If you are planning to visit Dubai, You'll be amazed by the numerous attractions
in Dubai beyond its towering skyscrapers and shopping centers. Although the
city's buildings and malls are truly stunning, Dubai offers a diverse range of
experiences, from luxurious getaways to beach vacations, cultural encounters,
and desert adventures. Dubai, the capital and most populous city of the United
Arab Emirates, is undeniably one of the most captivating destinations in the
Middle East.
Dubai
is, in a word, a city of the future. It boasts the world's tallest building,
hotel, and residential structure. It's also home to the largest shopping mall,
the biggest aquarium, and the second-largest man-made marina globally. While
Dubai is a city that should be on everyone's travel list, there are more
intriguing activities than just shopping in colossal stores and scaling
skyscrapers.
Dubai
offers a plethora of adventures, from beach outings to desert safaris. In our
view, Dubai has been purposefully designed for tourism. It sets the bar by
connecting seven-star hotels and massive shopping centers, enabling families to
spend their entire vacation without ever leaving the complex.
Nonetheless,
Dubai offers much more than retail therapy and staged events. After a week of
exploration, we've uncovered a variety of enjoyable, thrilling, and
entertaining activities.
1. Burj Khalifa
We never miss the chance to
visit a lofty place, and ascending the world's tallest building is a must to
witness the city from above. Dubai's most iconic attraction is the Burj
Khalifa, conveniently located for breathtaking city views. A high-speed
elevator ride takes you on a 160-story journey with mesmerizing Dubai vistas.
After you've seen the city, though, there's not much else to do up there. It
can get crowded. It's the iconic structure that Tom Cruise scaled in Mission
Impossible, and it takes some nerve to stand on the observation platform. A
visit to Dubai isn't complete without taking the elevator, even if it's not as awe-inspiring
as other high-rise sites we've visited worldwide. Secure your skip-the-line
passes for the Burj Khalifa's 124th, 125th, and 148th floors to breeze past
security lines. You can easily cancel this excursion up to 24 hours in advance
for the best experience.
2. Dubai Marina
While downtown Dubai doesn't
offer much for a leisurely stroll, the Dubai Marina provides a beautiful
promenade to wander along. You can book boat tours and dinner cruises at the
world's second-largest man-made marina, surrounded by eateries and coffee
shops. It quickly became our favorite spot to spend evenings in Dubai.
The marina is enclosed by striking shopping malls and towering skyscrapers, in line with the city's grandeur. For an exhilarating experience, head to the Amwaj Towers in Dubai Marina and ride one of the world's steepest and fastest zip lines across the water to the Dubai Water Mall. You'll soar for a kilometer at speeds up to 80 km/h.
Consider the breakfast yacht trip for a fantastic and reasonably priced way to enjoy the luxury of a Dubai vacation, including a morning cruise and breakfast (a barbecue cruise is also available at sunset). From the marina, you'll sail to Blue Water Island, offering breathtaking views of the Burj-Al-Arab, The Palm Jumeirah, and Jumeirah Beach.
3. Dubai Mall
While we didn't initially
emphasize the appeal of malls, Dubai's malls are truly remarkable and shouldn't
be missed. The Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping center, offers much
more than just boutiques and clothing stores.
The
Dubai Mall houses the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, where you can even go
shark diving. Additionally, you can enjoy a skating rink, waterfalls, and
upscale retail shops where you can spend an entire day exploring. The Mall of
the Emirates also offers skiing, snowboarding, movies, and shopping. In Dubai,
there's an abundance of malls where you can freely indulge in shopping. Many
hotels provide complimentary shuttle service to these malls. One of the most
impressive sights we encountered before visiting Dubai was the indoor ski
resort known as Ski Dubai. Skiing indoors was a unique experience for a visitor
from Canada.
Dubai
takes everything to a higher level, offering ice skating, skiing, water parks,
and even scuba diving in a massive fish tank at its malls. You could easily
spend an entire day at the mall, escaping the scorching desert heat outside in
the air-conditioned comfort.
4. Fountain Show
Like the Bellagio in Las
Vegas, Dubai's Fountain Show is a mesmerizing water and light performance. What
sets it apart is that it's the largest and most spectacular fountain show on
the planet. You shouldn't miss visiting the Dubai Fountain when you're in
Dubai.
Every
night until midnight, a ten-minute water and light show is performed every half
an hour. What's unique is that the tunes, light show, and choreography change
continuously, so you'll never see the same show twice. Arriving ten minutes
early allows you to secure a prime front-row location by the fence.
Alternatively, you can opt to sit at one of the restaurants overlooking the
lake where the show takes place. Personally, we found the show to be truly
spectacular.
5. The Palm Court Dubai
is a city best
experienced from the air, providing a breathtaking view of The Palm Jumeirah.
This technical marvel is difficult to comprehend as Dubai has added 650
kilometers of shoreline for its residents to enjoy and work on. Fourteen
kilometers off the coast of Dubai lies a map of the world showcasing numerous
artificial islands ready to be developed. One of today's marvels is The Palm
Jumeirah, an entire archipelago of artificial islands jutting into the Persian
Gulf.
The
Palm is home to the renowned Atlantis - The Palm, offering a tourist
destination in itself. While jet boat tours, canoeing, and various water activities
are available, one of Dubai's must-try extreme experiences is skydiving over
The Palm. The Atlantis - The Palm provides every amenity a family or couple
could desire in a five-star resort. Tandem skydiving over Dubai is also an
option through Skydive Dubai. To discover more thrilling adventures in Dubai,
check out their website.
6. Dubai Creek
Taking a water taxi along
Dubai Creek is an affordable and enjoyable way to explore the city's historic
district. Dubai Creek is composed of Deira and Bur Dubai, and a full-day tour
of Dubai offers a chance to see many of the city's most significant
attractions, including this historically rich area. Exploring the historic city
was our favorite activity in Dubai.
Dubai Creek offers a delightful afternoon experience, featuring everything from mosques and the Dubai Heritage Village to river cruises and bustling bazaars. Thanks to a guided walking tour, we were able to explore the Fahidi neighborhood, the Spice Souk, the Bur Dubai Souk, and Old Dubai. Additionally, we had the opportunity to learn about Dubai's history aboard an abra boat.