Thousands of people visit Dubai every year. Thousands more return every year, impressed with the wonderful sights and experiences on offer. Dubai has literally become the entertainment capital of the world. The lively, exotic nightlife, inspiring architecture, incredible views and fabulous theme parks have put Dubai on the must-visit map. Combine all of this with bespoke luxury, grandeur and a pompous lifestyle and you’ve got an unbeatable destination.
Table of Contents
Burj Khalifa
The tallest building of the world pierces the turquoise blue skies with its thin spire. White clouds swirl around the tip. It’s enough to give you vertigo just looking at the building. Then there are the mesmerizing views from the two observatory decks – the At The Top deck on the 124th floor and the one on the 148th floor. Feast your eyes on the views with the desert on one side and the sea on the other, with the fabulous city sandwiched in between. There are telescopes placed at intervals on the 124th floor, to help you focus on specific views. If you are the daring type, step outside the glass-walled observatory deck on to the free flowing parapet wall and feel the wind buffet you at high speeds. That’s high living!
VR Park Dubai
VR Entertainment Park Dubai is the place to head to if you want to experience life scoped out in virtual reality. Imagine falling off from the top of the Burj Khalifa – imagine the sheer fright and the thrill. It’s a virtual reality experience, so you know you won’t be hurt, but it’s so real, the adrenalin rush is very much there. Imagine fighting with King Kong, the killer ape. Imagine flying over the world, swooping up and down on a magical carpet. The vertigo is real, as is the fear you’ll feel. There are scores of virtual reality games at VR Park for different age groups. Of course, you’ll need to be in perfect health and within a certain age limit to enjoy them.
Dubai Creek
This natural saltwater creek has been the source of Dubai’s trade for ages. It cuts through the center of the city, dividing the city into two. Bordering either side are the Bur Dubai Village and Deira Village, both famous for their wonderful spice, gold and textile souqs. Explore the creek using the traditional wooden vessel called the Abra. You’ll be thrilled with the picturesque view of the town. Visit the souqs on both sides and shop for exotic Arabian goods. The Dubai Creek is one of the top places to visit in Dubai with Family.
Dubai Aquarium
Sign up for the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and you’ll be entering a wonderland of marine life that you’ll not want to leave. The underwater zoo takes you through a transparent acrylic tunnel where you’re surrounded by manta rays, killer sharks and scores of other marine life. You can even take a glass-bottom boat tour in the aquarium, looking at the animals swimming. Enjoy cage snorkelling and shark diving and so much more.
Dubai Global Village
If you want to visit every nation in the world, your wish will be fulfilled by just visiting the Dubai Global Village. Here you’ll find multiple pavilions and stalls, each representing a vast number of nations. Enjoy shopping for cultural treasures, clothes, music and movie CDs, food and other treats from various countries. It’s like actually visiting that many countries, all in one humungous space in Dubai.
Ibn Battuta Mall
If you’re tired of jazzy, glamourous malls and you’re looking for a shopping experience with some substance, head to the Ibn Battuta Mall. It’s the biggest theme-based mall in the world, based on the famous traveller Ibn Battuta who travelled the world in 1335. He visited six different lands – Egypt, Persia, India, Tunisia, China and Andalusia. The mall therefore is divided into six themed sections, each designed to represent the splendour of that nation’s architecture. Visit this mall to enjoy the beautiful Mughlai architecture, and the Elephant Clock, created by inventor Al Jazari.
Dubai Desert
Explore Dubai’s fabulous desert by signing up for a desert safari. The desert is the place to enjoy adrenalin-jerking desert sports such as dune bashing, quad biking and sand boarding. You can even ride beautifully-decorated Arabian camels on the undulating dunes – it’s quite the experience. During the evening and overnight safaris, you’ll be exposed to a decadent Arabian cultural experience that includes belly dancing, Tanura dancing and henna tattooing. A fine Emirati buffet dinner culminates your evening safari experience.
Dubai Dolphinarium
Located near the Creekside Park, the Dubai Dolphinarium offers the ultimate fun and educational encounters with dolphins. There’s also a fish farm and coral reef aquarium at the Dolphinarium. Onsite counsellors educate visitors on the dire need for conserving dolphins and other endangered marine life.
Ski Dubai
One of the most amazing experiences to enjoy in the sizzling desert of Dubai is Ski Dubai, the largest indoor ski resort in the Middle East. Spread out on an area spanning 22,500 square meters, Ski Dubai is dedicated to skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and other snow activities. There’s an ice cave for kids, along with a charming penguin park. You will totally forget that you’re in the middle of a desert and that Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort. When you make it out of Ski Dubai, the heat of Dubai will come as a complete shock to you.
IMG Worlds of Adventure
IMG Worlds of Adventure is the world’s largest indoor amusement park. At IMG Worlds of Adventure, characters from Cartoon Network and Marvel Comics come to life via immersive rides and experiences. At the Marvel Zone, you’ll enjoy fun rides based on superman, spiderman, the Hulk, Thor and the Avengers and others. The Cartoon Network Zone takes you into the world of the Power Puff Girls, Bugs Bunny and other toons. At the Lost Valley Zone, you’ll enjoy a massive dinosaur adventure, along with Fred Flintstone and family. There’s plenty of shopping and eating venues for the grownups to enjoy while the kiddies are busy with the rides.
Dubai has innumerable attractions, each more attractive and more compelling than the other. Our post includes only 10 of them, but plan your vacation taking other attractions into consideration as well. You’ll want to enjoy high tea at a café in the Burj Al Arab and feast your eyes on the interiors of this magnificent hotel. You’ll definitely want to explore the Dubai Mall and enjoy the Dubai Fountains. You’ll want to stand on top of The Frame and enjoy the magnificent view. As we said, there’s more to Dubai than can be covered in a single post. So do your homework and plan a nice long vacation.
There are 5 comments
Dubai is high on my list. I flew many times to Dubai on my way to Australia, but next time I’ll make sure I plan a couple of days for a short visit. This post is a good overview. Thanks for sharing. Especially the desert safari in Dubai sounds intriguing.
Thanks Michela!
I was in Dubai in January. It’s an amazing place. We were only there on a long stopover so didn’t see all the places in your post so now, of course, we need to go back and see some more.