Dubai: Sun, Sand, And.... Snow? Ski Dubai!

Shop Til You Drop, Then Head for the Slopes! a Fantastic Surprise for the Kids

Splash through the azure water of the Gulf. Go camping beneath the desert sky. Have a snowball fight when the mercury hits 130 degrees in the shade.

Only in Dubai.

Ski Dubai, the world's third-largest indoor ski slope, plunges 270 feet down the side of Mall of the Emirates in a miraculous winter wonderland complete with observation decks, (fake) pines, and an igloo. The ski park includes five runs of varying difficulties and a 1/4 pipe snowboarding area for the hotdog-ers in dish-dash. If you've never touched a pair of skis in your life, the park offers both ski and snowboarding lesson packages for age three and up: don't you want a ski patch from Dubai?

The park provides nearly everything you need to get on the slopes: full snow pants and jackets, skis, socks, boots and poles. Don't forget to bring your hat and gloves, though; while there is a conveniently positioned store to purchase these items, it's a small disappointment to find out after the fact that these two items aren't included in the equipment rental. Bring a pair of warm socks along, as well - the socks provided are suspiciously like the socks handed out to business class fliers and are hardly appropriate for the cold slopes.

Even if you have no interest in hitting the slopes, get suited up and bring the little ones into a winter wonderland. At the base of the slopes sits a fantastic snow park, complete with ice sculptures, snowball targets, a twisting toboggan run, sledding hills, and snow tubing. The park provides snow clothes and helmets for the littlest adventurers, but be warned: only children aged three and up are permitted in the park. The facilities are also available for parties.