The rise and rise of Dubai over the last 40 years as a city of literally towering worldwide repute for luxurious excess has been quite remarkable.

Fuelled by billions in investment from oil revenues, today it is a byword for wealth, shopping, tourism, commerce – together with a good dose of ostentatiousness.

Now a cosmopolitan mecca for business lured by low taxes, it’s a stunning high rise architectural transformation of a once small fishing village in the Arabian Gulf

Among its many claims to fame is the world’s tallest building and biggest shopping mall – complete with vast shark-infested aquarium and underwater zoo.

Now all this glitz and glamour may not, of course, be everyone’s cup of Karak Chai.

So is there more to Dubai than impossibly luxurious hotels, Ferraris and Louis Vuitton handbags?

Stepping out of the airport, the first thing that hits you is the heat. Even in October it was more than 40c, which is why the summer months of June, July and August, when can ramp up to 50c, are simply too hot for most tourists.

Think Mediterranean heat, then add a couple of clicks on the oven dial. And forget any threat of rain, which only falls on a handful of days a year.

But unlike Spain, it’s guaranteed serious all year round sun, which is why it has become such a popular destination for those like us in the UK to escape the winter wet and chill and bask in Dubai’s balmy 25c sun..

My five-night stay was aimed at taking in a flavour of the place, which is just about all you can manage in such a short time on a limited budget.

For starters, if heritage and history are your bag, rather than beaches, adrenaline sports, high tech, fine dining, sunbathing and shopping, then Dubai probably isn’t for you.

That’s not to say it hasn’t any museums, for example, because they are – just don’t think Victoria and Albert.

There are museums of coffee, coins, pearls, illusions, the future, and some, like the Etihad Museum, which reveal the history of the United Arab Emirates.

But what Dubai specialises in, and does very well, is luxury experiences – which obviously come at a price.

Like the stunning Burj Al Arab hotel – billed as a ‘global icon of Arabian luxury’ – and the world’s tallest building, the 830m high Burj Khalida, which you can pay to visit if you are not a guest or dining.

Every night, a stunning illuminated fountain show draws thousands to the ‘lake’ at the foot of the hotel which is also lit up. It’s quite a spectacle.

Then there’s the Dubai Mall with its 1,200 stores, 200 cafes and restaurants as well as dozens of entertainment and leisure attractions including a spectacular aquarium – which, frankly, makes Kent’s Bluewater look like a corner shop.

You might expect luxury brands like Rolex, Versace and Chanel, – but Nandos and Matalan took me by surprise – so, yes, something for everyone.

For shopaholics, it’s a dream, but as I’m not a serial shopper, I found it all a bit bewildering, even tiring.

One of the city’s most recognisable landmark features is the stunning Jumeirah Palm resort, fashioned in the shape of a palm tree, for the ultimate in exclusive beach side holidays.

But more modest hotels are available and my stay was the very welcoming Beach Walk Hotel in the Jumeirah district, complete with a vital, and cooled, yes cooled, rooftop pool.

Shop around on the various booking websites and you can find it for around £650, including breakfast, for five nights, depending on the time of year.

It proved an ideal location to get around and a short stride to the beach – not that you’ll be walking much. At a sprawling 1,500 sq miles and designed for cars, Dubai is not a city to do on foot.

Yes, there are dedicated beachside paths for walking, running and cycling but the easiest way of getting anywhere across city is by taxi which are super prompt and quite affordable, though there are also buses and a metro.

But there is also a masterplan for the city which involves the creation of The Loop – a ground-breaking 58-mile ‘climate-controlled’ urban highway dedicated for cycling and walking, aimed at encouraging ‘greener’ forms of travel.

So what about all those supercars Dubai is famous for,? Well, there are numerous showrooms stuffed with Ferrari, Porsches, McClarens and the like for sale.

But on the road I counted just two Porsches, two Ferraris and three Rolls Royces during my stay. Taxi drivers also told me that speeding is rigorously enforced with cameras. Most people seem to be driving SUVs and a particular favourite is the Toyota Landcruiser, more of which later.

You can hire a car to get around, of course, but the traffic is often gridlocked and it all looked a bit hectic and confusing for my liking. Even the taxi driver had to use his sat nav to find his way.

Because it’s such a new city, and seemingly largely made up of skyscrapers, it's hard to get your bearings. In fact, during my short stay, I never did.

One thing I do recommend though is booking any excursions or experiences in advance to get the best prices, which helpfully often includes transport from your hotel.

There are dozens to chose from. Depending on your nerves and head for heights, you can you do a tandem skydive, for example, or head to the top of Burj Khalida to the Sky View Glass Observatory and even try the nail-biting ‘edge walk’.

There’s also thrilling theme and water parks, mountain biking, jet skiing, the longest (of course) urban zipwire and 4x4 dune bashing followed by a desert sunset bbq.

I signed up for the latter and driver Shahab picked me up from the hotel in a V8 Toyota Landcruiser for the 90-minute drive out into the desert.

Soon we joined a convoy of similar vehicles riding the dunes at crazy lean angles that would have surely bogged down or toppled lesser vehicles and drivers.

It was the sort of antics the Top Gear boys would have got up to and Shahab clearly enjoys his job at the wheel, working seven days a week.

After around 30 minutes of these capers, we stop for a spot of sand surfing, as you do.

Shahab whips out a few boards from the boot and my party find ourselves staring down the steep slope of a huge dune.

So off I went, testing my balance all the way down and trying not to end up in a heap.

It was thrilling but nobody told me I would have to climb all the way back to the top, with the slipping sands working against me.

In 42c heat, it was certainly a workout and set me up for dinner under the stars with a beer or two.

Next up was a chance to ride a camel but as ‘my’ animal looked particularly grumpy, ( I think he had the hump!), I passed on that.

On the subject of alcohol, UAE is a strict Muslim country – the regular calls to prayer reminds you of that – but has relaxed its rules to some degree for tourists.

Booze is only sold in locations like hotels and on approved excursions and even then will set you back a hefty price – a bottle of lager, for example, cost anything between £8 and £12. Heavy drinkers might need to reconsider their budgets and go fully inclusive.

The desert barbecue was set around a stage on which dancers and fire eaters performed, putting on quite a spectacular show.

Several companies offer the sand dune bashing/desert BBQ experience and I booked with Dubai Desert Ride which looked after us very well.

Dubai Marina is a big draw for tourists, having its own shopping mall, of course.

But many are there for a boat trip and I had pre-booked with Xclusive Yachts for a sunset cruise and dinner.

And very nice it was too, taking diners around the bay for a spectacular view of the city from the sea. It was just a pity the sunset was rather spoiled by some rare low misty cloud.

Like any city, there are hundreds of restaurants to choose from but I was recommended to try one just a short walk from my hotel.

At the Souq Al Bahar for Fish in Jumeiriah, you get to choose your own dishes in a vast, fresh fish market which are prepared and served to you in the adjoining restaurant.

I had grilled giant prawns and lobster which were delicious. Expect to pay around £50 with a beer.

It’s generally cheaper to eat out than in the hotels, but most visitors should probably opt for an all-inclusive package otherwise the costs can get pretty steep.

Away from the glitzy shopping malls, there are a number of market areas, including the Karam market where you can find cheap, top-branded ‘designer’ (ahem) goods, like handbags and watches.

My five days in Dubai could only offer me a snapshot of what is a remarkable city – but one that won’t appeal to everyone.

It’s reputation for excess and glamour is well-placed and there is now doubt its contemporary architecture is staggering, but for others it may lack soul and character.

However, there’s no denying that for those looking for luxury – and have the budget for it – Dubai does it very well.

For more information, go to www.visitdubai.com.