Labels

Recommendations for things to do and see in Dubai

Dubai is no doubt a very popular destination and as a pass through city. In fact, in 2022, 14.3 million international visitors visited Dubai. Out of this statistics, there's a tiny percentage of those who are people I know and ask for recommendations. So far, I've had these in a "note" on my phone, but it's time that I clean it up, fine tune it and share it here.

Given that Dubai is quite a fast moving city, there are always new restaurants that are a must try, for these, I recommend you check these three websites: Visit Dubai, Time Out and What's On. And for upcoming events and concerts, this is the website to visit https://dubaicalendar.me/.  If you're old school and like print, you can grab a Time Out Dubai magazine for free in the departure section of our Dubai airports.


Outline:

Where to stay

What to visit 

Where to swim

Where to staycay

What experiences to experience

Where to relax

For the Art lovers

For families with kids

How to move around


Where to stay

My favorite location in Dubai which brings you to proximity to the most vibrant part in Dubai (in my opinion) would be JBR / Marina / The Palm / Dubai Harbor. Whether you're booking through airbnb.com or a hotel, there's a large selection that can suit your preference and close to the beach. Another great location is of course Downtown, there's definitely no need to sell on this, this is more of a city vibe with great walking options nearby and a variety of great restaurants. If you're able to rent a car and prefer a cheaper option, you can always pick affordability in this case and go a bit further and book airbnbs in the likes of JVC / Barsha etc. Of course at this point, you are in a more of a residential area so you get to live like the residents do. 


Al Maha Luxury Resort


What to visit 

  • Bluewaters Island with the giant ferris wheel, a great view of the JBR skyscrapers and a nice selection of restaurants.
  • Palm West beach. This is one of the most recent establishments with the famous vibrant nights happening at Koko bay, February 30, .... A nice selection of beach bars and restaurants, with one of my favorites being Jones the grocer.
  • Madinat Jumeirah / Burj El Arab / Jumeirah Al Naseem. Not new at all, but if you want a bit more of a traditional vibe with a couple of flagship well known frequently visited pubs and restaurants, this is the place to go.
  • Dubai Mall. If you're surprised by this recommendation, then I am surprised at you being surprised. This is well known, and definitely a must visit, to see the worldwide famous Dubai Fountain, as well as to visit the top of Burj Khalifa for an exquisite 360 view. 
  • Dubai Aquarium at the Dubai Mall and the Atlantis Aquarium for some sea life viewing. You can watch from outside or purchase a ticket to view more from the inside.
  • Abu Dhabi. The famous Formula 1 Grand Prix track, where Verstappen won due to that one last lap over Hamilton. Anyway, if you can dedicate at least a day to Abu Dhabi, you got the amazing Louvre Museum, Grand Mosque, Ferrari World. If you have more time, then you must experience the Abu Dhabi Islands. For more on Abu Dhabi, you can visit Visit Abu Dhabi website.
  • Al Seef Dubai Creek. For a bit of a new old historic view of Dubai, Dhows and more.
  • La Mer Dubai. From retail to restaurants and a nice beach walk.
  • Dubai Gold Souk / Naif / Karama. You can visit on your own and try and find a tour for more in depth understanding of what's happening in those neighborhoods.



Where to swim

There's a chance I could be murdered if I share secret locations, but hey, it's not my fault if you can search for Secret Beach and find it on the map! Most of the below also offer kayaking, stand-up paddling services as well. You can take your own beach blanket and chair or rent.

  • Kite Beach -- on windy days you can even learn how to kite surf, or actually kite surf
  • The Palm West Beach
  • Secret Beach
  • JBR The Beach
  • Night Beach

Where to staycay

If you're here for a while, you can also visit the other Emirates in the UAE for a great couple of days of exploring. Luxury resorts such as Ritz Al Wadi in Ras Al Khaimah or Al Maha Luxury Resort also offer nature drives, safaris and more to explore and experience the desert. You can also visit Hatta where the Hatta Dam is and do some kayaking and other adventure activities there and Fujeirah for snorkeling and diving, or just chilling and camping by the beach. All of these Emirates are 1 to 2 hours away.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi

Hatta Dam


What experiences to experience

  • Dubai Opera -- you can check out the various shows and performance on their website and book directly from there
  • La Perle by Dragone -- a beautiful show a la cirque de soleil, I've been twice already
  • Desert Safari / Nature drives
  • Desert Camping -- an easy location would be close to Al Qudra lakes
  • Love lakes / flamingo lakes -- for an easy picnic and easy drive into the desert
  • Day trip to Musandam - Oman
  • The View for a 360 view of The palm. An expensive but more enjoyable hack is you can also eat at Sushi Samba (not cheap) and get a beautiful 360 view of Dubai.
  • Top of Burj Khalifa
  • Papillon DXB [instagram] -- if you're looking for a great dinner with a "burlesque style" show. This is a great place to visit.
  • Scuba Diving in the world's deepest pool [instagram]
  • Zip Lining across Dubai Marina or a 90 minutes drive to Ras Al Khaimah on the world's longest zip line.
  • Sports. From Padel tennis to hiking to golfing, Dubai is the place for you. 
    • Last time I checked, we had over 400 Padel courts which has taken Dubai by storm. For Padel booking, you can do so on the Rackets Academy app or simply visit Match Club [instagram] for a nice boho style restaurants with a yoga studio and Padel courts.
    • Hiking in the UAE (during good weather)
    • Golf courses exist left and right. Definitely check your credit card loyalties for some discounts as well. 
    • Cycling on Al Qudra Cycling Track, trails of Mushrif National Park, Dubai Canal
  • Water sports. As mentioned earlier, you can totally do kite surfing, kayaking, parasailing etc. But also you can rent jet skis and rent a boat for wakeboarding or wakesurfing. Here's an example of a place you can book with.
  • Feel like flying some more? You can skydive over the Palm or over the desert, go on the Hot Air Balloon or do a helicopter tour over Dubai



Where to relax

I have one main favorite spa in all of Dubai, and if anyone can top that, please prove it to me. Therefore I am going to only recommend that one place. And that place is Jumeirah Zabeel Saray - West Crescent of the Palm. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. In terms of actual massage, they are okay, not the best, as you can expect from such a place it's more about the facilities and the overall experience. Facilities, include a sauna, a steam room, a snow room, an indoor pool and jacuzzi; they are just amazing. You will definitely be in for a treat. For proper Balinese or Thai massages, I would say you need to go to traditional massage places and try to find their best therapist. 

Hatta

Where to eat

As I mentioned at the beginning, this city is constantly changing and I cannot keep up. I am also a bit of a routine person when it comes to food, as in, if I eat somewhere and enjoy their food, I would go again and again. I am listing below some low key restaurants as well with nice background music, that don't break the bank and do note that some of these have recently received a Michelin star or are on the Michelin guide.

For reservations online (if you're like me and hate making phone calls), you can download the Reserve Out app or book through sevenrooms.com. 
  • 3 Fils (Jumeirah) [instagram] -- places are limited, definitely book ahead. 3 Fils has a nice port view, and some really interesting menu. 3Fils is where my husband and I had one of our first dates!
  • Orfali Bros Bistro (Jumeirah) [instagram] -- recently placed on the world's 50 best restaurants and rightfully so
  • Couqley (JLT and Downtown) [instagram] -- as a Lebanese, Couqley holds a special place in my heart, I was thrilled to see them open a second branch in Downtown. Consistent quality and with their flagship steak & frites, or Monday's Moule night, you cannot go wrong.
  • Maison Mathis (Arabian Ranches) [instagram] -- low key good food good mood type of neighborhood restaurant overseeing a golf course, so if you're into golf, this could be a 2 in 1 situations
  • Un Dimanche à Paris (Bluewaters) [instagram] -- the food is alright, I mainly love that it's quite an affordable place with a great view
  • Clay (Bluewaters) [instagram] -- great Peruvian Japanese food restaurant facing the Ain Dubai (ferris wheel) and I just love their playfulness with their mini maki Ferris Wheel presentation
  • Kinoya (Onyx - The Greens) [instagram] -- What started as a supper club on all things ramen, is now this successful restaurant on the Michelin guide.
  • 21grams (Al Wasl) [instagram] -- If you're looking for a great breakfast with some great bread, this urban balkan bistro is the place to go. 
  • Bu Qtair restaurant [instagram] -- If you're looking for an authentic experience, you must try this place. Small expectation setting needs to be done here, the menu only has catch of the day, shrimp, and paratha bread. You queue and order everything yourself, and they deliver it for you. This is far from fancy, but quite a nice experience.
  • Al Ustad Special Kebab -- another cuisine to try while in the UAE, and Dubai specifically is persian, this place is quite popular with quite important people having visited it.
  • Mirzam Chocolate [instagram] -- Best chocolate in the UAE. With a very beautiful coffee shop space as well.
  • Birch Bakery [instagram] -- a delicious bakery with some new take on pastry and croissant in terms of flavors, you're in for a treat. Try their Pain au Chocolate XL.
  • Canvas Gelato [instagram] -- if you want a taste of some local flavors fused into gelato, this is the place to try. You can order online only.
  • RAW Coffee Company and Café [instagram] -- it's one of my favorites, most low key with excellent coffee sourcing the best beans from the world. They also have great food options.
  • And of course, there is always the Zuma(s) of this world, Hutong, Sushi Samba, Prime68 Steakhouse...



For the art lovers

Museum of the Future


For families with kids

A quick tip, it might be more cost efficient for you to buy a yearly The Entertainer subscription and get great deals on the below or groupon.ae.



How to move around

In Dubai, it's mainly taxis, you can book them through Uber or Careem apps. Through Careem you can also book the actual RTA taxis. You can use the metro and tram, but those are quite limited. If you do book an airbnb in JLT or Barsha Heights for example, you could be in walking proximity to a metro station, most of the destinations are malls though.
And of course you can rent a car!


Thanks for reading, there's definitely more. I did not share much about clubbing because I don't go clubbing! In general though, the list of things to do and places to visit in Dubai is probably endless. If there is anything else you think I should add here let me know! Enjoy your time in Dubai and if you need any more tips, feel free to reach out to me through my Instagram account @travelwithfunk.


Email Post
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts