Global Village
A huge open-air park of country pavilions, street food, funfair rides and nightly shows. It runs for one…
All of the UAE
The directory
Every place we have recorded across the seven emirates — the ones we have visited and the ones we have not, each one labelled.
Places in The directory
Evening desert safari
The standard Dubai desert trip: hotel pickup mid-afternoon, an hour of dune driving, then a desert camp with…
Arabian Tea House
A white-and-turquoise courtyard café set in a restored house in Al Fahidi, serving Emirati and Levantine breakfasts under…
Restaurants
Bu Qtair
A famously unglamorous fish shack near Umm Suqeim beach. You choose from what came in that morning, it…
Al Mallah
A Satwa fixture with pavement tables, known for shawarma, manakish and fresh juices. It is the kind of…
Ravi Restaurant — Dubai
One of the oldest and best-known cheap restaurants in Dubai. Plastic chairs, fluorescent light, enormous portions of Pakistani…
Dubai Miracle Garden
An enormous seasonal garden of flower sculptures, arches and installations. It is genuinely striking, and it is only…
Burj Al Arab — Dubai
The most photographed building in Dubai after Burj Khalifa. It sits on an artificial island and you cannot…
Jumeirah Mosque
A working mosque in the Fatimid style that runs guided visits for non-Muslims through the Sheikh Mohammed Centre…
Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk
A boardwalk running along the outer edge of Palm Jumeirah, at sea level, looking back at the Marina…
JBR — The Beach
A wide public beach backed by an open-air mall, cinema and a long promenade. This is where Dubai…
Kite Beach — Dubai
The most usable free beach in Dubai: soft sand, clean water, changing rooms, showers, a 14 km running…
Mall of the Emirates
Dubai’s other giant mall, and the one with Ski Dubai — a real indoor ski slope with actual…
The Dubai Mall
Over a thousand shops, an ice rink, a cinema and the Dubai Aquarium, all attached to Burj Khalifa…
Dubai Creek abra crossing
Wooden abras have crossed Dubai Creek for decades and still run as ordinary public transport between Bur Dubai…
Spice Souk
A small warren of alleys beside the Gold Souk selling spices, dried fruit, nuts, frankincense and saffron out…
Gold Souk
A covered street in Deira lined with gold and jewellery shops. Gold is sold by weight at the…
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
The restored quarter of coral-and-gypsum houses with wind towers, courtyard cafés and small galleries. It is the oldest…
Dubai Frame
A 150-metre picture frame in Zabeel Park with a glass-floored walkway across the top. One side looks over…
Open now
The Dubai Fountain
Choreographed water jets on the lake between Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. Shows run every 30 minutes through…
Burj Khalifa — At the Top
The observation decks on levels 124 and 125 are the reason most people come to Downtown. Tickets are…
Dubai Hills Mall
Open now
The Green Planet
Open now
Dubai Marina Mall
Open now