Falling in love with the city is easy the moment you set your eyes to Dubai. As soon as you set foot out of the airport, you will be wowed of what the city can offer.
Dubai is primed to become the top destination of the world and still rapidly growing with 20% of the world’s crane can be found here. Known as the city of superlatives, it is home to the world’s tallest building, the world’s largest shopping mall, the world’s largest man-made marina, and many more. You will not run out of amazing things to do whether you are planning to stay for short term or long term in one of the hotels in Dubai. To list them all in one shot would be a never-ending job, so we have picked up the top 10 best of the bunch to tick off your bucket list whenever you are in this emirate.
1. Enjoy the city view from the top in Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is considered Dubai’s most famous landmark. It is a stunning feat in the field of architecture and engineering. For that reason, we have placed it on the top of our must-visit list.
Dominating the Dubai’s skyline, the world’s tallest building is standing 828 metres high and with staggering 160 floors. Since its inauguration last 2010, Burj Khalifa holds plenty of world records and that includes the world’s highest observation deck and highest restaurant. Spanning floors 124 and 148, At The Top allows you to marvel the marvelous city views and enjoy a meal at At.Mosphere. Covering levels 152 to 154, The Lounge makes itself the highest lounge on the planets.
With an eagle’s point of view, you can enjoy the synchronized water display at the Dubai Fountain show. Also this is a perfect spot for photo op that features a panoramic view of the rest of the emirates.
2. Take a stroll in Dubai Mall
You will find yourself easily lose in the largest shopping mall located in the heart of Downtown Dubai. Dubai Mall offers plenty of things to do that an entire day spent here is not enough. Aside from the 1,000+ retails stores and restaurants, the mall is home to an enormous indoor waterfall, VR Park, Dubai Ice Rink, and The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo.
If you’ll be travelling to Dubai with kids, you would want to include Kidzania in your itinerary. Living out their play dreams, children ages 4 to 16 years old are safe in this place.
3. Be stunned by the Dubai Fountain
Right outside the Dubai Mall and the base of Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Fountain features the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. This is similar to Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, but bigger and better.
This famous dancing water show shoots water as high as 150 meters into the air. The colorful light illuminates the water as it sways to a range of different music around the world.
You can relax by watching the fountain show after a day in the mall. The show starts at 6 every evening and lasts for 10 minutes every half an hour until 11:00 PM. There are afternoon shows also during Fridays, 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. The great thing about this is that you don’t have to spend your money on enjoying this delightful sight.
4. Indulge in watersports at Kite Beach
The Kite Beach is a favorite spot not just for tourists but also for locals. Kitesurfing, along with a wide range of water sports, is the kind of amazing activity you can observe and indulge in this place.
This long stretch of white sand also has a jogging and walking tracks, Wi-Fi, shower, toilet, and changing facilities. There are also cafes and scattering food trucks in the area. It gets very busy on Friday and Saturday when seaside markets are being set-up. Plus, the place features a magnificent view of the iconic Burj Al Arab. You can spend a whole fun-filled day out here.
5. Go to the Dubai’s Desert
Another bucket list item is a visit to the majestic landscape of Dubai’s desert. The Arabian desert is the original attraction of Dubai before its rapid development into a modern tourist and business hub.
30-minute drive away from the bustling city, you can experience desert living just like the traditional Bedouins have done for generations. Here you can experience the wonder of Arabian desert on a four-wheel-drive safari adventure, camel riding, quad biking, or sandboarding. You can try the traditional henna painting and enjoy the buffet set-up in the middle of the Arabian fortress.
6. Wander through Dubai’s Famous Souqs
For a more traditional experience, you can head down to the many souqs in Deira district of Dubai. If you are planning to buy gold, you can get great deals at the Deira Gold Souq. The Deira Spice Souq has all kinds of spices and exotic frankincense. You can wander through the other alleyways and streets as you shop and explore old Dubai’s culture.
You can take a ride across the Dubai Creek on a traditional abra for only AED 1 per ticket. It’s a great affordable way to explore this old part of the city.
7. Discover Dubai’s past at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood takes you back to the old way of life which was prevalent Dubai during the mid 19th century until the 1970’s. The rich culture of old Dubai are exposed in the design of the buildings and how they are distributed.
Hidden within the restored maze of winding alleyways, which you can easily explore, are varied cultural and artistic activities (both public and private) ranging from specialized museums, art exhibits, cultural and artistic societies, ateliers and cultural centres. For more in depth experience, you can join a guided tour with Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Cultural Understanding.
8. Explore the Palm Jumeirah
Haven for vacationers, the Palm Jumeirah is one of the world’s most daring developments and a feat to human imagination. It is one of the largest man-made islands built in the shape of a palm tree. It is home to luxury villas and five-star hotels.
There are plenty of cool things to do in this archipelago, ranging from water park and wildlife encounters to boozy brunch to splash tours.
If you are an adrenaline junkie, Skydive Dubai offers tandem skydives at the premium Palm Dropzone. This adventures features astonishing views of the island, including Dubai Marina and the turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf.
9. Visit the Theme Parks
Dubai is in the trend when it comes to theme parks. It has every kind of theme parks that you can think of.
Dubai Parks and Resorts is like a one-stop shop of theme parks and it is UAE’s largest with an area of 25 million feet. Kids will be ecstatic to visit their enormous theme parks such as Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Park, Legoland Theme and Waterpark. There is also Riverland Boulevard where adults can relax.
For some fun under the sun, you can head down to Aquaventure, Wild Water Wadi, or Laguna Water Park. You can also enjoy an indoor theme park that is biggest on the planet at IMG Worlds of Adventure. It is home to most up-to-date and pretty epic rides that includes high-speed Vilociraptor roller coaster.
10. Take a walk along Dubai Marina
Last but not least on our list is Dubai Marina, one of the world’s largest man-made marinas. You can gaze up the stunning urban skyline as you stroll the promenade or enjoy the views from the water on a traditional dhow cruise. The best time to go is at night when all iconic buildings in the area are all lit up.
This tourist hotspot also has an array of waterside restaurants and coffee shops to choose from. Even retail therapy is possible as shops are in the area including the Dubai Marina Mall.
So there you have it, our 10 best things to do list in Dubai. Again, there can be a long list of things worth the try during your stay in Dubai and these are just a few of the most popular ones. Whether you are travelling solo, with kids/family or friends, you’ll definitely have a great time.
