Tour operator
Platinum Heritage
A Dubai safari operator, part of Hero Experiences Group, offering heritage-focused and luxury desert safaris that support conservation initiatives.
Dubai's long-running hot-air balloon operator, formerly Balloon Adventures Dubai, flying at sunrise over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve since 2005.
Good to know
Founded in 2005 as Balloon Adventures Dubai and now trading as Hero Balloon Flights, this company has the longest track record of any balloon operator in the city. Its pilots share more than 120 years of combined experience, and flights take off over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where the company has exclusive access.
Flights rise at dawn, when the air is calmest, and drift above the dunes of the reserve as the sun comes up. The Signature Experience is shared with other passengers, while the Private Experience reserves a basket for your group; both can be paired with a breakfast at a desert property reserved for balloon guests. Expect a very early start, dress in layers because desert mornings can be cool in winter, and book a few days ahead.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
At sunrise, when wind conditions are calmest.
Over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.
Café
A courtyard café in the Al Fahidi heritage quarter serving Emirati breakfasts, karak tea and traditional sweets under a large central tree.
Hotel
An ultra-luxury resort on the Palm Jumeirah crescent with sky-high pools, a beachfront, signature restaurants and access to the vast Aquaventure waterpark next door.
Attraction
The world's tallest building, rising 828 metres over Downtown Dubai, with observation decks on levels 124, 125 and 148 open to ticketed visitors.
Bar
A rooftop venue 54 floors up at Address Sky View, combining a modern Asian restaurant, a sky bar and a club lounge with close-up Burj Khalifa…