Places to Visit in Dubaiwith theMX-Academy

Places to visit in Dubai are spread along a long coast and deep into the desert. This guide goes area by area, from Downtown and Old Dubai to the beaches, the Marina, the Palm and Hatta in the mountains, so you can plan where to spend each day.

Downtown, Old Dubai, Jumeirah, Marina, PalmAbra across Dubai CreekHatta: exclave in the Hajar MountainsDesert reserve of 225 km²

Motocross Dubai Desert ride Dubai

Dubai neighbourhoods by the sea: people on a rocky breakwater at sunset, with Burj Al Arab and towers behind — Photo: Phil6007, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Best areas to visit in Dubai: Downtown

Downtown Dubai is the district Emaar built around the Burj Khalifa and its lake. The Dubai Mall stands next to the tower, Souk Al Bahar across the water is an Arabian-inspired market linked to the mall by a footbridge, and Dubai Opera, opened in 2016 with a shape inspired by a dhow, anchors the Opera District.

Between them runs Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, lined with restaurants and cafés. Downtown is easy to reach by metro, because Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station lies on the Red Line. Come in the late afternoon and stay into the evening, and you see the district both in daylight and lit up.

Best areas to visit in Dubai: Souk Al Bahar with its arches and a tall tower behind, reflected in a lake — Photo: Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Motocross in the dunes of Dubai: two riders on motocross bikes with sand spraying up behind them

MX-Academy Dubai

Ride the dunes yourself

In a 4x4, on a quad or in a buggy you see the desert – on a motocross bike you ride it. MX-Academy Dubai, the school of Chris Möckli and Mohammed Al Balooshi, takes you into the dunes on a guided desert ride in Dubai.

On the handlebars yourself instead of in the passenger seat
First the basics on the training track: riding standing up and in sand
Bike and a full set of protective gear for hire
Experienced desert riders as your guides, on a date of your choice

Desert ride Dubai Motocross training in Dubai

Old Dubai: Al Fahidi, the Creek and the Deira souks

Old Dubai stretches along both banks of Dubai Creek. On the Bur Dubai side, the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood shows the traditional way of life from the mid-19th century to the 1970s, with courtyard houses cooled by wind towers called barjeels and narrow alleys between them. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding is based here.

Along the water, the Al Seef promenade runs for about 1.8 kilometres, and in the Al Shindagha district the Al Shindagha Museum tells the story of the city in a group of historic houses. Then hop on an abra across to Deira, where the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk fill the streets near the waterfront and wooden dhows still load cargo at the wharves.

Old Dubai: a white wind tower above sand-coloured courtyard walls and a dark wooden door in Al Fahidi — Photo: EditQ, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Places to visit in Dubai with children: Al Mamzar and Creek Park

At the north-eastern tip of Deira, where Dubai borders the emirate of Sharjah, Al Mamzar Beach Park combines several sandy beaches with a large green park. Palm-lined paths for walking and cycling cross the lawns, and there are playgrounds, picnic spots and barbecue areas, swimming pools for anyone who would rather stay out of the sea, and air-conditioned chalets to rent. In the same district, Dubai Municipality opened Khor Al Mamzar Beach in May 2026 as the first phase of a larger plan for the Al Mamzar beaches.

Further inland, Creek Park lines the Bur Dubai bank of the Creek in Umm Hurair, with gardens, lawns, barbecue areas and a waterside promenade where you can watch the dhows pass. Two indoor attractions make it a useful stop on a hot day with children. Children's City, run by Dubai Municipality, is a hands-on learning centre with galleries on the human body, nature, space and the earth, a planetarium and a play area for toddlers. Also inside the park, the Dubai Dolphinarium stages dolphin and seal shows in an air-conditioned hall.

Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim: Dubai neighbourhoods on the beach

Further along the coast, Jumeirah is all about beaches, boutiques and cafés. Jumeirah Public Beach, also called Nessnass Beach, is known for water sports, Kite Beach adds running tracks, and Sunset Beach in Umm Suqeim is one of the city's more spacious and quiet beaches and also one of its surf spots.

Souk Madinat Jumeirah, with its waterways and wind towers, lies right beside the Burj Al Arab. The hotel closed in 2026 for a long restoration, yet its outline still defines this stretch of coast, above all at sunset seen from the sand. Jumeirah is also home to the Jumeirah Mosque, and slightly inland, Al Barsha has Mall of the Emirates with the indoor slopes of Ski Dubai.

Places to visit in Dubai by the sea: Marina, JBR and the Palm

Dubai Marina is built around a man-made canal beside about three kilometres of shoreline, with Marina Walk running along the water. On the beach side, The Walk at JBR is a 1.7-kilometre strip of shops and restaurants, and The Beach in front of it gives public access to the sand.

Palm Jumeirah lies just offshore. Seen from above it is a palm tree with a trunk, fronds and an outer crescent, where Atlantis The Palm stands. A monorail of about 5.4 kilometres links the base of the island with Atlantis, and The View at The Palm on level 52 of The Palm Tower shows you the shape from about 240 metres up.

Places to visit in Dubai by the sea: the fronds of Palm Jumeirah from above, with Atlantis and Marina towers — Photo: giggel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The desert and Hatta: Dubai beyond the city

Inland, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve protects desert wildlife such as the Arabian oryx. It is the UAE's first national park and covers 225 square kilometres, around five per cent of Dubai's land area.

Further east, Hatta belongs to Dubai although it lies apart from the rest of the emirate, up in the Hajar Mountains next to Oman. People come for the reservoir of Hatta Dam with its kayaks, for marked mountain trails and for the restored Hatta Heritage Village.

To explore the sand yourself, MX-Academy Dubai offers a desert ride on a motocross or enduro bike, guided by riders who know the terrain; passengers who prefer a 4x4 can go dune bashing instead.

Places to visit in Dubai beyond the city: an Arabian oryx with long straight horns walks across red sand — Photo: Josephyousry, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting around Dubai neighbourhoods

The Red Line of the Dubai Metro links Downtown with the Marina side of the city, while the Green Line serves the older districts on both banks of Dubai Creek. Around the Marina, the Dubai Tram runs along Al Sufouh Road to Palm Jumeirah, with interchanges to two Red Line stations and to the Palm Monorail.

In the old town, the abra remains the classic way to cross Dubai Creek. Plan one area per half-day rather than zigzagging across the city, and keep the desert or Hatta for a separate day.

Dubai neighbourhoods by metro: a blue and white train on an elevated track, with the Museum of the Future behind — Photo: Tim Wu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FAQ: Places to Visit in Dubai

What does Old Dubai mean?

It usually refers to the districts on both banks of Dubai Creek: Bur Dubai with Al Fahidi and Al Shindagha, and Deira with its souks.

What is there to see on Palm Jumeirah?

The palm-shaped island itself with its trunk, fronds and outer crescent, Atlantis The Palm on the crescent, the monorail and the observation deck The View at The Palm.

Is Hatta part of Dubai?

Yes. Hatta belongs to the emirate of Dubai but is separated from it; the town lies in the Hajar Mountains and borders Oman.

Which Dubai neighbourhoods are good for a beach day?

Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim have several public beaches, including Kite Beach and Sunset Beach, and Dubai Marina has The Beach in front of JBR.

How do you get around between Dubai's districts?

The Dubai Metro with its Red and Green Lines connects many districts, and abras cross Dubai Creek between Bur Dubai and Deira.

Which Dubai parks have a beach?

Al Mamzar Beach Park in Deira has several beaches next to its lawns, pools and chalets for rent. Creek Park has no beach, but it lies on Dubai Creek and is home to Children's City and the Dubai Dolphinarium.