UAE Travel: Luxury Vacations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Seven Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. For an American traveler it is the gentlest introduction to the Middle East. English is spoken everywhere, roads and airports are among the best in the world, and the hotel scene is unmatched anywhere on earth for depth at the top end.

Most visitors split a week between Dubai's beaches, towers and restaurants and the calmer, more cultural capital, Abu Dhabi, about 90 minutes apart by road. Add three nights in the desert or the mountains and you have seen a country of remarkable contrast: the old wind-tower quarter of Al Fahidi a short drive from Burj Khalifa, the Louvre on a beach, falcons and Formula 1 in the same afternoon.

The country is also building its next chapter at speed: artificial intelligence, space exploration, new museums and integrated resorts. Read more in UAE Vision: We the UAE 2031 and Centennial 2071 and our look at the amazing things being built across the region.

Visa: holders of US passports receive a free visa on arrival for 30 days. Your passport should be valid for at least six months. Both Emirates and Etihad offer some of the finest first and business class cabins flying; compare them in our guide to the best airlines to the Middle East.

Dress: relaxed in resorts and on beaches; cover shoulders and knees in malls, souks and government buildings, and dress modestly (women with a headscarf, provided at the door) at mosques. Alcohol is served in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars in most emirates; Sharjah is alcohol-free. Public drinking and intoxication are not permitted.

Ramadan: during the holy month restaurants stay open for visitors, but eating and drinking in public during daylight should be discreet. Evenings are festive, with iftar tents and late-night souks. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around February 8 (dates follow the moon).

Money: the dirham is pegged at about 3.67 to the dollar. A dinner for two at a top Dubai restaurant runs from about $250 (AED 920); a taxi across town about $15 to $30 (AED 55 to 110). Tipping of 10 to 15 percent is appreciated.

Days one to four: Dubai, with a morning at Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, an afternoon in Al Fahidi and the souqs, a day at a Palm Jumeirah resort beach club and an evening on a private yacht along the Marina skyline. Day five: drive to the desert for a night at a dune resort with falconry and a dinner under the stars.

Days six to eight: Abu Dhabi, with the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan palace, then a beach day on Saadiyat and an afternoon on Yas Island. Days nine and ten: finish in Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah for mountains, quiet beaches and spa time before flying home.

The UAE is the region's most open property market. Foreigners can buy freehold in designated areas of every emirate, and a property investment of AED 2 million (about $545,000) can qualify for a 10-year UAE golden visa. Start with our guides to Dubai Luxury Real Estate investment, Abu Dhabi property on Saadiyat and Yas, and Ras Al Khaimah's Al Marjan Island, and see how the golden visa and residency by investment work across the region.