Must-see attractions in Dubai

  • United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Jumeira beach, Hotel Mina A'Salam Madinat Jumeirah with View of Burj Al Arab hotel

    Burj Al Arab

    Dubai

    The Burj Al Arab's graceful silhouette – meant to evoke the sail of a dhow (a traditional wooden cargo vessel) – is to Dubai what the Eiffel Tower is to…

  • Dubai

    Burj Khalifa

    Downtown Dubai

    The Burj Khalifa is a stunning feat of architecture and engineering, with two observation decks on the 124th and 148th floors and a restaurant-bar on the…

  • Souk Madinat Jumeirah

    Madinat Jumeirah

    Dubai

    One of Dubai’s most attractive developments, Madinat Jumeirah is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Arab village, complete with a souq (market…

  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Gold Souq

    Deira

    All that glitters is gold (and occasionally silver) along this covered arcade where dozens of shops overflow with every kind of jewelry imaginable, from…

  • 11/30/2014. Kite beach in Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A stretch of the beach designated for the kite surfers. The iconic Burj Al Arab is seen on the background.; Shutterstock ID 664989337; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Authentic Dubai Article

    Kite Beach

    Dubai

    This long, pristine stretch of white sand, a little way north of Jumeirah Public Beach, is a major draw for sporty types, with a range of activities on…

  • IMG Worlds of Adventure

    Dubai

    Housed in an air-conditioned hangar the size of 28 football fields, IMG Worlds of Adventure is the world’s largest indoor theme park. The US$1 billion…

  • Dubai Museum

    Bur Dubai

    The city's main historical museum charts Dubai's turbo-evolution from fishing and pearling village to global centre of commerce, finance and tourism. It…

  • Al Fahidi Historic District

    Bur Dubai

    Traffic fades to a quiet hum in the labyrinthine lanes of this nicely restored heritage area formerly known as the Bastakiya Quarter. Its narrow walking…

  • Exterior of Jumeria Mosque, Jumeria Rd.

    Jumeirah Mosque

    Dubai

    Snowy white and intricately detailed, Jumeirah is Dubai's most beautiful mosque and one of only a handful in the UAE that are open to non-Muslims – one…

  • Alserkal Cultural Foundation

    Bur Dubai

    This nonprofit foundation runs the most dynamic cultural space in the Al Fahidi Historic District. Galleries showcasing traditional and cutting-edge works…

  • Dubai Walls

    Dubai

    More than a dozen hot shots of the international street-art scene, including Aiko, Blek Le Rat, ROA and Nick Walker, have turned new urban-style quarter…

  • Alserkal Avenue

    Downtown Dubai

    Edgy contemporary art from the Middle East and beyond has found a home in Dubai thanks to the vision of Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal. The local developer…

  • Etihad Museum

    Dubai

    Opened in 2017, this striking modern museum engagingly chronicles the birth of the UAE in 1971, spurred by the discovery of oil in the 1950s and the…

  • United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Mall, Aquarium

    Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

    Downtown Dubai

    Dubai Mall’s most mesmerising sight is this gargantuan aquarium where thousands of beasties flit and dart amid artificial coral. Sharks and rays are top…

  • dav

    Green Planet

    Dubai

    If you can build a ski slope in the desert, why not a rainforest too? The Green Planet is an indoor tropical paradise intended to 'edutain' about…

  • United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Downtown Dubai, Burj Dubai, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa Lake, The Dubai Fountain

    Dubai Fountain

    Downtown Dubai

    This dancing fountain is spectacularly set in the middle of a giant lake against the backdrop of the glittering Burj Khalifa. Water undulates as…

  • Al Seef

    Bur Dubai

    In the early 1900s this historical area was Dubai's trading hub, during a period when the pearl diving industry was being developed. Stretching some 1.8km…

  • The Beach at JBR

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Paralleling the beachfront for about 1km, The Beach at JBR is an open-plan cluster of low-lying, urban-style buildings wrapped around breezy plazas…

  • United Arab Emirates. Dubai City. Burj Al Arab Hotel

    Jumeirah Public Beach

    Dubai

    Just north of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, this public beach (also known as Sunset Beach) is perfect for snapping that envy-inducing selfie with the Burj Al…

  • Herbs and spices at suq.

    Spice Souq

    Deira

    Steps from the Deira Old Souk abra station, the sound of Arabic chatter bounces around the lanes of this small covered market as vendors work hard to…

  • Dubai, UAE - 18 Juny 2016: Dubai Marina JBR beach; Shutterstock ID 561378172; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Authentic Dubai Article

    JBR Beach

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    This clean, wonderful playground has plenty of facilities, including showers, toilets and changing rooms housed in distinctive panelled pods. Kids can…

  • Fairmont The Palm Beach Club

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Views of the mainland skyline are one of the most memorable aspects of a day at this family-orientated club at the swish Fairmont Hotel. Parents get to…

  • DUBAI - NOVEMBER 16: Dubai Marina skyline. Dubai Marina cityscape. Dubai Marina skyscrapers, Cayan Tower, Princess Tower on November 16, 2014 in Dubai; Shutterstock ID 321128009; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Authentic Dubai Article

    Cayan Tower

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Stretching skyward for 307m, it may not be the tallest residential tower in the Dubai Marina, but it's certainly a building with twist: a 90-degree spiral…

  • Third Line

    Downtown Dubai

    A pioneer on Dubai's gallery scene and one of the city's most exciting spaces for contemporary Middle Eastern art, the Third Line represents around 30…

  • Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

    Dubai

    On the outskirts of Sharjah, the 225 sq km Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve accounts for 5% of the Emirate of Dubai's total land. The reserve was…

  • Perfume House

    Bur Dubai

    This waterfront museum is part of the Al Shindagha Museum restoration project and is the former home of a Dubai sheikha who loved all things perfume. The…

  • Nikki Beach Dubai

    Dubai

    At this fashionable pleasure pit on the emerging Pearl Jumeirah residential peninsula, only the crisp all-white look is virginal. On weekends, the bronzed…

  • Club Mina

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Set along 500m of private beach, this club is a family favourite thanks to its five pools (including a shaded one for kids), a children's club and a water…

  • Dubai Street Museum

    Dubai

    In 2016, 16 local and international street artists, including Hua Tunan, Ashwaq Abdulla and Inkman, mounted their cherry-pickers to turn the rather drab…

  • Greater flamingo's (Phoenicopterus rosens) with in the background the skyline of Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Shutterstock ID 526380268; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Authentic Dubai Article

    Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

    Downtown Dubai

    Incongruously framed by highways, this surprising sanctuary on Dubai Creek is an important stopover for migratory waterbirds on the east Africa–west Asian…

  • Cargo ships at dhow wharfage on Dubai Creek.

    Dhow Wharfage

    Deira

    Stroll down the Creek for photogenic close-ups of dozens of brightly coloured dhows docked next to the Deira souqs that load and unload everything from…

  • Dubai Design District

    Downtown Dubai

    Creative folks have a new HQ in Dubai. The fresh-off-the-drawing board Dubai Design District (d3) has drawn both regional and international talent and…

  • Dubai Miracle Garden

    Dubai

    Covering some 2000 sq metres and touted as the largest natural flower garden in the world, there’s a sense of Alice in Wonderland–esque surrealism when…

  • DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - March 21, 2017 - The sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House museum, Al Shindagha area.; Shutterstock ID 613264934; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Authentic Dubai Article

    Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House

    Bur Dubai

    Recently restored as part of the new Shindagha Historic District development, this grand courtyard house served as the residence of Sheikh Saeed, the…

  • cof

    Bollywood Parks Dubai

    Dubai

    Spread across five zones, Bollywood Parks celebrates Mumbai’s legendary film industry. There's a handful of 3D and 4D rides based on blockbusters such as…

  • dav

    Legoland Dubai

    Dubai

    Designed for kids under 12, this colourful theme park has 40 rides and attractions across six themed areas. There’s plenty to keep youngsters entertained…

  • Shindagha Historic District

    Bur Dubai

    Strategically located at the mouth of Dubai Creek, Shindagha was where the ruling sheikhs and the city elite lived until the 1950s. While a few of the…

  • Motiongate

    Dubai

    Whether you're seeking thrills or a family-friendly day out, this Hollywood-inspired theme park has something for everyone. The park is divided into four…

  • Local couple viewing marine life at Lost Chambers, Atlantis Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Lost Chambers Aquarium

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Rare albino alligators Ali and Blue are the latest stars in this fantastic labyrinth of underwater halls, enclosures and fish tanks that re-creates the…

More destinations you need to see