Demi Ganegoda-Wijetilleke lives in Dubai, the Gulf's most cosmopolitan state. Having lived there as a mother of three and a wife of a banker for well over 10 years, Demi knows a thing or two about this busy city and she shares with us some secrets from her address book. 

The best place for retail therapy is the Dubai Shopping Mall and Mall of the Emirates. I find even with the multitude of malls available in Dubai, the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates still provides the most complete shopping experiences. Dubai Mall is not just a mall, this mini-city is home to over a thousand stores, a spectacular four-storey indoor waterfall, a huge aquarium, an Olympic size ski-rink and a staggering number of food outlets. The mall is designed with the most luxurious of finishes and houses brands from across Europe and the US including Galleries Lafayette and the first Bloomingdale’s outside the US. It is also hugely popular for the Dubai Fountains, which are beautifully designed to move to music. 

Buy your souvenirs from Karama Shopping Center. If you are looking to take gifts back for family or mementos of your visit to Dubai, souvenirs sold at the Karama Shopping Center are much more reasonable than those available at more expensive malls. 

The best place to imbibe in a cocktail is at Trader Vic's Madinet Jumeirah. 

One of the best dining experiences is at The Atlantis Kaliedoscope international buffet. You get to see an amazing 7 star hotel as you walk in to the restaurant. You will totally be amazed by the exclusivity of the hotel itself just meandering through the main lobby and its corridors. You need to make a prior booking. 

If it's a special occasion and you need to take him/her somewhere special on a date then check out His and Hers Moroc Lounge Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate. 

Do the tourist trail and include the Old Creek side where the traditional Gold and Spice Souk area still exists. 

Don't leave Dubai without trying the best traditional Middle Eastern cuisine which is is served at Reem Al Bawadi or Arz Lebanon. 

If it's a curry fix you are after then try Gazeebo DIFC. 

For decent accommodation that won't dent your wallet then consider the Sofitel Down Town Dubai. 

If you need to visit a local supermarket the options are many with Spinneys, Choithrams or Carrefour Market in Times Square Mall along being the best. 

My best tip while visiting is to give yourselves enough time to see the amazing country for what it is. Don’t rush in and rush out thinking it’s just a smaller city to explore, it's quite the opposite. Plan your stay according to the city layout. There’s plenty to do and you will surely not be disappointed with your stay. Enjoy! 

By Tina Edward Gunawardhana