Dubai is a city that must be seen to be a believed. Dubai is a city of wonders and unbelievable structures where record-breaking architectures stand alongside traditional quarters. In Dubai, islands are made out of the striking coastline. The city treasures great love for tourists, combining the mystique and history of the Arabian Desert with the most recent amenities of the modern metropolis.
With a population of over 3 million, Dubai is a city that is mostly known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Of course, you can’t talk about iconic places in Dubai without talking about the Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower which dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. It is unarguably the tallest building in the world. And there’s Dubai Fountain which is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. It is set on the 12 hectare man-made Burj Khalifa Lake, at the center of the Downtown Dubai Development.
You sure cannot talk about history without mentioning the city of Dubai, which is why over 15 million international visitors troop in every year to see the beauties and wonders of the city, making it one of the most visited cities in the world.
Let’s look at the 10 best things you can do when you are paying a visit to the beautiful city of Dubai.
1. A trip to the tallest building in the world
Rising above 2,722 feet above the city, the Burj Khalifa proudly holds the title of the ‘world’s tallest building’. The Burj Khalifa is also the tallest free-standing structure in the world and home to the highest outdoor observation deck in the world. Visitors are invited to ride the elevator to the 12th floor for awesome and exciting city vistas extending all out to the Persian Gulf. Telescopes are also available to show scenes of the city from different points in time, allowing you experience every stage of the city’s history.
2. Flex your credit card
The massive Dubai Mall is one of the largest shopping centers in the world and houses more than 1300 stores so if you love to shop a lot, you are to find everything you can possibly need inside the mall’s sprawling square footage. The mall contains numerous entertainment facilities such as an ice rink, a movie theater, an enormous aquarium that houses thousands of underwater creatures, an augmented reality theme park, and several kid-friendly attractions.
3. Have some fun at the waterpark
Wild Wadi Waterpark is a collection of 30 water rides and play areas designed for all ages. The park is located at the foot of the Burj Al Arab and it is modeled after the tale of Juha, a known character from the Arabian folklore. People who have visited this park have testified that this park is a guaranteed hit with kids of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers.
4. Straight to the subzero wonderland
Ski Dubai is the Middle East’s first indoor ski center situated inside the Mall of the Emirates. The resort boasts an 85m high indoor mountain with 5 slopes of varying steepness and difficulty, a 400m long run, the world’s first indoor black diamond run, and several other fun features. Adjoining the slopes is a 3,000 square-meter snow park play area comprising sled and toboggan runs, an icy body slide, climbing towers, giant snowballs and an ice cave. Ski Dubai also houses a number of penguins which the public can directly interact with.
5. Connect with history at the Dubai Museum
This museum gives visitors a glimpse of what the old city looked like and how it has transitioned into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Dubai Museum occupies the Al Fahidi Fort, which is the oldest building in Dubai, previously used by the monarch and as a defense station. If you take a good walk around the museum, you’ll find everything from goods sold in the 1950s, located in the markets wing, to information about the marine life that lies under the Arabian Gulf.
6. Make sure you see the Miracle Garden
The Dubai Miracle Garden is a flower garden located in the district of Dubailand, Dubai. The garden was launched on Valentine’s Day in 2013. The garden occupies over 72,000 square meters; making it the world’s largest natural flower garden (Dubai won’t just stop making history heh?) featuring over 50 million flowers and 250 million plants. Your trip to Dubai won’t be overly great without a trip to this Miracle Garden.
7. Witness the water dance
The Dubai Fountain, located at the base of the iconic Burj Khalifa and just outside the doors of the famous Dubai Mall, features the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. This popular dancing water show skies water streams as high as 150 meters in the air. Each stream colorful, the illuminated jet sways in time to various musical numbers from around the world, producing what has become one of the most popular shows in Dubai.
8. The Walk and Beach
If you love to shop, eat good food, see a movie and go to the beach all in one place, then The Beach is where you need to be. On weekends, DJs are always busy with their controllers, making sure the guests are well entertained; you’ll also find a regular open-air cinema and a popular water park to entertain the little ones. This place is just always buzzing and not forgetting that if your tummy needs to be filled up, there are arrays of restaurants and lounges around.
9. Hit the waves on the Kite Beach
The Kite Beach is the perfect spot to test out your water sports skills, but there’s plenty to do out of the water too. There are many open-air cafes and restaurants just inches from the beach, you can also watch bikers and skaters fly by at the skate part. There’s also a volleyball court just in case you are in the mood to exploit your volleyball skills.
10. How could you not traverse the desert?
You can enjoy the marvels of the Arabian desert which is the original tourist attraction of Dubai. On this desert, you can dune bash, quad bike and sandboard complimented by traditional barbeques, henna and camel rides. It is indeed a great place to be and what’s a trip to Dubai without going to the desert?
Other notable things to do and places to visit in Dubai are:
- Burj Al Arab
- Aquaventure Waterpark and Atlantis, The Palm as a whole
- Dubai Parks and Resorts Theme Park
- Laguna Waterpark and La Mer as a whole
- Souk Madinat Jumeirah
- Bluewaters Island
- Skydive Dubai
- City Walk
- Dubai Frame
- Dubai Safari Park
