10 Must-Visit Attractions in Dubai

10 Must-Visit Attractions in Dubai

It is not wrong to say that Dubai is a place for any sort of traveller; whether you are travelling for a family vacation, a honeymoon or a solo visitor! A bit of history is blended into luxury in Dubai. It is also famous as a shopping destination and also boasts many sightseeing attractions starting from skyscrapers, aquariums, museums to beaches and island cities. So, it can be quite a difficult choice and therefore, we have listed 10 must-visit attractions in Dubai for you to add to the itinerary (Also, if you are from Hong Kong you can check out the best flight deals at Cathay Pacific by clicking on this link!) 

1. Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa which was formerly known as the Burj Dubai is one of the most famous landmarks in Dubai and also, the tallest building in the world standing to a height of 829.8 meters since 2009. It was designed by Adrian Smith and if you are wondering who it is, he is from the firm that designed the World Trade Center as well. The Burj Khalifa was built with Neo-futurism architecture. Today, it is visited by thousands of people to indulge in the 360 degrees panoramic views it offers across Dubai’s skyline at the observation deck on the 124th floor. Try to visit at night because it is a spectacular sight with all those Dubai city lights. Also, you can get the “At the Top” Entrance Ticket in advance to avoid the queues and crowds, especially if you are planning to visit the Burj Khalifa on a weekend.

2. Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall serves as the entrance to the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Aquarium, which is also a must-visit attraction in Dubai. It is one of the largest shopping malls in the world with over 200 food stalls and 1300 retail outlets which includes two anchor department stores – Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s. Head to Fashion Avenue which includes about 150 places to have a glorious fashion experience in Dubai. It is also home to many leisure attractions – Dubai Underwater Zoo, Reel Cinemas, Rainforest Cafe, Hysteria, Dubai Dino, Dubai Creek Tower Replica and KidZania. The Dubai Aquarium houses about 30,000 marine creatures, the Reel Cinemas is one of the largest cinemas in Dubai with the Megaplex cinemas, the Rainforest Cafe has a tropical rainforest vibe, Hysteria features a haunted house with a story of a missing child, the Dubai Dino has the fossil of the dinosaur named Diplodocus, Dubai Creek Tower Replica is the replica of the Dubai Creek Tower while the KidZania is a children theme park in the Dubai Mall.

3. Dubai Aquarium

Located inside the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world with over 30,000 marine creatures in it with about 140 species. It also houses the Dubai Underwater Zoo. Therefore, the Dubai Aquarium is one of the best places in Dubai to visit if you are travelling with kids of age older than 7 years. You can also participate in many underwater activities by being in a strong cage! For people who are experienced in diving, you can do it in a leisurely pace as a cage is not required to explore the aquarium and its marine creatures. There are other activities as well for the kids; they can feed the marine creatures, watch shark feeding or even ride a glass-bottom boat to get a closer look of the ocean life. However, you can also visit the Dubai Underwater Zoo which houses creatures like the King Croc, one of the largest reptiles in the world weighing about 750 kilograms!

4. Dubai Museum

Dubai Museum which is located in the Al Fahidi Fort is the most visited in Dubai. The culture and the way of life in ancient Dubai are depicted interestingly at the museum. After entering the Dubai museum through the fort gate, you will enter the gallery one which displays old maps of the city. You can also see weapons, pottery, musical instruments and life-sized dioramas dating back to the pre-oil era of Dubai in the museum. Moving ahead, you are greeted by people of different occupations; a tailor, a carpenter, an ironsmith, a craftsman, a textile vendor etc. Then you can see a mosque, a house and a small family depicting the livelihood and also, a section showing you the desert life (day and night) with a camel and a Bedouin tent. The astronomy and the natural phenomena wing will give you details about ship manufacturing, pearl diving etc. that took place as large scale industries in ancient Dubai. At last, you can visit the gift shop located on the southern side of the Dubai Museum. 

5. Jumeirah Mosque

Jumeirah Mosque is a must-visit attraction in Dubai because it is considered as one of the most beautiful out of all of Dubai’s mosques. It was opened to the public in 1979. The architectural design you see in the Jumeirah Mosque is the traditional Fatimid style originated from Syria and Egypt. The mosque looks like Egypt’s Al-Azhar Mosque but is much more attractive in the evenings when it is lit up. There is a tour available at the Jumeirah Mosque- it is carried out under the supervision of the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Cultural Understanding so that the visitors get a clear knowledge about the Muslim culture. The tours start at 10.00 AM or 2.00 PM daily and it is not available on Fridays. You can register for a tour before 30 minutes of the commencement. Also, remember to wear decent dresses, particularly ones that cover your shoulders and legs. 

6. Dubai Frame

The Dubai Frame, located in Zabeel Park is one of the most famous landmarks in Dubai. It is the largest frame in the world! The position of the frame is worthy to be mentioned as on one side you can see modern Dubai while on the other side you can see ancient Dubai. The frame is made up mostly of glass and it stands at a height of 150 meters. There are three galleries in the Dubai Frame; the old Dubai Gallery, the present Dubai and the future Dubai Gallery. In the old Dubai Gallery, you can get details on how it developed to a modern city, in the present Dubai the Sky Deck is giving you panoramic views across Dubai’s skyline and in the future Dubai Gallery, you can see how the future of Dubai is going to be with the help of visual/auditory effects. 

7. Burj al-Arab

Burj Al Arab is the seventh tallest hotel in the world standing up to a height of 321 meters. It is located in an artificial island constructed on the Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the Dubai mainland by a curved bridge. The most unique feature of Burj Al Arab hotel is its shape, designed just like the sail of a ship by the leading architect Tom Wright. The hotel is very similar to that of the Vasco da Gama Tower located in Lisbon of Portugal. However, it can be considered one of the most expensive hotels in the world because the luxury suites are starting at $15000 (in the minimum price) for one night! Try to head to the Al Mahara (Oyster) restaurant; it will be an unforgettable experience because it can be accessed with a simulated submarine voyage, to take you to an underwater aquarium with floor to ceiling glass panels so that you can have your food while enjoying the beautiful sea views.   

8. Jumeirah Beach

Jumeirah Beach is just the white sandy beach you need to head to if you need to relax in the cool breezes on a lovely evening at Dubai. The beach is very clean but it can be crowded in the high season. It is located in the Jumeirah district of Dubai, nearby the hotel Burj al-Arab. Other than that, there are many beach-side restaurants, shopping complexes, lounges and also, it provides plenty of leisure activities for its visitors like jet skiing.

9. Dubai Miracle Garden

The Dubai Miracle Garden is truly a miracle in Dubai because it is the largest flower garden in the world with over 100 million flowers and plants! It was opened on Valentine’s Day in 2013, and since then it has been the most beautiful place in Dubai city. There are many attractions within the garden spreading in an area of 72,000 square meters. The newest addition to the Dubai Miracle Garden is the Big Teddy Bear measuring to a height of 12 meters. It holds a heart made of flowers to say that it spreads love and harmony to its visitors. Other than that, the most notable attractions are Floral Clock, the Mickey Mouse, the Hilltop, the Floral Castle, the Umbrella Passage, the Giant Tortoise, the Hearts Passage and the Lake Park.