8 minutesSkipping the customs line at Dubai International Airport. The journey from arrivals to the baggage carousel is as arduous as a trek in the Arabian Desert. But if you splash out for Marhaba Services' "Diamond Package" ($29), a seasoned pro will whisk you and your bags to the front of clogged immigration lines.
marhabaservices.com
4 hours Riding camels and surfing dunes in the red sands of nearby Margham. Arabian Adventures arranges guided camel rides in the desert, followed by a lesson in sand boarding that features an adrenaline-raising slide down the steep-sided dunes to the valley floor (from $68). Or you might opt for a how-to on conquering desert terrain in a 4x4. A half-day excursion includes the guidance of a tutor/driver, a back-up vehicle and a tank of gas for $575.
arabian-adventures.com
1 hour Picking horses at Nad Al Sheba, the official racetrack of the Dubai Racing Club and home to the $6-million (U.S.) Dubai World Cup. From November to March, there are six or more races per night, and admission to the public is free. But why hang with the plebs if you can afford not to? For VIP wining and dining, have the staff cater a private buffet and cocktail menu in one of the club's opulent members-only suites.
971-4-332-0077; dubairacingclub.com
59 secondsIn a "submarine" on your way to dinner at Al Mahara, a restaurant in Dubai's iconic seven-star, 321-metre-high Burj Al Arab hotel. The elevator has been cleverly decorated to simulate a sunken vessel, complete with video screen portholes, flashing underwater images and a sea captain to help guide the journey.
Two hours Admiring the view while you tuck into the king crab and coriander cannelloni at Al Mahara. The dining room is wrapped around a floor-to-ceiling aquarium filled with exotic fish, eels and blacktip reef sharks--which should distract you from the fact that dinner for two just set you back $350. Remember to wear a nice jacket.
burj-al-arab.com/dining/al_mahara
15 hours, 52 minutes "Camping out" at Al Maha Desert Resort. Some 45 kilometres inland from downtown Dubai, this luxury Bedouin-style tented camp is accessible only by hotel-arranged jeep transfer. Aside from the staff-to-guest ratio of 3 to 1, plush rooms with private pools, full-service spa and complimentary falconry lessons, Al Maha boasts a sanctuary for endangered wildlife like the Arabian oryx. Consider it eco-tourism, UAE-style. From $940/night.
al-maha.com
COAT CHECK
Dubai can be rough on the wallet. And while its 31 shopping malls offer everything from Van Cleef & Arpels to Louis Vuitton, the city will leave you aching for a bargain. Banana Republic's new Monogram line offers runway styling at off-the-rack prices. This cotton/cashmere velvet blazer looks the part, and will only set you back $350. bananarepublic.com
