This is not a guide to the city’s superlatives. It is a practical note for travellers and organisers balancing an airport arrival, business commitments, a beach or resort stay, and time that should not be spent crossing the same city twice.
The Creek, Downtown and Business Bay, DIFC, the Palm, Dubai Marina and the airport each offer a different beginning to a stay. A plan becomes clearer once its first non-negotiable point is named.