Things to do in Dubai
-
A
Dhow Wharfage
Dhows are long, flat, wooden vessels used in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, and they’ve docked at the Creek since the 1830s when the Maktoums established a free-trade port, luring merchants away from Persia. Today’s dhows trade with Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Oman, India, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan, and you’ll see them precariously loaded with everything from air-conditioners to chewing gum to car tyres, almost all of it re-exported after arriving by air or container ship from countries like China, South Korea and Singapore. Try to chat to the sailors if you can – if you find one who speaks English, you may learn that it takes a day to get to Iran by sea and seven days to…
reviewed
-
B
The Walk at JBR
‘Nobody walks in LA’, as that old Missing Persons song goes, and the same could be said about Dubai. At least, until the summer of 2008, when The Walk at JBR opened. The city’s first outdoor shopping and dining promenade was built to meet the needs of the 20,000 people living in the Jumeirah Beach Residence development, a cluster of 40 yellow towers wedged between the beach and Dubai Marina. But right from the start, The Walk’s attractive mix of over 300 largely family-friendly restaurants, cafes, shops, supermarkets and boutiques has also drawn scores of tourists and residents from other neighbourhoods. They come to stroll down the 1.7km stretch, watch the world on…
reviewed
-
C
Wild Wadi Waterpark
When the kids grow weary of the beach and hotel pool, you’ll score big time by bringing them to Wild Wadi. Over a dozen ingeniously interconnected rides follow a vague theme about an Arabian adventurer named Juha and his friend Sinbad the sailor, who get shipwrecked together. There are plenty of gentle rides for kids and nervous nellies, a big-wave pool, a white-water rapids ‘river’ and a 33m-high Jumeirah Sceirah slide that drops you at a speed of 80km/h (hold on to your trunks, guys!). Thrill-seekers can also test their bodyboarding mettle on Wipeout, a permanent wave. Kids must be at least 110cm tall for some of the scarier rides. Check the website for discounts. From…
reviewed
-
D
Deira Gold Souq
All that glitters is gold (and occasionally silver) at this colourful market. At any given time over 25 tonnes of gold is on display in jewellery shop windows in Dubai. Even if you’re not in the market for bling, a stroll through the covered arcades of the enormous Gold Souq is a must. Hundreds of stores overflow with every kind of jewellery imaginable – tasteful diamond earrings to over-the-top golden Indian wedding necklaces. It’s the largest gold market in the region, and one of the largest in the world. Bonus: the people-watching. Settle down on a wooden bench beneath the wooden-latticed arcades of the main thoroughfare (Sikkat al-Khail St) and observe touts hawking…
reviewed
-
E
Amara
Dubai’s top spa at the Park Hyatt has eight treatment suites, including three for couples, all with their own private walled gardens complete with outdoor rain showers. Choose your own background music, then lean back for a luxurious foot bath followed by your selected treatment. Tempting ones, especially if you just got off the plane, include the two-hour Diamond Ceremony (Dh750), where you’ll be pummelled into Gumby-like bliss with a variety of steps, including an aromatherapy deep-pressure back massage, a mineral-rich body masque and a chilled-stone eye massage. Best of all, afterwards you’re not shoved out the door but are free to enjoy the tranquil garden over tea…
reviewed
-
Camel Market
It’s dusty, noisy, pungent and chaotic, but never mind: Al-Ain’s famous camel market is a wonderful immersion in ancient Arabic culture that’s so hard to find in the UAE today. All sorts of camels are holed up in pens, from babies that might grow up to be racers to studs kept for breeding. The intense haggling is fun to watch, but you’ll also quickly realise that you’re as much an attraction to the traders as they are to you (especially if you’re a woman!). Some may try to make you pay for a tour but you’re free to walk around on your own. If you take photos of the animals or their owners (always ask first, of course) it’s nice to give a small tip. Note that the…
reviewed
-
F
Aquaventure
Adrenaline rushes are guaranteed at this water park at the Atlantis hotel. The centrepiece is the 27.5m-high Ziggurat (great views!), the launch pad for seven slides, including the most wicked of them all: Leap of Faith, a near-vertical plunge into a shark-infested lagoon, albeit protected by a transparent tunnel. There’s also more than 2km of nonstop river action with cascades, tidal waves and rapids. Unfortunately, long lines between attractions tend to interrupt your momentum. Little ones can keep cool in a ginormous water playground where climbing structures and rope bridges lead to myriad slides. Tickets also include access to a private beach, although the water is…
reviewed
-
G
Verre by Gordon Ramsay
The eponymous British chef hardly ever comes by anymore, but fortunately executive chef Matt Pickop is competently helming the kitchen. Long one of the top eateries in town, Verre continues to stand out for embracing the gentle art de la table in all its sensuality – from your first sip of champagne to your last bite of chocolate, this is one meal you won’t soon forget. The menu plays to sophisticates who recognise subtlety: there are no distracting gimmicks, no silly flourishes and no dumbing down of culinary traditions. Near-perfect executions of French-inspired classics are served with choreographed precision in an austere white-tablecloth dining room. If you’re…
reviewed
-
H
Pharaohs Club
Other than Fitness First, this is the closest you’ll find to an LA-style club, with some serious weight-lifting equipment (including 100lb dumbbells) for juiced-up grunters, a climbing wall, squash courts and multiple fitness classes (some for women only) including body pump, yoga, aikido, mat Pilates and step. The best amenity is the enormous, free-form ‘lazy-river’ rooftop swimming pool; kids love it. One caveat: temporary memberships are a nuisance to acquire. You must set one up, via fax or in person, at least three days prior to your week’s membership; passport required. Don’t bother if you’re not staying nearby. The pool, by contrast, is open for one-day…
reviewed
-
I
Al-Lisaili Race Track
Camel racing is not only a popular spectator sport but deeply rooted in the Emirati soul and originally practised only at weddings and special events. These days it’s big business, with races held between October and early April. There’s no fixed schedule, although there usually seems to be a two- or three-hour session starting around 7am on Fridays. Check the newspapers or call ahead before you drive an hour out of town. Watching these mighty animals race at speeds of up to 60km/h is an amazing sight. If you can’t make it to a racing session, you can usually catch training sessions in the afternoon, and these are also a great experience. The sheer number of camels is…
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Deira Spice Souq
Just follow your nose to the best buys at this atmospheric souq. The guttural singsong of Arabic bounces around the lanes of this small covered market as stallholders work hard on you to unload aromatic frankincense, dried lemons, chillies or exotic herbs and spices. This ain’t no Istanbul-like bazaar but it’s still worth a half-hour of your time to take in the wonderfully restored wind towers and the pungent aromas from the jute sacks. Since this is a working souq, not a tourist attraction, the tiny shops also sell groceries, plastics and other household goods to locals and sailors from the dhows. Good buys include incense burners, saffron, rose water, henna kits and…
reviewed
-
K
Wafi Mall
Westerners mistakenly bypass palatial Wafi in favour of the behemoth shopping malls, which explains why it’s so quiet. Their loss. It may have once resembled a third-rate airport terminal, but the new wing’s stained-glass pyramids are stunning (come before sunset). Emirati women love Wafi’s fancy French stores like Chanel and Givenchy, but you may well prefer sussing out lesser-known regional boutiques. Also duck into the basement to browse around Souk Khan Murjan, which has stunning decor (check out the stained-glass ceiling and carved pillars) and a good if pricey selection of crafts and goods from around the Arabian world. Alas, it too is practically deserted.
reviewed
-
L
Noodle House
The concept at this reliably good, always-packed pan-Asian joint is simple: sit down at long wooden communal tables and order by ticking dishes on a tear-off menu pad. There’s great variety – curry laksa to pad Thai to roast duck – to please disparate tastes. Some dishes even come in small and large sizes to match hunger levels. Wines by the glass and several Asian beers, including Tiger on tap, are available. If there’s a wait, leave your mobile number and head next door to Agency for pre-dinner drinks. There are now four other branches around town, including in Souq Madinat Jumeirah and Dubai Mall.
reviewed
-
M
Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House
The grand courtyard house of Sheikh Saeed, the grandfather of current Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed, is the crown jewel of the restored Shindagha Heritage Area. Built in 1896, under Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher al-Maktoum, the house was home to the ruling family until Sheikh Saeed’s death in 1958. Aside from being an architectural marvel, the building now doubles as a museum of pre-oil times, with a neat collection of photographs of Dubai taken in the 1940s and ’50s on the Creek, in the souqs and at traditional celebrations. Other rooms feature coins, stamps and documents dating back as far as 1791, as well as an interesting display on pearl diving.
reviewed
-
N
Majlis Ghorfat Um-al-Sheef
It is unusual to find a traditional building still standing so far from the Creek, but this one has been well restored and is worth a quick stop. The two-storey structure was built in 1955 as a summer residence of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum. Made of gypsum and coral rock with a palm frond roof and a wind tower, it provided a cool retreat from the heat. The palm tree garden features a traditional falaj irrigation system. The actual majlis (meeting room) upstairs is decorated with cushions, rugs, a coffee pot, pottery and food platters, and is pretty close to the way it would have looked in Sheikh Rashid’s day.
reviewed
-
Bull-Butting
If possible, visit Fujairah on a Friday when the ancient sport of bull-butting takes place in a dusty dirt patch on the southern outskirts of town (before Al-Rughailat Bridge). It was introduced centuries ago by the Portuguese, and today’s contests see bulls brought here from all over the UAE to lock horns and test their strength against each other. The goal is to push the other out of a circle, which usually takes only a couple of minutes. Traditionally, the fighting took place in an open field, but since angry bulls would occasionally charge spectators, a new wire fence was recently built to protect them.
reviewed
-
Dubai Hot Air Balloon Flight
5 hours (Departs Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
by Viator
Leave the glitz and glamor of Dubai behind and join this early-morning hot-air balloon expedition deep in the heart of the desert. Rising early to see the…Not LP reviewed
from USD$278.00 -
Private Tour: 4x4 Desert Adventure Safari from Dubai
5 hours (Departs Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
by Viator
Experience the ultimate Dubai desert safari by private 4x4 vehicle! On this five-hour private tour, you’ll travel across the deserts of Dubai, go sandboarding,…Not LP reviewed
from USD$92.97 -
Dubai Hop-on Hop-off Tour
Varies (Departs Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
by Viator
Discover Dubai at your leisure with a 24 hour or 48 hour ticket on the Dubai Hop-on Hop-off Tour. Create your own itinerary as you see the most popular sights…Not LP reviewed
from USD$60.00 -
O
Grand Abu Shakra
Black-and-white TVs show classics (sound off) from the golden age of Egyptian cinema, a fitting backdrop for Dubai’s best-known Egyptian restaurant. Come at lunchtime on Tuesday or Thursday for the classic carb-rich koshary, a combination of rice, lentils and pasta, with chilli sauce, lemon and fried onion. The adventurous should order the charred whole pigeon (Dh90), but be forewarned: it’s unboned – and still has its head. The red, gamey meat is richly flavourful, but boy, it’s a struggle to get at it. If you’re hungry, stick to the fava-bean falafel instead.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
P
Karama Shopping Centre
A visually unappealing concrete souq, Karama’s bustling backstreet shopping area is crammed with stores selling handicrafts and souvenirs, ‘genuine fake’ watches and knock-off designer clothing. Since much of the latter is produced in Asian countries, sizes are likely to run small. In other words, if you normally wear a size S and now need XL, it’s probably not because you overindulged at those brunches. Prices are low, but bargaining lowers them further – be adamant. Listen for the cries of hucksters hawking pirated copies: ‘Dee-vee-dees! Bloo moovees!’ The municipality seems to look the other way.
reviewed
-
Q
Lost Chambers
This fantastical labyrinth of underwater halls, passageways and fish tanks recreates the legend of the lost city of Atlantis. Some 65,000 exotic marine creatures inhabit 20 aquariums, where rays flutter and jelly fish dance, moray eels lurk, and pretty but poisonous lion fish float. The centrepiece is the 11 million-litre Ambassador Lagoon. For 18 months its ‘star attraction’ was Sammy, an endangered whale shark captured off the coast of Dubai in 2008. Bowing to international pressure from animal rights activists, the magnificent creature was finally released back into the open sea in March 2009.
reviewed
-
R
Dhow-Building Yard
The gorgeous, traditional old dhows you see on Dubai Creek are still built by hand in the traditional style on the Creek waterfront, in Jaddaf, about 1km south of Al-Garhoud Bridge. Here, craftsmen use basic tools (a hammer, saw, chisel, drill and plane) to curve and fit sturdy teak planks, one on top of the other, before fitting the frame on the inside of the boat. Be impressed: this is in contrast to Western boat-building techniques where the frame is generally built first, and the planks fitted to it. These days, of course, the blokes pop an engine on the back before sliding it into the Creek.
reviewed
-
S
Pisces & P2 Brasserie
Stylish and slick Pisces is Dubai’s top table for seafood. The chef has a knack for eking out intensely bright flavours from his ingredients; dishes are elegantly light and melt on the palate. We’re not too keen on his overdependence on foams and nages, but with talent this good, we can forgive a few idiosyncrasies. The understated dining room echoes the colours of the sea: wear blue-grey Armani and blend right in. (No sneakers.) Note: there’s a cheaper, more accessible menu upstairs at the adjoining less-formal French brasserie. Think duck confit and mussels marinière.
reviewed
-
T
Ras al-Khor Wildlife Sanctuary
Right in the heart of the city, Ras al-Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is an amazing nature preserve. Pretty pink flamingos steal the show in winter, but in fact avid birdwatchers can spot more than 250 species in this pastiche of salt flats, intertidal mudflats, mangroves and lagoons. At the mouth of Dubai Creek, the sanctuary is also an important stopover on the East African–West Asian Flyway. There are three hides (platforms) with fantastically sharp binoculars for close-ups of the birds without disturbing them. The flamingo roost is off the junction of Al-Wasl and Oud Metha Rds.
reviewed