Dubai
A trading port that became a skyline, with the wind towers and the wooden boats still working alongside it
Browse Dubai
Dubai is famous for the tall, shiny version of itself, and that part is real enough. What surprises most first-time visitors is how much of the older city is still working: wooden abras crossing the creek for a couple of dirhams, spices sold loose from open sacks in Deira, and Pakistani and Iranian canteens in Satwa and Bur Dubai that have been feeding the city since the 1970s. Our local picks put both sides on the same page, from the souks and the courtyard houses of Al Fahidi to the desert an hour inland and the social enterprises quietly working in Al Quoz.
Dubai at a glance
- Ideal stay: 4 to 5 days
- Best time to visit: November to March
- Highlights: the creek and souks, Al Fahidi and the desert
- Where to stay: Downtown, Bur Dubai for the old city, or the beach
- Getting around: the Metro, taxis and the abras across the creek
- Local picks: 32 hand-chosen places across the city
Where to stay in Dubai
Downtown puts you at the Burj Khalifa and on the Metro. Bur Dubai and Al Fahidi are cheaper and far closer to the old city, the creek and the souks. The Jumeirah beach strip is the choice if you want sand at the end of the day. Compare live prices and availability on the map. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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When is the best time to visit Dubai?
November to March, when daytime temperatures are comfortable and everything outdoors actually works. From June to September the heat and humidity make the middle of the day close to unusable, which is why so much of the city's summer life happens indoors and after dark.
What should visitors know about dress and behaviour?
Dubai is relaxed by regional standards but it is not Europe. Cover shoulders and knees in malls, souks, older districts and anywhere religious; swimwear belongs on the beach and at the pool. Public displays of affection and drinking outside licensed venues are not acceptable, and Ramadan brings stricter daytime norms on eating and drinking in public.
Can you drink alcohol in Dubai?
Yes, in licensed venues, which in practice means hotels, and clubs and bars attached to them, plus a number of standalone licensed restaurants. Drinking or being drunk in public is an offence, and the legal age is 21. Buying alcohol to take away requires a licence, though visitors can obtain a temporary one.
Is Dubai just malls and skyscrapers?
Not if you cross the creek. Deira and Bur Dubai hold the gold and spice souks, the wooden abras and the textile market, and Al Fahidi keeps its wind-tower houses and courtyards. Al Quoz has the independent arts district. All of it is cheap or free, and none of it is air-conditioned retail.
How do you get around Dubai?
The Metro is clean, cheap and covers Downtown, the Marina, Deira and both airports; buy a Nol card at any station. Taxis and ride-hailing fill the gaps and are inexpensive by European standards. The abras across the creek cost a couple of dirhams in cash and are the best value transport in the city.
Is a desert safari worth doing?
The landscape is genuinely worth an evening, though the standard package is heavily commercialised, with dune bashing, camel photos and a buffet camp. If you want the desert without the theatre, an overnight at a desert resort or a quieter conservation-reserve tour gives you the dunes at dawn instead.