[reading_time]
If you’re reading this, it means your dream Dubai vacation is on the horizon. Now comes the exciting part – research to craft your perfect Dubai itinerary. Ensuring you make the most of your trip and, of course, capture those Instagram-worthy moments.
In recent years, Dubai has emerged as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Renowned for its opulence, towering skyscrapers, stunning architecture, luxury shopping, high-end fashion, vibrant nightlife, sweeping desert landscapes, and so much more.
It’s essential to keep in mind that like any major city, Dubai has their peaks and valleys. Some attractions might astonish you, while others might not quite hit the mark. But we believe that herein lies the essence of travel – it bestows upon you a unique perspective, teaching you to anticipate the unexpected while embracing everything with unbridled enthusiasm.
Dubai, in particular, offers a plethora of attractions and experiences. Each one crafts a distinctive journey for every traveler, unveiling various facets of the city’s rich culture, history, and allure. In this post we share our personal top four attractions from our summer sojourn in Dubai.
Remember to tailor your Dubai itinerary according to your own interests and preferences to truly savour the vibrant tapestry this city has to offer.
Top Attractions To Elevate Your Dubai Itinerary
Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark
There are two major waterparks in Dubai, Aquaventure at the Atlantis Palms, and Wild Wadi Waterpark, both essential parts of any Dubai Itinerary. Wild Wadi is slightly cheaper than Aquaventure, but Aquaventure was the one for us. It has so much to offer and gave us the thrills we sought on the day. They also have a private beach, so if you’re needing a break from the exhilarating rides, hop over to the beach, grab an ice-cream and simply ‘chillax’ while soaking in the sun-rays. We spent approximately 1000 AED for two people, which included entry tickets, lockers, food, snacks, and beverages. Totally worth it and we’ll do it again!
While there we learned that you gain free access to Aquaventure when staying at the Atlantis Palms Hotel. Save to say, this hotel went straight on our bucket-list for our next Dubai adventure.
Since we weren’t staying on-site during this visit, we made our booking through GetYourGuide, a convenient choice for anyone planning a Dubai Itinerary. We caught an early morning Uber ride to Aquaventure, redeemed our tickets at the service counters and stayed there up until closing. This gave us enough time to enjoy all of the rides that we pinned out for ourselves.
We choose to pace through the day, balancing our time between thrilling rides, lazy rivers, and relaxation. This pace allowed us to experience and savour every moment. We made sure to get our monies worth. And for that, they threw in an unforgettable memory that will be “stuck” with Nadia forever (hehe). In short, Nadia got stuck in the tube of Poseidon’s Revenge and had a panic attack while there. It was a brief moment of trauma, but it quickly passed after some down time in the lazy river. Let us know in the comments if you’d like a YouTube video of her retell of the tale.
Dubai Desert Safari
Experience the Arabian desert with a thrilling desert safari, a crucial part of any Dubai Itinerary. This excursion offers dune bashing, quad-biking, camel riding, sand-boarding, and a traditional Bedouin-style dinner under the stars. Ps. If you’re prone to nausea caused by motion sickness, you may want to give careful consideration to the dune bashing part of this activity.
Nadia ended up hurling extensively after the dune bashing experience (because Nadia gets really bad motion sickness). Anton loved every second of it. It’s one of those ‘either you hate it or love it’ experiences. The experience in its entirety was amazing and we feel it’s something you should do at least once in your lifetime (to determine whether you hate it or love it – hehe!).
Authenticity is our mantra here, and nothing amplifies that more than Nadia’s joyous tumble down the hill. That day, the wind was fierce, carrying sand to places it shoudn’t be. The mid-morning sun was strong and felt like a companion on our shoulders. Despite the challenges, these are the moments we live for – raw, real, and remarkably unforgettable. It’s the real essence of our adventures, and a must-experience for any Dubai Itinerary!
Of-course, we booked through GetYourGuide, and everything was really convenient. We were picked up at our hotel, which was about 2 hours out from the desert location, and dropped back there again. The excursion lasts between 4 and 7 hours, depending on whether you take a half-day or full-day package. We took the 4-hour package (excluding travel time) and paid around 260 AED for two people. We felt this was the perfect amount of time to spend in the desert, adventuring while absorbing all of its beauty. This gave us enough time to freshen up and head off to explore for the rest of the evening. A highly recommended addition to your Dubai Itinerary.
You may also find it helpful to read our essential tips for surviving a summer vacation in Dubai.
Dubai Glow Garden
The Dubai Glow Garden was an absolute favourite, an enchanting part of our Dubai Itinerary. This incredible attraction combines art, light, and entertainment to create a visually immersive experience for all ages to enjoy. As adults without kids, we nurtured our inner kid and had so much fun exploring this pretty site. The best time to visit is at night when the lights and colours come alive in full glow, and weather temperatures are cooler (since you’ll be walking around the park). There are a host of food and beverage vendors and carnival-like goodies for you to enjoy. The park is divided into several themed zones, each offering a unique experience.
The Glow Park is the main attraction. This park features a massive garden adorned with numerous glowing installations, light sculptures, and designs, creating a fantastic visual spectacle. Within the Glow Garden, you’ll find an Ice Park with ice looking sculptures and structures. It offers a contrast to the warm glow of the main park, providing visitors with a chilly and exciting feel. The Dinosaur Park is a zone designed to take visitors back to the prehistoric era. This park features life-sized dinosaur replicas that are also illuminated to add to the magical ambiance. The Art Park showcases impressive art installations and sculptures with realistic sound effects.
Traveller’s tip: Some vendors promote the Dinosaur Park as an additional Ticket. From our experience, you don’t need to purchase an additional ticket to access the Dinosaur Park. The only space where you’ll require an additional ticket for access is Magic Park.
Magic Park, as mentioned above, this is optional and comes at an additional cost. This also happens to be our favourite element of the Dubai Glow Garden. As the name suggests, this section includes optical illusions, trick art, and interactive exhibits, making it an engaging and fun experience. Overall, the Glow Garden was a memorable activity that left us with smiles of amazement, a magical experience to include in your Dubai Itinerary.
You can purchase your ticket here.
Barasti
This is a popular beach club situated at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, near the Dubai Marina area. Nestled on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, boasting beach views, several outdoor bars, lounges with comfortable seating, pool area, vibrant music, and all the beach vibes you’d want – Barasti is a great way to elevate your Dubai Itinerary.
There are so many elements to this place, appealing to a range of visitors. With a seamless day to night flow, you could easily spend an entire day here, from midday beachside lunch and lounging, to midnight poolside partying. The vibe just kept vibing at Barasti. It is notable to mention that opening hours, events, and offerings at Barasti can vary, so it’s a good idea to check their official website or social media pages for the latest updates and details when planning your visit. Ps. Everything was expensive at Barasti, so be prepared to splurge.
This spot was recommended by a friend that resides in Dubai and turned out to be one of our favourite memories of our time there. An all-in-one for sure. Eat, drink, swim, dance, party. It’s all happening at Barasti, making it a vibrant and exciting part of your Dubai Itinerary.
It’s important to keep in mind that some of these activities may have specific operating hours or seasonal availability, so it’s always a good idea to check in advance and plan your itinerary accordingly.
We hope that you make incredible memories by elevating your Dubai itinerary with our suggestions. You may also want include some of our free and affordable suggestions to add to your perfect Dubai itinerary.
Until our next post!
With love and appreciation,
The Kolbes
These tips are based on our personal experiences during our travels. You may have different experiences and alternative opinions based on your own travels. These are not meant to act as directives, instead they are suggestions which may be helpful to someone planning their first trip.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the affiliate links and purchase your tickets or make reservations through our link, you’ll be helping us earn commission to support the growth of this travel blog, at no extra cost to you. Your support is immensely appreciated!
While there might be affiliate links in this post, it’s important to note that our articles always provide a genuine and authentic account of our personal experiences. Our travels remain unsponsored, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Your trust in our authenticity is our top priority.
Destination: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
