Things to Do in United Arab Emirates

Located southeast of Abu Dhabi in the middle of the sprawling desert, Masdar City appears like a mirage. Ground broke on the city in 2008 with the aim of creating the world’s most sustainable eco-city. During the hot summer months, temperatures on the streets of Masdar City run as much as 60 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celcius) cooler than in downtown Abu Dhabi, thanks to a giant wind tower channeling a refreshing breeze through the city’s streets.

Rooftop solar panels — making up one of the largest systems in the Middle East — harness the powerful sun rays to create clean energy to power the city. While only a few thousand people live and work there now, the project is expected to eventually house 40,000 people, with another 50,000 who commute in to work and study.

The city is open daily and can be explored in a couple of hours. Once visitors arrive in the parking area, a driverless vehicle whisks them across the city as part of Masdar’s personal rapid transit system. The city currently houses a dozen eateries, including a Mexican restaurant, coffee shop and sushi joint, with more moving in all the time.

Located in a fashionable part of the city on the eastern side of Dubai Marina, the Marina Mall offers more than 130 retail outlets across four levels. It’s a modern and convenient shopping and leisure destination for residents and visitors of the marina, although by Dubai standards it certainly isn’t the largest of malls.

In terms of retail outlets, Marina Mall features a mix of high street and designer brands, with a number of boutique fashion offerings thrown in too. It is also a place to visit for al fresco dining, with a promenade that extends onto the waterfront. There are a variety of other food and drink options throughout the complex, and it also features a cinema, a supermarket, and a children’s play area. The five-star Address Dubai Marina Hotel also links directly to the mall.

Perched on the Gulf of Oman on the eastern shores of the United Arab Emirates, Khor Fakkan is most famously known as a major container shipping port; there are almost always ships lining up to load, unload or refuel.

But Khor Fakkan offers appeal beyond the port. The palm tree-lined Corniche extends from the port to the Oceanic Hotel, with gardens, parks, playgrounds and kiosks scattered along the beach. A fish and produce souk gives visitors a glimpse into local life, while the Badiyah Mosque, located just outside of town, has a history dating back to the fifteenth century, making it one of the UAE’s oldest places of worship.

Jutting into the Persian Gulf from southern Dubai, the Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island in the shape of a palm tree and ringed by a crescent-shaped breakwater. The world’s biggest artificial island, it draws visitors to its palatial hotels, theme parks, and shopping malls.

 

The Palm Jumeirah offers some of Dubai’s most opulent 5-star hotels—including Atlantis, The Palm—all of them rising from its Crescent breakwater or trunk. The island’s 17 fronds are home to 1,730 private villas. Visitors come to enjoy the hotels’ beaches and dining options, as well as attractions, such as Atlantis’ Aquaventure Water Park and Lost Chambers Aquarium. Also popular are shopping malls, such as The Pointe and Golden Mile Galleria.

 

Nearly all Dubai tours include photo ops outside the Atlantis, arriving via road or the island’s monorail system. Some hop-on hop-off bus routes, meanwhile, let you alight at the Atlantis to explore at leisure, while boat and Jet Ski tours afford fabulous views of the Palm and Atlantis from the sea. However, the best option to admire the palm-shaped island design is to take a helicopter or seaplane trip that flies over the island.

 

 

The Palm extends into the Gulf from Dubai’s Al Sufouh area, midway between the Burj Al Arab and Dubai Marina. To visit, catch the monorail from the Gateway station on the trunk to Atlantis, The Palm on the Crescent breakwater. Alternatively, take a taxi to the island.

 

The Palm Monorail runs every 15 minutes, every day, from about 9am until 10pm. Check timetables before traveling, however. If you have a ticket for the Atlantis Aquaventure Water Park, aim to arrive early during the peak season (November-April) and on Friday and Saturday, to avoid the biggest crowds.

 

Though Atlantis’ main lobby is usually open to nonresidents, access may be restricted from time to time. Your best bet is to reserve a table at one of Atlantis’ on-site restaurants to ensure entry.

Since excavations began in the village of Al Hili, located 7 miles (12 kilometers) north of Al Ain, began during the 1960s, archaeological teams have uncovered ruins of settlements and tombs dating back to the Bronze Age. By 1995 the site was fully excavated, restored and opened as the Hili Archeological Park. Today, visitors from around the United Arab Emirates and the world come to see the remains of the country’s oldest settlement, where inhabitants once worked in agriculture and the copper trade.

Among the highlights of the UNESCO-listed park is a giant tomb where six hundred people were found buried. The two tomb entrances are decorated with reliefs depicting crude human and animal figures. Kids (and their parents) will appreciate the small children’s play area located within the archeological park grounds.

Located in the Mirdif neighborhood of Dubai, iFly Dubai is a skydive center that lets you replicate the experience of a parachute drop in a controlled indoor environment. iFlyers—as they’re called—fly on air gusts created in an acrylic wind tunnel. You’ll get the sensation of a real skydive—without having to jump from a plane.

iFlyers take part in an introductory briefing with an instructor before donning a wind-suit and full-face helmet and entering a 32-foot (10-meter) wind tunnel in a small group. Then, with an instructor on-hand throughout, they rise up to 13 feet (4 meters) above-ground on air gusts to experience an exhilarating, gravity-defying “flight.” Depending on the instructor’s judgment, participants may also be invited to perform flips and turns.

Visitors can prebook for iFly sessions online to save time and hassle. Options include beginner’s packages that feature two 1-minute flights, upgraded packages that offer two 2-minute flights, or virtual reality experiences that let you fly over virtual Dubai locations.  All include training and equipment. Repeat iFlyers, meanwhile, can experience two 1-minute flights specifically aimed at helping them develop their technique.

iFly is situated in the City Center Mirdif Mall in eastern Dubai. Hop in a cab—most drivers will know where it is—or take the metro to the Rashidiya stop and catch a taxi from there—it’s a few minutes’ drive. Regular shuttle buses also run from the station to the mall.

Summer is ideal for enjoying iFly; it’s indoors, so you can escape Dubai’s worst heat and avoid the center’s busiest periods during the peak winter tourist season. iFly is open daily: 12pm-10pm Sunday-Wednesday, 12pm-11pm Thursday, and 10am-11pm Friday.

Once you’ve booked for iFly, arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled flight to allow time for signing waivers. It’s best to wear a short or long top, plus long pants and trainers as you’ll need to put the supplied wind-suit over your clothes. Free lockers are available.

The Mall of the Emirates, Dubai’s second largest shopping complex after the Dubai Mall, houses 560 international retailers spread over 2,513,017 square feet (233,467 square meters) of retail space. Superlatives are plentiful — the mall houses the largest Carrefour supermarket in the city and five dozen stores made their Middle Eastern debut here.

While the shopping remains a huge draw to the Mall of the Emirates, even non-shoppers will find something to do. Ski Dubai (the first indoor ski slope in the region), multi-screen VOX Cinemas, Magic Planet arcade and family entertainment center, Peekaboo play area and the Dubai Community Theatre & Art Centre also make their home within the Mall of the Emirates.

Two five-star hotels, the Kempinski Mall of the Emirates and the Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel both adjoin the shopping mall.

Chances are, if you’re visiting Dubai, you’ll want to spend some time at the beach. While many of the big resorts limit beach access to guests only, the city has a handful of public beaches, and Jumeirah Beach Park is by far the best of them.

Jumeirah Beach Park opened in 1989 as the first beach park in Dubai. Today, the 30-acre (12-hectare) beachfront green space features volleyball courts, showers, playgrounds, picnic tables, food kiosks, barbecue areas and lifeguards monitoring the sandy stretch of beach. The facilities are the best you’ll find on pretty much any public beach.

Sharjah, the “Pearl of the Gulf,” is the third largest emirate and the only one to enjoy coastline on both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. UNESCO designated this city close to Dubai as the Arab Capital of Culture in 1998, and it lives up to the title by offering visitors a range of rich cultural experiences, from ancient souks to modern art museums.

Most visitors start their explorations of Sharjah in the Heritage Area, located near the Corniche. In the Heritage Area, you’ll find the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, the beautifully restored Al Hisn Fort and the Souq al-Arsah, thought to be the oldest souk in the United Arab Emirates.

If you’re in Dubai to shop, Sharjah is worth a visit for the Al Markazi Souk, or Blue Souk, alone. This multistory market contains more than 600 stalls selling all sorts of clothing, souvenirs and housewares, and it’s considered one of the best places in the region to buy Arabian rugs.

When you think of the United Arab Emirates, it’s usually about sand dunes, towering skyscrapers, or the sparkling Arabian Sea. In the mountains of Ras al Khaimah, however, travelers can venture up the rugged slopes of rocky Jebal al Jais, which at 6,207 feet is the UAE’s tallest peak. Leave the rush of the city behind as you snake your way up the mountain, where the surrounding cliffs and rock-strewn plains make it seem like the surface of the moon. The view of the city from the top is spectacular—particularly at sunrise and sunset—and sleeping beneath the desert stars is a popular visitor activity. So, too, is renting a sports car and hugging the mountainous curves, or booking an afternoon picnic lunch enjoyed right on the mountainous slopes. The last section of the road to the summit has lately been closed for construction, but plans are to not just improve the road, but also create the world’s longest zipline that runs for 1.4 miles. There has also been talk of putting a resort and golf course up on the mountain, but for the time being it’s a desert escape that’s peaceful and undeveloped.

The Basics

First constructed in 2001, the islands are always in various stages of development, especially the World, which is set to replicate the entire world and cover 5.5 miles (nine km) of reclaimed land. Although the palms are mainly home to a mix of leisure, residential, marina and commercial structures, visitors need not own property (or even stay in one of the hotels) on the completed Palm Jumeirah or any of the other islands to get a good look at this manmade wonder. Tours by speedboat, rigid-inflatable boat (RIB), and jetski take visitors from the Dubai Marina to the Palm Jumeirah archipelago, where it's possible to see the 5-star hotels tower above the water and spot the Burj Al-Arab from afar.

The best views of the Palm Islands and the World are from the air. Flightseeing tours aboard a helicopter or seaplane provide the perfect bird's-eye views—and photo ops—of these impressive archipelagos. Heading to the Observation Deck at the Burj Khalifa or to the top of one of the city's many other high-rise skyscrapers is another way to see the sprawling development from above.

Things to Know Before You Go

• A wide variety of small-group and private tours viewing the islands are available by boat or helicopter, some in combination with Dubai city tours.
  
• The layout of the islands is best appreciated from above.
  
• Expect sky-high temperatures of up to 110°F (43°C) in summer.
  

How to Get to the Palm Islands and The World

The completed Palm Jumeirah stretches 3.2 miles (five km) by 3.2 miles. Although there is no public transit in place to reach the Palm Gateway Monorail Station on the coast, from here, travelers can take a 10-minute ride out to the tip of the palm to see the length of the artificial island from a good vantage point. Taxis can also drive out to palm leaves. Dubai's famed Atlantis hotel, Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark, and Lost Chambers Aquarium are set on Palm Jumeirah.

Private Islands for Sale

If you're in the market for a private island to call home, some of the islands in The World project are still up for grabs.

In the past year some 5 million people visited Dubai’s Global Village—a bright lights entertainment hub with games, rides, food and fun. Travelers can find world-class shopping, a wide array of restaurants and live shows that range from cultural dance to daredevil stuntmen at this amusement park place in the heart of UAE. 

Global Village highlights not only what makes Dubai’s culture and traditions so unique, but the UAE’s love of glitter and glam, too. Still, visitors agree that entertainment options here stretch far beyond the local flavor. Kid-friendly shows cater to a younger set, while international concerts and street performers offer something for the adults in the crowd, too. And for those who want to ride the rides, dozens of amusement park-style options are available for children, families and thrill-seekers.

This tiny traditional village in the Al Hajar Mountains is an impressive replica of Dubai’s old world wonders. Comprised of some 30 buildings, the grounds of Hatta Heritage Village have been attracting travelers in search of authentic UAE since 2001. Visitors can wander through original forts, a mosque built of sticks and mud, experience the vibrant cultural dance and get an up close look at the colorful traditional dress of locals. While a trip to Hatta Heritage Village is worth the trek, travelers agree that adding a swim at nearby Hatta pools in Oman will certainly round out the experience.

The Rustar is a traditional wooden dhow vessel that offers its guests dining and entertainment while cruising along Dubai Creek and taking in the sights of the city. The ship, which is equipped with lateen sails, has three levels; the lower deck has a bar, the middle level features the main dining hall, and the upper level is an open-air dinner deck.

A romantic setting for a meal for two but equally popular with families, the Rustar Floating Restaurant has all the luxuries of a five-star establishment. Its lavish interior is made up of predominantly glass and teak wood with typical Arabic designs throughout, and there’s even a small rock waterfall onboard to add to the ambience. Dinner is a buffet of international and continental cuisine, while the live entertainment includes singing, dancing, and other performances.

The Rustar Floating Restaurant experience lasts for two hours and bookings should be made in advance. There are various types of tours to choose from, some of which include roundtrip transfers from selected Dubai hotels.

In September 2016, IMG Worlds of Adventure opened in Dubai as the world’s largest indoor theme park. The 1.5 million square foot space is divided between three themed areas and IMG Boulevard, the park’s welcome zone.

In the Marvel zone, visitors encounter their favorite comic book superheroes, with thrilling attractions like Avengers Battle of Ultron, Hulk Epsilon Base 3D, Spider-Man Doc Ock’s Revenge and Thor Thunder Spinner. The Lost Valley zone brings dinosaurs to life, while the Cartoon Network zone features characters from Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10 and The Amazing World of Gumball. IMG Worlds of Adventure also houses a 12-screen cinema screening the latest blockbusters.

As the northernmost emirate in the UAE, Ras al Khaimah has a fascinating history that’s displayed at this national museum. Housed in an 18th century fort, the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum was the home of the emirate’s ruling family until 1964, and was opened to the public as a national museum in 1987. Once inside the historic fort, enjoy a casual, self-guided tour of artifacts detailing the early history of peoples inhabiting the desert. You’ll also find ethnological displays, as well as documents and treaties from deals with Britain in the 19th century.

The most prominent feature is the old tower, which rises above the two-story buildings and was once an important lookout point for guarding the royal family. Because the museum doesn’t offer guides, it’s good to visit the museum as part of a half-day tour of town, where the local guides who administer the tour can tell you about the artifacts. Favorites include the ancient weapons that were used to defend the fort, as well as equipment that divers used when diving for pearls offshore.

The Basics

While it is most often visited as a photo stop on city tours, non-Muslim travelers are able to enter for an hour-long visit and Q&A session when accompanied by a guide from the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. This program, called 'Open Doors, Open Minds' is a way for non-Muslims to learn about Emirati culture. A visit to the mosque is often included in half-day or full-day sightseeing tours of Dubai, and the mosque is also one of many stops on hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses, in addition to attractions such as the Burj Khalifa, Burj Al-Arab, Dubai Creek, and the Dubai Mall.

• Photography is allowed inside the mosque, so don't forget to bring your camera.
  
• Visitors are asked to wear modest dress (long pants or skirts and sleeves, with headscarves for women) and to remove their shoes before entering the mosque.
  
• The site's informational 'Open Doors, Open Minds' program includes coffee, dates, and pastries.
  
• Appropriate attire can be provided at the mosque if necessary.
  

How to Get to the Jumeirah Mosque

Located on Jumeirah Road, the mosque is accessible by taxi, public transportation, or on an organized tour.

When to Get There

Should you miss out on the daily interior tour (held at 10am six days a week), the mosque is still worth visiting at dusk, when its intricate facade is lit up beautifully.

Jumeirah Mosque Architecture

The mosque is built in the medieval Fatimid tradition, developed in the Middle East during the Fatimid Caliphate. The mosque was built in 1976, and its adherence to the Fatimid style is considered a triumph of modern Islamic architecture.