Dubai Districts to Explore
Dubai Districts
Iconic landmarks, world-class shopping and beautiful promenades make Downtown Dubai a must-visit for any visitor.
The world-famous Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world), The Dubai Mall (the world's biggest mall), Dubai Fountain, Dubai Opera - Downtown Dubai has plenty of wow-factor for visitors.
But along with luxury retail, phenomenal architecture and swanky five-star hotels, the district also has an urban community feel thanks to its pedestrian-friendly design.
A trip up to the observation deck of Burj Khalifa is a fantastic way to start any Dubai holiday, and offers the chance to snap some truly memorable photos. Mere meters away is The Dubai Fountain that delights with music, water and light show like no other, and The Dubai Mall, one of the largest malls in the world.
Downtown might be urban but there are pockets of green in the neighborhood, such as Burj Park, boasting splendid views. The park regularly hosts large-scale events, like Market OTB, a pop-up market which takes places every winter during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
84 locals recommend
Downtown Dubai
Iconic landmarks, world-class shopping and beautiful promenades make Downtown Dubai a must-visit for any visitor.
The world-famous Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world), The Dubai Mall (the world's biggest mall), Dubai Fountain, Dubai Opera - Downtown Dubai has plenty of wow-factor for visitors.
But along with luxury retail, phenomenal architecture and swanky five-star hotels, the district also has an urban community feel thanks to its pedestrian-friendly design.
A trip up to the observation deck of Burj Khalifa is a fantastic way to start any Dubai holiday, and offers the chance to snap some truly memorable photos. Mere meters away is The Dubai Fountain that delights with music, water and light show like no other, and The Dubai Mall, one of the largest malls in the world.
Downtown might be urban but there are pockets of green in the neighborhood, such as Burj Park, boasting splendid views. The park regularly hosts large-scale events, like Market OTB, a pop-up market which takes places every winter during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
Located 10 minutes from Downtown Dubai and situated next to the Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary, famous for its flamingos.
It is a perfect spot to touch the mesmerizing Dubai skyline.
Take a walk along the beautiful sidewalks while checking out the various shops, restaurant and leisure activities.
There also an outdoor gallery featuring unique installations and a pier with boat tours.
7 locals recommend
Dubai Creek Harbour
Located 10 minutes from Downtown Dubai and situated next to the Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary, famous for its flamingos.
It is a perfect spot to touch the mesmerizing Dubai skyline.
Take a walk along the beautiful sidewalks while checking out the various shops, restaurant and leisure activities.
There also an outdoor gallery featuring unique installations and a pier with boat tours.
Dubai financial district is packed with galleries and numerous fine dining restaurants and nightlife.
Some of Dubai's best-known dining spots, from the trendy Zuma and La Petite Maison to the French-Vietnamese Indochine, are located here alongside high-end art displays and boutique stores.
For an experience that’s equally relaxing and inspiring, check out the regularly scheduled Art Nights.
These events bring together the elements of art, music, film and design through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities and present a jaw-dropping views to the skyscrapers of DIFC and Downtown.
25 locals recommend
DIFC
Dubai financial district is packed with galleries and numerous fine dining restaurants and nightlife.
Some of Dubai's best-known dining spots, from the trendy Zuma and La Petite Maison to the French-Vietnamese Indochine, are located here alongside high-end art displays and boutique stores.
For an experience that’s equally relaxing and inspiring, check out the regularly scheduled Art Nights.
These events bring together the elements of art, music, film and design through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities and present a jaw-dropping views to the skyscrapers of DIFC and Downtown.
Globally renowned, with a glorious waterfront location Dubai Marina is one of Dubai’s most popular tourists’ attraction.
It is full of skyscrapers, yachts and hosts the "Jumeirah Beach Walk" (JBR) with a number of restaurants, an open-air market when the weather permits, and frequent shows.
Beautiful and relaxed Dubai Marina Mall includes promenade cafes and restaurants.
226 locals recommend
Dubai Marina
Globally renowned, with a glorious waterfront location Dubai Marina is one of Dubai’s most popular tourists’ attraction.
It is full of skyscrapers, yachts and hosts the "Jumeirah Beach Walk" (JBR) with a number of restaurants, an open-air market when the weather permits, and frequent shows.
Beautiful and relaxed Dubai Marina Mall includes promenade cafes and restaurants.
Visit Jumeirah and you'll find yourself surrounded by bougainvillea-laden villas, a thriving cafe scene and chic malls by the sea – it's easy to see why this affluent coastal district is one of Dubai's most prestigious locales.
Spread out between three areas — Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2, and Jumeirah 3 — there’s plenty to explore aside from the open beaches. Dine at the fashionable cafes and boutiques tucked inside luxurious villas, or visit one of Dubai’s culturally important landmarks, the famous Jumeirah Mosque.
This locality is also famous for shopping centers such as Mercato Mall, Town Centre Jumeirah and Sunset Mall see the best luxury boutiques and homegrown concepts mingle.
The Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is a popular foodie choice too – aside from its luxury suites and golden sand beach, it has a dedicated Restaurant Village that boasts exceptional eateries including Peruvian favorite Coya and Nusr-Et (made famous by ‘Salt Bae’).
Vast portions of Jumeriah’s coastline are also being beautified and modernized, like La Mer, a spectacular beachfront development with a chic sustainable marine design.
It’s now one of the most happening beaches in Dubai, with street art murals, quirky bucket-and-rope showers and colorful wooden cabanas.
12 locals recommend
Jumeirah
Visit Jumeirah and you'll find yourself surrounded by bougainvillea-laden villas, a thriving cafe scene and chic malls by the sea – it's easy to see why this affluent coastal district is one of Dubai's most prestigious locales.
Spread out between three areas — Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2, and Jumeirah 3 — there’s plenty to explore aside from the open beaches. Dine at the fashionable cafes and boutiques tucked inside luxurious villas, or visit one of Dubai’s culturally important landmarks, the famous Jumeirah Mosque.
This locality is also famous for shopping centers such as Mercato Mall, Town Centre Jumeirah and Sunset Mall see the best luxury boutiques and homegrown concepts mingle.
The Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is a popular foodie choice too – aside from its luxury suites and golden sand beach, it has a dedicated Restaurant Village that boasts exceptional eateries including Peruvian favorite Coya and Nusr-Et (made famous by ‘Salt Bae’).
Vast portions of Jumeriah’s coastline are also being beautified and modernized, like La Mer, a spectacular beachfront development with a chic sustainable marine design.
It’s now one of the most happening beaches in Dubai, with street art murals, quirky bucket-and-rope showers and colorful wooden cabanas.
Dubai's old Financial center. Together with Bur Dubai, Karama and Satwa, Deira is part of an area that’s known as ‘Old Dubai’ among locals.
Here you’ll find narrow lanes with the city’s Gold Souk and Spice Souk filled with wares brought in by the waterways of Dubai Creek. For centuries, merchants would dock their boats by its banks, bringing in perfume, spices, coffee and gold from far away countries to trade.
Today, the creek is as active as ever, with modern yachts and Arabian dhows gliding side-by-side at busy wharfs.
The waters are also busy with smaller motorized wooden vessels known as abras, which whisk passengers between Deira and Bur Dubai for just AED2.
63 locals recommend
Deira
Dubai's old Financial center. Together with Bur Dubai, Karama and Satwa, Deira is part of an area that’s known as ‘Old Dubai’ among locals.
Here you’ll find narrow lanes with the city’s Gold Souk and Spice Souk filled with wares brought in by the waterways of Dubai Creek. For centuries, merchants would dock their boats by its banks, bringing in perfume, spices, coffee and gold from far away countries to trade.
Today, the creek is as active as ever, with modern yachts and Arabian dhows gliding side-by-side at busy wharfs.
The waters are also busy with smaller motorized wooden vessels known as abras, which whisk passengers between Deira and Bur Dubai for just AED2.
Jebel Ali is an underrated gem found only by those who seek the complete Dubai experience.
Ibn Battuta Mall is the world’s largest themed shopping center designed in the footsteps of the legendary Arab explorer Ibn Battuta. Areas themed around six countries (China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Andalusia). Also has extensive, permanent exhibitions of Islamic science, invention and astronomy.
The world’s largest experience resort resides in Jebel Ali as well, where an industrial landscape transforms into a stage for dynamic sports and beachside bliss.
JA Resort's location offers a welcome respite from the inner-city buzz, while still being not too far from iconic sights in Dubai Marina or Downtown.
Jebel Ali Village
Jebel Ali is an underrated gem found only by those who seek the complete Dubai experience.
Ibn Battuta Mall is the world’s largest themed shopping center designed in the footsteps of the legendary Arab explorer Ibn Battuta. Areas themed around six countries (China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Andalusia). Also has extensive, permanent exhibitions of Islamic science, invention and astronomy.
The world’s largest experience resort resides in Jebel Ali as well, where an industrial landscape transforms into a stage for dynamic sports and beachside bliss.
JA Resort's location offers a welcome respite from the inner-city buzz, while still being not too far from iconic sights in Dubai Marina or Downtown.
Dubai Districts
Palm Jumeirah is home to the Nakheel Mall and The Pointe, both housing plenty of branded stores and family-friendly attractions.
The five-star Atlantis, The Palm resort, located on the outer crescent, is a popular stop too. The grand property is home to world-class restaurants by the likes of Nobu and Gordon Ramsay, as well as huge waterpark, giant aquarium and more.
For relaxation lovers, a gentle walk along The Pointe's 1.5km promenade and watch water sway to the beat at The Pointe’s latest attraction - The Palm Fountains (holds a Guinness World Record for the world's largest dancing fountain), affording the best waterside views of Atlantis in the distance.
Get sun-soaked at the family-friendly Riva Beach Club or W Dubai’s WET Deck while enjoying top tunes, refreshing poolside dining and five-star facilities.
There are many private hotel beaches along The Palm that can be accessed with a day pass.
186 locals recommend
Atlantis The Palm station
Crescent RoadPalm Jumeirah is home to the Nakheel Mall and The Pointe, both housing plenty of branded stores and family-friendly attractions.
The five-star Atlantis, The Palm resort, located on the outer crescent, is a popular stop too. The grand property is home to world-class restaurants by the likes of Nobu and Gordon Ramsay, as well as huge waterpark, giant aquarium and more.
For relaxation lovers, a gentle walk along The Pointe's 1.5km promenade and watch water sway to the beat at The Pointe’s latest attraction - The Palm Fountains (holds a Guinness World Record for the world's largest dancing fountain), affording the best waterside views of Atlantis in the distance.
Get sun-soaked at the family-friendly Riva Beach Club or W Dubai’s WET Deck while enjoying top tunes, refreshing poolside dining and five-star facilities.
There are many private hotel beaches along The Palm that can be accessed with a day pass.
Admire the city’s sparkling coastline from Dubai Harbour, a seafront district in Dubai Marina that boasts the most advanced cruise terminal and the largest marina in the region.
Conveniently located near Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters Island, the world-class maritime destination is open for the public to explore new cafes, retail outlets, restaurants and hotels.
A highlight is the Italian restaurant L’Amo Bistro Del Mare, which will impress with a menu of signature seafood and incredible views of the Arabian Gulf and Dubai Marina skyline.
To understand the scale of The Dubai Harbour, the terminals were designed to simultaneously handle the complete passenger turnaround of two mega-size cruise ships.
Dubai Harbour
Admire the city’s sparkling coastline from Dubai Harbour, a seafront district in Dubai Marina that boasts the most advanced cruise terminal and the largest marina in the region.
Conveniently located near Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters Island, the world-class maritime destination is open for the public to explore new cafes, retail outlets, restaurants and hotels.
A highlight is the Italian restaurant L’Amo Bistro Del Mare, which will impress with a menu of signature seafood and incredible views of the Arabian Gulf and Dubai Marina skyline.
To understand the scale of The Dubai Harbour, the terminals were designed to simultaneously handle the complete passenger turnaround of two mega-size cruise ships.