Planning your trip to Dubai

THE BEST WAY

From LAX, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France and British Airways offer connecting service (change of planes) to Dubai. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $785.

Etihad, www.etihadairways.com, is the national airline for the United Arab Emirates; its hub is Abu Dhabi, about 75 miles south of Dubai.

Dubai’s carrier is Emirates Airlines, www.emirates.com. In Dubai, the airline’s travel agency, Arabian Adventures, www.arabian-adventures.com, offers tours of the city and desert safaris.

WHEN TO VISIT

October, November, December and March, April and May are considered the best months for Dubai. From June to September, temperatures sometimes top 120 degrees.

TELEPHONES

To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (the international dialing code), 971 (country code for United Arab Emirates), 4 (the code for Dubai) and the local number.

WHERE TO EAT

Dubai’s restaurants are cosmopolitan, with especially fine Lebanese, Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine. Alcohol is generally available but can be expensive.

Brunch on Friday, the Islamic sabbath, is a popular affair. Spectrum on One at the Fairmont Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, 311-8316, has a Friday brunch with unlimited Moët & Chandon for about $125 a person. The More cafes at Al Garhoud, 283-0224, and Al Murooj, 343-3779, in the Rotana Hotel complex near Burj Dubai, serve international cuisine in big portions and are especially popular with families on Fridays.

Basta Art Cafe, 353-5071, is a pleasant courtyard restaurant in the historic Bastakiya District, near Dubai Creek, where a sandwich and beverage cost about $10.

Junsui, one of the eight restaurants at Burj Al Arab hotel, 301-7700, has a magnificent Asian buffet featuring the cuisines of China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea; about $120 per person for dinner.

The Noodle House, 319-8088, in the Boulevard Mall at the Emirates Towers, purportedly a favorite of Sheik Mohammed ibn Rashid al Maktum, serves Asian specialties, with pleasant and fast service; a starter and main course cost about $20.

TO LEARN MORE

Dubai Department of Tourism, (888) 584-7070, www.dubaitourism.ae.

Dubai Shopping Festival,www.mydsf.com, runs until Feb. 24.