DEIRA :
Along with Bur Dubai, Deira is the heart of old Dubai. Trading has been going on here for centuries and, riding an abra across to Deira from Bur Dubai, you can feel the old, represented by dhows juxtaposed against the breathtaking modern skyline. Here you can stroll down the Creek to the Dhow Wharfage area, with its amazing array of goods waiting to be loaded onto the ancient dhows or - for avid shoppers - head into the souqs, where the smell of the Spice and Perfume Souqs await and the scales and calculators of the gold merchants are ready for bargaining. Close to the Gold Souq is Dubai's first school, Al-Ahmadiya School, and Heritage House. All of these attractions are located in a small radius and while the Deira Fish Markets should be visited in the morning, the rest are best done in the late afternoon, especially in the hotter months. It's a great idea to either hire an abra or do a cruise to see the sunset. Alternatively, time your walk along the Dhow Wharfage for sunset.
Deira is home to a wide range of the typical types of cuisine found in this colourful city. On top of this , a couple of Dubai's best eateries - Verre and the Blue Elephant  - are located here. If you're travelling to Deira for dinner from one of the beach resorts remember to leave plenty of time to get to the restaurant, as the busy early evening traffic can really test your patience.

BUR DUBAI :
If you do only one touristy thing in Dubai, make it a visit to the creek. Dubai's waterfront epitomises the city's personality, and the best way to see any great trading port is from the water. Instead of booking a cruise , you can hire an abra for an hour or so from any of the abra stations on the Creek. For around Dh40 (for the whole boat) the captain should lake you to Al-Maktoum Bridge and back. For Dh60he ought to extend that route to include a trip to the mouth of the Creek and back. These prices take a bit of bargaining to achieve. If he tries to charge DhlOO, walk away. The shorter trip takes just over half an hour, the longer one takes 45 to 60 minutes. The heritage and Bastakia areas provide a slice of life from the days when wealthy merchants resided in Bur Dubai. The area is steadily being redeveloped and restored, and it's alsoa wonderful place for an afternoon stroll - stop for sheesha at Fatafeet for a real Dubai experience. Further back from the Creek, past what is called Golden Sands, is Karamahome to run-down apartment blocks housing expat workers. There's a real community feel to the place, plus great shopping and cheap eats here.

Bur Dubai Highlights • A visit to Dubai Museum should be hight on the list of any Dubai visitor: it's not only an interesting museum, it makes visiting the rest of Dubai's sights more impressive when you see what it looked like circa 1956. • The Sheikh Saeed al-Maktoum House has been wonderfully restored and holds a unique collection of early photographs of Dubai. • The recreation of traditional Bedouin and coastal villages at the Heritage & Diving Villages are wonderful - especially in the cooler months.

An eclectic mix of fine dining and workers cafes is just one of the wonderful contradiction of this area of Dubai. The great thing is that you can grab a local bite for lunch in Karama for next to nothing and indulge yourself for dinner at some great restaurants.

JUMEIRAH :
This stretch of coast is home to Dubai's busy beach resorts. it's a residential area too, and turning in either direction off jumeirah Rd will allow you to have a snoop around some of the villas in the area. Many of the residents earn big money and there's usually a Mercedes and an expensive 4WD in the double driveways of these villas. The wives of these well-rewarded gentlemen have earned themselves a nickname - the jumeirah Janes, similar to 'ladies who lunch'. To service the local residents there is an increasing number of cafes and shopping centres in the area and many residents believe this area is now the 'new Dubai centre'.This stretch is home to some of the most remarkable construction projects on earth. The artificial islands of The Palm can be seen from space and the image of the Burj Al Arab is associated with Dubai in the same way the Opera House is in Sydney. This being Dubai, there is more to come - but it's hard to imagine what could overtake the Burj's iconic status.

Jumeirah Highlights • The Burj Al Arab is Dubai's iconic landmark that doubles as a hotel. • Wild Wadi Waterpark is one that doesn't look like a Lego set. • Jumeirah Beach Park is the best place for an ocean dip outside the beach hotels.

The ever-increasing number of resorts along Jumeirah Beach makes for countless dining possibilities. Nearly every hotel along the strip has at least one exceptional restaurant in breathtaking surroundings, and for most of the restaurants here , you need to make a reservation at least a day in advance . There are also some popular cafes here where you can catch local residents enjoying their downtime. For those not staying at one of the resorts, a trip down  the beach is a must -combine it with some pre - and post - dinner drinks and you'll have a brilliant night out.