- The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and is one of best places to visit in Dubai
- Dubai has the biggest natural flower garden
- The Dubai aquarium has over 140 aquatic animals
Dubai has more than just markets and malls to offer. While on one hand, old Dubai showcases the rich Emirati heritage, on the other, modern Dubai is famed for its architectural achievements.
Seeing everything Dubai has to offer in one trip may be difficult so, if you’re planning a holiday to this city, here are the top 10 places to visit in Dubai:
Best Time to Visit Dubai
| Best Time To Visit | April to November |
| Dubai Shopping Festival | January to February |
| Summer - April to October | Temperature can get as high as 45 °C . |
| Winter - October to April | Temperature goes down to about 12 °C |
Places To Visit in Dubai – The Top 10 Attractions
1. Burj Khalifa
- Timing: 24 hours
- Phone: +971 4 366 1688
- Website: www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/
The Burj Khalifa is probably the most iconic structure in Dubai. Standing at a height of 829.8m with 163 floors, this is the tallest building not only in Dubai but in the entire world. That’s not all, the Burj Khalifa holds 6 other world records.
The structure of this building is inspired by an abstract form of the Hymenocallis flower. An outdoor terrace on the 148th floor is the world’s highest observation deck.
The deck also offers tourists a unique interactive experience to explore some of the other famous landmarks in Dubai. Tourists can also visit observation decks on the 124th and 125th floors.
The ride to the 124th floor is by a double-deck elevator that cruises at a speed of 10m/sec. This is the world’s fastest elevator. Tickets to the observation decks can be purchased in advance or on the spot.
At the ground level, the Burj Khalifa is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and the Dubai Fountain. Modeled on the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, this is the second highest choreographed fountain in the world.
2. Al Bastakiya
- Timing: 9 am to 6 pm
- Phone: +971 4 515 5000
Also known as the Al Fahidi Historical District, a visit to the Al Bastakia shows tourists what life in Dubai was like before the formation of the UAE. The neighborhood dates back to the 19th century and is spread over 300sqm.
A walk through the lanes of this neighborhood showcases the unique beauty of Arabic architecture, Islamic calligraphy and Levantine decorations.
Some of the main attractions of the Al Bastakia include the Dar Al Nadwa, the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Civilized Intercommunication Building, the Majlis Gallery and Sahara Gate.
3. Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House
- Timing: 8am to 8:30 pm
- Phone: +971 4 393 7139
Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum ruled Dubai from 1921 to 1958. The Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House was this erstwhile ruler’s residence. Today, it has been rebuilt and restored as a museum.
Many elements of the original building including carved teak wood doors ventilation screens with intricate geometric and floral designs and wooden lattice window screens have been retained.
There are 9 wings to this house that showcase different aspects of the family and Dubai’s history. The wings are:
- The History of Saeed Al Maktoum House
- The Al Maktoum Family
- The Marine Life wing
- The Old Dubai wing
- Views from Dubai
- The stamps and coins wing
- Social Life in Dubai
- The Historic Documents wing
- The Maps wing
4. Jumeirah Mosque
- Timing: 8 am to 8 pm. Closed on Friday
Dubai has over 1400 mosques. Of these, the Jumeirah Mosque is the most renowned and one of best places to visit in Dubai. Considered to be the most beautiful of all Dubai’s mosques, the Jumeirah Mosque is a copy of the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo.
This mosque is a beautiful example of Islamic architecture and looks spectacular especially when lit by floodlights in the evening. Guided tours of the mosque are organized every day except Friday at 10 am.
The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Cultural Understanding also organizes lectures, cultural meals and Arabic classes for tourists. Special programs are also designed for children.
Traditional attire is available for tourists. Else, they should be modestly dressed. Women are advised to keep their head and shoulders covered.
5. Dubai Frame
- Timing: 9 am to 9 pm
- Phone: 800900
- Website: www.dubaiframe.ae/en
At a height of 150m, the Dubai Frame holds the record for the largest frame in the world. The frame is designed as per the winning entry of the 2009 ThyssenKrupp Elevator International Award.
It is positioned in such a way that the view on one side is of older parts of Dubai while the other side showcases modern Dubai.
Within the frame are a series of galleries that explore Emirati history and heritage. It is also home to the Future Dubai gallery which envisions what the city will look like in the years to come. The Sky Deck offers panoramic views of the city. Tickets can be purchased online from the website or on the spot.
6. Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
- Timing: 10 am to 2 am
- Phone: 800 38224 6255
- Website: www.thedubaiaquarium.com/en/
The Dubai Aquarium and underwater zoo at the Dubai Mall is home to over 140 different species of aquatic animals. It is ranked amongst the largest suspended aquariums in the world.
A 48m long tunnel at the aquarium gives tourists an interesting perspective as sand tiger sharks, rays, and other marine creatures swim overhead.
Activities like glass bottom boat tours, shark diving and cage snorkeling are also available. Above the aquarium tank, 40 display tanks show off a living ocean, rocky shore and rainforest ecosystem.
These tanks house fantastic creatures like piranhas, the Humboldt penguin, African dwarf crocodiles, Lionfish and Otters. Tickets can be purchased online or on the spot.
7. IMG Worlds of Adventure
- Timing: 11 am to 10 pm
- Phone: +971 600 500962
- Website: www.imgworlds.com/language/en/#
This theme park is the largest indoor theme park in the world. The park is split into 5 zones: The marvel zone, Dinosaur zone, Cartoon network zone, IMG Boulevard and Novo Cinema zone.
The Novo cinema zone has 12 multiplex screens. Adults and children can easily spend a full day at the park enjoying the different rides available. The park also has a number of restaurants and souvenir shops. Tickets can be purchased online or on the spot.
8. Mall of the Emirates
- Timing: 10 am to 3 am
- Phone: +971 4 409 9000
- Website: www.malloftheemirates.com/
Dubai is known as a shopper’s paradise and hence a list of must-visits is incomplete without at least one mall, the Mall of the Emirates is the city’s most well-known mall. The mall has over 250 flagship stores, 80 luxury stores, 630 retail stores and 100 restaurants and cafes.
It is also home to the world’s first indoor snow park and ski resort and the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre that can seat up to 500 people at a time. The ski resort maintains a temperature of -4 degrees Celsius and is complete with a penguin enclosure and chairlifts.
9. Dubai Miracle Garden
- Timing: 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays, 9 am to 11 pm on weekends
- Phone: +971 4 422 8902
- Website: www.dubaimiraclegarden.com
Spread over 72,000 sqm, the Dubai Miracle Garden is the largest natural flower garden in the world. It is home to over 250 million plants and 50 million flowers.
The attractions at the garden include a large floral clock, a flower model of the Burj Khalifa, a floral castle and a flower model of the Airbus aircraft.
As part of a licensing deal with Walt Disney, the garden also has large topiaries of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy and other Disney characters.
The garden is also home to the world’s largest indoor butterfly park. This park houses over 15,0000 butterflies.
10. Jumeirah Beach
- Timing: 7:30 am to 10 pm on weekdays, 7.30 am to 11 pm on weekends
Named after the Jumeirah district this beach boasts of white sands and has a number of hotels strung out along its length.
The beach offers tourists a number of facilities including water sports such as jet skiing, sun loungers, and waterside restaurants.
When you are planning a trip to Dubai, be sure to visit these places.
