The United Arab Emirates has become one of the most popular tourist destinations. Dubai, a city stretching along the coast for more than 30 km, particularly fascinates visitors. Here, you will find stunning beaches, hotels for every taste, and shops where you can buy literally everything – from local sweets to jewelry. Numerous attractions, a rich selection of excursions, and gastronomic abundance – Dubai knows how to impress. The city itself looks like a city from the future – skyscrapers of unusual shapes, fountains, and highways – some of the best in the world.
Many Russians find themselves here for a short period – some come for the weekend to have a celebration amidst busy weekdays. Others plan to fly further – for example, to Australia or tropical islands and stay in the UAE for a day or two. However, even in a short time, you can get bright impressions from this city by getting to know it better. Here’s what to see in Dubai in 2 days on your own.
How to Get from the Airport to the City Center
The international airport is located 5 km from the center. The simplest way to get to your hotel is to call a taxi or rent a car. Regarding taxis, there is an official airport transfer, or you can use cars driven by locals.
As everywhere in the world, there are “economy” and “comfort” categories. The most convenient way is to use the “Kiwitaxi” service. Many prefer to rent a car. The hot climate of Dubai is not conducive to walking, so you can explore the sights on wheels – this will save you time and energy.
A trip on a city bus will be inexpensive. Almost certainly, one of the routes will pass by the hotel where you decided to stay. Stops are located opposite each airport terminal. The bus interval is from 30 minutes to 1 hour.
There are metro stations in terminals 1 and 3. Transport cards, which are used to pay for the fare, are sold in special machines at the airport. The local metro has only 2 lines, so getting lost is difficult.
First Day
On the first day, it is recommended to see the famous “Palm Jumeirah,” visit the local beach, go up to the observation decks, look at the underwater zoo, wander through the huge shopping mall, and admire the evening fountains. Of course, do not overload yourself. Choose what interests you the most.
Palm Jumeirah
This is an artificial island in the Persian Gulf. There are hotels and private villas here. The grand engineering project is a real marvel. The island was created from sand and stone, protected from the elements by a breakwater. The “Palm” is surrounded by a stone belt, whose main purpose is to protect the island from erosion.
The project was born when the place for construction on the shore began to run out. The city needed new beaches, hotels, and entertainment centers. The construction of Jumeirah began in 2001, and its name means “Palm Crown.” The island’s diameter is 5.5 km, and the coastline, due to the “branches,” reaches 56 km. The amount of building material used would be enough for a 2.5 m wall that would encircle the Earth.
Upon arriving on the island, you can visit one of the best water parks in the world, a dolphinarium, and a sea aquarium. There is also a beach for kitesurfing. You will be offered sea trips, helicopter tours, and much more. You can get to the desired place on the island by taxi or in small carriages of the monorail.
Jumeirah Beach
A popular and very beautiful public beach. Nearby are many hotels, restaurants, and shops. It is open from early morning until late evening, and, of course, it has all the necessary infrastructure for a beach vacation. It is very clean here, there is a park and a playground nearby. You can have a picnic.
If you are lucky, you will find yourself in Dubai during the Food Festival, which takes place once a year. It’s best to come to the beach early in the morning – it’s too hot during the day, and crowded in the evening. Nearby is the most famous hotel, Burj Al Arab, but you can only admire it from a distance unless you are staying there.
Madinat Jumeirah
This is an entire resort complex that will make you think of beautiful mirages or the tales of Scheherazade. A true “Arabian Venice,” where ancient traditions blend seamlessly with modernity.
The complex is located on the bay shore near the Burj Al Arab hotel. Construction of Madinat began in 2000 when specialists started developing projects. In 2003, the first hotel was built. The complex covers an area of 40 hectares. There are parks, fountains, an artificial canal, cafes and restaurants, elegant statues, and a real eastern market. You will find nightclubs, spas, and many entertainments.
You should take a ride on an abra – a wooden boat exactly like the ones used in ancient times. A canal tour will allow you to fully enjoy views of the luxurious complex. Visit the market – it’s hard to leave without making a purchase. From unique souvenirs to eastern spices – the entire range is at your disposal. You can bargain with vendors for a better price.
Sit in an open or closed restaurant. Here, you will be offered not only eastern cuisine but also delicacies from different countries. There are dishes for children and the best wines for adults. The theater building resembles an eastern castle. It can simultaneously accommodate up to five hundred people. Although the theater looks like a guest from the past, modern technologies allow you to enjoy excellent acoustics and lighting. Few cultural institutions in Dubai are of such a level.
Also, the complex has a paid sandy beach, where sunbathing and swimming are a pleasure. There are sun loungers and umbrellas, cabins, and a bar – in short, any infrastructure to your taste. You can engage in windsurfing or diving.
When visiting Madinat Jumeirah, you can also visit the spa and fitness club, and undergo relaxing and wellness treatments.
Dubai Water Canal
One of the city’s new attractions. Where the canal intersects with the bridge of the central city highway, an artificial waterfall has been made. Pumps create the effect of water flowing down, making the waterfall seem real. But if a ship approaches the bridge, the water flows instantly disappear.
The ship passes, and the waterfall resumes. The water illumination changes, creating a spectacular view. No wonder pictures of the waterfall adorn Instagram pages of millions of users. It’s best to admire the waterfall from the embankment.
The canal is 3.2 km long and connects the Persian Gulf with the Business Bay. The canal became an extension of another bay, thus making the total length of the water artery 27 km. From any point in the city, it’s best to reach the canal by metro. You need the red line, the “Business Bay” station.
Burj Khalifa
A futuristic skyscraper that is unforgettable. This is the tallest building on the planet. It is located in the center of the business district. Inside, there is an entire city. Hotel, parks, and fountains, offices and apartments, boutiques and cafes, pools, a mosque, an observatory – you name it.
The skyscraper was built in a relatively short time. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2010. The name translates as “Khalifa Tower,” as the project is dedicated to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. The colossal structure was designed by an American bureau, with Adrian Smith as the project’s author.
The details were changed several times, and about 12,000 workers participated in the construction, completing 1-2 floors each week. There are 163 floors in total, and the overall height reaches 828 m. A new type of concrete was developed for this project to withstand colossal loads. The “Atmosphere” restaurant is located on the 122nd floor, relatively small but very atmospheric – after all, it is the highest in the world.
You can buy a ticket and go up to the 148th floor, where the observation deck is located – it is also the highest of its kind in the world. Next to the skyscraper, you will see an artificial pond and a unique fountain, with jets reaching 150 m high. Music plays – a magical sight.
Special panels used in the building’s construction do not let the hot air inside, and the air conditioning system keeps the temperature around +18°C. Unique air fresheners, developed specifically for this project, are used.
The floors are connected by 57 elevators, although most guests have to transfer, as only the service elevator connects all floors. Luxury and high technology – that’s Burj Khalifa. While in Dubai, you simply cannot miss this skyscraper. And if you go up to the observation deck, you can see the city from a bird’s eye view.
Dubai Fountain
The fountain in front of the skyscraper deserves a more detailed story. A California company developed it, making it one of the largest in the world. It is 275 m long, and the height of the jets is comparable to a 50-story building. Twenty-five colored projectors and thousands of spotlights turn it into a color extravaganza.
Construction began in 2008, and the fountain opened in 2009, at the same time as the famous Dubai Mall. An effect of fire and smoke can also be created in the artificial pond. You can stand here for a long time, listening to musical compositions that replace each other and admiring the play of water jets. The colorful show takes place every day from 6 pm to 11 pm.
The Opera
Another ultra-modern building. Today, it is the main cultural center. The structure is a true work of art, shaped like a sailboat, symbolizing the city’s aspiration for the future. It is very convenient to get here from the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.
The hall can simultaneously accommodate up to 2,000 spectators, and not only operas but also dramatic performances are given here. It is recommended to go up to the building’s roof in your free time, where there is an open garden. A restaurant operates. On the opera’s opening day, Placido Domingo performed here, and since then, you can listen to the world’s biggest opera stars. The best singers, dancers, orchestras, and dramatic actors regularly delight audiences with their performances.
Thanks to modern technologies, the interior structures can change. Exhibitions are also held here. Guests move from floor to floor using escalators, and you can always have a snack in the buffets. Pay attention to the chandelier in the foyer – hundreds of crystal “pearls” shine. This is no accident – as mentioned earlier, the Opera building is shaped like a sailboat – like those used by pearl divers.
Dubai Mall
The largest shopping center on the planet, located near the Burj Khalifa tower. It covers more than 350 thousand square meters. More than 1,200 retail outlets operate inside. It is simply impossible to leave here without making a purchase, as you can buy absolutely everything.
The center opened in 2008. Of course, there are not only shops here. Cafes, restaurants, and confectioneries, attractions, entertainment centers, cinemas, a theme park, arcade machines, an ice rink, an Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and the famous fountain, whose jets rise to the third floor. There is also a hotel, so you can stay right in Dubai Mall if you wish.
People come here for electronics and souvenirs, perfumes and fashionable items, and they buy jewelry and incense. Boutiques selling items from famous couturiers operate here, but you can also purchase budget clothing. What is very important – all products are high-quality and certified.
Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
If you visit Dubai Mall, you simply cannot miss the Aquarium – as it is one of the city’s significant attractions, liked by both adults and children. The Aquarium has been operating since 2008. The dimensions are impressive – more than 50 m in length and 11 m in height, and it holds 10 million liters of water. About 33 thousand living creatures “reside” inside.
It seems like you are at the bottom of the sea. Aquarium guests walk through a tunnel. Above, on the third floor of the shopping center, is the underwater zoo. You can buy a ticket that includes a walk through the tunnel and a guided tour of the zoo, with a voucher for snacks and drinks. You can also order a boat ride with a transparent bottom, scuba diving, and stingray feeding.
It’s best to buy tickets at the Aquarium entrance, where you can get all types of combined tickets, including season passes. The underwater complex operates daily from 10 am to 10 pm. Guests are captivated by tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks. In the zoo, you will see penguins, seals, piranhas, and other animals.
You can dive in a cage to see sharks up close. You will also see crocodile feeding and find out what a kraken’s lair looks like. Various educational programs are held, and you can also order a celebration.
Museum of the Future
A unique structure in a unique city, a center of creativity and knowledge where you can explore the prospects of human society. Its work spectrum is broad. Here, you can study everything that threatens the planet and develop scenarios to prevent technological and ecological catastrophes. Artificial intelligence, healthcare development, bioengineering, space exploration, and much more – all this attracts visitors.
The building’s floors are dedicated to specific scientific directions, and exhibitions are held, allowing you to immerse yourself in simulated reality. An attraction operates, allowing you to look into the future. You will vividly imagine how human capabilities will expand in 50 years.
There are many interactive displays, as well as “live” exhibits demonstrating modern achievements. Robotics and artificial intelligence are priority development areas. Children will be interested in visiting one of the floors, where the program is specially designed for them. After all, youth are literally “people of the future.”
The museum has many design studios where you can get acquainted with presentations of various scientific achievements, listen to lectures, and participate in seminars. The building’s architecture is one of the most complex in the world. There are no internal supports, and a very complex design is used, with laser projections and 3D modeling.
Steel and glass panels were made in single copies. The project developers wanted to show the connection between the Earth and the Sky. The future is being built today, and the Museum has become a vivid confirmation of these words. There is a recreation area near the building where you can sit after a tiring but so rich in impressions day.
Second Day
If you can spend another day in Dubai, you can create an equally rich and exciting program. Yesterday, you saw the city’s main attractions that you simply could not miss. Today, visit what you like the most.
Gold Souk
It is no secret that many people come specifically for jewelry. Do not buy gold jewelry in the first store you come across. It’s an expensive purchase – so it’s better to visit the Gold Souk. Moreover, this is a real attraction of the UAE. Visiting it is part of many excursion programs. Tourists are given time to wander around the market and buy exactly what they want.
It is worth noting that gold and gemstone products here are no more expensive than elsewhere. But here – safe deals, verified quality, and a huge selection. At the same time, you need to consider that the price for a factory-made piece will be lower than for an exclusive one made by a jeweler.
And another thing – here, it is customary to bargain, reducing the cost of the product significantly. The main thing is to be polite and friendly. You will be given a good discount if you buy several pieces of jewelry at once. Besides rings, earrings, and bracelets, coins and ingots, dishes made of precious metal, and gold souvenirs are sold here. There are always many people, with the fewest visitors immediately after opening and in the last hour before the market closes.
There are about 400 shops in total, and trading began here in the 20th century when foreign traders were exempt from taxes. Besides, local jewelers worked nearby. Later, craftsmen from Iran and Syria came here.
You don’t have to fear fakes here, as a single violation will result in the trader losing their license, and losing such a place is unprofitable. And one more curiosity – at the entrance, the largest ring on the planet with a diameter of half a meter is displayed. It is not for sale but attracts tourists.
Dubai Museum
Located in a square fortification built in the 18th century. Local rulers lived in this fortress. It was also used to hold criminals and house regular troops. Today, you can see exhibits that tell how a small fishing village turned into a major port city.
Settlements in this part of the planet existed 5,000 years ago. Oil played a huge role in the development of the UAE, but international trade relations became an equally valuable resource and progress driver for the emirates. They affected almost all spheres of life in Arab states. Naturally, the museum exhibits unique ancient artifacts created in those African and Eastern countries with which local merchants traded long ago.
The exhibition space is divided into thematic zones based on geography, making it very convenient to examine exhibits and learn about the coastal, desert, and mountainous territories of the emirate. The museum first opened its doors to visitors in 1971. Today, its work is based on actively using virtual technologies, but the main rules for arranging exhibits and replenishing collections have not changed since the last century.
In the fortress, you can visit mysterious underground galleries, see collections of ancient weapons and eastern musical instruments. Among its exhibits are cannons, wells, boats, and a summer house made of palm leaves (arish), where Arab interior items are displayed. An important distinguishing feature of this exhibition space: there are no replicas here! All the items displayed in the Dubai Museum are originals.
Creek Park
Located on the shore of the Creek Bay, hence the name. The park stretches about 2.5 km. This place is called a “botanical garden.” Over 300 species of various plants grow here – from trees to flowers. Fountains create a pleasant atmosphere. You can also receive training here to become a gardener or landscape designer.
Children enjoy watching peacocks and squirrels freely strolling through the park. You can ride a train on a miniature railway, visit the dolphinarium, and the children’s town. Many rent a boat to ride along the bay or have a barbecue.
Dubai Frame
The landmark appeared recently, in 2018. The huge “photo frame” is located in Zabeel Park. It is made of glass, steel, reinforced concrete, and aluminum. The frame is covered with gold. There are 48 floors in the building, which is not much for Dubai.
It is a project by Fernando Donis, who wanted to create an architectural structure where the new is closely intertwined with the old.
The height of the towers reaches 150 m, connected by a glass bridge, with an observation deck on top, where you can admire both new Dubai and its historical part. An elevator will take you to the top. It is most interesting to walk on the glass bridge – very sharp sensations. There is also a cafe.
Garden Glow
A sight that captures the imagination. Half a million designers and architects, artists, and engineers participated in creating the garden. Moreover, the installations are mainly made from recycled materials. Here, you can see the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, made from 90,000 tea sets, and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, made from 90,000 tea sets, and the Burj Khalifa tower, which is 12 meters high and made from ampoules filled with colored water.
Beautiful music plays, artificial water bodies complement the landscape, and an electric train takes young visitors around the park so that children can admire its beauty.
Safari Park
This space is intended for housing and showcasing wild animals, reptiles, and birds. Safari Park is not a zoo or museum in the traditional sense. It is a truly eco-friendly park where wild representatives of the fauna feel great and enjoy interacting with people.
The park covers more than 110 hectares and is divided into artificial climate zones. Among its inhabitants are crocodiles, monkeys, hippos, giraffes, and baboons. Only here can you see the white lion, the Asian bear, and the largest collection of reptiles in the emirate.
Tigers, lions, antelopes, and other wildlife representatives move freely in their zones. A special platform is set up for feeding giraffes (visitors are allowed to visit it). In the bird aviary, a pedestrian zone is arranged for people so that they do not disturb the birds.
The park also includes a theater, animal care courses, and a playground where children get to know the friendliest representatives of the wild.
La Perle Show
A famous venue in the center of Al Habtoor City combines the functions of a water park, circus, and water theater. It is often compared to the world’s crossroads and a future laboratory. Here, amazing 1.5-hour performances take place three times a day. These shows are mainly targeted at family travelers. They are based on favorite children’s fairy tales, where good always triumphs over evil, and beauty reigns in the world.
Up to 1,300 spectators can attend a La Perle by Dragone performance simultaneously. Audience seating is divided into five zones. The best seats are, of course, in the VIP zone, platinum, and gold sectors, but the silver and bronze zones also offer excellent views of the aqua stage and the giant pool (it holds 2.7 million liters of water).
Each La Perle by Dragone performance features 65 artists whose craftsmanship, combined with “live decorations” and special effects, transports spectators into an underwater fairy world. Here, acrobats perform jumps from the height of an eight-story building, and aerial gymnasts move under the dome at speeds of up to 15 km/h.
Motorcyclists’ stunts inside a sphere literally mesmerize the audience. The show also introduces spectators to the incredible skills of stuntmen, equilibrists, and figure skaters.
Explore Dubai Rich Heritage: Top 15 Museums
