I visited the hidden side of Dubai – with local food tours and traditional desert camps

DUBAI is famous for its over-the-top opulence and dizzying skyscrapers.

And from the glitzy Dubai Frame sky deck 150 metres above the ground, I have a prime view of it all.

It may have been a challenge to get me into the glass elevator that takes guests to the top, but the glass walkway and panoramic sights of old and new Dubai made it worth the eight-second ride.

Before venturing to this glamorous coastal city at the northern edge of the United Arab Emirates, I was one of many who had a preconception of what Dubai was like: A bling of stereotypes and bikini-clad Love Islanders posing in beach resorts.

Oh, how wrong I was. The four gloriously sunny days I spent in this glittering city — 38C at the beginning of October — will be tough to beat.

What many visitors do not know is that Dubai boasts a charming Old Town, with packed souks where haggling is a must.

To get your bearings, book a food tour with Frying Pan Adventures (fryingpanadventures.com/food-tours-in-dubai), founded by two sisters who wanted to preserve the culture on which the city was originally built.

We chose the Souks & Creekside walk, and our guide Ketki kept us very well fed on it.

Included in the £91pp price were delicious hot pastries dripping with honey, along with rose water Iranian ice cream, fiery egg rolls and finally a divine dinner at Al Khayma Heritage restaurant.

The traditional restaurant served us succulent pieces of bone-in lamb, which I’m still dreaming about, on a bed of fragrant rice.

I then hopped on to an abra — a wooden boat locals use to travel from one side of the creek to the other — to call it a night at Al Seef Heritage Hotel, a boutique hotel by Hilton.

Located in the Al Seef district, a vib-rant neighbourhood that hugs Dubai Creek’s stately shoreline, the brushed-stone building blends modern features with charming heritage.

And it’s affordable, with rooms for less than £70 a night in the off-peak season.

If you have more cash to splash, check into the Anantara The Palm, on Dubai’s famous man-made island. The 5H hotel has all you need for a relaxing break.

Rooms are grouped in private clusters along a series of lagoon-style pools.

The over-water-style villas look more like the types of room you’d see in the Maldives, with Premier Lagoon Access rooms offering private access to the pool.

The resort also has its own private beach and four swimming pools, as well as an excellent spa and a choice of water sports and tennis courts.

In fact, there was so much to enjoy in the hotel that it was tempting to abandon the thought of outings and stay put. But, eventually, the pleasures of Dubai called and I couldn’t ignore them.

If you fancy something adventurous, book yourself on a desert safari with Platinum Heritage.

I opted for the Heritage Safari Vintage Land Rover package (uae.platinum-heritage.com/heritage-safari), which was great value at around £145pp.

Cruising along the Arabian sands in a 1950s open-top Land Rover looking out for the native wildlife as the sun went down isn’t something I’ll forget soon.

If you’re lucky, you might get up close to an Arabian oryx.

Camel tastes like beef

The safari package also included a falcon show — the falcon is the national bird of the UAE — and a visit to a traditional Bedouin camp, the highlight of my trip.

It was here that I got to enjoy a specially cooked dinner (multiple courses so have an early lunch), followed by music and dance performed by the Bedouins. I even tried camel, which tasted just like beef (or that’s what I told myself).

For a totally different daytime activity — and one associated much more with new Dubai than the days of old — you can charter a yacht for the day.

It’s an alternative way to see Dubai’s skyline and there are photo opportunities aplenty, with famous landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa visible from the water.

The crew from Xclusive Yachts couldn’t do enough for my group, and with their service, the unlimited alcohol and incredible platters of fruits and cheeses, I too could pretend I was part of the rich and famous set.

If you’ve still got room in your stomach, an Emirati brunch in the Old Town, where you can try all the local delicacies, is a must.

Or head to the French-inspired DRIFT beach club to tuck into local prawns with chilli (£26) before relaxing by the pool as you sink a refreshing negroni.

My favourite meal, though, was the wood-fired striploin steak and chips (£58) at the trendy New-York inspired restaurant, The Guild. It was certainly a great way to say farewell to the place.

My getaway proved that, despite previous thoughts, Dubai can make for a surprisingly affordable break.

And now, when I tell people about it, I will be shouting from the rooftops (or should that be skyscrapers?) about how much I can’t wait to return to this jewel on the Arabian peninsula.