Introduction

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a union of seven sovereign sheikhdoms, formed when the British withdrew from the Gulf in 1971. It boasts mountains, beaches, deserts, oases, camel racing, Bedouin markets and the legendary duty-free shopping of Dubai, all packed into a relatively small area.
It also has the most relaxed entry regulations in the region, the best tourist infrastructure and, despite promoting itself exclusively to tourists with a buck or three (or four) to spend, it’s extremely accessible to independent budget travelers.
If you crossed Texas with Tehran, you’d be left with something resembling today’s UAE. It’s a contradictory place where traditional Bedouin customs and lifestyle meet Western consumerism and big-town sophistication. The wonder is that, rather than clashing, these disparate influences have merged and formed something quite unique - a 21st-century nation that seems to effortlessly combine the cultures of conservative Islam and the free-and-easy West. It’s a sort of ‘Middle East lite’, where travelers will experience a culture that’s exotic and familiar all at once.