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Bastakiya District
One of the last remaining pockets of Old Dubai, home to many reconstructed buildings in the traditional style. While information on the structures is slim here (see the museum in preference), the atmosphere is very evocative and there are plenty of delightful art galleries and cafes to explore.
If you want to learn and understand the customs and traditions of UAE, this is the best place to go. The Centre hosts cultural meals for between 70 and 95 AED, with discussion of UAE culture, customs and religion. They run walking tours through the Bastakiya district for 60 minutes (35 AED) and 90 minutes (55 AED), starting at either 9 or 10:30AM daily except Friday.
A great place to hang out in the evening when the park is visited by people of different nationalities, all looking for calm place to enjoy the time. It has all the facilities of a modern park and is one of the best parks in Dubai. The cable car is closed.
The only indoor dolphinarium in the Middle East offers live shows of dolphins and seals. Swim with Dolphins is possible.
A must-see for anyone interested in the social history of the Emirate (and indeed the country). Located in and under al-Fahidi fort. The fort itself has a few examples of the traditional reed houses and other artifacts, but isn't much to look at. The more interesting parts are the modern galleries beneath the fort, showcasing Dubai's history using the latest technology and culminating in a reconstructed souq from the pearling days, complete with authentic sights and sounds. It is quite fascinating to see the speed at which the transition from poor pearling village to modern metropolis occurred.
Its large minaret is the imposing feature of this large mosque. It is popular for being quite close to a Hindu temple and one can see followers of both Islam and Hinduism gathering at the same place for prayers.
Home to the open museums of the Heritage and Diving Villages, and the houses of the late Sheikhs Saeed Al-Maktoum and Juma Al-Maktoum.
A very colourful and attractive tiled mosque; quite a contrast to the other much more plainly decorated mosques. Can be viewed from a carparking area off the north (creek) side of the street.
a historic building home to royal family members built in 1916 and now converted into a museum. It provides good glimpse to old infrastructure of Dubai.
Another very historic building built in 1894 now converted into a museum and contains artefacts and images of the old town of Dubai. It was the residence of the Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum, the former ruler of Dubai.
Museum includes a lot of artefacts and old books, including a Gutenberg Bible and a curtain of the door of Kaaba from 1543 AD.
Large collection of swords, daggers, riffles, from several centuries.
The best and most popular park of town, it gives a remarkable glimpse of the desert and hot Dubai.
Two towers of 150 m height connected by a 100-m² bridge, the Dubai Frame has a museum and gallery where you can see the growth of Dubai from a simple fishing village to the ultra-modern city it is today with the use of photos and advanced technology. After visiting the museum, you take the elevator to the bridge to get a view of the city.
Dubai Garden Glow
The Dubai Ferry makes a sightseeing circular trip to Jumeirah Beach (deep sea side) or to the Floating Bridge (toward the creek). There are also a one way trips towards Dubai Marina at 1pm and 6pm (duration: 2 hours).
Gharana an Indian Restaurant in Holiday Inn Dubai – Al Barsha hotel brings you flavors of various spices and herbs with live entertainment.
Set in a lovely garden courtyard in a restored house. Great place to take a breather with a cold drink and write some postcards. The sandwiches-and-salads menu is aimed squarely at tourists, but if you are sick of kebabs, they will cater to your salmon-avocado wrap and mango smoothie cravings. The "Basta Special" drink of mint and lemon is also excellent.
Very nice and warm welcome given by the waiters. Food as good too. Not so expensive when compared to the quality of food.
A Pakistani restaurant that provides cheap Pakistani & Indian food. Good for anyone with a spicy tooth.
A Pakistani restaurant serving the country's most popular biryani.
Emirati cuisine featuring camel meats and camel milkshakes in a traditional Dubai house.
Indian and Pakistani food.
This is an open air Iranian restaurant where one can sit in traditional machans (large bed-like seating) and enjoy a fine Iranian meal. The speciality is the mixed grill which is served with live coal. After the meal, you may smoke a traditional sheesha pipe. No alcohol served.
Excellent Lebanese cuisine and ambience. In the cooler months the outdoor verandah is a pleasure. No alcohol served.
Japanese cuisine, very popular with the Japanese expat community.
Indian cuisine. Run by Asha Bosle. Good food but a little expensive
Fine dining restaurant with New York-inspired cuisine, specialising in steak. A suitable venue for romantic dinners and family gatherings.
It is a bar is a clean, quiet and bright venue with large variates of snacks options. Every wall is mounted with screen playing number of sports games. The interiors looks good with polished timber tables and benches all around and wall cladding.
Excellent DJ, Live music and Indian food. It is a Bollywood-themed glamorous bar and nightlife with elegant to casual laid backs and pleasant musical twists, mostly Indian music.
Dance floor with excellent DJ. It is an expansive rooftop venue painted in pink surrounded with fake grass. An outdoor seating place with good food.
A lively bar and nightclub with 80s music most of the time. It is a budget friendly venue with great service and superb bouncers.
Has Russian, Irish and Thai themed restaurants. Rooms from AED $180.
A resort style hotel with extensive conference facilities and 13 restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world.
Attached to Wafi Mall. Egyptian themed.
Old Textile Souk
A lot of shops selling scarves and keffiyeh. A few of the shopkeepers can be quite forceful in trying to get you in to their shop.
A 4-floor shopping mall housing more than 300 stores. It is one of the oldest, and still one of the largest, malls in Dubai, but has become less popular.
A mall specializing in computers, laptops, computer parts and computer add-ons like monitors, VoIP phones, hard drives, etc. Prices aren't particularly low, even after haggling, and choices are limited (for example very few shops sell AMD hardware). There used to be an internet cafe here and it may return in 2014. Other malls in this area are also good for computers and computer equipment.
A 3 story shopping mall housing more than 150 stores. One of the oldest malls.
Includes Marks & Spencer, Goodies. Focus is almost entirely on luxury brands, jewellery and expensive boutiques. Many upmarket restaurants and bars, many of which serve alcohol. A luxury spa is attached to the complex. The Egypt-themed architecture, which includes quite beautiful stained-glass pyramids, is worth seeing.
Bur Dubai and rest of Dubai is connected to Deira by five crossings over the creek, namely Al Maktoum Bridge, Floating Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge, Business Bay Crossing and Al Shindagha Tunnel.
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