Whenever December rolls around, most school children go on winter break, making it an ideal time for families to take a trip.
Essa Al Shamsi, senior vice president of terminal operations at Dubai Airports, says there’s always an uplift a few days before the break as residents look to extend their leave.
“Departures peak two to three days ahead of the [Eid Al Etihad] holiday, while arrivals are more evenly spread as residents return at their own pace or continue travelling into the festive season,” he says. “In 2024, the National Day weekend saw guest volume rise by roughly a quarter compared to the November–December average, placing it just behind the major December holiday peak.”
As temperatures cool, tropical destinations often rise to the top of the list.
Thailand, more specifically Phuket, is the most popular search for December travel on Expedia.ae, with a 165 per cent rise compared to search in the same period last year.
Bangkok is among the top five most popular travel search destinations for UAE residents this month. Photo: Ritz-Carlton
Whether it’s the scenic surrounds of Krabi or a laid-back island trip to Koh Samui, the country continues to appeal to many. Rome follows with a 145 per cent jump, while Bangkok, Tokyo and London also make the list, reflecting travellers’ interest in a mix of beach escapes, cultural capitals and big-city adventures.
Some people also use the festive period to head to Europe to visit the Christmas markets. Think twinkling trees, snow-dusted chalets and cobblestones lined with vendors selling everything from roast goose to chimney cakes.
It’s a trend I understand well. A few years ago, I went on a solo trip to Austria and Germany to experience the Christmas magic I’d always heard about. Despite the frigid climes, it lived up to expectations.
But for the ultimate winter adventure, there’s one destination that always sits near the top of many wish lists: Lapland. A vast Arctic wilderness, it offers idyllic experiences such as the northern lights and, more thematically, the Santa Claus Village in its capital, Rovaniemi.
Rovaniemi is an idyllic spot to catch the northern lights. Reuters
That said, whether it’s a day trip, road trip or staycation, there are also plenty of places to explore closer to home.
Road trips to Oman remain popular thanks to the five-hour drive, with options ranging from cultural visits to Muscat to serene stays in Jebel Akhdar and adventures in the wadis.
A quick 75-minute flight to Bahrain is also an option, as my colleague Hayley Kadrou recently found out during a culture-filled 48-hour weekend in the island country. AlUla in Saudi Arabia continues to grow in popularity, while Riyadh is another strong choice as the city is in the midst of Riyadh Season 2025, bringing a packed line-up of performances.
Bahrain is less than a two-hour flight from the UAE. Photo: Four Seasons
For those wanting to stay put in the UAE, there’s no shortage of standout hotels worth spending a couple of nights at.
One of the biggest openings this year was Ciel Dubai Marina, the world’s tallest hotel at 377 metres. Spread across 82 floors with 1,004 rooms and suites, it also breaks another record with the world’s highest infinity pool.
Manila is a great jumping-off point for travellers who want to explore the Philippines' islands. Unsplash
With new flight routes, major cultural events and a wave of hotels opening across the region and beyond, plus global trends shaping demand, 2026 is set to be a year of discovery for UAE travellers.
Europe remains popular, but tourists are exploring other corners of the continent. Asia continues to rise with its mix of affordability and culture. Closer to home, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are reinforcing the Gulf’s position as a travel hub with major cultural and hospitality investments, particularly with the Schengen-style Unified GCC Tourism Visa due to be launched soon. Katy Gillett reports more here.
The hotel is operated by Wynn Resorts. Photo: Encore Boston Harbor
When I travel home to the US for a holiday, my trips usually revolve around family and friends, not five-star hotels. But with Wynn becoming a growing presence in the UAE, I was curious to see how its Boston property, which has brought a new type of luxury to the Massachusetts city, compares.
Encore Boston Harbor is in Everett, which is a 15-minute drive from downtown. Opened in 2019, it is the most recent property from Wynn Resorts – the operator behind Wynn Al Marjan Island, which is set to open in Ras Al Khaimah in March 2027. To know more about the hotel, read here.
My colleague Farah Andrews also has a preview of the extensive art collection that is expected in Wynn Al Marjan Island. Find out more here.
Lucknow has been designated a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy. Getty Images
At the end of October, Lucknow was designated a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy owing to its deep-rooted culinary traditions and vibrant food ecosystem.
The city's rich history has something to do with its unique take on North Indian cuisine. From being part of the kingdom of Kosala in the sixth century BC, to being ruled from 1350 onwards by the Mughals, the Nawabs of Awadh (a former kingdom that included Lucknow) and the British East India Company, the city has myriad influences to thank for its cuisine and culture. Read more from Reem Khokhar here.
When paying abroad, always choose to pay in the local currency. It’s a small habit that can save a surprising amount over the course of a trip, as card machines often apply unfavourable conversion rates when you opt for your home currency. Selecting the local option means your bank handles the exchange instead, which is almost always cheaper. It’s a quick decision at checkout, but one that adds up, especially if travelling through countries where card payments are the norm.
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Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MAIN CARD
Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari
Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam
Lightweight 60kg
Zakaria Eljamari v Faridoon Alik Zai
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni
Light welterweight 64.5kg
Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow? a) More than $102 b) Exactly $102 c) Less than $102 d) Do not know e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account? a) More than today b) Exactly the same as today c) Less than today d) Do not know e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.” a) True b) False d) Do not know e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers:Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
MATCH INFO
Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
Afghanistan squad
Gulbadin Naib (captain), Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
