideal stopover location before or after your African vacation. Whether you stay for a few hours or a few days, there will always be something to excite and thrill in this crossroad between East and West.