Dubai Off The Beaten Path

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Why don't you choose to sample some real "1001 Nights" (I am not talking about a touristy desert safari with Russian belly dancer) and jump off the beaten path, into a taxi & tell the driver "Dubai Creek, Al Seef Street, near British Consulate", you won't be disappointed.
Seef Steet really comes alive after dark. Stroll along, watch the boats & abras (water taxis), and the numerous families that enjoy the grass and play areas with their children. Watch traditional wooden Dhows (boats) and modern yachts cruise by on the creek, and the spectacular skyline on the opposite shore.

HUNGRY?
Walk down (with the creek on your right) towards the Ruler's Court & experience some of the inticing traditional eateries:

(Unlicenced - these restaurants do not serve alcohol)
At the Ruler's Court, close to Dubai Museum, is BASTAKIYAH NIGHTS. A lovely courtyard restaurant where you can sample Arabic cuisine, fresh fruit juices, hot Maroccon mint tea and of course Sheesha (water pipe). Tel: +971-4-3537772.

Or continue walking past HSBC Bank until you reach the Sheikh Saeed House. This is where you'll find the KAN ZAMAN Restaurant (see seperate restaurant tip) with plenty of indoor & outdoor seating area for more than 400 people. Tel: +971-4-3939913.

These are some of my favourite spots to sit for a relaxing evening with great Arabic food & aromatic Sheesha. You're in the middle of the city, yet you're not sat right on a main road inhaling car fumes & shouting across the table to your friends. These are the spots that radiate the "original Dubai-feeling" that is increasingly hard to find in our modern & changing city.
PS: If you do fancy a beer after dinner, you can even walk back up towards Bank Street, across the traffic lights & straight into Rock Bottom's.
More details in my Nightlife tips

It's actually not a museum...it's a warehouse...a huge hall with a labyrinth of anything/everything that you can imagine! If you need a souvenir, a gift, pashmina scarf, a bed cover, a cushion cover, an arabic lamp, a waterpipe, a rosewood chest...you can find absolutely EVERYTHING there!

It's very hard to find...most of us get lost and can't find it the first couple of times. So just call that number and they will explain to you how to find it.

Remember to go there with a lot of patience (you easily spend 2 hours there) and bargaining skills...

If you love reading and can't stand the expensive malls in Dubai, you should go to the "House of Prose". There are 2 shops in Dubai.

One is on Jumeirah Beach Road, in the Jumeirah Plaza (when you get in the main entrance, walk all the way to the back, and turn left...it's almost on the exit of the little mall)

The second one is at the Ibn Battuta Mall (A bit farther from the city, you should only go here if you are staying nearby). It's harder to find, as the entrance is actually outside of the mall. You have to go to the last parking (after Geant supermarket) and walk to the end of the building and it's just on the corner.

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Although you’ll always see some skyscraper in the background, the Deira side of Dubai’s old town is surely the best to see a more traditional side of Dubai. Not only all the souks give you an idea of pre-boom Dubai. What I would like to recommend is a short walk along the Creek between the two Abra stations (Old Souk and Sabkha). Here, archaic, wooden cargo ships are being offloaded. The goods you see here are not those you’ll find in the shopping malls. Here, you see cheap far-eastern household products as feel as some food and spices for the nearby shops. Don’t expect it to be too traditional as most stuff comes in boxes. But it’s apart of the Creek you won’t find in many tourists guides. Be careful, as it is a working harbour and not a purpose-built tourist attraction, and see one of the most authentic parts of the city.

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Located just 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport, the Resort features 115 rooms and suites appointed in traditional Gulf decor, complemented by the region's first authentic open-air Arabic desert restaurant, and a superb range of recreational facilities.

For those seeking a unique desert experience within easy reach of Dubai, Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa presents the ideal destination.

Offers comfort and entertainment, at Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa you can experience the history of Dubai.

And do not miss the dinner at Al HAdeerah Resturant - it will be a wonderful experince of Arabian night !

Try hotel apartments, if you are travelling in a group. It is more economical and you have an option of cooking your own favourite meals to your taste. Most supermarkets are well stocked with fresh and canned foods local and imported. Try fresh local fish , but you need to go to the fish market in Diera Dubai near the Gold souk(market). There are some stalls were you may find local fisherman selling local fish. Facility for cleaning the fish is available . You can get your fish fried in a restaurant at Shark restaurant(located in meat & poultry market) in the same market near the parking lot.

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The Festival City area is a new development, and nearby is the Al Badia Residential Complex. Just beside th Festival City are the traditional-style blocks of Al Badia Hillside Village. Then come small villas and large blocks, a sports area, club, shops and across the way the fantastic Four Seasons Hotel and Golf Club site.The latter is sure to attract a lot of visitors.

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A popular area for ex-pats in Dubai. It is in the south on the road to Jebel Ali. Houses are modern but to date the facilities are few- the odd super market, photocopy, dry cleaners etc
Across Rebat St is Uptown Mirdif shopping area and residential complex- the reason why rents have risen considerably recently. The complex has many known shops, a bank, and Spinneys a grocery etc shop found throughout the Gulf.
Many of the houses are in guarded complexes with a communal pool, and very modern. Other buildings are huge , almost like palaces.
The major disadvantage is that it is close to the flight path to Dubai International airport.So, if you are outdoors the noise is loud, but cannot be heard from inside.