Mobissimo

Dubai. Perhaps you've flown through on a connecting flight from the East to Europe or NYC. But now Dubai is much more than a ginormous duty free airport. An extremely wealthy nation, U.A.E. has dumped tons of money and infrastructure in making Dubai a destination.

DUBAI is a singular destination, not to mention a bit confusing. Road signs point to places that haven’t been built, and the “Old Town” is still under construction. The best ski slopes are indoors, and an underwater shopping mall is supposed to be that way.

Amid the over-the-top skyscrapers lining Sheikh Zayed Road and the hotels shaped like sailboats, it is easy to miss the splendor of the natural world of the Arabian Peninsula, wedged between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. But in the surrounding emirates and parts of neighboring Oman, there are adventure day trips you can take from Dubai either with a tour group or on your own. Here are a few ways to escape the glare of the city.

You've seen the barrage of ads promoting Dubai on CNN international, Emirates was a huge sponsor of the World Cup, Michael Jackson is known to frequent the area, so what is holding you back? Mobissimo searches Emirates Airways, and tickets from NYC to Dubai are around $800. You've already been to the Bahamas and Hawaii, Dubai may be the destination for which you are looking.