As-salamu alaykum.

 The Arabian Nights is a collection of tales told for one thousand and one nights by Scheherazade, who was married to a tyrannical king, in an attempt to enlighten the king. That means it includes a huge number of stories, and the storytelling about the Middle East is endless. Different to these tales though, my column has alas reached its last chapter. For this chapter, I have prepared a travel guide regarding the more accessible areas in the Middle East. Are you ready to visit my four favorite countries?

 First of all, I'd like to introduce Dubai, which is the center of economy, culture, and industry of the Middle East. It is also home to Amorepacific Group Middle East Office. Because Dubai is so famous, some people may be confused about whether it is a city or a country. Dubai is in fact the second major city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of which the capital is Abu Dhabi. The UAE is a country consisting of seven emirates, which are similar to the States of the U.S.A. Each emirate enjoys a considerable level of independence, but it was Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, who designed a blueprint for making the city the economic hub of the Middle East and opened the doors to have global capital firms invest in the city. Thanks to him, Dubai became the most influential city in the Middle East. Combining the investment of global capital firms with his bold imagination, he has built a state-of-the-art city in the middle of a desert.

 If you visit Dubai, you will see for yourself how a land of hot sands can be changed quite dramatically with some creative leadership. In this city, you can feel the height of the 830-meter-high Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world and was in fact constructed by a Korean company, Samsung C&T Corporation. You can also watch the fancy fountain show at the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world visited by around 80 million people each year. Enjoy a walk on the Palm Jumeirah, an artificial island in the shape of a palm tree, ride a snow tube or a snowboard in Ski Dubai, or even hop on a 4WD for a desert safari through the desert hills.

 All of these activities can be done in a day and half if you plan ahead. Also, as there are many airlines that fly via Dubai, and UAE airlines are generally inexpensive, you can even visit Europe and Dubai in one trip if you add a Dubai stopover on your way to or from Europe.

 Turkey may be a famous for its kebabs and dondurma. There is however much more about the country. Turkey is one of the most popular destinations visited by people from the Middle East, often for their summer vacation. While most of the countries in the Middle East have a monotonous, desert climate, Turkey boasts different climates depending on the region, which makes it ideal for enjoying nature. Even more, as the Turkish peninsulas historically have been something of a crossroads for the great powers of Europe, Asia, and Islam, you can see examples of all the different cultures of strong historical empires situated in one place. For example, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was first built as a Christian church, but later converted to a mosque under Islam reign, which is a great example of the heterogeneous coexistence of Christianity and Islam in this place.

 While Istanbul may be the most famous city and you can never really get enough of the place, you definitely will not want to miss out on the other cities Turkey has on offer. In Pamukkale, you can visit the springs covered with their white travertine terraces, which will make you feel like you are in a fairytale world. In Cappadocia, you can see the spectacular, odd-looking rocks while riding in a hot air balloon. Ephesus is a special, medieval city in the history of Christianity, and if you're willing to go closer to the Mediterranean Sea (and really, who isn't?), you can visit the famous resort city, Antalya. Also, you simply do not want to miss Safranbolu where the entire city is designated as UNESCO World Heritage. If you don't want to miss any of these attractions, you should invest some of your time to travel across Turkey. With a land area eight times that of South Korea, and facing the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Aegean Sea, the charm of Turkey is that you can experience the variety it offers because of its diverse climates.

 Five thousand years is a long, long time, and in such an ancient time, Egypt was in its prime with a high level of civilization capable of building the pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Compared to this, the five-thousand-year history of Korea seems somewhat humbler. I recommend Egypt as a place to visit as it is my personal No. 1 among the countries I've traveled to.

 In Cairo, you can visit Khan el-Khalili, which is a marketplace with a long history, or even the magnificent Mosque of Muhammad Ali. There is of course, the well-known Nile River, the cradle of one of the four ancient civilizations, where you can also experience the longest history of humanity while enjoying an Arabic breakfast and watching the Sufi dance on a cruise ship that sails across the river. If you're an avid diver, you can visit Hurghada or Dahab to see the magnificent underwater scenery found in the Red Sea safely with many Korean divers and tour guides available in these areas.

 Most of all though, you simply cannot miss the pyramids and the Sphinx. Maybe these are clichés − even children that don't know Egypt are well aware of the pyramids and the Sphinx. Nevertheless, if you see these wonderful masterpieces first-hand, you will be overwhelmed by their scale and realize just how small we really are on this big planet. The Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, the Great Wall, all of which are fabulous, but by far the pyramids are the best.

 Unfortunately though, public safety in Egypt is an issue and therefore, it is recommended that you avoid traveling alone and instead be sure to use a reliable travel agency so you can fully enjoy your time in Egypt safely.

 Morocco, a mysterious yet interesting country, can be quite difficult to describe in such a way as to capture the charm of the place with just one sentence. It is located in North Africa but don't let this misguide you as the people are more akin to Arabs both speaking the language and following Islam. Interestingly, many of the population speak French as a result of being under the long-lasting French colonial era. These cultures are well-balanced though in this country where the sun sets.

 Casablanca, the representative of this small country, is famous for the 1942 movie of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It might be hard to relate to this old movie, but you can find the special charm of Moroccan cities in more recent movies as well, for example : Mission : Impossible – Rogue Nation, The Bourne Ultimatum, Spectre, Sex and the City 2, and Gladiator.

 If you're planning to visit Morocco, I recommend visiting Casablanca to experience some of the French cuisine and exotic Moroccan culture. Marrakesh, where the actresses and actors of the movie Sex and the City loved the city so much that they stayed there for two months, is also an amazing place to visit, though it can be a little bit hot. Also, Tangier, is a romantic Mediterranean city where a chase scene of the movie The Bourne Ultimatum was filmed. You may also want to have some couscous, a traditional Moroccan dish, on a Friday as Moroccan people eat couscous every Friday. And, don't forget to buy some argan oil as a souvenir. Just so you know, while argan oils sold at tourist attractions or airports are fairly good, but the argan oils sold at local food markets are really good value for money.

 Haggling is a must when shopping or even taking a taxi in the Middle East because most of the time, there are no listed prices. For Arabs, haggling is a natural process and has been around since their days in the past as Arab merchants. This is a good thing to be aware of as it is not exactly that they want to rip you off. Rather, it is simply a part of their custom. Be sure to exchange your money to the local currency as they don't accept credit cards in many places. It is also difficult to exchange Korean won to these currencies in Korea, so it is better to exchange your money to US dollars and then to the Egyptian pound or Moroccan dirham in the local bureaux de change. Finally, have a health check before visiting these places as the temperatures do reach extreme levels of heat, especially in the summer. Fortunately, it is not very humid, so it is a good idea to wear long-sleeve shirts and pants made of well-ventilated thin material.

 Lastly, I'd like to extend my thanks to my colleagues for reading through my (not-so-well-written) column thus far. Even though AP Group Middle East Office has been established for some time with business already well under way, it seemed to me that the Middle East is still unfamiliar to many of my Amorepacific colleagues. As such, I aimed to reduce this unfamiliarity through my column. Next year, I hope to be featured in a business news article on pioneering Asian beauty in the land of hot sands. I would like to wish all of my Amorepacific colleagues peace from Dubai. As-salaam!