Middle East

Why visit the Middle East

Few regions put a five-thousand-year-old past and a hyper-modern present within the same afternoon. You can start the day beneath the Burj Khalifa, be walking the gold and spice souks by lunch, and watch the sun drop behind the dunes of the Empty Quarter from a private desert camp by evening. Start with our guide to luxury travel in the UAE and the best things to do in Dubai — the region's natural first port of call — then look further: the rose-red facades of Petra glowing at dawn, dhow sails on the fjords of Musandam, and the tomb-studded outcrops of AlUla in Saudi Arabia, still blissfully short of crowds.

Three experiences define the region at its best. Jordan pairs Petra with a night under Bedouin canvas in Wadi Rum, where the silence is as memorable as the scenery. Oman offers the Arabian Peninsula at its most graceful — frankincense country, wadis the colour of jade, and cliff-edge resorts above the Gulf. And the Red Sea coast, from Aqaba to the new Saudi resorts, delivers some of the clearest warm-water diving anywhere.

When to go and where to stay

November through March is prime time: dry days in the mid-20s °C, cool desert evenings, and calm seas for sailing and diving. October and April are excellent shoulder months with thinner crowds; high summer is best reserved for spa-and-museum itineraries and steep suite discounts. Base yourself well — our guide on where to stay in Dubai breaks down the neighbourhoods — and expect the region's hotels to be among the most polished in the world. It suits honeymooners chasing drama, families who want adventure with five-star logistics, and design lovers who collect remarkable buildings the way others collect passport stamps.