Great Things to Do On a First Visit to Dubai

Sometimes billed as the eighth wonder of the world, Dubai is never anything less than breathtaking. In only forty years, it has been transformed from a tiny fishing village on the edge of the Arabian Desert to one of the world’s most remarkable cities, famed for its towering skyscrapers, opulent hotels, golden sandy beaches and spectacular man-made islands in the Persian Gulf.



With so much to see and do, visitors to Dubai are often unsure where to begin but even the most time-pressed traveller can get the best out of this stunning desert emirate with just a little planning.



First time visitors to Dubai will almost certainly want to investigate its vast array of shopping outlets, from the traditional Arabian marketplaces of the Bastakia Quarter to the extravagant malls that cater to the most discerning and expensive tastes in the modern parts of the city. While many of the goods on offer are similar to those that can be found in Europe and North America, the scale and ambition of Dubai’s most famous malls are unlike anything tourists will find back at home. The enormous Mall of the Emirates contains over 80 cafes and restaurants, 520 stores, 60 designer outlets, two hotels and even a dry ski slope, allowing shoppers to enjoy winter sports even in the heat of the desert.

Though not often recognised as such, Dubai is increasingly becoming one of the world’s culinary hotspots and no visit to the city is complete without sampling some of the foods brought to the Gulf city by its many immigrant communities. Juicy kebabs and enormous salads offer a taste of Lebanon and the Middle East, while rich curries reflect Dubai’s large Indian and Pakistani populations and are available at very reasonable prices. Those looking for something more upmarket will find that many hotels in Dubai offer world class restaurants, with celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Gary Rhodes sometimes stopping by to prepare a meal for rich and famous visitors.



Dubai first came to the world’s attention thanks to the spectacular building projects that have helped turn the city into one of the most remarkable feats of human engineering of the modern age. These spectacular sights, from the incredible Burj Al Arab hotel, shaped like a giant sail rising up from the waves, to the mind-blowing Palm, a palm tree-shaped group islands reclaimed from the sea, leave an enduring impression and really have to be seen to be believed. One of the most recent developments, known as The World, is a recreation of the Earth in miniature, with each country represented by an island.



Visitors to Dubai will also be pleased to know that the city boasts a vibrant nightlife with a vast selection of bars, restaurants and nightclubs to cater for every taste. Due to local licensing laws, alcohol can only be served in hotels and so many establishments are home to vast entertainment complexes with everything from theme bars to live music venues on site. Those wishing to dance the night away will be spoiled for choice with every kind of dance, rock, jazz and even heavy metal music on offer in one or other of the city’s many nightclubs.



Dubai has much to offer to tourists and most visitors will be hard pressed to see all of its incredible sights in one trip. With new buildings springing up all the time and ever-more ambitious schemes planned for the future, Dubai looks set to be one of the world’s most exciting holiday destinations for many years to come.