Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Cruises from Dubai depart from fall through early summer. The chief port and commercial center of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is a cosmopolitan yet exotic city. Wander the stalls of the traditional bazaars, called souks, where you can bargain for gold jewelry, Persian and Afghani rugs and more. Gold is a particularly good buy here. A guided city tour may take in the Dubai Museum, housed in the Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai's oldest building, and the Juneira Mosque, Dubai's most-photographed structure (particularly beautiful after dark when it is illuminated). Other excursions can include four-wheel-drive adventures in the desert, visits to Bedouin camps, an opportunity to ride a camel, or a cruise around Palm Island, the expansive development project on Dubai's coast. Language: Arabic, English Currency: Dirham (AED)

Temperature (Celsius)   Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec High 23 23 27 31 36 38 39 39 38 34 30 25 Low 14 15 17 21 24 27 29 30 27 23 19 16 Precipitation   Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Days 5 7 6 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5 Humidity   Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Percent 76 76 73 67 59 66 65 66 72 74 75 786