Dubai & Abu Dhabi: Desert, Skyscrapers and Gold Souks

Dubai is the future and the desert at the same time — record-breaking towers on one side, golden dunes and old trading creeks on the other. This guide balances the glitz with the soul: sunset from the Burj Khalifa, a dune-bashing desert safari with a Bedouin-style dinner, but also the gold and spice souks of Deira reached by a one-dirham abra boat. A day trip to Abu Dhabi adds the jaw-dropping Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. I cover the modesty dress code, the metro that does most of the work, and the best (free) views.