Must-see entertainment in United Arab Emirates

  • Cinema Akil

    Downtown Dubai

    Treating cine buffs to smart indie flicks from around the world on a pop-up basis since 2014, this dynamic platform has now taken up permanent residence…

  • Dubai Opera

    Downtown Dubai

    Shaped like a traditional dhow – the sailing vessels that still ply the Gulf – Dubai Opera is the city's newest high-calibre performing-arts venue…

  • Vox Cinemas

    Yas Island

    If you like to smell the rubber on your car chase and feel the earth rumble as screaming tyres race across a 24.5m screen, then the 4D experience at Vox…

  • Reel Cinemas

    Downtown Dubai

    Reel is one of the top flick-magnets in town, screening mostly Hollywood blockbusters. It has 22 screens, including one featuring a state-of-the-art Dolby…

  • La Perle by Dragone

    Downtown Dubai

    A custom-designed theatre with a 270-degree angle makes for perfect sight lines even in the cheaper seats of this magical show centred on an aquatic stage…

  • Meydan Racecourse

    Downtown Dubai

    Dubai racing’s home is the spectacular Meydan Racecourse, about 5km southeast of downtown Dubai. Spanning 1.5km, its grandstand is bigger than most…

  • Du Arena

    Yas Island

    This outdoor entertainment venue (formerly known as Yas Arena) regularly hosts big names of the regional and international music world. With excellent…

  • Du Forum

    Yas Island

    This striking indoor entertainment venue holds art exhibitions, concerts, comedy shows and sports events. Unlike Yas Island's other entertainment venue,…

  • Courtyard Playhouse

    Downtown Dubai

    This 70-seat community theatre (plus bean bags on busy nights) puts on a busy schedule of improv, stand-up comedy, kids theatre and live broadcasts from…

  • Al Wathba Race Track

    Abu Dhabi

    Sporting colourful nosebags and matching blankets, camels are the stars of the show at the Al Wathba Race Track, 45km southeast of Abu Dhabi. Races are…

  • Jamjar

    Downtown Dubai

    This community art space exhibits contemporary art by emerging local and international talent as well as being a DIY painting studio. If you're feeling…

  • Vox Mall of the Emirates

    Dubai

    This multiplex boasts 24 screens, including a 4D cinema with motion chairs, and wind, light and water effects; the region's first IMAX laser cinema; a…

  • Blue Bar

    Downtown Dubai

    Cool cats of all ages gather in this relaxed joint for some of the finest live jazz and blues in town, along with a full, reasonably priced bar line-up…

  • Heroes

    Abu Dhabi

    This old-timer doesn't need chi-chi designer interiors or a fancy-pants cocktail list put together by a world-famous mixologist to pull punters in. Heroes…

  • Junction

    Downtown Dubai

    Since 2015 this pint-sized indie performing-arts space has hosted some of Dubai's most exciting cultural programming, from plays to concerts and comedy to…

  • Jazz Bar & Dining

    Marina Breakwater

    Cool cats flock to this sophisticated supper club at the Radisson Blu that serves international cuisine in a modern art-deco-inspired setting. But the…

  • Fridge

    Downtown Dubai

    Part of the Alserkal Avenue cultural campus, this talent-management agency runs a much beloved concert series (usually on Fridays) that shines the…

  • VOX Outdoor Cinema

    Deira

    Enjoy your favourite cocktail along with the latest blockbuster while kicking back on a plush lounge-style sofa at this rooftop cinema overlooking the…

  • NYUAD The Arts Center

    Abu Dhabi

    This multi-venue arts centre, inside the New York University's Abu Dhabi campus, hosts a regular, eclectic program of dance performances, music concerts,…

  • Movies Under the Stars

    Bur Dubai

    Every Sunday night during the cooler months, clued-in cinephiles invade the rooftop of the Pyramids Building, next to the Wafi Mall, to drop into a giant…

  • Porters Pub

    Al Bateen & Al Mushrif

    This cavernous British-style pub gets crammed on Thursday and Friday nights when the house band takes to the floor. There's a swag of weekly events and…

  • PJ O'Reilly's

    Abu Dhabi

    This popular Irish pub, with a poolside outdoor area, is a good spot for those seeking out live music, with bands playing every Wednesday, Thursday and…

  • Roxy Cinemas

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Watch your favourite movie kicking back in plush seating and with the latest hi-tech surround sound. International alternative films are also screened…

  • Vox Cinemas

    Marina Breakwater

    If you need to beat the heat, or the kids need a time-out, this ultracomfortable cinema has all the latest Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters in 2D, 3D…

  • Laughter Factory

    Sheikh Zayed Mosque Area

    Abu Dhabi's top venue for catching international comedy gigs, with big names on the comedy circuit regularly performing here. Check the website for…

  • Al Marmoum Camel Racetrack

    Dubai

    If you want to experience a deeply rooted Emirati tradition, head to a camel race. The closest track to Dubai is Al Marmoum, about 40km south en route to…

  • Madinat Theatre

    Dubai

    The program at this handsome 442-seat theatre at Souk Madinat Jumeirah is largely calibrated to the cultural cravings of British expats. Expect plenty of…

  • Al Sawan Camel Race Track

    Ras Al Khaimah

    For some cultural action, join the locals in the winter months and catch a camel race here at this 10km-long track. You'll have to get up early but the…

  • MusicHall

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    It's not a theatre, not a club, not a bar and not a restaurant – the lavishly designed MusicHall is all those things. The concept hails from Beirut, where…

  • Jazz@PizzaExpress

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    It's really a pizza joint tucked amid residential high-rises, but this pretence-free place gets hopping just about nightly with open-mic jam sessions,…

  • The Tavern

    Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island

    A standard British-style hotel pub by day, The Tavern only starts pumping on weekend nights when the house band kicks off. For cheaper drinking get here…

  • Vox Cinemas Abu Dhabi

    Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island

    Are the kids melting in the heat and need some inside entertainment? This super-modern multiplex has a colourful cinema built specifically for kids…

  • Rock Bottom Cafe

    Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island

    Rock Bottom, in the Al Diar Capital Hotel, has been going for years and is still a top choice for a rowdy night out with no pretensions. The live band…

  • Camel Race Track

    United Arab Emirates

    The camel races are the place to head to if you want to immerse yourself in local culture. Madinat Zayed's camel race track is just south of town and…

  • Sheikh Zayed Stadium

    Abu Dhabi

    This 20,000-seater stadium is where all international cricket matches take place. If you're a cricket fan and there's a match on while you're in town,…

  • Reel Cinemas

    Dubai

    This family-geared cinema, with beanbags and kid-friendly snacks, is located at the new Springs Souk shopping mall, a 15-minute taxi ride from the Nakheel…

  • Al Nahyan Stadium

    Al Bateen & Al Mushrif

    Join the fans at the home stadium for Al Wahda FC. If you're a football fan, this is where all the big local games are held.

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