4 Breathtaking Places You Need To Visit In Dubai
What do you think of when you think of Dubai? The truth is it’s so many things at once. Many people see it as a rich playboy’s playground and an almost mythical paradise in the middle of the desert but it’s also a hub to the rest of the world and the Middle East.
Although it's an oil-rich nation, in fact, oil accounts for just 1% of its GDP. What makes Dubai so wealthy is the way in which the state has utilized its location in the center of the world so that the city acts as a bridge between Europe in the West and Asia and Oceania in the East.
So here are 4 of the best Dubai places to visit and why it should be on your travel bucket list.
Burj Khalifa
The worlds’ tallest building is a metaphor for Dubai itself. This Dubai landmark is so grand and tall, it trumps everything else around it. It’s 828 meters or 2,716.5 feet high, with more than 160 stories. This is the highest number of stories on any building in the world and also the elevator with the longest travel distance of any building in the world.
In fact, these are just some of the records the building breaks, read our fact sheet for more interesting statistics about this remarkable building.
Its observation deck on the 148th floor called Sky offers spectacular, unrivaled views of the city, the desert and beyond.
Any account-based marketing (ABM) company that has its offices in a building like this is worth its weight in gold. Indeed Dubai is a big capital for finance, marketing, and big business. You can find a lot more about ABM companies here.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Hotel
But Dubai is not just about offices and work. People come to Dubai to rest up and live a life of luxury. And what better place to come and have your every whim catered to than the most luxurious hotel in the world, another one of the famous buildings in Dubai.
Order an Uber Chopper direct from the airport (what other kind of Uber would you take when in Dubai?) and land on the hotel’s helipad before being shown to one of 201 luxurious duplex apartments and five swimming pools.
It's perfectly placed on its own island and has everything you could think of: spas, restaurants and a view deck for sunset cocktails. It even comes with complimentary access to a water park. Rooms start at $2,000.
Atlantis, The Palm
Another iconic location on the Dubai skyline, Atlantis. The Palm is a five-star hotel which is also housed on its own island. The perks of this hotel are, as the name suggests, its aquatic marine creatures.
The aquarium is home to 65,000 animals and it also boasts an underwater suite - there aren’t many hotels in the world that offers this - and a dolphin bay where you can learn to scuba dive or snorkel with some of the world’s incredible animals. This includes - if you are brave enough - sharks!
But even if you’re not staying here it's worth paying Atlantis a visit in the evening, particularly if food is your thing. There are 23 different restaurants and bars which serve food from 28 different types of cuisine. Nobody in your party will ever leave with a hungry stomach. And what’s more, at night, the 700 meter Royal Beach becomes a vibrant hub and night club for one of the best nightlife experiences in Dubai.
If you want to enjoy Dubai like never before, then rent Ferrari in Dubai with your family and friends.
Dubai Places to Visit: The Old Quarter
Once-upon-a-time, Dubai wasn’t the city of pleasure and luxury it's today, it was just another sleepy fishing town in what was once known as Arabia. That was of course before oil was discovered on its sleepy shores.
But you can escape the hustle and bustle of the modern city and step back in time to see what life was once like by taking a tour of the old quarter. Start by visiting the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood which includes the Dubai Heritage Village. Here you will get a sense of what life was like in the 19th Century and see for yourself the old buildings and the rooms where families would cook after a hard day of fishing for pearls or on the ports.
Also don’t forget to drop by the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, for classes and workshops on Arabic food, dress, and religion.
Get out to the Desert
One of the top things to do in Dubai is to get lost on a desert safari. You can hire a jeep, a quad bike or other off-road vehicle and a driver to take you on an adventure through the sand dunes of the Arabian desert. It will be a bumpy ride!
As the sun sets you can have a traditional Arabian or BBQ dinner around a campfire and share stories with fellow travelers or friends. There is surely no better place to watch the sunset.
Even better, why not go ‘glamping’ - camping for people who don’t like slumming it. You can stay in a posh tent overnight with all the mod cons and a proper bed. There will be no one around for miles and you can watch the stars from afar.
Dubai Is the Place to Be
With everything you could ever ask for in one place, Dubai epitomizes the perfect travel destination. With deserts, world-class shopping malls, extravagant hotels, theme parks, and cultural experiences, you can rest assured you will never get bored. Dubai places to visit are almost never-ending.
Equally, as Dubai has one of the most well connected and efficient airports in the world you are never too far away from Dubai, whether you are in Sydney, Zurich, London or Hong Kong.
To read more about Dubai and keep up to date with the latest events, be sure to read our guide to the city for tourists.
Apart from the camel rides, other attractions of evening desert safari Dubai include quad biking, sand-boarding, sand-skiing and buggy riding. While some of these adventure sports come as a part of the package, you may have to pay extra for the others. Depending on your requirements, you can get the trip customized from the operators. In case you want to explore the desert landscape alone, quad-biking is highly recommended for you. Sand-skiing and sand-boarding are also popular sports among the tourists. The evening desert safari Dubai presents nature in a different attire to the visitors. To watch the sun pop behind the red dunes is a visual treat you would love.
