Dubai
Covering some 2000 sq metres and touted as the largest natural flower garden in the world, there’s a sense of Alice in Wonderland–esque surrealism when…
Must-see attractions in United Arab Emirates
Bur Dubai
Recently restored as part of the new Shindagha Historic District development, this grand courtyard house served as the residence of Sheikh Saeed, the…
Dubai
Spread across five zones, Bollywood Parks celebrates Mumbai’s legendary film industry. There's a handful of 3D and 4D rides based on blockbusters such as…
Dubai
Designed for kids under 12, this colourful theme park has 40 rides and attractions across six themed areas. There’s plenty to keep youngsters entertained…
Bur Dubai
Strategically located at the mouth of Dubai Creek, Shindagha was where the ruling sheikhs and the city elite lived until the 1950s. While a few of the…
Dubai
Whether you're seeking thrills or a family-friendly day out, this Hollywood-inspired theme park has something for everyone. The park is divided into four…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Rare albino alligators Ali and Blue are the latest stars in this fantastic labyrinth of underwater halls, enclosures and fish tanks that re-creates the…
Dubai
This high-tech indoor theme park is squarely aimed at serious gamers. Tickets buy access to 18 attractions, including a head-spinning VR experience, 3D…
Abu Dhabi
There are several gates to this spotlessly maintained, Blue-Flagged public beach. The turquoise sea, view of Lulu Island, palm trees and gardens make it…
Crossroads of Civilizations Museum
Bur Dubai
This private museum in the Shindagha Historic District provides a fascinating glimpse of Dubai's historic role as a trading link between East and West. On…
Downtown Dubai
For guilt-free shopping without your kids, drop them off in this indoor miniature city – complete with a school, a fire station, a hospital and a bank –…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
If you don’t know the story behind it, you might wonder why people are taking so many pictures of an ornamental elephant. But when you learn it’s a…
Downtown Dubai
Two wooden bridges link the massive Dubai International Finance Centre to Gate Village, a modernist cluster of 10 midrise stone-clad towers built around…
Bur Dubai
Dubai's oldest souq (market) flanks a central arcade canopied by an ornately carved wooden roof. Friday evenings here are especially lively, as it turns…
Saruq Al Hadid Archaeology Museum
Bur Dubai
Only discovered in 2002, Saruq Al Hadid sits deep in the desert sands of the southern reaches of the Dubai emirate and is believed to have been an iron…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
In a city of air-conditioned malls, this attractive outdoor shopping and dining promenade was an immediate hit when it opened in 2008, originally to meet…
Dubai
Some 15,000 butterflies flutter around these beautifully styled indoor domed gardens. Visitors love to pose with them as they land on shoulders and…
Abu Dhabi
Featured on the back of the Dhs1000 note, this fort started life in 1760 as a watchtower that safeguarded a precious freshwater well. After an expansion,…
Bur Dubai
This sprawling park, where lots of palms and other greenery provide plenty of shade, is a weekend family favourite. It brims with activity zones,…
Downtown Dubai
Although neither the tallest nor the newest skyscrapers in Dubai, the twin, triangular towers coated with silver-coated aluminium panels and topped with…
Downtown Dubai
It's always worth stopping by this top-notch gallery, which is the only one in the UAE focused entirely on fine-art photography. While providing a…
Abu Dhabi
In a former port warehouse, this contemporary arts centre and gallery hosts temporary exhibitions showcasing the UAE's art, design and creative scenes…
Abu Dhabi
There's something fascinating about sitting by the harbourside watching the dhows slip off to sea. At any time of day, there's work going on as fishers…
Bur Dubai
Dubai's oldest fine-art gallery was founded in 1989 by British expat Alison Collins and presents mainly paintings and sculpture by international artists…
Dubai
One for the nature lovers, this series of man-made lakes is in the middle of the Saih Al Salam desert on Dubai’s southern outskirts. Swap skyscrapers for…
Downtown Dubai
In a fabulous space taking up the entire ground floor of Gate Village’s Building 10, this highly regarded gallery shines the spotlight on midcareer and…
Bur Dubai
Tucked into the Al Fahidi Historic District since 2003, XVA has a knack for ferreting out top-notch up-and-comers from around the Middle East and India…
Downtown Dubai
The Jurassic era meets the future in Dubai Mall's Souk Dome, the home of Amphicoelias brontodiplodocus, an almost complete 155-million-year-old dinosaur…
Downtown Dubai
With branches at Gate Village and well as here, on the Alserkal Avenue gallery campus in Al Quoz, this top gallery's main mission is to promote emerging…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Linked to the Dubai Marina Mall via a glass-encased walkway, this circular tower gets its name from the seven restaurants – from Asian to international –…
Downtown Dubai
This illuminated and motion-operated waterfall cascades down both sides of Sheikh Zayed Bridge, stopping only for passing vessels. It's an impressive…
Dubai
After some 10 years of stagnation, the ambitious plans for The World are up and running again. If you want proof, check out the vast Heart of Europe model…
Abu Dhabi
This large fish market bustles with traders selling row upon colourful row of the sea's bounty from the ice bars. It's busiest early in the day when…
Abu Dhabi
A 12-minute boat ride from Saadiyat Island, this idyllic piece of paradise was awarded a 'Most Luxurious Project in the World' nod by Newsweek and is…
Dubai
Quiet by day, 2nd December St turns into one of Dubai’s liveliest walking strips after dark with plenty of fine pickings for street-food aficionados…
Sharjah
This canal-side pedestrian-zone development presents a mix of cafes and kid-friendly activities, including an outdoor amusement park and an inside soft…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Enjoy a delightful stroll along this tree-flanked promenade with its dancing fountains, terraced restaurants and cool cafes. Too hot? Head for the nearby…
Sharjah
A row of cannons welcomes visitors to Sharjah's beautifully renovated 1823 fort (hisn), which reopened as a museum in 2015. Once through its mighty teak…
Sharjah
This park at the bottom of the Khalid Lagoon fills with strolling families, roller-skaters and power-walkers after sunset. The main attraction are the…
Dubai
One of the oldest parks in Dubai, dating from 1974, Mushrif covers more than 5 sq km of natural ghaf forest, which is a haven for birds, including owls,…
