Attraction
Burj Khalifa
The world's tallest building, rising 828 metres over Downtown Dubai, with observation decks on levels 124, 125 and 148 open to ticketed visitors.
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, known for its modern cities, desert landscapes and long coastline. Dubai is the best-known destination, with its skyline, beaches, shopping and older districts around the creek. Abu Dhabi, the capital, is home to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi and the theme parks of Yas Island. Sharjah has museums and a heritage area, while Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah offer mountains, beaches and a quieter pace. Desert trips, from dune drives to overnight camps, are popular across the country, and the cooler months bring many outdoor events and festivals.
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.
Attraction
Abu Dhabi's great white mosque, inaugurated in 2007, with 82 domes, four minarets, a vast hand-knotted carpet and free guided cultural tours for visitors.
Attraction
A preserved creekside quarter of wind-tower houses and narrow lanes, now home to galleries, small museums, cafés and the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
Attraction
Jean Nouvel's museum on Saadiyat Island, opened in 2017 under a dome of 7,850 aluminium stars, telling the story of human creativity across cultures and eras.
Attraction
A 150-metre picture-frame landmark in Zabeel Park whose glass-walled sky bridge looks over old Dubai on one side and the modern skyline on the other.
Attraction
The UAE's working presidential palace, opened to visitors in 2019, with a 37-metre dome, a library of more than 50,000 books and an evening show.
Café
A popular family-owned Middle Eastern bakery restaurant in Al Khalidiyah, known for manaqeesh and fresh bread from the oven and listed in the Michelin Guide.
Café
A courtyard café in the Al Fahidi heritage quarter serving Emirati breakfasts, karak tea and traditional sweets under a large central tree.
Café
One of Dubai's pioneering speciality coffee roasters, founded in 2007, with a warehouse café in Al Quoz serving its own ethically sourced roasts.
Café
A Bib Gourmand all-day café on the Al Qana boardwalk, mixing European and Arabic flavours, with homemade breads, weekend breakfasts and good coffee.
Café
A healthy café combined with a lifestyle concept store and organic grocery in a Jumeirah villa, popular for unhurried breakfasts and light lunches.
Café
A beachside specialty coffee shop on the Mamsha Al Saadiyat promenade, with views over Soul Beach, creative breakfasts and coffee brewed by several methods.
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.
Hotel
Abu Dhabi's grandest hotel, opened in 2005 and run by Mandarin Oriental since 2020, with 114 domes, a 1.3-kilometre private beach and a dozen restaurants.
Hotel
A palace-style luxury hotel at Madinat Jumeirah, laced with waterways and set on a private beach with views of Burj Al Arab.
Hotel
A five-star beach resort on Saadiyat Island with a private Gulf beach, three outdoor pools, a 12-room spa and Buddha-Bar Beach, next to a Gary Player…
Hotel
A luxury beach hotel at the entrance to Madinat Jumeirah, with wind-tower architecture, canal-side walks to the souk and Bahri Bar's terrace on site.
Hotel
A five-star waterfront resort on Khor Al Maqta, with a kilometre of private beach, an infinity pool, CHI spa and abra boats to the neighbouring souk.
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…
Bar
A cocktail bar on level 62 of Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, with views over the Corniche, the Gulf and Emirates Palace, inventive drinks and live…
Bar
An elegant terrace bar at Jumeirah Mina Al Salam with views across the Madinat waterways towards Burj Al Arab, known for Silk Route-inspired cocktails.
Bar
The first permanent Buddha-Bar Beach, on the sand at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, combining a beach lounge, bar and Far East-inspired restaurant with DJs…
Bar
A long-established Irish pub in Al Garhoud with a large tree-shaded garden and duck pond, live music, sports screenings and classic pub food.
Bar
An adults-only weekend lounge at W Abu Dhabi on Yas Island, with crafted drinks, a resident DJ and views over Yas Marina and the Formula One…
Restaurant
A Michelin-starred modern Emirati restaurant within the Qasr Al Hosn cultural site, cooking with ingredients from farms across the Emirates.
Restaurant
A three-Michelin-star Indian tasting-menu restaurant on Palm Jumeirah, reimagining regional Indian cooking with produce sourced from UAE farms.
Restaurant
A family-run Iranian kebab canteen in Bur Dubai, open since 1978 and known for yoghurt-marinated chicken, saffron rice and walls of celebrity photographs.
Restaurant
A one-Michelin-star Chinese restaurant inside Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, known for Peking duck, Chilean sea bass with honey and a Saturday dim sum lunch.
Restaurant
A busy, good-value Emirati and Kuwaiti restaurant on Airport Road, holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand and decorated with old photographs of Abu Dhabi.
Restaurant
A no-frills Pakistani canteen in Satwa serving since 1978, loved for its nihari, mutton karahi and fresh naan at very low prices.
Thing to do
An 8-kilometre waterfront promenade along the Abu Dhabi island waterfront, with separate walking and cycling paths, parks, cafés and a public beach.
Thing to do
Deira's covered gold market, where lanes of jewellers display necklaces, bangles and bridal sets in their windows, close to the spice souk and Dubai Creek.
Thing to do
A short crossing of Dubai Creek on a traditional wooden abra, the cheapest and most atmospheric way to travel between Bur Dubai and the Deira souks.
Thing to do
A mangrove reserve on Al Jubail Island, between Yas and Saadiyat, where boardwalk routes of 1 to 2 kilometres lead through the trees to viewing points…
Thing to do
A converted warehouse district in Al Quoz with more than 70 galleries, design studios, cafés and creative businesses, and a busy programme of exhibitions and events.
Thing to do
An Emirati-themed water park on Yas Island, opened in 2013, with more than 40 rides and slides set around the story of a girl's search for…
Tour operator
Open-top hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses linking 14 stops from Abu Dhabi Mall to Qasr Al Hosn, with a separate shuttle to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Tour operator
Dubai's long-running hot-air balloon operator, formerly Balloon Adventures Dubai, flying at sunrise over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve since 2005.
Tour operator
An Abu Dhabi tour operator running desert safaris since 2004, along with city tours of the Grand Mosque and Louvre, Al Ain trips and mangrove kayaking.
Tour operator
A Dubai safari operator, part of Hero Experiences Group, offering heritage-focused and luxury desert safaris that support conservation initiatives.
Tour operator
A long-established Dubai tour company and member of the Emirates Group, offering desert safaris, camel rides, overnight stargazing and discounted attraction passes.
Tour operator
An established Abu Dhabi marine-tourism company running boat tours, water taxis, mangrove trips and watersports from Yas Marina, Qaryat Al Beri and Eastern Mangroves.
Intercity buses and taxis link the main emirates, and car hire is common. Within Dubai, the metro and tram cover many of the main areas.
November to March offers the most comfortable temperatures. Summer is very hot and humid, so outdoor activities are best kept to early mornings and evenings.
Popular choices include Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and the desert around Liwa.