Places of Interest in Dubai 

This historic focal point of life in Dubai, The Creek, a natural sea-water inlet which cuts through the centre of the city. It is very interesting to see the colour and bustle of the loading and unloading of dhows which still ply ancient trade routes to places as distant as India and East Africa.

An attractive way to view the Creek and the dhows is from an abra, one of the small water taxis which criss-cross the Creek from the souks of Deira to those on the Bur Dubai side.

Boatmen will also take visitors on a fascinating hour-long trip from the abra embarkation points to the mouth of the Creek and inland to the Maktoum Bridge, passing on the way many of the city’s historic and modern landmarks.

Redevelopment work has transformed parts of the Creek’s banks. On the Deira side, a broad and well-lit, paved promenade extends from the Corniche, which faces on the Arabian Gulf, all the way to the attractive purpose-built dhow terminal constructed beside Maktoum Bridge.

On the Bur Dubai side between Maktoum and Garhoud bridges, Creekside Park provides pleasant paved walks and extensive landscaped public gardens.

At the inland end of the Creek is a large, shallow lagoon, now a wildlife sanctuary which has become a haven for migrating shore birds. Some 27,000 birds have been counted here at one time during the autumn migration. The most spectacular are the many Greater Flamingos which have made the Creek their permanent home.

You can visit the excavation sites at Al Ghusais, Al Sufooh and Jumeirah where you will find arte facts from the seventh to 15th centuries.

The old Bastakiya district with its narrow lanes and tall wind-towers gives a tantalizing glimpse of old Dubai. Immediately to the east of Al Fahidi Fort is the largest concentration of traditional courtyard houses with wind towers. In the past, the city was famous for a mass of wind towers which lined the Creek on either side. These were not merely decorative; they were the only means of cooling houses in the days before electricity.

One of three watchtowers guarding the old city, the restored Burj Nahar in its picturesque gardens in Deira is popular with photographers.

The Dubai World Trade Center's office tower houses the regional headquarters of many of the world's largest corporations, the high rising building has 39 floors.

Alongside, a modern conference centre and seven exhibition halls host an active programme of international trade fairs that attract exhibitors and visitors from all over the world.

Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the tower's viewing deck. (Guided tours operate twice daily at 9.30am and 4.30pm, except on public holidays).

The 18-hectare Wonder Land family fun park features a wide range of water attractions.

Capable of accommodating up to 8,000 visitors at a time, Wonder Land’s water rides include speed slides, surf hills, twister, wave runners and a Caribbean cruise. It also has a water mist show and water cinema, with videos projected on a thin film of water, plus a full complement of on-land attractions.

At the mouth of the Creek, Shindagha is the original site from which Dubai grew. Sheikh Saeed's house, the former home the ruling Maktoum family, has been carefully restored here.

Open daily from 8:30am - 8:30pm, except Fridays: 3pm - 8:30pm.

Dubai’s golf clubs are worth a visit, both for the spectacular architecture of their clubhouses and as examples of the successful greening and landscaping of the desert. A nine-hole ‘country’ course is also available at the Hatta Fort Hotel where golfers have a unique fun experience of playing in craggy mountain scenery.

Built in 1934 by the late Sheikh Rashid, Bait Al Wakeel was Dubai's first office building. At the edge of the Creek near the abra landing, the building has been completely restored and now houses a museum devoted to Dubai's fishing and maritime traditions.

Bedouin village lies outside Dubai. This village provides an experience of the traditional desert way of life and may include camel-riding lessons. Those who want a desert safari experience with a difference may choose to stay at Al Maha, a unique luxury resort set in 3,300 acres of dunes off the highway between blankets, rugs, beads and a variety of other rural wares spread on the ground.

The Dubai Museum, situated in the Al Fahidi Fort, is another imposing building. It once guarded the city's landlord approaches. Built around 1799, it has served variously as palace, garrison and prison. It was renovated in 1970 for use as a museum; further restoration and the addition of galleries was completed in 1995.

Colorful and evocative dioramas, complete with life-size figures and sound and lighting effects, vividly depict everyday life in pre-oil days.

Galleries rescenes from the Creek, traditional Arab houses, mosques, the souk, date gardens, desert and marine life. One of the most spectacular exhibits portrays the underwater world of pearl-diving, and is accompanied by sets of pearl merchants' weights, scales and sieves. Also on display are artifacts such as fine copper, alabaster and pottery objects found in 3,000-4,000 year-old graves at Al Ghusais. The main fort is a fascinating military museum.

The Dubai Museum is open daily from 8.30am - 8.30pm, except Fridays: 3pm-8.30pm.

The Grand Mosque was re-built in 1998 and now has, at 70 mt, the city's tallest minaret, the mosque is situated on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek near the Ruler's Court. It has 45 small domes in addition to nine large ones boasting stained glass panels, making it a distinguished landmark and important place of worship.

Dubai boasts one of the largest retail gold markets in the world, selling everything from ingots to intricately worked jewellery at bargain prices. The street-front stores hide alleys of smaller shops with glittering show windows. A visit to Dubai would be incomplete without seeing the gold souk - the biggest in the world with the lowest prices. The visitor is left spell bound by seeing all that glitters is gold here.

The narrow lanes of the spice souk are an exotic mix of spices with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, incense, dried fruit, incense, rose petals and traditional medicinal product. Imported from all over the Middle East, they are sold straight out of open sacks that surround the shop keepers. Smaller streets have stall on both sides displaying nargliehs or hookahs, and traditional coffee pots.

The ancient fortressed village of Hatta is at a distance of 120 km from Dubai City. This place is home of the Hatta Fort Hotel, Dubai’s only mountain resort complex. The drive through the majestic Hajjar mountains is as fascinating as the destination itself. Taking the visitor through burnished sand dunes and mountains of varied colour.

Even in summer the temperature here is a few degrees cooler than down on the coast, and a whole lot drier.

Wadi Helew, this fascinating destination is a must for all four wheel drive enthusiasts This beautiful Wadi nestles in the north of Hatta and getting there is like stepping back in time.

Tours cover the recently - renovated old fort and a trip through Wadi Hatta with its lush greenery and variety of wildlife. The village, over 200 years old, and Juma Mosque which stands amidst palm groves, are other tourist attractions.

A traditional heritage village, located in the Shindagah area has been created where potters and weavers display their crafts.

The Diving village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire area into a cultural microcosm, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.

Located near the mouth of the creek, this area is also popular in the evenings as a venue for its open-air cafeterias and live entertainment. Several shops also sell handicrafts.

Located on Al Jumeira Road this mosque, one of the most beautiful of all, and a fine example of modern Islamic architecture.

The beauty of the mosque, the city's largest, is seen at its very best particularly when floodlit after sundown, when the subtle lighting throws its artistry into relief.

The house of Shaikh Saeed, the grandfather of the present ruler, has been restored as a museum. Dating from the late 1800s, Sheikh Saeed's House was built in a commanding position near the sea so the Ruler could observe shipping activity from its balconies. With its windtowers and layers of rooms built around a central courtyard, it is a fine example of regional architecture.