Home to glistening skyscrapers, a huge mall, family attractions and an almost endless choice of dining options, Downtown Dubai is well-established as the city’s main tourism hub.
The Burj Khalifa looms large over a lake (Photo: Peter Myers via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Rewind just 25 years and the densely covered land occupying what we today call Downtown was anything but. Indeed, at this time, the area was known as Umm Al Tarif, and encompassed little more than the Old Town surrounded by desert. Around the turn of the century, it began its transformation – courtesy of some $20 billion in investment – into the sprawling, purpose-built neighbourhood that now attracts tourists in their droves.
Despite the thoroughly modern – and often out-right futuristic – character of the district, its past can still be seen in the Arabic low-rise vernacular style of architecture still present in the Old Town. But there can be no denying the main draw of Downtown, and that’s the remarkable concentration of landmarks and attractions that can be found here.
Perhaps the most famous is the Burj Khalifa (1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard), rising some 829 metres above ground and laying claim to being the world’s tallest building. Three of its higher floors are accessible to the public, each of which can be reached via a super-fast elevator ride complete with wall projections and dramatic music. After alighting, you can spend time enjoying the panoramic views, either from inside or from the wrap-around observation decks, and for those who picked a VIP option there are biscuits and drinks served by roaming waiters.
Entrance to the Burj Khalifa can be accessed via another of the city’s most famous world record breakers, Dubai Mall. Equivalent in size to 200 soccer pitches, the vast shopping and leisure precinct features over 1,200 retail stores and 200 food and beverage outlets, along with a luxury hotel (see below) and several notable attractions including the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo (see above). The mall also provides refuge during Dubai’s not infrequent sweltering periods when being outdoors is almost impossible.
Also located within the vast retail temple, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard) houses more than 33,000 aquatic animals spanning 140 species, offering visitors the chance to get up close and personal with a dazzling array of marine life. Among the main highlights is a 48-metre tunnel which visitors can walk along, providing an entrancing fish-eye view of the sand tiger sharks, stingrays and other sea life swimming all around you.
(Photo: Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo)
Located toward the Dubai Mall side of the Burj Khalifa Lake, Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain, puts on captivating light shows every 30 minutes against a backdrop of songs ranging from classical to modern to Arabian. As the water is propelled into the sky creating various shapes and contours, dozens of colour projectors add to the visual spectacle. The show can be enjoyed from the water itself during boat rides, as well as from a nearby floating platform that lets visitors get thrillingly close to the fountain itself.
In a city where high culture is often drowned out by life’s more simple pleasures, Dubai Opera Garden – situated just minutes on foot from the Burj Khalifa – continues to carry the flag for those with more cerebral tastes. Dubai’s only purpose-built performing arts theatre, the opera house stages a busy programme of world-class talent, from opera and ballet to classical music and musical theatre, as well as regular fashion shows, jazz, comedy, and family events. The building itself, designed to resemble a traditional dhow sailing boat, is also a tourist site in its own right.
Much of outdoor life in Dubai revolves around the beach, but a more typical urban space is provided by Zabeel Park, a large expanse of parkland in the northern fringes of Downtown where visitors can do as much or as little as they please. Home to the Dubai Frame, an observatory, museum, and monument that looms large over the park, visitors can pick from a huge choice of recreation options including jogging, mini-golf, cricket, skating, skateboarding and a BMX track, and there are also frequent live music shows, seasonal flea markets and exhibitions. Barbecue and picnic areas and food kiosks add further to the mix.
The Dubai Frame seen over trees in Zabeel Park(Photo: Ankur Panchbudhe via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Eat and drink
One of the most spectacular restaurants in Downtown is CÉ LA VI (Address Sky View Hotel – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard), located 220 metres high atop the Address Sky View hotel. Here it joins sister outlets in Hong Kong, Tokyo and its native Singapore in offering diners world-class Asian cuisine set against a backdrop of mesmerising views of the area’s imposing glass skyscrapers.
A diner at CÉ LA VI poses for a photo (Photo: CÉ LA VI)
Bringing a touch of French chic to Downtown, Fouquet’s (Burj Plaza) is a branch of the famed Parisian brasserie of the same name. Spread across three storeys of lavish dining rooms, the design aesthetic exudes European opulence, with red velvet armchairs, wood panels and a menu featuring classic French fare.
Or for a truly unique dining experience, Krasota (G Floor Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard), in Address Downtown Hotel, serves up a bespoke tasting menu for just 20 guests at a time, with eye-catching 3D projections on the restaurant’s walls delivering a 360-degree visual treat to complement the gourmet food and drink.
In the same hotel, 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard) is a magnet for lovers of raw fish and Japanese cuisine more broadly. Perched at the foot of the Burj Khalife, the swanky eatery has developed a widespread reputation for its use of premium ingredients and innovative cooking techniques.
Over in Souk Al Bahar, an Arabic-style shopping mall, you’ll find Time Out Market (Level 3, Souk Al Bahar), a collection of homegrown culinary concepts spread across one giant food hall. Every foodie preference is catered for here, from vegan eats to pizza to the very pinnacle of fine dining – all to be enjoyed against dramatic views of The Dubai Fountain.
Where to stay
Among the district’s most luxurious accommodation options, the 5-star Palace Downtown (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard) boasts a striking Arabian design style. Situated next to the Burj Khalifa Lake, the hotel’s guest rooms are decked out in intricately carved woodwork and feature balconies with scenic views.
The lavish swimming pool at Palace Downtown (Photo: Palace Downtown / Courtesy Booking.com)
If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, a worthy consideration for a mid-range option is the Rove Downtown (312 Al Mustaqbal St – Za’abeel – Za’abeel 2), a modern high-rise hotel featuring a stylish bar/restaurant with an open-air terrace, an outdoor pool, a gym, and a lobby lounge.