MODERN monoliths that rise up from the desert floor, shimmering in the sun like some great architectural tease to travellers from distant shores, have been in recent years the ubiquitous-if-unofficial national symbol of Dubai - that dusty, dazzling city in the Persian Gulf with a knack for extravagance and a need to be known as the place where new examples of excess - buildings that are among the tallest, biggest, priciest and flashiest on earth - are measured on a daily basis.
Indeed, visitors are advised to check reality on arrival at Dubai International Airport, because no matter what they've been told and what they might expect, the actual experience is likely to be much more surreal. 'Las Vegas meets the Third World', is how one long-term resident of the city describes it, and that might possibly sum it up - a Middle East metropolis where ancient Arab tradition and 21st-century Western-style modernity come together to impressive and sometimes jarring effect.
The Atlantis Hotel's opening celebrations in Dubai defied the economic crisis as stars flocked to the resort for a launch party that included the world's largest fireworks display dazzling enough to be seen from space.
One of the most recent examples of Dubai's ability to bang the drum rapidly on the development front can be seen in Atlantis The Palm, the latest candidate in the mega-resort stakes, built on a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree. The US$1.5 billion, 1,500-room resort, modelled on the mythical lost city and complete with water-themed parks, 17-restaurants (including several Michelin stars) and the inevitable dolphin 'sanctuary', burst onto Dubai's lifestyle scene late last year with a high-profile opening bash that featured celebrities like Robert de Niro, Charlize Theron and Oprah Winfrey, a concert by Kylie Minogue and a fireworks display that reduced the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics to a supporting act.
At around the same time, another massive temple of conspicuous consumption - the opulent Dubai Mall, a US$20 billion project with 1,200 shops - opened its doors at the foot of the still-under-construction Burj Arab, the 700-metre high, much-hyped, much-delayed tallest building in the world.
Also in the works are city-sized developments, incorporating dozens of new hotels, a new financial district, and urban habitats to accommodate a million or more new residents. Almost lost in the mix is the Burj Al Arab, the self-proclaimed seven-star architectural wonder built on its own private island and modelled after the sail of an Arabian dhow. It was the first of Dubai's super-luxe hotel properties to make an international splash (in 1999) and now, it seems almost quaint by comparison.
When it comes to upscale tourism, the theme park lifestyle and property development with a fantastical twist, Dubai has long been the tiny Gulf state that could - a master of converting boundless imagination into high-priced reality, demonstrating in the process an ability to pull it off with trademark style and swagger.
The 53-storey ultra-luxurious resort hotel Burj Al Arab, which means The Arabian Tower, built on its own man-made island jutting out into the Arabian Gulf is a landmark in the United Arab Emirates for its amazing architecture and opulent interiors.
These days, big is not necessarily better for Dubai, one of the seven wealthy emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The rapid economic growth of the past decade and the pronouncements of grandeur that routinely accompanied each new mega development have now been replaced (thanks to the current worldwide recession) by something different - a bleaker picture involving the inevitable economic slowdown.
Multi-faceted investment projects like Dubailand and luxury residential island project The World (300 islands shaped to look like a map of the world) have been delayed. There are media reports that the founding Al Maktoum family, who built up Dubai from a humble fishing village in the 19th-century to a Big Fish in the arena of international trade and tourism, is also not immune to the credit crunch.
The ruling family's far-ranging financial interests have grown in tandem with the development of the UAE, but while the good life goes on in many sectors of society, with no discernible drop in the number of lavish parties being thrown, there are signs that Dubai's high-speed development train may be slowing down.
Still, Dubai's reputation as the Gulf's go-to leisure destination remains relatively unscathed, as visitors who flock there for the duty-free shopping, the sports and the sun are likely to find more deals to their liking, with even top of the line hotels willing to talk price.
Until recently, the government had hopes of doubling visitor arrivals to 15 million a year by 2015. That may now be difficult to attain, but beyond the glitzy mega-malls and their designer-label stores, the luxury resorts with their voluminous guest rooms, Dubai as a destination has some other surprises up its sleeve.
Along the banks of Dubai Creek, the waterway where Dubai's roots as a trading port are founded, visitors in search of some authentic local charm can hop on a water taxi in the Neira District and cross the Creek, indulging in some souk therapy as well. Traditional bazaars stuffed with shops selling gold, spices and perfumes are located in various sections of the town, but those on either side of the Creek allow plenty of opportunity to snag a souvenir or two.
Away from the city limits, one of the activities of choice is dune bashing in the desert, which may not be as pointless as it sounds. A roller-coaster ride in a four-wheel-drive vehicle along the sand dunes gives passengers a unique perspective on life in the region. While there's no shortage of sand, the limited quantities in Dubai of that more valuable commodity - oil - is principally what led the emirate to embark on a different development route from its neighbours.
When it comes to upscale tourism, the theme park lifestyle and property development with a fantastical twist, Dubai has long been the tiny Gulf state that could - a master of converting boundless imagination into high-priced reality, demonstrating in the process an ability to pull it off with trademark style and swagger. It may not quite be the quintessential Arabian experience, but neither is the Singapore story a typically Asian one - and we all know how that turned out.
btnews@sph.com.sg
Choose from the award-winning airline's 21 flights a week from Singapore to Dubai. Passengers can take a midnight flight and catch some rest onboard Emirates' state-of-the-art aircraft and arrive in Dubai with a full day ahead of them for business or leisure.
Alternatively, catch Emirates' recently-launched daylight flight, which allows passengers to get a full night's sleep at home before embarking on a morning flight and arriving at their destination in the afternoon.
From Dubai, passengers can connect onwards to more than 100 destinations in North and South America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Asia Pacific, on Emirates' extensive international network.
But why not enjoy Dubai with Emirates' special Dubai Stopover package, which offers Emirates' passengers travelling through Dubai a spectacular stopover for as little as US$64 per person? It's a deal that's hard to resist.
To explore more of the Middle East, consider purchasing the Arabian Airpass, which offers Emirates' passengers the opportunity to travel around the Middle East at an affordable price. For more information, visit www.emirates.com/sg or call Emirates at Tel: 6735-3535.
