What to See and Do in Dubai – Top 10 Must-See Attractions

Overlooking the city like a kind of spaceship in the shape of a needle, Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, at over 800 meters high, and a remarkable work of technology and design. The opportunity to climb the Burj Khalifa is not to be missed. Day and night, the view is magnificent. The building has 160 floors, but you only have to go up to the 124th. Tickets purchased online, a few days in advance, are cheaper than those purchased on-site.

Dubai Mall

This shopping center is part of the Burj Khalifa complex. The size of 50 football stadiums, the Dubai Mall has more than 1,200 stores, an ice skating rink, a SEGA gaming center, a 5-star hotel, over a hundred restaurants, and cafes, and more than two dozen movie theaters, without forgetting one of the largest aquariums in the world.

Dubai Mall Aquarium

The giant aquarium is located on the ground floor of the Dubai Mall. With a capacity of 10 million liters of water, the aquarium has thousands of aquatic animals belonging to 140 different species, including 300 sharks and rays. A tunnel 48 meters long allows visitors to walk 11 meters below the surface of the tank. As a curiosity, a shark tank leak in 2010 led to the evacuation and brief closure of the aquarium and Dubai Mall.

Dubai Fountains

Next to the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Fountains offer a water show similar to the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas. The choreography of dancing waters, accompanied by modern Arabic and world music, can be seen in the afternoon and at night when the choreography of lights joins.

Bastakia

Bastakya corresponds to the historic area of ​​Dubai. It is a neighborhood built at the end of the 19th century by Persian traders attracted to Dubai by the low commercial tariffs and access to the creek, the canal that divides the city in half. The name Bastakya comes from the city of Bastak in southern Iran.

This area, located along the creek east of the Bur Dubai district, is a snapshot of old Dubai. Of the buildings rebuilt in the traditional style, the wind towers stand out, which can be considered the forerunners of the modern air conditioning system. In the port, the Al Fahidi Fort, a 200-year-old structure, houses the Dubai Museum, which portrays the city’s past as an important center of trade and pearling, and its rapid transformation into a modern metropolis.

Dubai Creek

The famous creek is the channel that divides the city in half, with the neighborhoods of Deira to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. The channel played a key role in the development of the city, attracting the first inhabitants to fishing and coral capture. It was here that Dubai settled in the 1830s with members of the Bani Yas tribe.

The dock area for dhows, typical wooden boats, located on the banks of Dubai Creek, has remained intact since those times. Honoring tradition, dhows continue to anchor daily to load and unload various products from this region of the Middle East. To cross the creek, you can board one of the dhows that have been converted into tourist cruises or the abra, a small wooden ferry that connects Bur Dubai and Deira.

Desert

A visit to Dubai is not complete without a visit to the Arabian Desert. The easiest way to explore its dunes is to go on a safari in a 4×4 vehicle. However, anyone who thinks they are going to a remote location like the Sahara desert is wrong. After riding the bumpy jeep, you will possibly come across many other tourists in a desert full of belly dancing shows and henna tattoo services.

Jumeirah Beach

Unfortunately, rapid development without proper planning has led in recent years to sewage contamination of some of Dubai’s beaches. As a result, the Dubai authorities started using the Blue Flag system to mark good beaches for bathing.

Burj Al Arab

Souks

In Dubai, there are a number of traditional bazaars to discover. In Bur Dubai, on the south bank of the creek, you will find the colorful textile souk, with an endless collection of silk, cotton, and embroidered fabrics. On the opposite bank, in Deira, you will find the gold souk, the most visited in Dubai, with hundreds of merchants selling all kinds of jewelry in gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones. Close to the gold souk, follow your nose to the spice souk where you will find saffron, fresh dates, and all kinds of exotic spices and dried fruits.