This glittering Arab metropolis on the Persian Gulf has amazed the world with its fast-track development. Home to engineering marvels such as the Palms artificial islands and the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, Dubai has become an economic hub of the Middle East and an important destination for the jet-set crowd. Most of Dubai’s residents are foreign born, and they mingle with Emiratis in traditional dress in the city’s soaring office buildings and luxury hotels. Visit the Dubai Mall, with 1200 shops, or the magnificent Jumeirah Mosque, the only mosque in Dubai open to the public.