Five Classic Dubai Sights: Tickets, Timings and What's Open
Written in 2021, updated in October 2026. Prices and timings still change; check before you go.
The City of Skyscrapers, Dubai is an ideal holiday hotspot in the United Arab Emirates. The place has transformed itself from a dusty desert outpost to a must-visit destination and attracts tourists from all over the world today.
Dubai welcome sightseers to its high-rise buildings and shopping malls, Dubai is especially popular in the Indian subcontinent for its good sales bargains, bright sunshine, and lots of opportunities to have family fun.
Dubai is famous for sightseeing attractions such as – the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa along with other skyscrapers, numerous shopping malls and spectacular beaches. Moreover, the city is not just admired for its rich architecture and reputed image as a shopper’s paradise, but also offers glamorous cultural delights and exciting leisure activities.
If it’s your first time to Dubai, we would highly recommend you to take a tour of the Dubai Airport; where you are sure to find all the tourist information you may need. Browse below for our list:
- Burj Khalifa – The World’s Tallest Building
Dubai’s most prominent landmark—Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world with a total height of 829.8 meters. The observation deck on the 124th floor of the building provides a remarkable bird’s-eye view of the city’s skyline, which makes it a must-visit. This 360-degree vision with the desert on one side and the ocean on the other will leave you spellbound.
(2026: "At the Top" covers levels 124 and 125; "At the Top SKY" goes up to level 148. Tickets cost less outside 4 to 7 pm, the sunset hours. Book online, and go early in the morning for the clearest view and the shortest queue.)
Some other amazing experiences you should have here include a stroll through its beautifully designed gardens with winding walkways. You’ll also find plenty of fountains to uplift your senses, with the famous Dubai Fountain heading the list. Dubai Fountain is the world’s tallest performing fountain, built by WET Design, the company behind the famous Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas.
(2026: the Fountain is free to watch from the promenade. Shows run at 1:00 and 1:30 pm (2:00 and 2:30 pm on Fridays), then every 30 minutes from 6 to 11 pm, about five minutes each. In Ramadan the afternoon shows stop and the evening ones start later.)
Location: Entry from Dubai Mall, Sheikh Zayed Road
Official site: www.burjkhalifa.ae
- The Dubai Mall – A Shopper’s Paradise
The Dubai Mall, also known as the home of the Dubai shopping festival, is one of the world’s largest shopping malls by total area. It is the best mall in the city and provides entry to the Burj Khalifa as well as the Dubai Aquarium.
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is one of the major attractions here; Ice-skating rink, the gaming zone, and the cinema complex are the other favorite stations. Also, the tourists visiting the mall will find a plethora of options for shopping and eating.
Besides that, the Dubai Mall is known for organizing special events such as live music and fashion shows, all over the year. Dubai Shopping Festival held in January and February is one of the most famous events.
(2026: the Dubai Shopping Festival now runs from about mid-December into January; the 2026–27 dates were not yet announced on 2 October.)
Location: Doha Road, just off Sheikh Zayed Road (2026: the nearest Metro station is Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, on the Red Line, joined to the mall by a long air-conditioned walkway)
Official site: thedubaimall.com
- Dubai Museum – A Fairyland for Art & History Lovers
Dubai Museum is located in Al Fahidi Fort, which is also the oldest building in the city. It features galleries, mosques, souks, marine life and much more. It is a must-visit destination for all art enthusiasts!
(2026: closed since 2021 for restoration. Dubai Culture said in September 2026 that it would reopen "in the coming weeks or months"; check before you go. Until then, the lanes of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood around it are free to walk, and the abra station is a few minutes away.)
Built in the 18th century to defend Dubai Creek, the fort’s walls are constructed of coral blocks and held together with lime. It served as a residence for the ruling family, a seat of government, garrison, and prison. The place was restored and now serves as the city’s premier museum.
Fort’s entry welcomes you with an excellent Exhibition of old maps of the Emirates, showing the massive expansion that hit the region after the oil boom. The courtyard is a home to several traditional boats, the right-hand hall features weaponry, and the left-hand room showcases Emirati musical instruments.
(2026: the restored museum adds an underground gallery and a collection of Islamic arms and armour, so the layout described above will change.)
Location: Al-Fahidi Street, Al-Fahidi
- Dubai Creek – Separating the City into Two Towns
Visit Dubai Creek to witness the historic glimpse of the city. Here you will get ample options to enjoy Dubai’s local cuisine and interact with city’s warm community.
Travel across Dubai Creek with a ride on one of the many traditional dhows that have been restored as tourist cruise boats. You can also take an abra—a small wooden ferry, between the ship points on the creek’s Bur Dubai and Deira banks. Better still, enjoy the Emirate’s lush luxury and picturesque scenery on a yacht, while sipping your iced tea!
(2026: a traditional abra across the Creek costs AED 1, about ₹26, paid on board. A private abra for a slow look along the Creek is about AED 120 an hour. Cross from Bur Dubai to Deira for the Gold and Spice Souks.)
- Dubai Aquarium – Every Kid’s Wonderland
One of the top tourist attractions and a great place for marine lovers, the splendid Dubai Aquarium houses more than 150 species in a huge suspended tank. It is situated in Dubai mall on the ground floor and offers free viewing from the mall. If you enter the Underwater Zoo, you can walk through the aquarium tunnels.
The place offers different activities to help the visitors get a closer look at the marine life. Glass bottom boat tours are particularly attractive. Cage snorkeling and shark diving are other well-liked activities.
(2026: the tank is still free to see from the mall. The tunnel and the Underwater Zoo start at about AED 150; the glass-bottom boat comes with the dearer tickets. Children under two go free.)
Location: Dubai Mall, Sheikh Zayed Road
Official site: thedubaiaquarium.com
Arriving Dubai (Stay & Flight)
If you’re visiting Dubai for the very first time and plan to cover all the top tourist attractions in the city, JW Marriott Hotel would be the best choice of accommodation for you. In addition, if you’re coming from Singapore, do check out a Singapore to Dubai flight here.
Sitting just 900 meters away from the bustling Business Bay Metro Station, JW Marriott Dubai gives easy and smooth connectivity to all major destinations. Look out for top deals!
What the Five Cost
Checked on 2 October 2026, in dirhams, with rupees at about ₹26 to the dirham. Prices change with the season and the seller; the official sites have the final word.
| Sight | Ticket | About in ₹ |
|---|---|---|
| Burj Khalifa, At the Top (levels 124–125) | AED 170–180; about AED 250 from 4 to 7 pm | ₹4,400–4,700; about ₹6,500 |
| Burj Khalifa, At the Top SKY (level 148) | From about AED 400 | From about ₹10,400 |
| The Dubai Mall and the Dubai Fountain | Free | Free |
| Dubai Aquarium tunnel and Underwater Zoo | From about AED 150 (the tank in the mall is free) | From about ₹3,900 |
| Dubai Museum, Al Fahidi Fort | Closed for restoration | – |
| Abra across Dubai Creek | AED 1 | ₹26 |
All five in a day, with the Burj Khalifa outside sunset hours and the Aquarium tunnel, comes to about AED 330, or ₹8,600 a person, before food and the Metro.
Before You Book (October 2026)
- The region is not calm. Fighting involving Iran, Israel and the United States has disrupted Gulf airspace since the end of February 2026. Dubai's airports stopped flights for some days in March; in early September 2026 flights were again delayed and a few cancelled. Indian and Emirati airlines are flying, but schedules can change at short notice.
- Several attractions closed in March 2026 and are reopening for the winter: Dubai Parks and Resorts on 7 October, Global Village on 14 October. The Museum of the Future is closed for an overhaul until early 2027, and the Burj Al Arab hotel for restoration, expected to reopen around October 2027.
- Before you pay, check your airline's flight status and the advisories of the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai, and buy travel insurance that covers cancellations and delays.
- Coming home, every international arrival in India must now fill the free Air Suvidha form online before the flight (since 25 June 2026).
Worth Adding in 2026
- Dubai Frame: a 150-metre picture frame in Zabeel Park, with old Dubai on one side and the new city on the other. About AED 50 (₹1,300).
- Global Village: country pavilions, food and shopping, in the cool months only. Season 31 opens on 14 October 2026 at 6 pm; last season's tickets were AED 25 on weekdays and AED 30 at weekends.
- An evening desert safari: shared trips with hotel pick-up, the dunes and a barbecue dinner cost about AED 130 to 250 (₹3,400 to 6,500). Choose an operator your hotel can vouch for.
For visas, flights from India, where to stay, getting around and what to know on the way home, see our Dubai travel guide for Indians.
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