If you ask yourself the question, where is all the "most": the largest, chic, luxurious, impressive, and so on, then the answer suggests itself - in the United Arab Emirates. It seems that the sheikhs of Dubai still cannot get away from the oil rain that has suddenly fallen on them and continue to amaze the world community with fabulously expensive and grandiose construction projects.
Dubai is clearly suffering from gigantomania. Here is the world's tallest skyscraper Burj Khalifa, the incredible artificial archipelago of the Palm Islands, the largest shopping center in the world, and so on - the list goes on and on. And Dubai definitely wants to surprise tourists with the scale of luxury, because there are so many expensive cars, villas-palaces and "seven-star" hotels nowhere else.
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What to see and where to go in Dubai?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa towers over Dubai, approaching the edge of the Earth's lower atmosphere. The giant spire is 828 meters high and took six years to build and nearly $ 1.5 billion. Moreover, even such a rich emirate as Dubai could not single-handedly finance the project and turned to neighboring Abu Dhabi. Inside the tower there are apartments, a hotel and offices. The last residential floor is at 584 meters, followed by a 244-meter steel spire.
Musical Fountain Dubai
The world's largest musical fountain, located on an artificial lake near the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. The structure consists of several arcs; the height of the largest of them is 275 meters. During the performance, more than 6,000 thousand light sources are turned on. Thanks to the play of rays, bizarre figures are formed on the surface of the lake, reaching an incredible height of 150 meters.
Emirates towers
A complex of two skyscrapers connected by a shopping gallery. The height of the first tower is 354.6 meters (office buildings are located here), the second - 309 meters. (there is a hotel on its territory). The complex has a swimming pool, spa center, gyms. All this is located on separate "female" and "male" floors in accordance with Muslim customs. In the evening, the Emirates Towers are beautifully illuminated.
Palm Islands
An artificial archipelago in the Persian Gulf, which includes three islands: Palm Deira, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Jumeirah. In the period 2001-2006, the creation of the embankment was carried out, since 2006, construction began on the finished islands. Communication with the mainland is made using a 300-meter bridge. Residential areas, villas, hotel complexes, as well as shopping centers and restaurants are built on the Palm Islands.
Dubai Marina
One of the new central districts of the city, located on the shores of an artificial bay. The houses are close enough to the water, so the windows offer a magnificent view, which is quite valuable for Dubai due to the lack of natural species. On the territory of Dubai Marina, there is a space for mooring yachts, there is a luxurious promenade and many picturesque boulevards.
District Bastakia
A historic district of Dubai that emerged in the early 19th century. Unlike modern neighborhoods, Bastakia has retained its traditional Arabic flavor. The area is built up with typical stone houses, decorated with wood and plaster. On the ground floors of the buildings there are souvenir shops, cafes and antique shops. Inside, the residential buildings are mostly modernized.
SEC Dubai Mall
The shopping center opened in 2008. It has become the largest and most visited shopping mall in the world. Inside there is a huge 4-level waterfall, which is illuminated in different colors, a catwalk for fashion shows, an aquarium, a zoo and more than two hundred restaurants with a wide variety of cuisine. All well-known global brands consider it compulsory to open a boutique or showroom in Dubai Mall.
Mall of the Emirates
The shopping center is the second largest after the Dubai Mall. Its area is about 600 thousand square meters. There are more than 500 shops on three levels of the complex, where you can buy literally everything, dozens of restaurants and cinemas, the Ski Dubai ski center and an aquarium. Mall of the Emirates rivals Dubai Mall in popularity, but both malls do not lack customers.
Aquarium at Dubai Mall
The capacity of the giant aquarium in the Dubai Mall is 10 million liters. It has enough space for 33 thousand marine inhabitants (140 different species in total). Through the transparent front panel 8.3 meters high and 32.8 meters wide, visitors to the mall can observe the life of fish, coral reef dwellers, sharks and other large marine predators. A transparent tunnel 155 meters in length is laid through the aquarium.
Lost Chambers Aquarium
Many tourists refer to the Lost Chambers as an even more impressive aquarium than the one located in the Dubai Mall, although it is smaller in size. But unlike the mall, there are few people here and therefore there are no queues, although the species diversity is just as extensive. The Lost Chambers Aquarium is located on the lower level of the Atlantis Hotel. The design of the aquarium imitates an ancient sunken city.
Dolphin Bay
Dolphinarium with a variety of shows and the opportunity to mingle with these amazing marine life. Dolphin Bay is considered one of the finest and most modern dolphinariums in the world. There are swimming pools, numerous attractions, diving and many more interesting activities. Children are delighted with visiting the dolphinarium, so it can be considered the best place to relax with the whole family.
Gold Souk
A huge bazaar selling gold jewelry and other items made of precious metals. Its range is so wide that it surpasses all other similar markets in the East. Here you can buy products with all types of precious stones made of gold of various colors and finishes. At the request of the client, the jeweler will adjust any piece of jewelry to individual sizes. It is customary to bargain on the market, sometimes the initial cost can be reduced by 30-50%.
Spice market
The Dubai Spice Souk most resembles a traditional Arab bazaar with breathtaking smells, vibrant colors and constant hustle and bustle. It sells tons of different spices and herbs to suit any dish from any cuisine in the world. The market has a rather friendly atmosphere. Sellers are always ready to talk about their product, suggest how to use certain spices and, of course, are happy to bargain with the buyer.
House-palace of Sheikh Said
The palace was built at the end of the 19th century for the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Said. Now on its territory there is a museum and a library. The exposition tells the story of various periods in the history of the emirate, including pearl mining and the beginning of the oil era. Many exhibits are dedicated to the life and life of the Bedouins. A collection is located in separate rooms, thanks to which you can learn about the history of the ruling family of Dubai.
Jumeirah Mosque
A modern mosque from 1979, stylized in the architectural style of the Fatimid era. Since its construction, it has been considered one of the most picturesque in the UAE. The mosque accommodates 1,300 people, and an Islamic cultural center is located on its base. Unlike many Muslim temples in the Middle East, a representative of another religion can enter Jumeirah to inspect the rich decoration of the building.
Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Cooperation
The center opened in 1998.The main goal of his work is to establish mutual understanding between the non-Muslim and Muslim world, to explain to all those interested in the postulates of Islam, the meaning of traditions and customs. The center is located on the territory of a restored wind tower in one of the historic districts of Dubai. Here you can also taste Arabic cuisine or engage yourself in philosophical conversation with the locals.
Dubai Museum
The city museum is located on the territory of the ancient Al Fahidi fort built in 1787. The fortress managed to serve as a residence, prison and garrison. In 1971, a museum was organized on its territory. The exposition consists of collections of weapons, household items, tools. In some of the rooms, scenes from the life of Dubai in the first half of the 20th century are recreated. There is a makeshift port, trade shops, workshops and madrasah schools.
Dubai opera
The Dubai Opera Stage opened in August 2016 with a performance by the legendary Placido Domingo. The modern opera building is designed not only for organizing musical performances, conferences, shows and various exhibitions can also be held here. The hall can accommodate 1901 people. The opera's futuristic façade blends harmoniously with the modern architecture of downtown Dubai, further embellishing its space.
Ski complex "Ski Dubai"
The complex is located on the territory of the Mall of the Emirates. It is the first ski center in the Middle East. Up to 1,500 people can ride on the Ski Dubai slopes at the same time. The snow cover inside the complex reaches 70 cm. In addition to the skiing area, there is also a huge snow park where you can go sledding and play snowballs. It even has penguins. For Arab children, this is a real miracle, because they do not know what real winter is.
Meydan Racecourse
The hippodrome was opened in 2010, and, according to the established tradition, has become the largest in the world. It hosts the annual Winter Horse Racing, Dubai International Racing Carnival and Dubai World Cup. All competitions are very ambitious, prize pools for the winners are fortunes. The length of the stands of the hippodrome is 1.7 km. They can accommodate up to 60 thousand spectators. The complex of buildings of the hippodrome also includes a hotel, a yacht dock, restaurants and a museum.
Dubai Desert Conservation Area
Conservation area covering 5% of the area of the Emirate of Dubai. On its territory, animals are found on the verge of extinction. The staff of the reserve carry out scientific research in the field of environmental protection and constantly participate in international events. For tourists on the territory of the reserve, excursions are organized - safari in jeeps, during which you can watch the animals.
Flower park
A magnificent and colorful oasis of flowers in the middle of a modern metropolis. The area of the flower park is 6.7 hectares, which makes it the largest in the world. On its territory, 45 species of flowering plants of the most amazing color grow, which merge into an incredible variegated picture. The best European masters worked on the landscape design, who, during the creation of the park, brought their wildest fantasies to life.
Zabil Park
The park is located close to the center of Dubai and covers an area of 51 hectares. On its territory there are artificial lakes where you can go boating, fountains, children's playgrounds, equipped picnic areas and jogging tracks. Zabiel is divided into three parts by motorways, which are interconnected by passages. On weekends, the park is quite crowded.
Water park "Wild Wadi"
A large water park where you can enjoy the whole family. It is considered the best water park in the Arabian Peninsula. "Wild Wadi" is located in the urban area of Jumeirah near the Burj Khalifa. The water park was built in accordance with all the strictest safety requirements and is equipped with the most modern equipment. The architectural concept of the place is implemented in the form of a stylistics for the Arab Middle Ages.
Aquaventure water park
The water park is located on the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah, it is located on the territory of the Atlantis hotel. Many of the park's attractions are unique and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. For example, the Anaconda water slide is 210 meters long and 9 meters wide. Up to 6 people can go down this slide at the same time. On another attraction, a person accelerates to 60 km / h during a fall.
Jumeirah Beach Park
One of Dubai's finest beaches, a veritable oasis in the middle of the desert, crafted by the skillful hands of landscape designers. The beach is very popular with the local population, as it is equipped with walking areas, gazebos, benches and playgrounds. On Saturdays, only women and children can visit Jumeirah Beach Park, the rest of the time the place works as a regular tourist beach.
Kite Beach
As the name suggests, the beach is very popular with kitesurfers as it has the best winds for the sport. There is no tourist infrastructure on Kite Beach, but there are fewer people here and from here there are magnificent views of the Persian Gulf, city skyscrapers and the waterfront. Families with children love to visit the beach as it is a great place to fly a kite.
Marina Beach
City beach in the prestigious area of Dubai Marina. The tourist infrastructure of the place is still at the stage of formation, since the area was built up quite recently, and in some places work is still going on. Some tourists note that the water on this beach is cleaner. From the available entertainment - riding a camel and collecting colorful shells.
Hotel Parus
The hotel building rises among the waters of the Persian Gulf, resting its base on an artificial island. The hotel was opened in 2008. The owners gave the Sail seven stars, but according to the international classification it has a five-star deluxe category. The hotel is one of the most expensive in the world. For a night in a standard room, you will have to pay more than $ 1000. On the territory of "Parus" there are several restaurants recognized as the best in their category.
Resort complex "Atlantis The Palm"
The complex is located on the Palm Jumeirah island, it opened in 2008. The architectural concept of "Atlantis" is a legend about the sunken fabulous Atlantis. In the corridors of the hotel you can see frescoes depicting the legends of the Atlanteans. On the territory of the local aquarium, various artifacts are located, allegedly obtained from this continent. From the outside, the building resembles a magnificent sheikh's palace. Atlantis has 17 restaurants, a huge spa center and a fitness room.