10 Must-do Things for First Time Travellers in Dubai

1. Pay attention to the dress code in the area you’re in and dress accordingly. For example, at mosques, men must cover their shoulders and legs, while women must cover their whole bodies and their hair
2. Swimsuits are appropriate only at beaches. Going topless is not allowed even at the most modern beaches
3. See-through clothing and clothing that allows underwear to be seen are a strict no-no
4. The dress code is more liberal at malls, but it’s best to avoid revealing clothes and mini-skirts, as these are still frowned upon

Grand Must-see and Must-do Things for First Timers to Dubai
1. Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa is literally the epicentre of Dubai’s extravagant lifestyle. Standing at 828 meters, this huge building is still the tallest building in the world. Visit the observatory deck on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa and enjoy a fabulous view of Dubai and the vast desert. You can see as far as the distant Persian Gulf. There are telescopes placed at regular intervals to help you focus on different landmarks in the city. If you want to, you can sign up for the views from both observatory decks – the one on the 125th floor and the one on the 148th floor which offers an even better view. This is undoubtedly my favourite place.

Dubai gave me some of my favourite back-shots!

If you want to get close to Dubai’s origins, visit the Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood, a well-preserved slice of Old Dubai. Explore the mazes of abandoned cobbled streets and narrow pathways containing old homes made out of black coral. Observe the way the old wind towers were constructed to keep homes cool in those days. Be sure to visit the souqs of Bur Dubai and bargain for spices and gold. Cross the Dubai Creek in an abra and explore the souqs of Deira – selling perfumes, carpets and textiles. I stayed in old Dubai for good days to explore the by-lanes of this amazing city.

You cannot visit Dubai and not shop! Dubai has been designed for shopping. Remember my post? Be sure to check out the main shopping malls – Dubai Mall with its 1200 plus retail outlets. To name a few,  the Ibn Battuta Mall, the Emirates Mall and the Dubai Marina Mall are few of the iconic malls of Dubai. You can buy just about anything in Dubai – from designer goods to electronics to jewelry to spices to top-quality foodstuffs and souvenirs. What’s more, you’ll actually find a “Gold to Go” ATM at Dubai Mall that lets you purchase gold in exchange for money.

The malls!

4. Desert Safari

Yes, there are indoor ski resorts in the world but nowhere where the sun blazes as hot as it does in Dubai. A ski resort in Dubai feel incongruous but only till you step inside. This ginormous ski resort is many football fields large. Several tall ice mountains have been constructed with multiple ski slopes designed to fit different levels of skiing proficiency. There’s even a Diamond Run of 400 meters here. You can go skiing, tobogganing, have a snow fight, build a snowman, play with penguins in the penguin’s park, or hide out in the ice cave.

6. La Mer Beach

You cannot visit Dubai and not enjoy one of its hippest beachfront destinations. Explore the many fancy restaurants, shops and the long, long beach with white sands and crystal clear water.  You can sunbathe, swim and even go banana boating at La Mer beach. After the sun goes down, La Mer becomes a lively spot for nightlife. ANd trust me, Dubai nightlife is super happening!

7. The Mosques of Dubai

I loved the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Note to self for the next visit –  Take the time to learn about Dubai’s Islamic culture and visit some of the city’s beautiful mosques. Dubai’s mosques are impressive – the architecture, the design, and the ambience are all designed just for the worship of Allah. Be sure to visit Jumeirah Mosque, which is open to people from all religions. The Jumeirah Mosque adorns the 500 dirham banknote in Dubai as well. Visit the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, since it resembles Istanbul’s Blue Mosque.

8. Dubai Garden Glow

Dubai Garden Glow is a fabulous theme park that’s specially created during winter in Dubai. The park is open only from November to April the next year. This year the Dubai Garden Glow has put up some remarkable displays. For starters, the Ice Park feels like another world with fantastic ice sculptures and structures – created out of 5000 tons of ice by 150 artists. The biggest dinosaur park in the world has 100 animatronic dinosaurs that pounce, growl and move realistically. You can also explore the Dinosaur Museum’s collection of skeletons in the Dino Lab. The Glow Park is an illuminated park with a fascinating glowing underwater world.

9. IMG Worlds of Adventure

These are completely my type of places! IMG Worlds of Adventure is Dubai’s serenade to the world of childhood. Here, various zones bring cartoon network characters to life. For example, the Flintstones corner has a real animatronic Dino, a real stone car and real stone-age characters. There are zones for the Powerpuff Girls, Bugs Bunny, and several other cartoon characters. There are rides, rollercoasters, immersive shows and programs in this ginormous, several football-fields large incredible IMG Worlds of Adventure.

As a first-timer, you’ll be in awe of Dubai, and the places and activities we’ve listed will only whet your appetitive for more. Dubai is a fascinating city that offers you more excitement, each time you visit. Be sure to pack your bags and visit the city again – who knows what awaits you then?