Around 800,000 (yes that’s eight hundred thousand!) visitors from the UK alone travel to Dubai each year to enjoy what has been described as ‘paradise on Earth’. Most visitors are ignorant of the strict and often surprising laws in place there.

A Muslim state, Dubai has a different view of many things compared to the Western world, especially when it comes to personal relationships and drugs. If you were to visit Dubai without being aware of these laws you are potentially leaving yourself open to finding yourself being hauled off to jail for seemingly innocuous ‘crimes’ , unaware you that even did anything wrong.

Some of you have no doubt heard of the widely publicised case in which a British couple were jailed for ‘openly expressing affection’ on a public beach in Dubai, but there have been many other examples;

- 4 year jail sentence for possessing 2 grams of cannabis.

- Jail term for man ‘possessing’ poppy seeds after eating a sandwich at Heathrow on his way to Dubai.

- 4 year jail sentence for microscopic traces of cannabis on a person’s shoe.

- One month in jail for kissing a man on the cheek in a Dubai restaurant.

- A lesbian couple jailed for one month for kissing on a Beach.

- Couple jailed for one year for kissing and cuddling in the back of a taxi.

The list goes on… In the year over 2006-2007 alone over 200 UK visitors were arrested for similar ‘crimes’.

This illustrates why anyone planning a trip to the region should do their homework before departing, for instance there are over 350 ‘substances’ which are banned in Dubai. Many of these substances are common in the West, such as Poppy Seeds (mentioned above), Codeine (a common painkiller), Melatonin (used to combat jetlag), it is also illegal to drink alcohol in public.

There is growing frustration with what appears to be a level of hypocrisy in the state, with public consumption of alcohol banned, yet many hotels providing free alcohol. Homosexuality or public displays of affection are banned but prostitution is legal etc..

Often in the holiday spirit it is very easy for Westeners to forget where they are and fall into breaking these laws, even many of the quarter of a million UK expats occasionally get caught out so it is no surprise that short term visitors are vulnerable. You should also be aware that if you do find yourself in trouble in Dubai, the British embassy are not normally able to help. The Foreign office urges vigilance when visiting Dubai, and offers advise, such as ensuring any medication is left in original packaging and to carry any prescription documentation with you as proof of validity. There are also restrictions on hand luggage which you should check out before you leave.

The differences in law between The UK and Dubai are not only something new to holidaymakers, but also provide challenges for those in the profession moving from the West to the UAE. British Expat lawyer Ewan Sheriff is one such person, a highly successful lawyer previously based in Scotland, Ewan and the rest of the Sheriff family moved to Dubai in 2010 looking for fresh challenges and a better life for the whole Sheriff family. Ewan has had to learn a new legal system from scratch, but has relished the task. Ewan holds 18 years experience in high-profile Commercial, Real Estate and Asset Management arenas, with high-exposure firms located in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, respectively.

At the end of 2009, having long held an interest in the Middle East and it’s business opportunities, Ewan Sheriff sought to embrace the regions richer lifestyle for himself, his wife and his 3 children. The Sheriff family relocated from Edinburgh, UK to Dubai, UAE in April 2010 and have never looked back. Ewan Sheriff himself has embraced mastering the legal system, and continues to enjoy the cultural offerings of the region. Being a keen sportsman, Ewan continues to root for his Celtic football team from abroad, as well as running, swimming and playing football in Dubai. He and his wife remain keen travellers and the Sheriff family are keen skiers.

However, this isn’t a set of laws that will apply across the UAE, and the other major cities are exempt. You’ll find this news welcome if you adore Dubai and its sister cities, and are perhaps thinking of going from all inclusive holidays to holiday home owner or full time resident in Dubai. The accelerated development that the city has seen in the last decade has lead to very cheap rental prices as well. In the last year, the rental price of a villa in Dubai has plummeted 14%. The consequences remain to be seen, but construction is far outstripping demand in Dubai.

Anybody who has been on Dubai holidays will have nothing but enthusiasm for a land where financial opportunity and tourist opulence combine. But what about the beer? You’ll often hear about the supposed prohibition of alcohol in Dubai. Good news is, it isn’t really true. Access to alcohol in the United Arab Emirates isn’t under any blanket prohibition, though it is subject to certain controls. In fact, year on year, the UAE was establishing itself as a quite significant Alcohol market (and then, unfortunately, the recession hit). And if we’re honest, the restriction and social stigma that surrounds alcohol use in the UAE makes for a healthier society, and stops certain western nations renowned for loutish behaviour from showing their true colours. Hotels have licenses for the sale of alcohol. This obviously links alcohol consumption to the tourists, but it means that hotels are the primary nightspots. Domestic alcohol purchase is possible at duty free and also at Off license, though for the later you will need a special license.

During vacation to this Emirate, you can enjoy two different types of Dubai shopping experience. One type shopping experience is the shops of old souks in Deira and Bur Dubai area, where you can feel the traditional way of shopping. Shores in these regions have a wide collection of products, starting with electronics, fashion accessories, jewelries, watches, spices and many other attractive items. The other type of shopping experience can be gathered from the high-flying, sophisticated shopping malls scattered through all over the city of Dubai. These shopping centres are the home for popular international brands from worldwide. Just ask for any product, and you will be presented a variety of alternatives.

The Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in world, where you can enjoy the attributes of a luxurious Dubai shopping experience. Your Dubai vacation cant be complete, until you visit this place. Whether you want to purchase anything or not, you must visit this place to recognize the best world class shopping mall. Mall of Emirates is aniother great shopping spot, even skiing is available in this building. The Dubai Airport, itself is another shopping destination with a number of duty-free shops selling international products. Exploring Dubai, you will discover many other shopping malls to visit.

The souks will give you an authentic Dubai Shops experience. Take a day off from your itinerary to visit just the souks. The Spice Souk located on Al-Sabkha Road, has several narrow lanes and by-lanes, where you will get a variety of herbs, spices and fragrances used in South Asian cuisines. This place featuring shops for textiles, incense, rugs and beautiful artifacts. However, the percentage of business has reduced in last few years, due to the growth of fabulous shopping malls.

The Gold Souk is the most popular shopping destination to purchase gold and diamond jewelry products. The shops in Gold Souks offer great deals in gold necklaces, earrings, bangles, rings and other jewelry products. Here you can find the lowest price for gold jewelries. However, you should do a lot of bargaining as the fees can vary from shop to shop. To purchase anything, it is better to check few shops to confirm the approximate price and then go for buying at the most reasonable price.

The Fish Souk and Electronic Souk are two favourite destinations of the tourists. The Fish Souk where you can buy fresh fish. The Electronic Souk, located on Beniyas Square, is a good shopping place to buy the latest electronics at lower cost. The Electronic Souk in Beniyas Square, is another favorite shopping attraction, where you will find latest electronics items at unbelievably lower cost. However, you should check the authentication of every items you wish to buy.

Bargaining is a must in Dubai shops, particularly if you buy from the traditional shops. So, do not buy any item without actually checking the price. So, when are you planning to travel to Dubai and experience the famous Dubai shopping festival?

Dubai tops the must see list of many travelers and there are many reasons for it. Dubai has so much to offer for the travelers. People who have budget constraints or do not wish to spend so much can plan their own travel package with the help of the tour operators and their discount packages. There are more than 150 travel agents operating in Dubai, who upload several package holiday deals for families and groups of travelers on every day basis. These are famous and are often referred as budget Dubai vacation packages, and are considered to be one of the best ways to get the finest holiday you desire and can plan for your near and dear ones. If you are searching online, you can use offered options to find great vacation deals. Narrow down your search on the basis of location if you are looking for accommodation at a specific area.

Cheap Dubai holiday packages offered by many operators in Dubai include last minute flight booking facilities, last minute accommodation booking and also self catering holidays. If you are among those who wait to make plans for the last minutes, discount Dubai tourism can be your perfect choice. You not only get to make some fantastic savings on your holidays but also can confirm your booking with these agents. Many packages featuring safari tours, entertainment bookings and also reservation for even those places which you might prefer to go while you make you traveling to Dubai. Isnt that amazing?

The beautiful beaches of Dubai and tax free shopping have made Dubai one of the best tourists destination. Cheap Dubai travel packages have added another feather to the popularity of the city. This caters specially to those travelers who do not wish to spend lavishly, yet enjoy Dubai. Dubai welcomes everyone with open arms. These budget vacations are just a part of the wonderful hospitality and culture of Dubai. While reservation for your inexpensive vacation, you can compare the selected budget packages, make a comparison of them and then choose the best package as per requirement and need. Do not believe that you will only be entitled to inexpensive apartments in these travel deals. You get some nice apartments, villas and vacation guest houses with all kinds of amenities present in these packages. There will be no compromise on quality offered.

So now after getting so much information on cheap Dubai holiday, just sit back and relax while planning for your next holiday in Dubai. These excellent vacation packages and city tours will make your vacation to Dubai, an experience worth remembering all your life. Enojoy your Dubai vacation, and visit it again!

So here I was in Dubai, but nowhere to stay, probably not the best thing in the world. I travelled down Sheikh Zayed road, finding only hotels that would cost about 200 pounds a night at the least. This I couldnt really afford, so I scoured the rest of the city in search of something a little more in my price range. Although I really wanted to stay at the Burj Al Arab, this really wasn’t suitable, then I located one that was just right. The Copthorne hotel was available, and it was 4 stars.

I couldn’t believe how amazing this place was. It only cost 80 dollars a night, which meant I could stay for about a week. I had a look everywhere possible. I took a walk along the Jumeira beach and saw the artificial landscaping of the hotels and villas. Then there was the Burj Al Arab, what an iconic piece of engineering. Unfortunately I could not enter, apparently the food and drink costs more than my room does for the week.

I can’t even begin to tell you how great the food was, i was surprised that it was better than places like Sri lanka or Thailand. I plan on going back on Dubai holidays more often, Maldives holidays and Sri Lanka holidays will be the next on the list. These are the holidays that I recommend to you, they are by far the best in the world (in my opinion).

Barbados. Try Discovery Bay by the Rex Resorts group in Barbados for your family Christmas holiday. This may be a luxury holiday, but when you consider the price (which is very low) it feels much more in reach. There are some clear and peaceful beaches, with very clear waters. Barbados is home to Bridgetown, a recommended place for all tourists to visit when they are in Barbados. The island of Barbados is considered by many people to be the Party Island of the Caribbean.

St Lucia. This is definitely a holiday for those that like to relax and get some spa treatment, the Le Sport is truly amazing. You can get room service day or night, 24/7 so nothing to worry about in the food and drink department. What a great place, although you may find yourself spending the whole holiday in your suite with room service on speed dial. If your a golfing person then this a great holiday location for you, although saying that, there are other activities as well from, fencing to archery. All of these activities come with training as well. If you have a little more money to burn, you can head down to the Capital of St Lucia, Castries, to get some much wanted shopping done This is close to St Lucia.

The Maldives. This is one of the most expensive hotels around, and the most expensive on our list, the Lily Beach Resort and Spa. This hotel is considered by many to be a 6 star hotel, and looking at the accommodation you won’t be surprised. If you want somewhere to stay where you can get away from people and spend a week or two in the middle of nowhere, then this is as close to heaven that you are going to get. The island is relatively small and is called Huvahedhoo and the hotel is actually situated on stilts over the sea. Probably one of the most beautiful hotels in the world.

Maldives holidays, Dubai holidays and Sri Lanka holidays are well on the rise and this is thanks to the holidays on offer.