Dubai Tourist Attractions

The Dubai Shopping Festival runs from mid-January to mid-February attracting over 3 million visitors from around the world. During the Dubai Shopping Festival, shopping is not the only attraction - nightly fireworks displays occur over the Dubai Creek as well as music, dancing and theater and an international fun fair.Dubai has 25 malls and many traditional outdoor markets known as souqs. Another highlight is the Carpet Oasis with over 100,000 different types and sizes of carpets.Shopping is mainly tax-free and merchants will import products from other countries with very few duties or tariffs. This results in just about anything your heart desires being available and at better prices in Dubai.During the summer months, Dubai also hosts Dubai Summer Surprises. The Dubai Summer Surprises event is attractive to families who can spread activities throughout the summer season. Each week has a different theme and shopping malls are converted into venues for live entertainment, music, dancing, competitions, workshops and numerous interactive programs in keeping with that particular week's theme.

Mall of the Emirates offers full range of leisure, entertainment and shopping facilities.Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski destination in the Middle East, offers skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing in real snow.The Dubai Community Theater & Arts Center is a modern facility that promotes art and culture. The Dubai Community Theater has a 2-level theater, rehearsal spaces, art galleries, classrooms/studios for activities such as painting, sculpture and photography, a music school, lending library and a café.Magic Planet is the largest indoor amusement park with several rides and games that have never been found inside a building. Video games, cosmic 10-pin bowling, bumper cars, pool and billiards tables are also available,Mall of the Emirates has hundreds of retailers and dozens of restaurants with various dining alternatives. The stores within the mall include designer brands to teen fashion, furniture, electronics, accessories, jewelry, shoes, bags, toys and books.

Al Maha Desert Resort is the first Eco-tourism resort in the United Arab Emirates. The 40 tent-roofed suites have private pools and the whole resort is located around an oasis.The Jamilah Spa and Leisure Center has massage rooms, hydrotherapy, Jacuzzi, saunas, fitness equipment and ice-cold plunge pools. Panoramic views of the desert and mountains are notable sights from the spa.The Al Maha Resort is located on land that was rehabilitated by replanting native flora and reintroducing Arabian oryx and a few other species to the area.Some traditional desert activities that can be enjoyed include falconry, safaris, horseback or camel riding and 4 x 4 tours.

Dubai Creek separates the city into two towns. Deira lies to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. Dubai has grown and prospered around Dubai Creek. Originally it attracted fishermen, pearl divers and traders but now it draws the attention of businessmen and tourists.Small villages settled along the Creek as far back as 4,000 years ago while modern creek life began in the 1830s when the Bani Yas settled in the area.An assortment of vessels carry traders across the waters to the eight wharves of Dubai Creek with a variety of goods. Fishermen provide for the many restaurants. Only wooden ships can enter the Creek to keep its traditional appearance.

The Palm Islands, also known as The Palm Dubai and The Palms, are the three largest man-made islands in the world. The Palm Islands are being built on the coast of the emirate of Dubai.Each island (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, and Palm Deira) are being built in the shape of a date palm tree with a trunk, a crown with fronds, and surrounded by a crescent island that acts as a breakwater. Tribute to the date plams is appropriate because they have sustained the emirates for years. The Palm Islands will offer luxury hotels, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities, health spas, cinemas and various diving sites.The scale of these islands makes them visible from space with the naked eye! Palm Jumeirah is completed.

The Dubai Camel Racecourse plays host to the popular local sport of camel racing held on Thursdays and Fridays. The camel racing season runs from November to March and begin early in the morning until mid-afternoon.Camel Racing is a major sport in Dubai and the track is located on the outskirts of the city at Nad Al Sheba. It is quite a sight to see camels thundering along the track with small jockeys holding on for dear life.The races that are held on National Day and the Eid are particularly popular events.Nad Al Sheba also offers the only fully floodlit 18-hole golf course in the Middle East.

Dubai Mall is among the largest shopping centers in the world, with 440,000 square feet. It claims to carry almost every fashion brand available. In addition to the huge number of stores, the mall also features all kinds of entertainment, including cinemas, a skating rink, and an aquarium with a huge acrylic viewing wall. Various aspects of the mall have broken world records. It is also part of the Burj Khalifa complex.