Few buildings are as instantly recognizable as the stupendous Burj al Arab (literally “Tower of the Arabs”). Commissioned by Dubai’s supreme ruler, Sheikh Mohammad, and built at jaw-dropping expense, the building was expressly intended to serve as a defining symbol of contemporary Dubai – and in the twelve years of its existence the tower’s hugely distinctive, sail-shaped outline has established...

One of the top Thai restaurants in town, tucked away at the back of The Palace hotel in the Old Town development behind the Dubai Mall. It’s also easily the best place to admire the after-dark action around the Downtown Dubai development, occupying a quaint little pavilion set out in the waters of the lake below the towering Burj Khalifa,...