Tourist Places To Visit In Dubai

Dubai, one of the prime cities of the world, is a shining jewel in the UAE. It is a country that has grown up and stood on its own two feet, from barren deserts to an oil rich business and tourism hub. Dubai presents a combination of modern architecture, skyscrapers and glitzy malls, as well as old-world charm, traditional souks, abras (water taxis) and sites of historical interest. Blessed with golden sunshine and silvery beaches, it is a tourist’s delight, with spectacles like Desert safaris and Burj Khalifa, Atlantis and the shopping paradise -- Dubai Mall. Here are some of the top tourist places to visit in Dubai.

The Burj Al Arab, or the Tower of the Arabs is a luxury hotel in the shape of a billowing sail. It soars to a height of 321 meters, and, along with Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, dominates the Dubai skyline. Burj Al Arab is the fourth-tallest hotel in the world. An iconic symbol of Dubai, no trip to the city is complete without a visit to this majestic hotel. There are various viewing points from where you can take photos with family and friends. There is a public beach right next to it, and pictures taken from the beach look even more beautiful. It is one of the most photographed structures in the world and has consistently been voted as the world’s most luxurious hotel. In the night, it is illuminated by choreographed lighting. The structure looks impressive, be it day or night.

The Dubai Fountains, the world’s largest dancing fountains, are located at the base of the Burj Khalifa building. The fountain is set on the 30-acre Burj Khalifa Lake. It shoots water jets as high as 500 feet, which would be the equivalent of a 50-storey building. It is 900 feet long and has five circles of varying sizes and two central arcs. The light beam that shoots up from the Dubai Fountains can be spotted from over 20 miles away.

This iconic hotel is located on the Plam Jumeirah, which is one of the world’s largest artificial islands. The resort has many hot-spots, such as The Lost Chambers, which is a marine habitat; Aquaventure, which is a water park; pristine beaches; 18 restaurants offering cuisine from all across the world; ShuiQi - a top-notch spa, and boutiques.

This is an indoor ski resort, the first of its kind in the Middle East, offering activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing. The resort will provide you with everything you need – winter clothing, skis, snowboarding equipment, shoes, everything. You can ski down the slope, and come up with the quad-chairlift and tow lift.

Located next to the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, is the Wild Wadi Water Park. It has a temperature-controlled wave pool, surfing machines and many water slides. You can see the magnificent 18-metre waterfall that goes off every ten minutes. The water park also has restaurants, gift shops and snack stands to keep you busy. It was featured in different seasons of the popular TV show 'The Amazing Race', in which teams had to slide down a 21-metre drop.

Dubai’s deserts are not those fabled places of sand dunes lost in the wild with nothing for miles and miles. Instead, they host events and camps and desert safaris, where you can hop into off-roading vehicles and go for a spin over dunes. Pitstops include camel farms, sunset points, cabanas offering local music, henna and souvenirs, followed by dinner by a camp fire with shisha. You can indulge in special Arabic belly dance shows, go for camel rides, enjoy quad biking and sand boarding too.

Designed in the shape of an ornate palm tree, this jewel of a manmade island called Palm Jumeirah is Dubai’s playground for the rich and famous. 2 islands come together to form this archipelago, offering amazing tourist entertainment in the form of some major places like the Burj Khalifa. Speedboats leave the mainland periodically to take you to this island. A day spent here enjoying the restaurants, observation decks and malls is perfect.

The Dubai Fountain is one of the most stunning fountains shows in the world. Dubai was the foremost in creating such entertainment out of a fountain. This also happens to be the tallest in the world. With a height of 900 ft, the Dubai Fountain is enhanced by stunning lights, sounds and a choreography that tells a beautiful story. Locals as well as visitors surround the place every evening to watch the show come alive. Many songs from different cultures and international albums are utilised to create newer performances.

Famous among the world media as the tallest building in the world — Burj Khalifa is huge. It is a skyscraper with 8 escalators and more than 50 elevators, with an exotic interior that exudes opulence and Arabic artistry. An insane amount of money went into building it, and today you can simply go visit its 124th floor observation deck or dine in one of its restaurants like Mission 828 VR, Cafe Treat etc. It is a literal prestige to be on Burj Khalifa at any given time.

The marina in Dubai is flourishing for its business and trade travel as well as due to the heavy tourist traffic. The Dubai Marina is the world’s biggest marina made by man, with towers, eateries, cafes and condos by the curb. The waterfront district is perfect to go for a walk and spend an evening. It is teeming with a melting pot of cultures, with people from all walks of life enjoying some time off. You can even take a boat or yacht ride in the canal.

Dubai is synonymous with shopping, especially if you choose to visit during the winter Dubai Festival. The Dubai Mall is one of the leading shopping hubs of the city, being the largest mall in the world. With 22 movie theatre screens, more than 100 dining places, and 1200+ stores — the Dubai Mall is a shopaholic’s dream come true. You can also visit the Dubai Ice Rink and Dubai Underwater Zoo here. If you are here with kids then do take them to KidZania.

Global Village is a major cultural feast in Dubai, with shopping and entertainment for all. There are around 31 pavilions here, with each pavilion themed after one country. You can visit the pavilions and experience the culture, food and street style of that country without even stepping out of Dubai. How cool is that! And then there’s more — from rides to fantasy shows, street shows to local cuisines from all around the globe. Some of the most famous shows are Jamaica Drum, Honolo-loop, Miami Surf, Vroom UAE and the Stunt Show Survivor.

Located in the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is one of the best of its kind in the world. With a suspended aquarium, this zoo comprises of all kinds of marine fauna and flora floating in the tunnels through which you walk. Endangered species like tiger sharks are protected here in their natural habitat. Another couple of species are specially conserved in their natural habitat -- from rocky shores to oceans to rainforests, constructed just for them.

Nature enthusiasts and lovers of the outdoors — this is for you. The Dubai Miracle Garden is all about flora in the middle of a desert. Like an oasis of magic, flowers bloom and create a beautiful garden here. Models of everything from Burj Khalifa to animals and vehicles are on display here for you to see. Special effects make these machines animated, bringing the miracles alive. Some amazing places to explore inside are the Umbrella Tunnel, Floral Clock, Lake Park and of course — the Giant Teddy Bear.

A stunning frame made 150 m tall and 93 m wide, this is the place to enjoy the artistic and technological advancement of Dubai. From the skywalk here you get to see the Old Dubai, but this requires a level of courage to tread as the bottom of this bridge is made of glass. You can also see the newer, developed Dubai on the other side. Photography is greatly indulged in here.

A fun, amazing place where nerds, kids, adults and older adults get lost in the fantasy of lego — Legoland Waterpark. It is here where lego meets a waterpark setup, with rides like Build-A-Raft River and Build-A-Boat in lego form to take you on a wild journey. Other attractive rides here are Wave Rider, Twin Chasers, LEGO Wave Pool, LEGO Slide racers and Red Rush. Joker Soaker and Lego Slide Racers are also not to be missed kinda rides! All in all, Legoland is a family place  and makes for a perfect day out.

For car lovers, Ferrari World is the best place to visit when in Dubai. It is in Abu Dhabi, but you can easily visit this island from Dubai. This theme park is centred around cars, vehicles and other automobiles. You can even drive a Ferrari on your own, or watch 3D animation shows at the theatres. Other cool things to do here include Fiorano GT Challenge, Formula Rossa, Ferrari Store, Speed of Magic, Scuderia Challenge, The Pit Wall, G-Force, V12 etc.