Heading to Dubai and looking for the top things to do in Dubai. Well you are in luck as I take you through some of the best places to have fun in Dubai. I was in awe of the scale of modern development to the country and what money has certainly bought the country. There are plenty of great activities in Dubai to please people of all ages.
I was lucky that during this visit I had my friend to show me around the city to get the most of my visit exploring the list of Dubai tourist places below. With an all year round sun (something we only dream about in London), what more could a girl ask for? Well, this girl wanted to know where the Malls were, after all the malls are all among lists of Dubai must-see places.
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Having enjoyed the sun and exploring the old and new Dubai, the beautiful malls and great activities I must say, Dubai certainly has wow factor and then some! Here are my top 10 things to do in Dubai if you happen to be seeking sun, sea and sand in the Middle East.
View of Burj Al Arab from The Madinat Souk in Jumeirah
Top 10 Things To Do In Dubai
10. Stay at…Jumeirah Emirates Towers.
It doesn’t get any more convenient than Sheik Zayed Road. Beautifully located and overlooks Burj Khalifa in the distance. Great service with a contemporary feel to the décor. There are other options around the area but I like the location and the fact that it was fairly central and close to Dubai Mall, World Trade Centre and Emirates Mall.
For full list of options on where to stay in Dubai, check on my guide on the best places to stay on Dubai Marina as well as a guide to the best areas to stay in Dubai. What better way to experience all the things to do in Dubai for tourists than in the comfort of a well-located hotel or apartment.
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| Dubai Mall – Indoor Water feature |
9. Spend the day…Getting lost in Dubai Mall.
If can’t find it here then it probably doesn’t exist. I am only kidding, but that should give you an idea of how big this place is. This is something to experience! They call it the “social and lifestyle experience” and a great addition to your Dubai activities itinerary.
Whether you are a novice shopper or an old hand, you have to experience the spectacular array of outlets; all 1,200 of them! Entertainment options from ski slopes, Sega, an aquarium and cinema reels. When you need a break from all that, you can feast your way around the world with restaurants and cafes serving food from world cuisines. If you are still belly-aching for more because you are some voracious tourist, then you can have more! Just step on outside for a spectacular show.
Ever seen water dance?! Well Step outside and you should be able to answer yes to that question if anyone ever asks. Another must see in Dubai is, of course, The Dubai Fountain! Water projected as high as 500 meters and choreographed to music. When I was there the spraying was swaying to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Yes, they also had that scary laugh at the end of the song while the water turned to mist. It was definitely time to head back for some shut eye and get ready for another day of exploring.
Time to time they change the water sequence as well as the music the water dances to. So, if you are looking for must see attractions in Dubai, this is one to check out especially in the evenings as things wind down.
8. Stroll around…Madinat Souk.
Built in Arabic old style architecture and features a labyrinth of little alleyways that attempt to obscure the shops and array of restaurants around the Souk. With Lantern-lit hallways, narrow water ways and the faint smell of oils and aromatic scents with prices being negotiable, you can try and haggle yourself a bargain.
Not as authentic as I thought it would be though, but still another beautiful place to hang out. It also offers an amazing view of the Burj Al Arab(picture at the top of this post). In addition to adding the Madinat Souk to your Dubai must-see places, is adding the Abra boat ride when you visit the souk. If you are staying at Jumeirah Beach hotel, the rides are free.
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| Burj Al Arab – 27th Floor Sky Bar |
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| Burj Al Arab – Afternoon Tea Session |
7. Have Afternoon Tea at…Burj Al Arab.
This is the ultimate in the top 1o activities to do in Dubai. I am sure you have heard of this self-proclaimed 7-star hotel ( official ratings only go up to 5 stars). Its among the top in places worth visiting in Dubai. Dominating the skyline from many angles around the city.
You couldn’t ignore it if you tried. The world’s tallest hotel with world-class service. My friend and I were booked for an afternoon tea in the Sky View Bar on the 27th Floor. We also struck luck as we were moved to the corner window side table which had views of the Palm Island and Jumeirah Beach.
You cannot come to Dubai without sipping fine tea 200 meters above sea level, quenching your thirst while the jazz music soothes the mind allowing you to dream a little whilst the sun is setting right before your eyes. The main lobby of the hotel also has a water fountain that has fantastic rhythmic synchronisation to the water.
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| Anyone for a gold belt?… |
6. Buy…Gold at Gold Souk.
This is among things not to miss in Dubai. That’s if you didn’t manage to buy yourself a gold bar from the ATM in Dubai Mall. Yes, I did spot an ATM you could bar gold bars from. Well considering the fact that Dubai is known for cheap gold (not bad quality but cheap as in great prices compared to other countries), no wonder they can afford to have ATMs with gold bars. If you fancy yourself as a bargain hunter, also check out these cheap things to do in Dubai.
You just can’t haggle at the ATM, so instead, you head for the Gold Souk in Khalid Bin Waleed Road. Here you will find window displays with more gold than should be allowed. I now understand why people get gold teeth! Well, I guess at that point you have so much gold that you don’t even know what to do with it. So instead you just throw a few bars in your mouth and chew on that for a while.
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| Dubai Creek for Old Dubai |
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| Dubai Creek |
5. Have dinner on…A Boat on Dubai Creek.
This is among top Dubai attractions and activities, if only for the experience alone. Before heading out to dinner on the boat we spent some time around the creek and took the abra(wooden boats) to cross over to Deira. If you want to see the old Dubai then head to Dubai Creek as it connects Deira and Bur Dubai creating a mix of new and old. The souks are also within walking distance.
After mingling it was time to clean up and head for dinner on the boat, which circled around the creek to give you a glimpse of the towering Skyscrapers that litter the skyline. The food was absolutely fantastic with light entertainment on board.
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| Burj Khalifa – World’s Tallest Building |
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| Dubai Fountain: Growing mist as the water fountain jets starts dancing to Thriller. |
4. Get High…At Burj Khalifa.
Can you hear me?! That was my friend mattering those words as my ears hadn’t popped yet. That’s what happens when you ascend 124 floors in 60 seconds flat! Burj Khalifa has some 200+ floors and more than any other building in the world.
It’s recommended you book in advance to avoid the queues. That is for the timed ticket, or you can pay a little more and go up whenever you decide to turn up.You cannot come to Dubai and not visit the world’s tallest structure. Yes, our very own Shard here in London tried to reach the heights but fall short a few floors.
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| View of Dubai Mall from Above |
The observatory deck on the 124th floor, on a good day offers ant-like views of little cars moving about on the ground. With car lights turning into long lines forming the roadway gives you an idea of just how high up you are in the air.
3. Let your Heart skip a beat on…A Desert Safari.
This is another one in top things to do in Dubai and things not to miss in Dubai. The journey is not for the faint-hearted or those spotting dentures as you are more likely to spit those bad boys out. We were picked up from the hotel and driven to the desert. Arriving at the Desert we changed to a 4×4 for an adventurous ride in the sand dunes.
It seemed like the driver got a kick out of the ladies screaming for mercy that he decided on another extra ride in the dunes just for the fun of it. My head said “Lets do that again!” while my stomach whispered, “I swear to God if you get in that car I will show everyone what you had for breakfast!”
This was one of the highlights of my trip to Dubai. Also Playing dress up(see picture below) in the desert, getting an owl to sit on my hand, watching a belly dancer balance a sword on her head, music and great food among other things.
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| Playing dress up in the desert |
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| Dubai Desert Safari activities |
2. Watch the Sun Set at…The One and Only: Mirage.
This is one of those places to add to your night activities in Dubai. Also, the best place to watch the sun set while enjoying the early evening breeze at theOne and Only Mirage. We enjoyed a cozy and quiet Moroccan tea session on the rooftop terrace beautifully decorated with embroidered cushions, candle lights. The place is laid back, allowing you to just chill out and unwind and stay in the moment.
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| Roof Top Terrace at One and Only: Mirage |
1. Recover at…A Ladies Only Spa.
It was time to chill out after all of that. Dubai in all of its luxury you won’t fail to find a spot to pumper yourself. That goes for the guys too. Among the cool places to are Dubai spas. My friend booked us into a ladies only spa were be had the Arabic hammam(Moroccan baths).
A place where you get a good scrub down(AND I mean a REALLY good scrub down). Nails done, massages, it was now time to have some henna done. I had 2 people, one working and doodling away with henna on my hands and the other drawing some fancy designs on my feet. So relaxing I almost fell asleep.
We are at 1, the countdown over. It was time to return home. Chilled and relaxed. The perfect ending to my week in Dubai.
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| To go home or not to go, that is the question… |
If you also happen to have a transit stop over for a couple of hours in Dubai then heard for Dubai Mall or even Burj Khalifa for quick exploring. The journey from the airport to Burj Khalifa station is about 30 minutes so a round trip of about an hour and factor in some time to look around too then back to the airport.
There is more to see and do in Dubai, Dubai helicopter tours or sky diving over the Palm Island, there is an adventure to be hard for all. I would love to do a skydive near the Palm or the World Islands, but want to see Oman first before heading back to Dubai.
So have you been to Dubai, anything else you can add to the above top 10 best things to do in Dubai? If you haven’t been, what are you waiting for?
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- The Ultimate Travel Guide To Santorini
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I'm pinning your post on my board, places I would like to visit. Wow, I'm so jelly. How much did you spend on average? Does one need a lot of spending cash? How much are the rooms per night?
Hi Sheila, no, one does not need that much cash at all! Your comment actually prompted me to look at my accommodation booking on booking.com I actually did a double take when I was looking at my room rate in Dubai. It turned out that the price I paid for all my 5 nights was still less than the daily rate for the room I had(my eyes jumped out). It pays to shop around as well as booking when its not the peak season…Also you can avoid going in the summer as one its expensive and two its hot as hell! The only splurge was my afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab and the desert safari. The rest of it was reasonable, ie metro, plenty to see in the malls all FREE unless you want to take part in the activities but again reasonably priced. Yep a definite must see. Let me know if you are up there and if you need any tips 😀
Thanks Bianca, I'm one of your latest subscribers and you should link up your post with Wordless Wednesdays.http://judyh-jsthoughts.blogspot.com/2013/06/lovely-daylily-wordless-wednesday-linky.html
You need to share your trip with others!
Thanks Sheila. I did and will join more.
I was originally planning a trip to Dubai for 2014 but opted for a trip to Spain in late December of this year. I'm still open to visiting Dubai but it maybe going into 2015 (when I turn 40) as I plan to celebrate by visiting several countries the entire year as a part of a yearlong celebration through travel. Love the sites and plan to visit if not all, most on your top 10 list.
Hey. It is a beauitiful country, I am sure you will love it there. Hopefully I can see more of the middle eastern region soon.
Hey Bianca, great list of things to do in Dubai! I love the views from the top of Burj Khalifa. ATMs with gold bars? That's insane! Great post!
I always prefer to read the quality content and this thing I found in you post. Thanks for sharing.A very good resource for everybody that wants to read a good blog.
Arun Panchariya in Dubai
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I loved your list of things to do in Dubai, I was planning a trip to Dubai this year end and am glad I went through this post!!
Regards,
Indeed some of the best things to do in Dubai that you have shared.
Great Work.
Keep Sharing! 🙂
Thanks for sharing great information about things to do in Dubai.
Hello I wanted to know if you can give the name of the ladies only spa you went to or give some other recommendations.
Great pics! I enjoy reading your post. I'm sure you had a super fun travel! 🙂
Good vibes Fox
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Great tips! thank you for sharing!
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It was such a great tips, but I have a question…
I have this plan to traveling to Dubai on August and your tip number 7 was exactly what I want. I heard that everything in Dubai is so expensive, so would you mind if I ask how much did it cost for booking table and having afternoon tea there? And should I book the table by my hotel?
Thank you in advance for your time.
Its not that expensive. I think afternoon tea was about £40-50 at the time when I booked. You can book directly with them. Just go to their site and book directly.
Thanks for sharing with us, I will be always your follower.
things to do in dubai
I love the idea of having tea at the Burj Al Arab. I can just imagine how spectacular the views must be. It’s something that I would love to do. I have bookmarked the post for the next time I am in Dubai. 🙂
The views are beautiful! Definitely worth checking out when in Dubai, that is unless you can also afford staying then do that too 😀
Hi
I am visiting Dubai for 3 days do your think we can add Abu Dhabi and still be able to do as many of the top things to do in Dubai that you have mentioned in your post? Thanks!
Hi Bee, can you recommend things to do in Dubai Marina Walk?
Hi Bonnie, there are plenty of things to do in Dubai Marina, from boat cruise tours, there are restaurants, clubs and bars. You also have the Marina mall with activities there most nights so there are plenty of things do at night, for adults and kids alike.
I would love to visit Dubai. This place just looks amazing!!! So many amazing thing to do in Dubai. Hopefully 2019 will be it.
Such and amazing list of must things to do in Dubai. I am visiting Dubai in April for the third time and have been looking for inspiration on things to do when I visit Dubai. I love that you also have a post on what to pack for Dubai. I am really loving how comprehensive your blog posts are. Thank you so much for your Dubai travel tips.
Glad you found the posts useful. I hope you have an amazing time in Dubai.
I am visiting Dubai in March and have been searching for things to do in Dubai on weekends as I am only in Dubai for 2 days and looking for activities to do before I head to Abu Dhabi for business meetings. This is amazing. So looking forward to checking out some of the things to do in Dubai malls. Especially the skiing.
Yes, Dubai has had rapid development and there are plenty of things to do in Dubai that you will be able to fully make the most of the weekend in Dubai you have before heading to Abu Dhabi. I also have a post on things to do in Abu Dhabi with more tips on what to do there.
Really great list of things to do in Dubai. Just wondering if you have any additional tips on things to do in Dubai for kids?
Hey Jennie, there is plenty to do with kids in Dubai and for plenty of ages. From things to do in Dubai with toddlers to older kids. There is Wadi water park, there are malls with alot of kids activities, there are moving screenings of kids, there are playgrounds for kids. Plenty! Dubai caters for all.