Category: Travel Guide

Introduction

Dubai is one of those cities that there is a lot of buzz around.

Unfortunately for every signal there is 10 times the amount of ‘noise’.

This post is intended to be a very useful summary of all there is to do in and around the city of Dubai. 

It is meant to be useful for both residents & visitors of this fine city.

As someone who has been living here for over 20 years, and has been working in the Tourism industry for nearly a decade I feel like I have accumulated enough insight and information to create something that hopefully others would find useful.

This rather large list if split into sections in order for it to be useful.

The list covers both places and activities and even ‘cheats’ a little – by things that can be done FROM Dubai, not only IN Dubai.

History & Culture

#1: Dubai Museum

The Dubai Museum is based in ‘Al Fahidi Fort’, an old fort that was once upon a time one of the most central and important parts of the city. The museum is a conceptual one based on the idea of a wax figures that recreate day to day activities of life in the past. Its split into a variety of ‘scenes’ which depict different aspects of life in the past, e.g: a school, an old market etc.

This museum can probably provide the most historical insight into the city of Dubai and the UAE more broadly.

The cost of the entrance fee is only 2 AED and is part of our Dubai City Tour.

#2: Heritage Village

The Heritage Village is another significant historical part of the city located only about 1-2 kilometres from the Dubai Museum. The Village is meant to show the more mundane aspects of UAE traditions and if you are lucky you will find Emirati ladies cooking traditional local snacks and explore the huts and houses which were the main place of residence. The Heritage also has quite a few interesting museums such as the museum of ancient maps, coins and the museum of Islam.

#3: Bastakiya

The Bastakiya is just a bit further along the creek from the heritage and constitutes what is widely considered the beginning of Dubai as a City. It is now renovated and has a lot of charm. The area has a very Arabic feel and is perhaps the only area left in the city where you can get a feel of a healthy mix between history and culture. There is quite a few things to explore there, starting from little museums to lots of cool little shops that sell calligraphy, souvenirs and more authentic art.

#4: Textile Market

The textile market is located in between Bastakiya and Heritage Village, and behind it is the Dubai Museum. It’s a part of the city which is still actively authentic and hasn’t changed too much over the years. Most of the textiles are brought in from India or Korea and it has a very hustle bustle traders feel.

#5: Abra Crossing

Once you are done with explore the old parts of town on the Bur-Dubai side of the creek its time to cross over to the other side – ‘Deira’. This can be done on a traditional ‘water taxi’ aka an ‘abra’. Going across by taxi would take significantly longer and cost approximately 20-25 AED, whereas by abra it would only take 5-10 minutes and cost just a few dirhams.

#6: Spice Market

Immediately across the creek from the Historical Areas covered by point #1-#5 is another rather old part of town where the “Spice Market” is located. Traditionally it was exactly that, a market of spices and wholesale food items such as grains, wheats and spices. Today it has evolved slightly to have a larger variance of shops and has become a little bit more touristic than before but nonetheless is an interesting area to explore if you are looking for insight into the traditions the past.

#7: Gold Souq

The Gold Souq is another highly interesting market place which basically is adjacent to the Spice Market and basically one area progresses into the seamlessly. The gold souq is as the name suggest highly focused on all forms of gold trading, ranging from buying bullion slabs to buying small items of jewellery. It is truly an amazing place and few places worldwide accommodate for such large selection of Gold, Silver & Precious Stone based jewellers.

#7: Museum on Jumeirah Beach Road…

sda

#9: Flag in Jumeirah Beach Road

asdas

The Union Flag is located on Jumeirah Beach Road, along the shore-line and is an enormous UAE flag…

#10: Sheik Zayed Museum (Al-Ain)

General Advice on all attractions above:

• The entry ticket is free or very cheap to all venues above
• It is possible to do a pedestrian tour that would cover point 1-7 in about 4-5 hours.
• Having a knowledgable tour guide is recommended since you will get amazing insight into the History of the Country
• Starting from $35/person you could cover most of the points above

Dining Experiences

One of the things that Dubai is really known for is the extremely rich dining experiences that it can offer to its guests and few cities can boast so many incredible restaurants in such a small geographical concentration.

All the restaurants & cafes in Dubai are naturally impossible to list, however we have put together the absolute highlights, which offer a dining experience versus just ‘food consumption’.

#1: Bateaux Dubai

When looking at ‘Floating Restaurants’, ‘Bateaux Dubai’ is definitely the classiest affair. Its a glass boat done in a French Style and its home to a fine-dining restaurant which serves an excellent quality of food onboard and is essentially a 5* restaurant on a boat. Unlike other boats, they don’t do a catering style set up, instead they cook their meals onboard. Live entertainment onboard is usually a pianist or guitarist playing relaxing & romantic music.

Highlight:

• Views of Dubai Creek
• High Class Dinner Restaurant

Advice & Cost

You are looking at spending at around $100/person for a dinner and about 2 alcoholic drinks, so although it is a rather good service, its also quite expensive. The downside I found to Bateaux is that there isn’t really a great view of the City. There is no open air deck and thus you are ‘Indoors’, and although most of the restaurant walls are glass, its still not ideal.

#2: Dhow Cruise

A “Dhow” is a traditional Arabic vessel that has traditionally been used for trading and general transportation but since the tourist boom in Dubai, many of them have been renovated into ‘Floating Restaurants’ and have become its own concept that evolved into being a ‘staple diet’ of Inbound Tourists.

As an owner & operator of a Dhow I will provide some insight into what you can expect.

The first thing to note is that you can have a ‘Dhow Cruise’ in 2 parts of the City, ‘The Dubai Creek’ which is the waterbody that separates the city into two parts (old town) and in Dubai Marina, a new area of Dubai which is more modern and built around an artificial canal. 

Ofcourse its a matter of preference of what views you want to get, but I frankly think that the level of service generally is higher in Dubai Marina due to the much higher berthing fees and a much smaller number of boats (About 7 in Dubai Marina vs. About 50 in the Creek).

If you are looking for an extremely fine dining experience, you probably shouldn’t go on a Dhow Cruise since all Dhows are catered, i.e: the food isn’t cooked onboard and thus this takes away that ‘fine’ experience.

Some Dhows have very poor service and layout and you have to be extremely careful when you pick.

Most Dhows have onboard entertainment, usually in the form of some musicians, tanura dancer and/or a magic show. This however varies.

Highlights

• Views of the Creek OR Dubai Marina
• Live Entertainment

Advice & Cost

Naturally my advice would be to book our ‘Alexandra’ Dhow Cruise in Dubai Marina which is currently the highest rated Dhow Boat in Dubai according to TripAdvisor (may change at time of reading) however if you wish to book with others, below are the companies that are good.

Creek: Sultan, Rustar & Tour Dubai

Dubai Marina: Alexandra & Tour Dubai

I would STRONGLY advice advise against booking any other boat as unfortunately the vast majority of suppliers have dampened the market into poor service.

I would advise against paying more than approximately 200-220 AED/person including transfer service.

Another point I would advise is to try and get an Upper Deck Seat, either ask for it during the reservation or come early to ensure you get it etc.

#3: Classic Desert Safari

The Desert Safari is another one of those experiences in Dubai that have become ‘staple’. 

The activity runs approximately like this:

• 3.00 PM Pick up from the Hotel
• 4.00 – 5.00 PM ‘Dune Bashing’ in the Desert, i.e: desert driving with a Photo Stop.
• 5.30 – 8.30 PM Dinner & Live Show in a Desert Camp

Definitely going to the Desert is a must, and the Classic Desert Safari is the cheapest & easiest way to do this but once again, many suppliers offer a poor service in an attempt to deliver low costs and you must be really careful when booking safaris.

Regardless, do not expect a 5* Dining Experience.

Advice & Cost

If you are looking to really get an adventure in the Desert, the Safari will leave you unsatisfied and we suggest a more custom experience, see Dune Buggying, and if you are looking for a more high end Desert Dining Experience (naturally at a higher cost) we recommend going for Bab Al Shams Restaurant Below.

The cost of a Safari on average is about 60-65$/adult.

We also offer a custom Safari Package called a ‘Royal Safari’ which takes the standard Safari experience but instead of the regular safari camps, guests will be brought to Bab Al Shams for dinner.

#4: Bab Al Shams

Bab Al Shams is a 5* Hotel Located in the Desert with a famous Desert Camp styled restaurant which was originally created as a ‘Majlis’ for the Royal Family and later adopted into a restaurant for the public.

Bab Al Shams offers a true feast for its guests with an enormous selection of food available. It is truly a 5* Buffet Dinner with everything imaginable.

Besides the food, Bab Al Shams offers one of the most elaborate Arabic Folk Shows in the region with Vocalists, Oud Players, Belly Dancers, Tanura Dancers and more for a night of entertainment.

Advice & Cost

The experience is rather expensive and costs approximately $200/adult including transfers, without drinks, but is worth the money.

We recommend doing the ‘Royal Safari’ option.

#5: Sahara Restaurant

The Sahara Restaurant conceptually & thematically is very similar to Bab Al Shams, and offers a similar but slightly less powerful experience for a little bit cheaper. The buffet is not as elaborate, and the show has less numbers, but the ambience of the restaurant is equal or even more.

Advice & Cost

It is possible to do the Royal Safari + Sahara Restaurant combination as well.

Cost of Dinner + Transfer (without Safari) is about $150/adult.

#6: Meat Company

Although this restaurant does not have any live entertainment or anything that is overly exceptional with the decor, ambience or concept – they deliver on something very important: phenomenal meat.

The South African restaurant specialises in all kinds of meat dishes such as steaks, lamb chops or ribs.

Highlights:

• One of the best steaks you can have
• Nice location in Madinat Jumeirah

Advice & Cost

This dining experience we recommend to not involve any middlemen in, simply call 04985335, reserve a table and take a Taxi to ‘Madinat Jumeirah”. Once there, as for Meat Co.

Cost will be about $100/person for a few drinks and a meal.

#7 Tepaniyaki Experience

If you are not familiar, ‘Tepaniyaki’ is the Japanese Tradition of Live Cooking Food on a very large flat grill. It is one of the most incredible tasting experiences I personally have ever had.

The process of the food preparation infant of you really changes the dynamic and the chefs really put on a show. In addition, Tepaniyaki themed cuisine has a distinct taste and is absolutely amazingly delicious.

The best place in Dubai for this experience is ‘Tokyo Towers’, an absolutely amazing restaurant in ‘Emirates Towers’ Hotel.

Highlights:

• Authentic & Mega Delicious Japanese Food
• Live Cooking

Advice & Costs

This is another dining experience that we recommend you partake in on your own, simply call 04 9893583 and take a taxi to ‘Emirates Towers. Once in the Lobby ask to be directed to ‘Tokyo Towers’.

Cost will approximately 150-200$/person including drinks, but its totally worth it!

#8: Friday Brunch @ Al Qasr

A Friday Brunch has become a famous tradition of expats living in the UAE, primarily started by the Brit expats who have spread that tradition to virtually everyone in the country.

Its a very simply concept, you pay a fixed fee and eat/drinks as much as you can between 12 and 5 PM. 

Towards the end of the Brunch things get quite messy and everyone is rather intoxicated and full.

The Brunch in Al Qasr is legendary! It has every imaginable food and drink that one could wish for and the best problem that one has there is how to best allocate the limited stomach real estate.

Highlight

• Trying a wide range of foods
• Drinking a lot

Advice & Costs

This is another experience that we suggest you have on your own by calling 04……., we recommend to book early. Once you have made the reservation, take a taxi to ‘Al Qasr’ Hotel.

P.s: do not plan to drive.

#9: Atmosphere

The ‘Atmosphere’ is a very classy restaurant located close to the top of Burj Khalifa and offers fantastic views of the city. Infant its a great alternative to the traditional ‘At The Top’ Burj Khalifa experience. 

Besides good views, you will get excellent service and food, naturally at a rather premium price.

Highlights:

• Views of the City from Burj Khalifa
• Classy Food & Drinks

Advice & Costs

The minimum spend at the restaurant is 500 AED and its one of those experience we think you should do on your own by calling 04…….

One important thing to note is that you CANNOT access the restaurant from Dubai Mall, the only way to get to the entrance to Armani Hotel is to take a Taxi from Dubai Mall.

#10: Burj Al Arab High Tea

The Burj Al Arab is a legendary hotel known for out of this world opulence reserved for the ultra rich, however there is a way to get a sneak preview of the hotel without paying 3000$/night, and that experience is the ‘High Tea’ experience.

Basically its a 5 course light lunch, tea & champagne experience at one of the Hotels finest restaurants.

Highlights:

• Feel ultra rich
• Get a taste of 7* Hospitality

Advice & Costs

Book this experience as part of ‘Dubai City Tour’ here.

#11: Cinematic Dining Experience

Despite many travels around the World, I have personally never been to a truly VIP Cinema Hall like the ones available in Dubai.

Its an entirely different concept where there is much fewer seats, split into couples with a small table in between them. You are able to order food from a menu that a waiter will deliver and recline back to a nearly 180 degree angle to get the ultimate cinematic experience.

Highlights:

• Dinner + Cinema Viewing
• Super High Class Cinema

Advice & Costs

We recommend to this yourself in Beach Mall Dubai, which can be reach on:

The cost of the ticket is around 130 AED/person which is 4 times more than the standard ticket (30 AED) but its totally worth the difference.

#12: Have a Shawarma & ‘Juice’ Cocktail

This is one of those secret ‘local’ things to do.

The multiculturalism in Dubai has spawned a distinct type of cafeteria that is only found in this Country. Loosely based on a mix of Indian, Emirati, Western & More Broadly Arabic Food it produces a fusion that is very particular and most tourists never get this.

For example, you may find a shawarma, and a burger being prepared in the same place (go for the shawarma, and ask for extra ‘Tahina’ Sauce).

Another highlight is the juices & juice cocktails and milkshakes that they often prepare, with sometimes very funny names.

Highlights:

• Local Street Food
• Very cheap, often shockingly good

Advice & Costs

It is definitely by far the cheapest dining experience suggested here and you could get a full meal for approximately 5$.

Our recommendations: ‘Chicken Shawarma with extra tahina sauce & a banana milkshake’. These cafes can easily be identified in all parts of the city by a shawarma skewer usually on the outside.

Note: be cautious, and try to avoid such cafes is they look lovely dirty or unhygienic. 

#13: Cheese Bread in Lebanese Bakery

This is another local ‘secret’.

The Lebanese bakery has gotten quite a reputation for baking some phenomenal ‘manouche’ or ‘cheese bread’. Its absolutely fresh, cooked on order and is mouthwateringly delicious. It is also open quite late and is very cheap.

It is by no means a ‘restaurant’ but its something that expats and Emiratis equally cannot ignore once they have tried it.

Highlights:

• Authentic Lebanese Cheese Bread
• Local ‘Street Food’
• Cheap

Advice & Costs

Its one of those experiences you could have without a middle men, simply tell the Taxi Driver – ‘Lebanese Bakery’ on Al Wasl Road, Near Union Coop.

Once inside don’t expect anything fancy, and just order yourself a manakish with meat or with ‘zaatar’.

General Sightseeing

#1 Burj Khalifa at the Top

Burj Khalifa is one of those buildings that by now anyone has the internet knows about. Its the tallest man made structure in the world and without any exaggeration, the view from the Top is rather breath taking. The building itself is a feat of human technology & innovation and solves many problems architecturally that have never been attempted before.

‘At The Top’ is the name of the attraction which basically takes people upto the viewing platform of Burj Khalifa, showing them some history of the building on the way.

There is another, VIP option to get the same view which costs about 3 times the price, but takes you to a higher floor, offers you a dedicated tour guide, some lights snacks and a dedicated elevator that doesn’t require queuing.

There is also significantly less people, but if you are on a tight budget and all you are after is the view from the top, its probably not worth it.

Highlights:

• View from the Tallest Building in the World
• Internal brief tour of the building

Advice & Costs

Tickets to Burj Khalifa are rather complicated to purchase and are often sold out for the time slot you are interested in. Also, Burj Khalifa isn’t really worth going in off itself, its more logical to combine with a city tour.

You can book this experience as part of the ‘Modern Dubai City Tour’ or any Private Tour of your choice.

The cost of the experience itself is $60 for the regular experience and $150 for the VIP experience.

#2: Dubai Mall Aquarium

This is another attraction that is usually part of the ‘Modern Dubai City Tour’ or other variations of it offered by various suppliers.

The aquarium has a very wide range of marine animals ranging from sharks to sting rays and a wide range of fish.

The entrance ticket is around 15$ and definitely worth it if you are already at the mall. The aquarium is structured like a ‘tunnel’ by which around and on top of you are some quite intense visuals.

Advice & Cost

The cost is approximately $15 per person, and is definitely quite affordable.

Tickets are practically always available on the spot on and reservation in advance is required.

If you are on a really tight budget, usually seeing the outside wall of the aquarium conveys a good sense of whats inside without paying.

#3: The Fountains Show

Just outside the Dubai Mall is a large artificial lake which has inbuilt a complex system of extremely powerful fountains that shoot up water 10’s of metres into the sky in a synchronous and programmed manner, creating a mesmerizing ‘dance’ of water that is in sync with the music that is played outside.

The shows start at approximately 6 PM and run every 30 minutes.

Advice & Costs

There is no extra cost or charge for viewing this show.

If you want a VIP experience, we recommend booking yourself a table at one of the restaurant in ‘Souk Al Bahar’ which is a shopping mall that is immediately adjacent to Dubai Mall.

One restaurant that has a particularly good view is ‘Sammach’ an excellent sea food restaurant. If you book a table in advance in their outside patio, over the course of the dinner you will be able to view 2,3 or even 4 instances of the show, which constantly changes.

#4: Burj Al Arab

The Burj Al Arab is one of those iconic buildings of Dubai, which however isn’t particularly easy to view.

There are 3 ways to get a perfect shot of the Burj Al Arab from the outside and only 1 way to view it from the inside.

Advice & Costs

The only way to enter the hotel and infant even the Island on which it sits is to book a table in one of the restaurants in the Hotel or for example the Burj Al Arab high tea experience listed above.

Naturally, that would be a rather pricey experience.

To get a picture of it from the outside, we don’t recommend going to the ‘entrance’ – where most tourist groups go to take pictures.

For one its very crowded, very hectic and really isn’t a good place to get a good shot of it.

We recommend the following 3 spots for a perfect picture, of this beautiful building – and really, it is a beautifully built piece of architecture.

1. From the public beach to the side of the hotel. You will get a nice view of the hotel from the beach, with much less crowd and a good unobstructed view. Cost = free.
2. From Madinat Jumeirah. There are quite a few restaurants and just platforms for getting a clear shot of the hotel. Cost = free, OR the cost of the dinner, which isn’t really the cost. 
3. From a boat. This is the most ‘pricey’ view but is totally worth it because you get to see the whole coastline. For example booking the ‘Palm Island Sea Cruise’ will show you this.

#5: Palm Island

The Palm Island is a very iconic piece of development that has really pushed the envelope of what humans have built.

It really is a cool piece of ‘property’ that people should visit at some point, however by simply driving on it – you can’t really get the experience of understanding it, or actually visualising that you are on an Island.

Advice & Costs

Now, truly the most epic and effective way to view the Palm Island is from a Helicopter Flight or a Sea Plane, however this is obviously also the most expensive way and would cost around $250/person for a 25 minute flight.

The second most effective way is to view it from a boat, e.g by taking a 2 hour cruise around the Palm by boat.

Driving on the actual Palm Island will not show you the scale or the structure of the Palm Island.

#6: Jumeirah Beach Road

Jumeirah Beach Road is the road that parallels the coast line and has a lot of cool restaurants, galleries and just iconic ‘villas’.

It is considered one of the early/original areas in Dubai, and also one of the wealthier areas of Dubai.

Advice & Costs

The road is rather long, and its impossible to walk it all, so there are a few options.

You can take a Dubai City Tour. This will take you a drive down this road.

You could also just take a taxi and take a drive, stopping where you wish.

Finally, you can start exploring the early part of the route and hop and off the government bus which goes up and down this road with lots of stops and frequent buses.

#7: Dubai Marina

asd

#8: Dubai Metro

asd

Active Activities

#1: Dune Buggies & Quad Biking

#2: Sky Dive Dubai

#3: Scuba Diving

#4: Ski Dubai

#5: Surfing

#6: Wakeboarding

#7: Skate Parks

#8: Fishing

#9: Yacht Cruises

#10: Hoverboarding

Family & Parks

#1: Kidzania

#2: Miracle Garden & Butterfly Park

#3: Creekside Park

#4: Mushrif Park

#5: Wild Wadi Waterpark

#6: Aquaventure Waterpark

#7: Sega World

#8: Dubai Butterfly Garden

#9 Ferrari World

#10 Yas Waterworld

#11 Global Village

#12: Dubai Dolphinarium

#13: Horse Riding & Stable Visit

Malls & Shopping 

#1: Mall of The Emirates

#2: Dubai Mall

#3: Bur Juman

#4: Ibn Battuta Mall

#5: City Centre

Pedestrian & Walking

#1: Marina Promenade

#2: JBR 

#3: Dubai Creek Deira Side

#4: Dubai Creek Bur Dubai Side

#5: Mina Bazaar

Beaching

#1: Kite Beach

#2: JBR Beach

#3: “Russian Beach”

#4: Mamzar Beach

Other Emirates, From Dubai

#1: Heritage Village Abu Dhabi

#2: Musandam

#3: Crab Hunting

#4: Al Ain Museum

#5: Al Ain Zoo

#6: Hot Springs

#7: Sheikh Zayed Mosque

#8: Friday Market

#9: Ancient Mosque

#10: King Faisal Mosque

#11: Arabian Wildlife Centre

#12: Emirates Park Zoo Abu Dhabi

#13: Emirates Palace Hotel Photostop or Lunch

#14: Koran Roundabout

#15: Old Souq, Sharjah

#16: First School in UAE

Flight Based Activities

#1: Helicopter Flight

#2: Sea Plane Flight

#3: Hot Air Baloon

The UAE is a country well known for its rich forms of entertainment. It is also renowned for having some of the world’s greatest and most magnificent structures in the world. Combine the two and you get the perfect recipe for amazing Water & Theme Parks. Save yourself time from doing personal research and find out everything you need to know about water & theme parks with the “The Ultimate Guide to Water & Theme Parks in the UAE”.

#1 Wild Wadi Water & Theme Park

Wild Wadi Water & Theme Park is an awesome park made after the traditional Arab tale of Juha. The park, which is located in Dubai – in close proximity to the Burj Al Arab, features 30 versatile rides and attractions. You can come and visit the park from 10 AM to 10 PM. Wild Wadi is also very family friendly (including toddlers and babies) and accommodating to people with special needs. The price for adults is AED 295 and for children AED 250.

What to check out?

Juha’s Journey, Surfing, Flood River, Burj Surj and the Jumeriah Sceirah.

#2 Dreamland

Dreamland, which prides itself in being the oldest water park in the UAE and being the largest in the world, is located a distant drive from Dubai. Featuring a gigantic pool, interesting rides, tennis courts and a mini zoo, Dreamland is truly a mix of relaxation and excitement. What makes this park special is the fact that visitors are allowed to camp on the park grounds. The entrance price for adults is AED 160 and for juniors and elders AED 100.

What to check out?

Twisting dragon, Dead Sea and black hole.

#3 Wadi adventure

Wadi Adventure is one of the parks you will definitely want to check out if you are an adrenaline seeker. It is located in Al Alin. The awesome thing about the park is that it was the first facility in the Middle East to provide white water rafting, surfing and kayaking. It is very beginner friendly but also has sections for thrill-seeking pros. The park works from 11 pm to 8 pm. The price for entry is AED 100 for adults and AED 50 for children.

What to check out?

Zip line, go kayaking or take a course.

Aquaventure

Aquaventure is one of the most famous water parks in the UAE. Being the largest water park in Dubai, it is considered to be thrill-seekers paradise. It is located at the Atlantis Resort on the Palm Jumeirah Island. You will be surely surprised to hear that it features a 2.3 kilometer wide river and 7 colossal waterslides. The park can be visited from 10 AM until sundown. The price for an adult is AED 260, a child AED 215 while babies up to the age of 2 can visit the park for free.

What to check out?

Check out the Tower of Poseidon and the Tower of Neptune, including their rides.

Iceland Waterpark

Iceland Waterpark, which resides in Al Riffa – Ras al Khaimah, is a water park which possesses 18 interesting rides and attractions. Theme parks are usually focused on young visitors and thrill seekers. That is where Iceland Waterpark is different from the others. It is adult friendly which is proven by the statistical fact that Iceland Waterpark visitors are older than in other parks. The park is open from 10 AM to 7 PM, except for Fridays and Saturdays, then it opens up an hour early. The price for entering this park is AED 200 for adults, AED 115 for children while visitors shorter than 0.80 meters get a free entry.

What to check out?

Mountain attack and mountain cyclone. Penguin bay for adults.

Yas World

If you have ever visited Abu Dhabi, you will have certainly heard of Yas Island which can be found on Yas Island. The park features a huge variety of rides, attractions and slides, which when counted amount to 45. What makes the park so famous are the two following rides: Bubble’s Barrel, a Flow Barrel 10 Double Sheet Wave ride, and Dawwama, a hydro magnetic-powered 6-person tornado waterslide.

Yas World gets extra points for creativity and great décor since the appearance of the entire park is inspired by The Legend of the Lost Pearl. The working hours of the park vary according to season.

There are three different types of tickets you can get for the park;

• Bronze – Get unlimited access to the park and an AED 5 gift voucher for AED 250 (adults) or AED 210 (juniors).
• Silver – Same offer as for bronze but you get an AED 10 gift voucher and three fast pass accesses. The price for an adult is AED 325 and for a child AED 275
• Gold – the best possible ticket you can get. Apart from the usual offer, you get unlimited fast pass access, an AED 15 gift voucher and a free souvenir towel. The golden ticket costs AED 485 for adults and AED 410 for juniors

The great thing about Yas World is the fact that they let nannies and young children enter the park for free.

What to check out?

Shaheen’s Adrenaline rush and Dhabi’s Exciting Adventure

Ski Dubai

Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort residing on the Sheikh Zayed Rd – Dubai – United Arab Emirates. Taking up 22 500 meters square (about the size of three football fields), Ski Dubai is one of the most interesting sights in Dubai. The resort, which is covered with real snow, features an 85 meter high mountain divided into 5 slopes of varying steepness and difficulty. Rookie or pro, there is definitely a slope for you on the resort.

The working hours of the resort are from 10 AM to 12 PM. You do not have to worry about coming late. The facility has a capacity of 1500 guests so there will surely be enough room for you. The price for entry is AED 285 but if you are a UAE resident you get a 20% discount. If you are new to skiing, you can always check out the skiing school for beginners and pick up this amazing activity.

What to check out?

Ski slopes, subzero zip line and the snow park

Global village

Have you ever wished to explore the whole world? The task is very daunting and adventurous but also time consuming and expensive. Dubai offers you an epic alternative for only AED 15. Pay a visit to Global Village, a village full of different pavilions, each representing a unique country. Due to the greatness of the project it has been called the world’s largest entertainment, leisure and tourism project. It is the perfect place to explore different cultures, shop for unique items and spend a great day with your family. The 2016/17 season starts on the first of November (01.11.2016) and will last until eight April (08.04.2017).

What to check out?

Country pavilions, Global villages theme park and Heritage Village.

Ferrari world

Yas Island holds another awesome theme park, apart from Yas World, the Ferrari themed park Ferrari World.  There is not another park like it in the world. The park features 22 rides and 3 different live shows. The basic tickets cost AED 275 for adults and AED 230 for juniors. There are some more expensive options which include speed passes and more cool stuff. The park is open from 11 am to 8 pm, throughout the week.

What to check out?

Formula Rossa and Fiorano GT Challenge

Hill fun city

Hill Fun City has been around ever since 1985. It has been renovated a decade ago so it could provide the 30 contemporary attractions it does today. Having been located in Al Ain, the Al Hili Area in Abu Dhabi, it became the first theme park in the Gulf. The price of entry is very cheap when compared to other parks in the area, AED 55 per person (AED 60 on Friday and Saturday). The park is open from 5 PM until 10 PM on Mondays to Saturdays. An interesting fact is that the park has more than 250 palm trees and around 30 000 other plants, in order to preserve the parks environmental survival.

What to check out?

Ice rink and the Sky Flyer

Dubai Parks and Resorts

Dubai Parks and Resorts is a colossal complex which comprises of five different theme parks, the Motiongate Park, LEGOLAND, LEGOLAND Water Park, Bollywood Park and Riverland. It is located on the Sheik Zayed Road, Opposite Palm Jebel Ali. The park opens in October 2016. Currently you can only buy annual passes for all parks.

What to check out?

Motiongate Park – Sony Pictures Studio for action, Smurfs Village for fun, DreamWorks to get soaked into the heroic atmosphere, Studio central to learn about movies and Lionsgate to watch your favorite heroes come to life

• LEGOLAND – The Dragon, The Factory and the Submarine adventure
• LEGOLAND Water Park – Build-a-raft River
• Bollywood Park – Bollywood Boulevard, Mumbai Chow
• Riverland – Boardwalk, French village, the peninsula and the India gate

IMG worlds

IMG worlds is the place where all your favorite characters from Cartoon Network, Lost Valley Dinosaur Adventure and Marvel come to life. The park, which is scheduled for opening in mid-October 2016, will be the biggest indoor theme park in the world. IMG words I located on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road – near Arabian Ranches, next to Global Village, in the center of Dubai. The entire park will have 17 themed rides. The hours of operation last from 12 PM to 8 PM, throughout the week.

What to check out?

• Marvel – Thor Thunder Spin, Avengers Battle of Ultron and Spider-Man Doc Ock’s Revenge
• Lost Valley – The Velociraptor, Forbidden Territory, Predator
• Cartoon Network – Ben 10 5D Hero Time, Adventure Time – The Ride of OOO with Finn & Jake and The Powerpuff Girls – Mojo Jojo’s Robot Rampage!

Few tips before the end

No need to worry about food – All of the mentioned parks have restaurants, cafes or bistros on the venue. There is no chance you will be left hungry. Carrying your own food might not be such a good idea. Some parks have a no outside food policy so it would be best to simply get food in the park.

Do your research – This guide provides a lot of information, but if you want to really get to know the chosen park, you should do some personal research. You might find some new information about the park or a special offer.

Create a checklist – Once you have done your research, you will have a general picture of what you need to bring. The best thing would be to write it all down and check it before you depart. You surely do not want your relaxing day to be ruined because you forgot your bathing suit or your wallet. In case of forgetting clothes or some equipment, you needn’t worry. Most parks sell swim suits and other swimming equipment, so in any case it will be available to you.

Look for family tickets – If you are coming with your family, you should definitely inquire about any possible special offer, discounts or family tickets. Having done so, you will in turn have more money to spend in the park and make your stay more enjoyable. In some cases you might even get some special gift.

Conclusion

These are some of the best water & theme parks in the UAE. Each one has its value and is sure to provide you and amazing time. Hopefully you have found a theme park you like with this guide. The future of water & theme park entertainment seems bright in the UAE, especially if we take into account the current projects i.e. The Warner Bros Entertainment Park, a project lead by Aldar Properties, scheduled for completion in 2018 and Dubailand, a project which might revolutionize the way we see entertainment parks. Either way UAE has a lot to offer and it is the perfect place to grab some well-deserved rest and relaxation here.

The great city of Dubai is well known as one of the most developed and important cities in the world. The metropolis is home to millions of residents and tourists who wish to commute as fast as possible around the city. Their needs have been accommodated and today we have a very developed and efficient transport network. Essentially it is broken down into four main categories: travelling by (rental) car, taxi, public transport or walking.

Rental cars

Car renting

Renting a car in Dubai is very smart idea especially if you are staying for a short time. You can get around Dubai quickly and comfortably in the privacy of your own vehicle. The daily rate for a small car is circa AED 200. You should expect additional costs if you are renting it on the airport, for multiple people, in one direction or if you are younger than 25.

You have to be older than 21 to rent a car in Dubai and also have an international driving license. Along with these two requisitions, you need your domestic driving license and a valid credit card.

Do not forget to buy insurance with your car rental. There are frequent accidents in Dubai so you can avoid a whole hassle if you get it immediately.

The best agents for car rental are Auto Europe and Holiday Autos.

Parking

Dubai has a strict 4 hours parking limit, after that you have to move your vehicle. Parking is free on Fridays and public holidays. Public parking is marked with black and blue colors. The tickets can be bought on orange machines, which accept both cash and credit card. The parking rates differ per area. In some you can find parking for AED 2 while in others AED 15. Also do not forget to buy a ticket, since a fine for not buying one is AED 100.

Road rules

The following road rules apply in Dubai.

The driving direction is to the right. Seat belts are compulsory. Using your phone whist driving is strictly prohibited along with tailgating.

The speed limit in the city is 60 kilometers per hour. Major city roads allow you go up to 80 kilometers per hour while dual lane highway’s speed limit is 200 kilometers per hour.

Keep in mind

The rules are extremely strict when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol and traffic accidents. Even if you had only one drink, you still are not allowed to drive. There is a 0% tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving. Punishments for such a violation can go as far as 30 days of imprisonment.

If you have been involved in a traffic accident, you will be treated as guilty until proven otherwise. Traffic accidents are frequent in Dubai so always pay extra attention during the drive.

Rush hours in Dubai are during 7 AM until 9 PM, 1 PM to 2 PM and from 5 PM until evening. Congestion locations are Al-Maktoum and Al-Garhoud Bridges so try to avoid that area, especially during rush hours.

Taxis

Taxis are one of the most used forms of transportation in Dubai. They are fast, comfortable and give you the chance to privately travel from one place to another. Most cab drivers speak enough English to understand where they need to drop you off. If you are travelling to less known or private residence, you can use this obvious but hefty trick. Find the address written down in Arabic and show it to the driver.

Cab companies

There are five different taxi companies in Dubai. They are differed by the color of the roof. Car taxis are specific for their blue roof while Dubai Transport Company can be identified with the red roof. You also have metro taxis which have orange roofs and national taxis with the traditional yellow roof. There is another, rather interesting, taxi company in Dubai, the Ladies Taxi. It is a taxi service where exclusively female cab drivers operate and can be identified with its pink roof.

Prices & Starting Fees

You should also know that starter fees in Dubai differ based on several circumstances. If you are taking a cab drive from the airport, you will have an AED 25 starter fee. The drive from the airport to the city costs around AED 90. The starter fee during the day, from 6 AM to 10 PM is AED 3.50. In the remaining time it is AED 4. Reserved taxis are paid more, AED 6.5 during the day and AED 7.5 during the night. The price per kilometer is approximately AED 1.60.

Additional tips

Finding a cab in Dubai is an easy task in most situations but there are a few exceptions. You will have difficulty finding one near major shopping centers on evenings and nights, especially on Thursday and Friday. The shopping district Karama in Deira is also troublesome, together with Bur Dubai bus station and The Walk at JBR Dubai Marina.

Public Transport

Nol (Fare) Cards

Nol cards are rechargeable fare cards. They are used for most forms of public transport, including local buses and the metro. You can purchase these cards in any metro or bus station.

Ticket types

There are four different types of tickets you can purchase. The most basic one is the red card which you can acquire for AED 2. You can load it with up to 10 journeys. It is perfect for tourists who want to explore the city. The blue card is a personal card, mostly designed for residents and everyday commuters. It costs AED 70 and can be loaded with up to AED 500 of tickets. The silver card is an anonymous card which can be loaded with up to AED 5000. It can be bought for AED 25 and is great for quick access to the public transport network. The final card is the gold card, which is identical to the silver, but also includes access to Gold Class Seats in the metro.

Dubai Metro

Dubai Metro, which has been functional since 2010, is the fastest way to get around in Dubai. The metro features two routes, the green line and the red line. The green line, which is 22.5 kilometers long, connects Dubai Airport Free Zone with Dubai Healthcare city. The red line, which is more than double the length of the green one, starts from Dubai International Airport and ends at Jebel Ali, close to Dubai Marina. The red line is mostly parallel to Sheikh Zayed road, one of the most important roads in Dubai. The stop on Union and Khalid bin al-Waleed are the intersections of the two.

Tickets & Fines

To enter the metro you need the previously mentioned Nol cards. The fares are not expensive. They depend on how far you wish to go. The cheapest ticket costs AED 2 while the most expensive one is the AED 6.5 one. Going in the metro without a ticket is a terrible idea. The conductors regularly check out the tickets. If you are caught without a ticket, you will pay an AED 200 fine.

Main info

The metro train has 4 normal cars, in which anyone can enter, 1 special car for women and 1 for gold class commuters. The train comes every 10 minutes or so. The metro works from 6 AM until 11 PM on every day apart from Friday (1pm to Midnight). Leaflets written in English can be found in the station which will guide you to your destination. Local buses and taxis can be found on each metro station which you can use for further travel.

Water buses

Water buses represent another effective way to travel across the Creek. Each bus is air conditioned and provides a comfortable ride. There are five different routes for water busses.

Routes

The first four routes operate from 6 am until 11 pm. The ticket price is AED 2. The fifth tour costs AED 50, operates from 9 am until midnight.

The first route (B1) operates every 30 minutes and takes you from Bur Dubai Station to Al-Sabkha station.

The second route (B2) brings passengers from Dubai Old Souq station to Baniyas Station and comes around every 15 minutes.

The third route (B3) operates every 15 minutes and goes from Al-Sheef Station to Al-Sabkha.

The fourth route (B4) comes around every 30 minutes and takes passengers from Bur Dubai to Creek Park stations.

The fifth route (B5), which lasts 45 minutes, goes from Shindagha Station (close to Heritage Village) to Creek Park Station, Bur Dubai Station, Deira Old Souq station and finally the Al-Sheef station. It operates every 30 minutes.

Local Buses

Dubai’s bus fleet features almost 80 different routes. The clean, comfortable buses, which are cooled down with air conditioning, provide a great escape from the midday heat. The buses are mostly used by low-income commuters, since the ticket price is sometimes as low as AED 2 per trip. The bus network connects pretty much most of the city but they tend to be significantly slow, especially during rush hours. Keep that in mind. Also note that there are special buses which connect iconic locations, such as the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall Bus.

Palm Jumeirah Monorail

The Palm Jumeirah Monorail is the most efficient way to travel from Dubai Marina to the Palm Jumeirah. The trip lasts only 5 minutes and costs AED 15. You can get a discount of AED 5 if you buy a return ticket. The driver-less monorail, only has two stations, the Gateway Towers and Aquaventure Park. So if you need to get quickly from one location to the other, this is your best choice.

Abras

For those of you who don’t know, abras are UAE traditional wooden boats which have been motorized. The abra can accommodate up to 20 people. The ticket price is only AED 1, which is paid in the middle of the journey. You can event rent out an entire abra for yourself for just AED 100 per hour.

Routes

Abras connect Deira and Bur Dubai by travelling through the Creek. There are two routes. The first one starts from Bur Dubai Abra station and travels to Deira Old Souq Abra Station. It operates daily from 5 AM all the way to midnight. The second route originates from the Dubai Old Souq Abra station and ventures to the Al-Sabkha Abra station, throughout the entire day.

Modern Abras

You can also travel in modern abras but their ticket is significantly higher. The trip costs AED 50 per person. The modern abras ride across the Creek from 10 AM until 10 PM.

Walking

Travelling on foot in Dubai is certainly the cheapest and most reliable form of transport. There are some things you need to know before you choose walking as your preferred method of transport.

Walking during the summer months is a really bad idea. As you probably know, the temperatures during summer in Dubai be extremely high followed by high humidity. For that reason walking in Dubai is recommended only in winter months, December and January.

It is also important to mention that walking can be difficult in some areas of Dubai. Not all areas have pedestrian crossings, pavements and traffic stops. The city is aware of the problem and is constructing new sidewalks and pedestrian over-bridges but just keep in mind that you might encounter such a problem.

On the plus side, walking in Dubai can be a very pleasant and safe way to explore the city. Dubai is clean and has a great grip on the criminal activities, which makes your walks safe and pleasant.

These are the main ways to get around in Dubai. Hopefully you have learned about the transport network in Dubai and have a clear picture of how you can get around the city. The final piece of advice is for you to do extra research on your favorite form of transport. You might find some cool deals and discounts!