What to do in Dubai

Finding things to do in Dubai during a vacation is never a problem, as the city offers several opportunities to explore its attractions based on one's interests and available time. You can begin by taking a tour of Dubai city and the historic Al Fahidi neighborhood, visiting interesting museums such as the Museum of the Future or mosques, or climbing the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa. You can also indulge in a shopping tour at the city's most famous malls, such as the Dubai Mall. Among the most interesting tours to take are the Dubai Desert Safari, a cruise along Dubai Creek, exploring Dubai's artificial islands, or visiting the Dubai Miracle Garden.

Dubai Desert Safari

The tour offers an opportunity to explore the Dubai desert with the guidance of an expert in a 4x4 off-road vehicle. It's a unique experience that allows you to discover Arab culture and the beauty of the desert with spectacular views of the sand dunes. Once you reach the base camp in the desert, there are several activities to do, such as walking, sandboarding, quad or camel riding, trying traditional costumes, getting henna tattoos, enjoying a traditional Arabian barbecue dinner, watching a belly dance show, and finally admiring the stars in the desert night sky, an unforgettable experience.

The tour lasts for about 6-7 hours and comfortable clothing with a scarf to protect from sand during the desert drive is recommended, and since temperatures in the desert can be quite high during the day, it's best to bring water and sunscreen.

Dubai Creek

The Dubai Creek boat tour is an incredible experience to explore one of Dubai's most iconic landmarks in a unique and fascinating way. The tour usually starts at the Deira bridge, where there are several options to choose from, such as a motorboat or a traditional boat called an abra (a small flat-bottomed boat, usually made of wood, used to cross the Creek from one shore to the other). On board the boat, you can enjoy breathtaking views of Dubai's skyline with its famous skyscrapers, the Jumeirah Mosque, the Emir's Palace, and the Al Fahidi Fort. The tour continues with a cruise along the Creek, Dubai's canal that divides the city into two parts, Deira and Bur Dubai.

During the tour, you can admire local markets, souks (the Grand Souk of Al Ras is one of the most beautiful), which sell spices, fabrics, gold, and local crafts. The cruise is relaxing and allows you to observe Dubai's most important places from a different perspective.

Dubai's Artificial Islands

The tour of Dubai's artificial islands is an interesting excursion to explore Palm Jumeirah, Deira Island, and World Island. Starting from the city's coast, you can admire spectacular views, imposing skyscrapers, white beaches, and the blue Arabian Sea. On Palm Jumeirah, an artificial island shaped like a palm tree, you can discover the luxurious architecture of hotels, restaurants, and private villas. Here, among the most interesting places to visit, there is the famous Atlantis The Palm Hotel and the Atlantis Mall.

Deira Island, another artificial island in front of Dubai's coast, is renowned for its modern and luxurious architecture and Deira Mall, one of the city's largest shopping malls.

World Island, where some of Dubai's most exclusive villas are located, is an artificial archipelago of islands shaped like a world map. The tour, which lasts about 4-5 hours and includes transportation to and from the hotel with an expert multilingual guide, is a beautiful experience to see Dubai's architecture up close while enjoying splendid landscapes.

Dubai Miracle Garden

The Dubai Miracle Garden, located in the Dubailand area, is one of the largest and most spectacular gardens in the world, housing over 50 million flowers and plants. Here, you can admire the incredible beauty of artistically cultivated flowers that form record-breaking floral shapes and sculptures. There are several varieties of flowers, including petunias, carnations, roses, and daisies. The garden is divided into themed sections such as the Children's Garden, the Heart Garden, the Butterfly Garden, the Numbers Garden, and the Dubai Garden where you can stroll amidst the spectacle of flowers.

The garden also hosts concerts, live performances, local craft exhibitions, and activities for children. You can also taste local dishes and drinks at the refreshment points and buy souvenir gifts. The Dubai Butterfly Garden, featuring 15,000 butterfly species, is also located nearby. The tour lasts approximately 1-2 hours and is a wonderful and unforgettable experience that combines the beauty of nature with human art and creativity.

Text by Nicole Villa, Avion Tourism Magazine
Photo: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock and Depositphotos
Copyright © Sisterscom.com

Tourism Board

www.visitdubai.com

Partnership with Booking.com

Where to sleep in Dubai

Dubai is a welcoming city and offers different possibilities for accommodation.

To find the ideal hotel and the best offers you can do a search for the stars but also for districts or landmarks.

STARS

Hotels for stars, differentiated by type of services:

DISTRICTS

Hotels in the districts

LANDMARKS

Hotel in tourist areas

Aquaventure Water Park

Burj Al Arab Tower

Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

AIRPORT

Hotels near the airport

Dubai Airport (DXB)

Hotels in other cities

Emirati Arabi Uniti

DUBAI'S THEME AMUSEMENT PARKS

Partnership with GetYourGuide

Dubai is a very exciting entertainment destination. For those who want to visit theme amusement parks in Dubai, there are several and for all tastes! Visit IMG Worlds of Adventure, the world's largest indoor amusement park, or experience with the family the adventures of Motiongate Dubai, Legoland Dubai, and Bollywood Parks Dubai within Dubai Parks and Resorts.

MOTIONGATE DUBAI

Hollywood-inspired theme park in Dubai. Movie adventures with The Motiongate™ Dubai and Hollywood film studios: Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks Animaton and Lionsgate. Pass Motiongate Dubai.

BOLLYWOOD PARKS

At Dubai Parks and Resorts you can visit the Bollywood Parks in Dubai, dedicated to the world of Bollywood cinema. Bollywood Parks and Motiongate, Legoland, Legoland water park admission ticket.

AQUAVENTURE WATERPARK

Waterpark for adults and children at the Atlantis, The Palm. The largest water park in the Middle East, with games, water slides, rivers, waterfalls and private beach. Entrance ticket.

DOLPHIN BAY

Dolphin Bay at Atlantis The Palm for a dolphin experience. At Atlantis Aquaventure Dubai, Atlantis the Palm, you can get up close and personal with dolphins and interact with them. Admission ticket.

IMG WORLDS OF ADVENTURE

The world's largest indoor theme park for thrill seekers. With the Explorer Pass you get discounts on admission to 3, 4, 5 or 7 attractions of your choice in Dubai including IMG Worlds of Adventure. Explorer Pass.

LEGOLAND DUBAI

Theme park for families and children. LEGO attractions, shows and building workshops. Located at Dubai Parks and Resorts on Sheikh Zayed Road, about 25 minutes from Dubai Marina. Legoland Dubai Ticket.