Things to do in Dubai - Attractions & Sightseeing- Top Recommendations
Places to visit - More in this category > Abu Dhabi > Ajman > Al Ain > Dubai City > Fujairah > Hatta > Jebel Ali > Palm Island > Sharjah > Ras al Khaimah
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Dubai is a city geared for tourists, and there's no shortage of things to do and see while you're there. Here's a rundown of the most popular.
BurJuman Centre - A massive shopping mall in the Bur Dubai area. Along with a plenty of shops selling designer brands, you will find a cinema complex and a leisure arcade here. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants to revive your spirits when you're all shopped out.
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club - If you love fishing, you can hire a 10m boat here for you and your friends to angle in style. The fairly high cost does include a skipper as well as lunch for both you and the fish, and it might seem less costly when the price is divided between the six passengers the boat can hold.
Dubai Museum - Housed in Dubai's oldest standing building, a former fort in Bastakia. Displays include a souk peopled by waxworks, a collection of skeletons and some examples of desert wildlife. Very small charge for admission.
Heritage Village and Diving Village - An enjoyable, interactive look at Dubai's past. Both are found on the Creek. The diving village features displays on pearl diving, as well as scale models of dhows and pearling boats. The heritage village recreates a Bedouin settlement, complete with homes made from barasti (dried palm leaves tied together) and mud. You can also enjoy pottery and weaving workshops as well as visiting a traditional coffee house. A small souk sells a mixture of traditional Bedouin handcrafts and imported items. Admission is free.
Nad Al Sheba Racecourse - This is home to the Dubai World Cup, possibly the world's most famous horse race, and certainly the one with the highest stakes. The club, to be found a short drive south-east of Dubai, is surrounded by stables, and in the early morning during the winter season you can watch the horses being trained. The Dubai Racing Festival meets start in January and last nine weeks, but there are other race meetings between November and April. General admission is free.
Wild Wadi water park - A water park with 23 interconnected rides, to be found between the Burj al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Dubai. Brave souls should try the Jumeirah Sceirah (geddit?), a speed slide where you reach heights of 33 metres before being hurtled downwards again at speeds of up to 80km an hour. The whole place is themed around an Arabic legend about Sinbad the sailor, and the shop is built to resemble Aladdin's Cave. However, it is quite expensive to get in, and there isn't much of a discount for children.
Dubai - City of Gold
