Forget the seven-star property, the world's tallest tower, manmade islands, underwater hotels and buildings that spin like a Weeble with an inner-ear infection, what the city of Dubai really knows how to create is headlines. This little fishing-village-that-could has built an entire tourist industry out of piquing people's curiosity. Its unstoppable, finely tuned PR machine has managed to overcome every downside (how often do you hear that Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq are right next door?) to make the city a must-see location. And that's despite the fact that the region is full of sunny locales that have a lot more to offer — Jordan, with its millennia-old civilization, the Red and Dead seas, incredible desert landscapes and the glories of Petra — but generate a lot less interest.

That being said, Dubai has its virtues, so if you find yourself with 24 hours in the city, you'll have no shortage of things to do.

• 1. Cheap and Chic Eats
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• 2. Shopping Malls
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• 3. The Gold Souk
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• 4. Champagne Brunch
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• 5. Burj Al Arab
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• 6. The Traditional Dubai
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• 7. Man-Made Islands
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