DUBAI & OMAN FOR FAMILIES

Day 1 Arrive in Dubai

Arrive in the high-octane city of Dubai. Enjoy a VIP Meet & Greet on arrival and you will then be swiftly transferred to your gorgeous hotel, Mina A'Salam on the famous Jumeirah Beach.

Overnight: Atlantis The Palm

Day 2 Dubai

Spend the day at Aquaventure at Atlantis. Experience heart-thumping slides that catapult you through shark filled lagoons, uphill water roller coasters, never ending rapid river adventures and up-close animal encounters. Kids will love Splashers, a children's play area designed just for them, or you can choose to relax on the private beach surrounded by lush tropical landscapes. For a real highlight, swim with dolphins at Dolphin Bay.

Overnight: Atlantis The Palm

Day 3 Dubai

After a morning at leisure, be driven to Downtown Dubai for and the Dubai Mall. Try on designer labels, watch the spectacular Dubai Fountain display and finish with a cocktail at Neos Bar at the top of the Address Downtown building to enjoy the Dubai night skyline.

Overnight: Atlantis The Palm

Day 4 Muscat

Just a short flight away is the Sultanate of Oman and the city of Muscat. On arrival, transfer to your comfortable, beachside hotel where the afternoon is at leisure to snorkel in the clear waters of the Gulf of Muscat, enjoy the amazing spa, or just relax by one of the pools overlooking the spectacular bay.

Overnight: Al Bandar at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort

Day 5 Muscat

Muscat is a complete contrast to neighbouring Dubai and the benign, modernising presence of the Sultan can be felt everywhere - in the amazing Grand Mosque, in the brand new, glistening Opera House and even in the port at Muttrah, where a vast private yacht sits proudly amongst the myriad of small fishing boats bringing in the daily catch for sale at the busy fish market. A tour of the city also takes in the bustling, frankincense-perfumed souq, and the Bait al Zubair Museum. The afternoon is at leisure, for some water-skiing, perhaps?

Overnight: Al Bandar at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort

Day 6 Daymaniyat Islands

Potter down to the marina and set off on a privately chartered motor-boat to the Daymaniyat Islands, an uninhabited nature reserve just off-shore, where the fish life is particularly abundant and where the water is especially clear. See the resident pods of Dolphin and also try some fishing on the way, then spend time snorkelling at the islands, before enjoying lunch on the beach.

Overnight: Al Bandar at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort

Day 7 Nizwa - Wahiba Sands

Travel out of Muscat by 4x4 vehicle through the high, wadi-riven Al Hajar mountains to the stunning, UNESCO-restored city of Nizwa, the old capital of Oman and a renowned seat of learning, surrounded by extensive date palm groves. It houses a beautifully restored old quarter and souqs, as well as two mosques that date back to the very early days of Islam. But the crowning glory is the superb fortress - part castle, part royal palace, part Islamic school - which is not to be missed. Then drive south to the rolling dunes of the Wahiba Sands, home to Bedouin herdsmen and prize camel-breeders. Enjoy some "dune-bashing" before enjoying dinner in camp.

Overnight: Desert Nights Camp

Day 8 Depart

Early risers can scale a dune to watch the sun rise over the rolling sea of sand. In the dawn light, a short nature walk reveals the tracks of all the creatures that were out on the dunes during the night. After breakfast, drive out of the desert and back to Muscat to catch your flight home. If you have a late departing flight, there would be time to take a packed lunch and head up the coast to Wadi Shab where the very presence of water, let alone such inviting clear pools, seems like a minor miracle. Cross the wadi in a rowboat, then walk upstream through majestic scenery to find a clear deep pool of translucent water, fringed with palms.