If there is one thing that Dubai is known for above all else, it is its amazing range of hotels. Perhaps the most famous one of all is the Burj Al Arab, the hotel that resembles a sail more than a hotel. This is true luxury on every level, so if you want to see the very best of Dubai whether you are in your hotel or out exploring the city itself, this could be the ideal venue to stay in.

But of course there are plenty of other hotels in Dubai too. It is a good idea to start by figuring out what your budget is for accommodation while you are there. This will save you a lot of time, as it is very easy to dream about staying in the most luxurious hotel you can find. If your budget won’t stand it though, it’s time to start searching for something else.

You should remember that if you are looking for a budget hotel, location will have a significant bearing on where you should stay and what price you can get for it. It can be wise not to go for the absolute cheapest though, as the price will be relevant to the service you are likely to get.

Most of the time we would be familiar with hotels that are ranked up to five stars. But in Dubai you can go for a seven star ranking if you really want to see what luxury is like. But even five star venues such as the Grand Hyatt in Dubai are well worth a visit, as they really know how to take care of their guests.

While you will be doing all manner of things during your stay it is nice to know you have a wonderful hotel room to look forward to getting back to at the end of your explorations. There is nothing better than using their facilities to unwind or their restaurants to enjoy a sumptuous meal. If you are looking for a good quality base for your stay in Dubai, you will certainly find it in their range of hotels.

Some buildings are so stunning that you have to risk getting a crick in your neck as you stand and gaze up at them, unwilling or unable to turn away for even a second. There are arguably several buildings in Dubai that could have this effect on you, but for the purposes of this blog we are thinking of just one – the Grand Mosque.

This is one of those occasions where you may have seen pictures of the building before you actually go and visit it. But those pictures cannot possibly do the building justice when you see it with your own eyes. The sense of scale and height is quite something, and even in person it is hard to fathom.

It is one of the biggest mosques the UAE has to its name. The minarets can be a big feature of any mosque, but the Grand Mosque has earned its name in many ways – and the size of its largest minaret is one of them. There are two tall minarets forming part of the structure, and one of these is just over 231 feet high. Unless you see it for yourself it is impossible to try and imagine what it looks like.

The mosque also has a total of fifty four separate domes, nine of which are large. The smaller ones do not shrink back from the eye though, and since the larger ones feature stained glass decorations as well, you will see that this is truly an amazing building.

You will find the mosque across the road from the Dubai Museum, so if you are paying that a visit you will find it easy enough to see the Grand Mosque as well. Head for Ali bin Talib Street and go from there – with the tall minarets it is obviously hard to miss.

The mosque was built more than a century ago, but in 1998 it was renovated and has looked at its very best ever since then. Make sure you have a camera handy – you will want to be sure you have photographic evidence that you saw the mosque for yourself.

Normally when someone says they want to see the world, they’re referring to the globe itself. But now you can say the exact same thing and be talking about an incredible project that has taken place in Dubai.

Most people have heard about the Palm Islands in Dubai, spreading out from the mainland like a palm tree when seen from the air. But the World is not as well known – at least not yet. That is all set to change when news of the development becomes more widespread.

The idea – as it was with the Palm Islands – is an innovative one. The idea is to reclaim more land from the sea. But this time the islands created are in the shape of the world, with every island forming a different country or part of a country. To say this is an ambitious project is to be responsible for perhaps the biggest understatement possible.

So where can you find the World? Well it is be situated between Palm Jumeirah and Palm Diera. But unlike these two Palms, the World is not attached to the mainland. Instead it is a short distance out at sea, providing an intriguing addition to the reclamation work going on in Dubai.

It is too early yet to see how the future of the World will pan out. Each island is available for purchase separately by major investors. The idea is presumably that each one will have hotels and other major attractions on it, leading to an income from tourism from each one. But as they are all available to be purchased and developed on separately, the future of the World is just as interesting as the future of, er, the world (i.e. the globe as a whole).

The World is undoubtedly Dubai’s most ambitious project yet. It is fascinating to see what the future will hold for the World, as it continues to develop. Perhaps in years to come it will be as much of a success as Palm Jumeirah and the other Palms in the area. But this is undoubtedly a lot more ambitious.

Sometimes it seems as if Dubai was made to be seen from the air. The gorgeous designs of some of the locations here are only really truly appreciated if you look at them as you fly into Dubai for your holiday here.

But when you are on the ground they are pretty spectacular to see too – if from another perspective altogether. This is certainly the case with the Al Mamzar beach park. As you might guess from the name it is pretty good to look at, as the various areas are laid out in something that can only be called a geometric design. There are green terraces, perfectly created sandy areas and much more besides. It just remains for you to pay it a visit to see what else you can find there.

The good news is that it is created for all the family to enjoy. For instance there are services and facilities here that mean you don’t really have to go anywhere else during a day out there. You will find plenty of food kiosks dotted around and if the kids tire of the beach areas they certainly won’t tire of the swimming pool that is also helpfully provided. As you can imagine, it will give you a great alternative to the beach for a day or two if you want to experience something slightly different.

But even if you do decide to head for the beach you will realise that the Al Mamzar beach park has five of them. This is how big the park itself really is. Let’s face it nothing is done with a retiring point of view here – big, bold and better is the way that Dubai likes to do things. And it has certainly achieved its aim with this delightful park. While some parks try to cater for everyone and fail, this one has tried and succeeded beyond all measure. There are plenty of places to sit back, relax and drink in the sun. Whether you are visiting with friends, family or the kids, you will love exploring every inch of the Al Mamzar beach park.

When you visit Dubai you will probably have various destinations in mind. You will head out to Palm Jumeirah, you’ll try out the Wild Wadi Water Park and get involved in many other things besides as well.

But one place you must head to is Dubai Creek. This heads inland from the sea and it divides much of Dubai into two sections. There is any number of activities to try and places to go on either side of the creek, and of course it is also good to view just by itself.

Dubai Festival City nestles on the outer corner of the creek where it turns on a virtual right angle to head towards the wildlife sanctuary called Ras al Khor. Indeed this is just one of the locations you can visit along the creek itself. The wetlands at this part of the creek make ideal areas for various types of migratory birds to come to. If you pay a visit you may be lucky enough to see kingfishers, sandpipers, herons and even storks.

You can also ride along the creek in a boat if you take your place on one of the rides they offer. It could be a nice way to spend an hour or so, seeing the land either side of the creek from a different angle.

Back at the bend in the river you can explore the Dubai Festival City as well. This is so big that the locals sometimes call it a city in and of itself, within the larger city it resides in. When you see it for yourself you will see why this is the case!

In fact parts of it are still being built, but since Dubai is still an up and coming place to go this will probably not come as a huge surprise. The Festival Centre will provide you with a day’s worth of shopping opportunities and then some as well. It is just one of the many reasons why Dubai Creek is a great place to go on any holiday to Dubai.

Most people would accept that if you want to know more about a place you should go to the museum there. This is certainly the case in Dubai, where you have the chance to see the Dubai Museum.

Some museums definitely have more eye catching and stunning buildings to enjoy than others, and we think the Dubai Museum has one of the best ones of all. You will find when you arrive that you are looking at a fort – the Al Fahidi Fort. This in itself is worth finding out more about, especially since the oldest part of it dates back to 1787.

You can see some of the history of Dubai even before you step inside the building as well. Not all of the city walls remain nowadays, but you can see the bits that do remain right outside the museum itself.

The museum itself does a grand job of bringing to life Dubai’s past. Indeed it manages to take you right back to the third millennium BC in some cases. Some artefacts have been recovered from graves that date back this far, and they make fascinating viewing.

One of the most interesting things about the museum in Dubai is that it is split into clearly defined sections that look at various parts of life in the region. For example you can learn more about the business lives of those who lived in Dubai in the past, as well as learning how they lived at home. This provides a full and interesting picture that is quite enthralling to see.

Of course you cannot visit an area like Dubai without visiting the souks, and you will learn much more about them in the Dubai Museum. There is an example of one of the souks in the museum itself, and you can discover more when you go outside and witness the real thing.

As such the Dubai Museum is a wonderful introduction to Dubai and its history. As with all parts of the world it has changed immeasurably since ancient times, but other parts of it remain incredibly the same.

One of the most famous areas in Dubai has to be Palm Jumeirah. Even if you are not staying in this part of Dubai you have to go and see it. It will be the first time you have ever set foot on what is essentially a man made palm tree.

It does sound a little unusual, admittedly. But this has been designed to meet the needs of every holidaymaker coming to Dubai, and as such it is quite unlike anywhere else you may have visited in the past.

You won’t be able to appreciate the palm tree design unless you see Palm Jumeirah from above. But it extends out from the mainland on a trunk shaped piece of reclaimed land, and a total of sixteen different fronds extend out from this. You will also see three separate sections of island beyond the palm itself, each of which forms an essential breakwater.

You can easily find your way from the outer sections of Palm Jumeirah to the mainland by way of the monorail. This runs for over three miles, which gives you some idea of how big this man made island actually is.

Not everyone likes the artificial nature of the island. But if you are looking for a purpose built holiday haven that gives you everything you need in the way of luxury, this could be it. There is even a long water ride that brings you out into a see through pipe. Would you enjoy floating down this section while sharks and other creatures of the not so deep swim past above you? It is certainly quite an experience.

You’ve got a superb choice of hotels to stay in while you are on Palm Jumeirah too. One thing worth noting is that the design of the fronds means there is a lot of coastline to appreciate. Views of the water are everywhere you look here, and once you have got used to the design it is hard not to like it.

So why not consider venturing out to Palm Jumeirah for your first trip to Dubai? It could be the first of many.