This is my third visit to Dubai. Since my hotels and much of the dining is arranged ahead of time for me, I had not bought a travel book on Dubai. But, this time, I would be off on my own, booking hotels, rental cars, etc. I found the "time out Dubai" book totally worthless for this. I ended up in a hotel that had recently changed its name (don't you think the book would have noted this) so the taxi driver at the airport did not believe me and had no idea where it was. The book might have also noted that the hotel is in the red light district of Dubai and that much "flesh" trade takes place in its interior. For a traditional businesswoman, this was a highly uncomfortable setting.

But this is not my main complaint with the book. I hate ads that are now embedded in TV shows, but what about a travel book full of ads? Time Out Dubai is equivalent to the magazine put in your hotel room by the local tourist office. It is not about evaluating the possible choices and giving you some sense for how you might plan your visit but rather a pushy sell of the expensive things to do in Dubai.

I recently returned from a five day tour de force of Dubai. I purchased Time Out Dubai and DK's Top Ten Dubai. The Time Out book is quite detailed and informative, but I found the text size to be too small for anything but careful examination under perfect reading conditions, and the weight of the book to be too heavy to carry around on the scene. This is published by the same outfit which publishes a local weekly (which I never saw while in Dubai) which must explain the presence of advertising pages in the book. By contrast, the DK Top Ten book fit in my back pocket, has legible text, and is organized by district, which is how most travelers navigate cities. This book is best used as a planning guide and left in your suitcase while out and about.

After searching far and wide for a reliable guide of Dubai, I came upon this one (for such a dynamic place, there's not many books on it!) Time Out has always been a favorite of mine, and this guide is no exception. It has up to date information on restaurants, hotels, entertainment, as well as a solid background on the history and culture behind Dubai. There are plenty of phone numbers for receiving additional information, should anything change (which it definitely will). This is a great travel companion for those interested in exploring Dubai or moving there. The book itself is compact and colorful, you could easily carry it with you during your travels.

Last spring, (one year ago), I went to Dubai and Abu Dhabi (as well as Hatta and Sharjah). I bought this TimeOut Dubai book as well as Lonely Planet's Arabian Peninsula. I barely used the lonely planet, but that is likely because I was mainly in Dubai. If you are planning on only going to Dubai, this book is all you will need. It has great information about you name it, and is also not that big, so you can bring it with you everywhere. Also, the pictures are great, so it makes for a nice souvenir afterwards.

I was 23 and traveled on a tight budget, and it was not hard. We stayed in a primarily Indian neighborhood at the Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien, and got a great rate. We did not have a car, and had no problem getting around. The maps in the book worked well, and were much better than Lonely Planet's. Taxi's weren't that expensive for going to the newer parts of Dubai, and we easily walked anywhere we wanted in the Dubai Creek area.

Dubai was amazing! I'd love to go on and on about it. You can get by really cheap, or you could literally spend millions. Don't waste your time in Abu Dhabi. Oh, and do a desert safari! We were not planning on it (thought it would be too fake and touristy). We loved it, and bought it from a travel agency near our hotel (in an Indian neighborhood), so the price was perfect and so low compared to all that we did!