SHIFTING SANDS

       Dubai has earned itself an unlikely spot amid the world\'s ritziest - and priciest - beachside hot spots. Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and David Beckham have all been spotted partying in this opulent Arabian playground, where a poolside beer can easily top 37 dirhams (Bt330) and one hotel boasts rooms starting at US$1,000 a night. That doesn't mean you need to be a rich oil tycoon to afford this sunny desert boomtown, however. Here are some tips to get you started.
       GETTING AROUND
       The blast-furnace heat and humidity make long daytime strolls unrealistic in summer, when the mercury can approach 48 Celsius. Even during the pleasant period from October through May, you'll likely need some sort of transport.
       Until you get the hang of the newly opened Dubai Metro, your best bet is one of the ubiquitous sand-colored taxis. All are metered and cheap by Western standards. Fares start at 3 dirhams, but beware the 20-dirham surcharge from the airport. Drivers are generally honest and, like most people you'll meet, speak good English.
       Another option is a seat on the doubledecker buses operated by Big Bus Tours. The hop-on, hop-off tickets are not cheap - a one-day pass costs 220 dirhams for adults and 99 dirhams for kids - but the tours are an efficient way to see the sprawling city's highlights. Don't forget sunscreen if you plan to ride up top. Details at http://www.BigBusTours.com/eng/dubai/default.aspx.
       HISTORICAL SITES AND MUSEUMS
       Dubai is rightly known as an unabashedly modern city of gleaming high-rises and extravagant shopping malls. That makes its rare historical sites all the more special. Take time to stroll the winding streets of the bustling old neighbourhoods straddling the downtown creek.
       Start your visit at the Dubai Museum, housed in the renovated Al Fahidi Fort in the Bur Dubai district. Exhibits depict activities such as pearl diving and date farming that shaped life in the region before the discovery of oil. Tickets are a bargain at 3 dirhams.
       Next, get lost amid the refurbished wind towers and minarets of the Bastakiya quarter's walkable lanes. Then make your way down to the quay. where you can catch a ride on one of the traditional wooden abras ferrying passengers across the creek. A one-way ride costs just 1 dirham. Or charter your own for 100 dirhams per hour.
       On the Deira side, head to the colourful old souk. Follow your nose first to the spice market, where you'll find great deals on saffron as well as non-edible aromatics like frankincense. Continue to the covered gold souk. It's worth a visit just to ogle the wares. If you are buying, ignore the touts at the market's entrance and be sure to haggle hard once inside.
       Four days a week, the Jumeirah Mosque south of Bur Dubai opens its doors to non-Muslims. Guides from the Sheik Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding end each 10 am tour with a question-and-answer session about Islam and Arabic life.
       MODERN WONDERS
       With little oil of its own, Dubai has staked its future largely on becoming a global marketplace for big (and little) spenders. That makes the city's malls among the world's most incredible. And rambling through their super-chilled corridors doesn't coat a dirham.
       With little oil of its own, Dubai has staked its future largely on becoming a global marketplace for big (and little) spenders. That makes the city's malls among the world's most incredible. And rambling through their super-chilled corridors doesn't cost a dirham.
       The brand new Dubai Mall ranks among the world's biggest. Its main draw is a massive a quarium boasting the world's largest viewing panel. There is also an Olympic-sized ice rink, multi-storey waterfall and recreated gold souk. Oh, and hundreds of shops.
       Under construction next door stretches the spindly Burj Dubai (Dubai Tower), the world's tallest building. The glass-and-metal behemoth tops out at more than 800 meters, though its exact height remains a secret.
       Off the coast nearby lies Palm Jumeirah, a manmade island built in the shape of a palm tree. You won't be able to get inside the gated communities on the island's "fronds", but you can take a monorail, round trip (25 dirhams) up to the Atlantis hotel at the island's top.
       ENTERTAINMENT
       Hit the sand without shelling out for a waterfront hotel by joining the locals at one of the city's public beaches. Entry to Jumeirah Beach Park, just down the road from the iconic sail-shaped Burj al-Arab hotel, costs just 5 dirhams.
       A trip to one of Dubai's two well-run water parks costs considerably more, but it's worth it. Wild Wadi charges 195 dirhams for adults and 165 dirhams for children, though late afternoon "sun downer" discounts are available.
       For some of the best bird's-eye views of the Palm Jumeirah, head to the Observatory lounge on the 52nd floor of the Harbour Hotel. Here you can watch the sun set while sinking half-priced happy hour cocktails from 5 to 7 pm. No shorts.
       FOOD
       The city's many malls offer some of the best deals on quick meals. Besides the usual suspects like McDonald's and Subway, food courts offer a good variety of Middle Eastern and Asian restaurants. Zaatar W Zeit is a Lebanese chain serving up decent Arabic snacks, while Shamiana is a good bet for Indian food.
       Downtown, grab a meat-filled shawarma sandwich at any of the hole-in-the-wall shops for under 7 dirhams or follow the predominantly South Asian crowd to the area's many Indian and Pakistani restaurants. A filling vegetarian thali (platter) costs 15 dirhams at Saravanaa Bhavan.
       Many supermarkets serve a far wider range of prepared meals than you might expect. Takeout Arabic roasted lamb platters, Filipino rice dishes and all-American barbecue chicken are all easy to find.
       ACCOMMODATION
       The financial crisis has had the positive side effect of dragging Dubai hotel rates down from the stratosphere. Shop around and you may find you can afford far more luxury than you think.
       One of the best central options is the Orient Guest House, located in a renovated courtyard building in the Bastakiya area. Bed and breakfast for two can currently be had for as little as 350 dirhams a night. As a bonus, guests can use the near by facilities at sister Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa, a welcoming if kitschy fourstar option in its own right.