Tourist Destinations in Dubai

There are several historical and modern tourist spots in Dubai. At the mouth of the Creek is Shindagha, from where Dubai has taken its birth. Sheikh Saeed's House, built in the early 19th century, had its balconies from where the Maktoum (Dubai's royal family) rulers could watch shipping activities at the sea. Its wind-towers are a curious heritage. Of late, a new type of luxury homes are coming up in the sea, called Dubai Palm islands, one such is Jumeirah Palm.

Al Fahidi Fort, which became Dubai Museum recently, was built in 1800 and had served as palace, garrison and prison. The exhibits include the good old pearl merchants' weights, scales and sieves. There are also pottery and metalware said to be dating back to 3000 BC. The main fort is a military museum. East of Al Fahidi Fort, the old district of Bastakiya is famous for its courtyard houses and wind-towers. The wind-towers were the airconditioners of those times.

Burj Nahar is one of the three watch-towers which were built for guarding the old city. This renovated watch-tower in Deira is a much photographed heritage site.

Jumeirah Mosque, a city landmark, is one of the largest, most famous and spectacular mosques of the emirate. It has a mixture of medieval Fatimidi tradition and modern Islamic architecture. Known for photography.

There are three main archaeological sites in Dubai. They are located in Al Ghusals, Al Sufooh and Jumeirah. Al Ghusals and Al Sufooh are over 2000 years old graveyards.Some of the popular recreational parks are Mushrif Park, Creekside Park, Safa Park and Umm Suqueim.

Hatta Fort is a picnic spot, one hour from Dubai, at the foothills of Hajjar mountains.Outside the city, the Al Boom Tourist Village displays the old traditional nomadic life of the Bedouins.