Dubai is on top of the world

“We are lucky to have the sheiks here,” says Mohammed Labeeb, of Arabian Adventures. “They have really invested in the country.”

Look around Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and chances are Sheik Mohammed had something to do with it. He dreams it, he builds it. Take, for example, the Burj al-Arab, the sailboat hotel built in 1999 that is now considered the world’s only seven-star hotel. The sheik wanted to create something iconic for Dubai.

Mission accomplished.

In the last decade, Dubai has gone from flat desert to a massive urban landscape, where everything here competes for the distinction of being the biggest, tallest, deepest, longest, largest or perhaps the most ridiculous. The UAE holds about 83 titles in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Burj Khalifa, the recently completed skycraper, towers over Dubai at 2,717 feet high, which nearly doubles the height of the previous record-holder Taipei 101, which is a paltry 1,474 feet high.

Visitors can ride the largest automated metro system to the largest shopping center (Dubai Mall–home to an aquarium with the largest pane of plexiglass), then take a short walk to the Burj Khalifa to take in atmospheric views of the city spread out below from the 124th floor of the skyscraper.

Instead of paying the most astronomical entrance fee ($120 for immediate entrance, $30 for advance tickets) for access to the observation deck, take the fastest elevator in the world to Atmosphere on the 122nd floor, where you can use that money toward a meal at the highest restaurant in the world.

From either spot, the views include the largest fountains in the world that are choreographed to music, similar to those at the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas.

After paying the world’s largest restaurant bill, it’s time to come down back down earth. But Dubai will continue its reign on high — at least until Saudi Arabia completes the Kingdom Tower, which will be at least 500 feet higher.

Dubai’s recent entries in the Guiness Book of World of Records:

1. Highest Restaurant from Ground Level

2. Single Largest Acrylic Viewing Panel

3. Largest Shopping Center

4. Tallest Building

5. Tallest Man-Made Structure