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A photograph of United Arab Emirates

Country guide

1 to 2 hours in United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has been one country since 2 December 1971, when seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al...

Photograph · Tonenight · CC BY-SA 4.0

6,981 Places
2Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

The United Arab Emirates has been one country since 2 December 1971, when seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah — federated. It covers 83,600 km² and held 11,027,129 people in 2024, of whom about 11 per cent are Emirati citizens; the rest came to work, and that shapes the food, the languages and the shape of a week more than any monument does. Abu Dhabi is the capital and Dubai the largest city, close enough to treat as one base. The northern emirates beyond them are quieter and far less built.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Arabic; English is widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+971
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
UAE dirham (AED)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
999 police · 998 ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type G · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

53 places match

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Category

Historic sites 2 Museums 25 Places of worship 0 Nature sites 4 Viewpoints 0 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 1 Entertainment 8 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 9 Art and culture 0 Activities 4

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 86 1 to 2 hours 53 Half a day or more 5

Interests

History 20 Art 0 Museums 18 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Burj Al Arab Burj Al Arab
    01 2 hours

    Burj Al Arab

    Burj Al Arab is Jumeirah's sail-shaped luxury hotel on Dubai's coast.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Dubai
  2. Burj Khalifa Burj Khalifa
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Burj Khalifa

    برج خليفة

    Burj Khalifa is the 828-metre tower that Emaar opened in Downtown Dubai on 4 January 2010, and what a visitor actually buys a ticket to is a small part of it.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Dubai
  3. Abu Dhabi Corniche Abu Dhabi Corniche
    03 2 hours

    Abu Dhabi Corniche

    The Abu Dhabi Corniche is an eight-kilometre stretch of waterfront promenade along the northwestern shore of Abu Dhabi Island. It extends from the Emirates Palace area to Mina Port, forming one of the city's most prominent public spaces.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Abu Dhabi
  4. Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
    04 2 hours

    Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

    Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental is a landmark luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi, situated on the Corniche. Originally opened as Emirates Palace, it became part of the Mandarin Oriental group.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Abu Dhabi
  5. Dubai Creek Dubai Creek
    05 2 hours

    Dubai Creek

    Dubai Creek is a natural saltwater inlet that historically divided the city into Deira and Bur Dubai.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Dubai
  6. Dubai Miracle Garden Dubai Miracle Garden
    06 2 hours

    Dubai Miracle Garden

    Dubai Miracle Garden is a seasonal outdoor floral attraction in Dubailand, Dubai. It claims status as one of the region's larger flower gardens, displaying elaborate arrangements and structures covered in blooms.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Dubai
  7. Yas Marina Circuit Yas Marina Circuit
    07 2 hours

    Yas Marina Circuit

    Yas Marina Circuit is a motorsport race track located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was designed by Hermann Tilke and opened in 2009.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Abu Dhabi
  8. Jumeirah Beach Jumeirah Beach
    08 2 hours

    Jumeirah Beach

    Jumeirah Beach is a public coastal stretch along the Persian Gulf in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The local name is شاطئ الجميرة. The beach lies in the Jumeirah district, a well-established residential and hospitality area.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Dubai
  9. Ras Al Khor Ras Al Khor
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Ras Al Khor

    Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wetland area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The local name is محمية رأس الخور للحياة البرية. It is recognized as an important habitat for migratory birds and indigenous wildlife.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Dubai
  10. Dubai Frame Dubai Frame
    10 1 hr 30 min

    Dubai Frame

    برواز دبي

    Dubai Frame is a picture frame built at architectural scale in Zabeel Park, and it is run by Dubai Municipality rather than by a commercial operator.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  11. Louvre Abu Dhabi Louvre Abu Dhabi
    11 1 hr 30 min

    Louvre Abu Dhabi

    Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi

    Louvre Abu Dhabi is an art and civilization museum on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. The institution opened in 2017 as a collaboration between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Abu Dhabi
  12. Al Bastakiya Al Bastakiya
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Al Bastakiya

    حي الفهيدي التاريخي

    Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood stands on the Bur Dubai bank of Dubai Creek, a few streets of low coral-stone houses left standing while the rest of the city went vertical.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Dubai
  13. Etihad Museum Etihad Museum
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Etihad Museum

    متحف الاتحاد

    Etihad Museum, known locally as متحف الاتحاد, is a cultural institution in Dubai dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the United Arab Emirates.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  14. Saeed Al Maktoum House Saeed Al Maktoum House
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Saeed Al Maktoum House

    Saeed Al Maktoum House is a historic Dubai residence associated with the Al Maktoum ruling family. The house offers a direct connection with the emirate’s pre-oil past and with the traditional architecture of the Gulf.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  15. Wild Wadi Water Park Wild Wadi Water Park
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Wild Wadi Water Park

    الحديقة المائية وايلد وادي

    Wild Wadi Water Park is a family water park in Dubai’s Jumeirah district, beside the Burj Al Arab.

    • Must see
    • Family attraction
    • Dubai
  16. Zayed National Museum Zayed National Museum
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Zayed National Museum

    مَتْحَف زَايِد ٱلْوَطَنِي

    The Zayed National Museum is a national museum in Abu Dhabi dedicated to the life, legacy and values of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Abu Dhabi
  17. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
    17 2 hours

    Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

    عالم فراري

    Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a mostly indoor theme park on Yas Island built around Ferrari’s racing history, road cars and engineering.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Abu Dhabi
  18. IMG Worlds of Adventure IMG Worlds of Adventure
    18 2 hours

    IMG Worlds of Adventure

    آي إم جي عالم من المغامرات

    IMG Worlds of Adventure is an indoor theme park in Dubai. The local name is آي إم جي عالم من المغامرات. It is marketed as one of the largest indoor theme parks globally.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Dubai
  19. Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House

    Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House is a heritage building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It represents traditional Emirati architecture and serves as a cultural landmark preserving the emirate's historical built environment.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  20. Dubaï Moving Image Museum Dubaï Moving Image Museum
    20 1 hr 30 min

    Dubaï Moving Image Museum

    متحف دبي للصور المتحركة

    The Dubai Moving Image Museum is a cultural institution in Dubai dedicated to the history and evolution of moving images. It traces the development of visual storytelling from early precursors of cinema through to modern filmmaking technologies.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  21. Dubai Coffee Museum Dubai Coffee Museum
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Dubai Coffee Museum

    Coffee Museum

    Dubai Coffee Museum is a compact cultural museum in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, housed in a traditional wind-tower building.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  22. Legoland Dubai Legoland Dubai
    22 2 hours

    Legoland Dubai

    ليجولاند دبي

    Legoland Dubai is a family theme park at Dubai Parks and Resorts, designed around the Lego construction system and aimed especially at children aged 2–12 with their families.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
    • Dubai
  23. Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif
    23 1 hr 30 min

    Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif

    Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif is a historic majlis in Dubai’s Jumeirah area. A majlis is a traditional meeting or gathering space, and this building represents the social and architectural heritage of an earlier Dubai.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
  24. Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
    24 1 hr 30 min

    Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

    دبي أكواريوم وحديقة الحيوانات المائية

    Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is a two-level attraction built into The Dubai Mall and run by Emaar Entertainment, the mall's own leisure arm.

    • Must see
    • Family attraction
    • Dubai
  25. Dubai Municipality Museum Dubai Municipality Museum
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Dubai Municipality Museum

    Dubai Municipality Museum is a cultural institution operated by Dubai Municipality, the government body responsible for city services and urban planning.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Dubai
Show 25 more places

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to United Arab Emirates be?

Six to eight days is enough for roughly four days in Dubai and two or three in Abu Dhabi. Sharjah can be a separate museum day, while Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah requires dedicated road time rather than being treated as a quick urban extension.

What entry documents are needed for United Arab Emirates?

UAE entry permission depends on nationality and may be arranged in advance or granted under a nationality-specific rule. Confirm the current position through the federal ICP service or the responsible UAE embassy, especially for a stopover itinerary.

What is the best way to travel around United Arab Emirates?

Dubai combines metro, tram, buses, and marine transport; Abu Dhabi relies more heavily on buses and taxis. Travel between emirates remains road-based, so allow for an intercity bus, taxi, or rental car rather than expecting a passenger train.

When is a practical time to visit United Arab Emirates?

November through March gives the most practical outdoor hours for this Dubai-Abu Dhabi route. In hotter months, schedule waterfront and heritage districts early or late and reserve the middle of the day for indoor museums.

What money and payment basics apply in United Arab Emirates?

The United Arab Emirates uses the dirham (AED). Cards are widely useful in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but retain an AED backup for smaller fares or deposits and check which currency a card terminal proposes.

What practical safety details should I save for United Arab Emirates?

Police in the UAE can be reached on 999 and ambulance services on 998. Type G sockets supply 230 V; tap-water guidance is not recorded here, so ask the accommodation for the building-specific position.