11 Best Tourist Attractions in Dubai

Dubai's getting ready to unveil one spectacular landmark after another; Ain Dubai is almost ready, as is the Dubai Frame and the Dubai Canal will follow next. Is it any wonder that tourists are agog with anticipation, lining up to explore the city of magnificent man made marvels? Dubai's glamor, its vibrancy and adventurous vibe call out to travelers from every part of the world. Dubai's charm is an intriguing juxtaposition of historical attractions, the ancient desert and the uber-glamorous contemporary glories.

1. Dubai Creek

Dubai is divided into two parts alongside the ancient salt estuary, the Dubai Creek. There's Deira to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. For the price of 1 AED, you can travel up and down the Dubai Creek on a traditional water taxi, the abra. Cross over to Deira and then to Bur Dubai to explore the historical museums, ancient spice-perfume-gold souqs, fine mosques, public buildings and shopping malls. Explore the streets of Bastikaya by foot and try a traditional dish at a street food outlet.

A dhow dinner cruise is a major attraction in Dubai, either on the Dubai Creek or alongside the Persian Gulf's coastline.Dhows are traditional wooden Arabian boats that were used for trading, smuggling and general transport in the old days. Now these dhows are used mostly for pleasure cruises. They are fitted with air-conditioning and plexi-glass enclosures for a comfortable, cool cruise. Your evening dhow cruise comes with onboard entertainment, continental buffet dinner and a shisha pipe. Enjoy getting up close to major landmarks along the coastline and in-between the manmade islands off the coast.

3. Dubai Big Bus City Tour

The best way to see all of Dubai is to take a Big Bus Dubai tour . You can take one of the three big bus tour lines - Red, Green and Blue, with 35+ stops located close to Dubai attractions. Hop off and on as you like and check out landmarks at leisure. When you're done, just hop back on to a different bus belonging to the line you're on. A big bus tour is one of the top tourist attractions in Dubai.

4. Shopping in Dubai

The world's largest mall, Dubai Mall has 1200 plus retail outlets selling everything you could desire. Also check out the Emirates Mall, the Dubai Marina Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall, and Wafi Mall, City Center Deira, Bur Juman, Mercato, Souk Madinat Jumeirah and several others. In each mall you'll find cinema multiplexes, game floors, food courts and more in some. The Dubai Mall has the Dubai Ice Rink, the Dubai Aquarium, SEGA Republic and much more. Feel free to haggle at the traditional souks of Deira and Bur Dubai for gold, spices, perfumes, incense, Arabian style slippers and pashmina shawls.