The best way to understand Dubai is to try and visualize it. Each area has its pros and cons and depending on where you will be working it is helpful to know what each area has to offer. Every area described in this section can be found on the map. Checking out the map can help you get an idea of where everything is and give you insight to where the old Dubai and the recently developed Dubai lie. (Click on the map to view the larger version)

By the Creek
To begin with, Dubai is broken down into districts. If you want to get a feel for how Dubai looked before all the skyscrapers started rising you should head to Deira. Deira is famous for its fish market and gold souk (market place). It also sells just about any spice you can ever think of wanting. Bur Dubai is just the continuation of Deira on the opposite side of the creek. In Bur Dubai you can find all the old souks. They sell everything from clothes to electronics to furniture. The good thing about these souks is that you can bargain. Malls have set prices so you don’t get any bargaining power there. Want designer shirts but can’t afford it? That might be a problem somewhere else but in Dubai anything can be arranged. You can send home a not-quite Gucci shirt and I’m sure your family won’t even notice the difference. So if you didn’t happen to find what you were looking for in Deira, you’ll find it in Bur Dubai. Accommodation in these areas is fairly cheap in comparison to other areas in the Jebel Ali direction. You can find spacious 2 bedrooms with balconies in the Deira, Bur Dubai area for the price of a smaller one bedroom and sometimes even studio further out towards Jebel Ali. Also running along the creek is Garhoud and further still is Mirdiff. These areas are convenient for frequent flyers as they are located near the Dubai Airport. Mirdiff offers reasonably priced villas and apartments within an ever growing expatriate community. It’s turning into a self efficient compound with shopping centers, food courts and even its own medical center. Past Bur Dubai you will find Karama and Satwa. These areas consist of predominantly Indian and Pilipino communities. They are 5 minutes from the beginning of Sheikh Zayed road and are considered to be in the center of everything. Satwa offers villas at a cheaper price than Jumeirah although the two locations are about a 2 minute drive apart, however, in Jumeirah there is a lot less noise pollution compared to the hustle and bustle of Satwa. So if it’s peace and quiet you look for after a long day at work you might want to consider paying a little extra and opt for a place in Jumeirah.  

Jumeirah
Jumeirah runs parallel to Sheikh Zayed road and ends with Umm Sequiem at the 4th interchange of that main road. Umm Sequiem and Jumeirah are basically one in the same as they both offer the same types of accommodation and amenities. These two cover around 20km along the coast and pretty much all that you need can be found in this area. Although it is not a compound as Mirdiff is, it is just as self efficient as a compound. It has a wide choice of schools, supermarkets, beach clubs, parks, banks and health clinics. You can also find the very popular Wild Wadi water park located in the Jumeirah area. Villas in this district typically have between three to five bedrooms that either stand alone or are within small compounds that share facilities. These facilities include a shared tennis court, pool, and/or gym. 

Past Jumeirah
Once you leave the Jumeirah area you will find residential developments extending on either side of Sheikh Zayed road. There are The Springs, The Meadows, Al Barsha, Jebel Ali Village, and The Marina just to name a few. All these areas offer anything from studios to 5 bedroom villas so there is definitely not a lack of choice here when it comes to finding the right place to stay; however, the prices on average for an accommodation in these areas is more on the high end of rental costs. This is not to say that you can’t still find some bargains in the area. so even if you think it’s out of your range ask around and who knows, you might be able to find something that won’t have you in debt for the rest of your life.