Dubai a good place for a long layover

Dubai International Airport recently surpassed London’s Heathrow as the world’s busiest international air travel hub.

If you can arrange it, Dubai is a great place for long layovers between long-haul flights.

Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, sits in desert country, but that’s part of its appeal. It makes a handy stopover point for lazing on a beach, doing wheelies in the sand with a dune buggy, bargaining with merchants at a traditional souk, or taking high tea in the world’s tallest building.

But beware: “Dubai has only two seasons: hot and hotter,” my for-hire driver said with a shrug and a smile while taking me on a private tour of the city (about $125 U.S.).

Temperatures had already reached 91 degrees Fahrenheit at 5 a.m. on a mid-September day as my plane arrived in Dubai from Johannesburg. I had scheduled two days between destinations en route home from South Africa to Seattle via the polar route.

Here are a few suggestions for things to see and places to go while pausing in Dubai:

>> Visit Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

The Burj Khalifa is the icon of Dubai’s fast-growing skyline. It’s the world’s tallest structure at 2,717 feet, making it nearly twice as tall as New York’s Empire State Building. The building was completed in 2010 and houses a luxury hotel, residential apartments, corporate offices and suites. It takes a little over a minute by high-speed elevator to reach the observation decks (124th, 125th and 148th floors). Splurge by reserving a window table at the building’s 122nd-story At.Mosphere restaurant. Prices aren’t cheap, but then it’s all about rooms with grand views. Fronting the building is the Dubai Fountain. It has quickly become popular for its choreographed, colorful displays — especially at night.

>> Ride an “abra” across Dubai Creek to bargain at the gold and spice souks.

Getting to the most popular of the city’s traditional souks is more than half the fun when you ride across Dubai Creek on a motorized abra. These small wooden water taxis can squeeze in 16 to 20 people seated shoulder to shoulder. Scores of the boats work daily, taking about five minutes to cross from Bur Dubai to the Deira district with its souks or small markets selling everything from gold and spices to perfumes and outfits for belly dancers. Hone your haggling skills. Few things are sold at listed prices. Take a wharf walk to soak up the many fascinating street scenes. Buy a bottled beverage along the way to hydrate.

>> Book a desert safari.

Consider taking a trip into the surrounding desert if you have a lengthy layover. Tour options range from wildlife watching and sand-skiing to dune bashing — racing four-wheelers up and down the many steep sandy slopes. Another desert-trek alternative is sunset safaris. These are half-day, late-evening outings to pseudo-Bedouin encampments featuring buffets set around campfires. Entertainment varies from camel rides and belly dancing to falconry.