The Ultimate Travel Guide to Dubai: History & Attractions

The city of superlatives — record-breaking skyscrapers, luxury shopping, desert safaris and world-class experiences.

A Glimpse into History

Dubai's transformation from a small pearl-diving settlement to the world's most ambitious city is one of history's most extraordinary stories — compressed into just 50 years. For centuries, the Dubai Creek was a modest trading port where Bedouin tribes and pearl divers from the Bani Yas tribal confederation made their living. The pearling industry dominated the Gulf economy until the 1930s, when Japanese cultured pearls collapsed the market almost overnight, devastating Gulf communities. Oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958 and in Dubai in 1966, but Dubai's oil reserves were always modest compared to its neighbours — a limitation that proved transformative, forcing Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum to build an economy based on trade, logistics, and tourism rather than oil dependency. The Dubai Creek was dredged in the 1950s to allow larger ships; Port Rashid and later Jebel Ali Port (now the world's largest man-made harbour) were built. Dubai International Airport opened in 1960 with a single runway. The United Arab Emirates was founded in 1971 as seven emirates joined under Sheikh Zayed. Under Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision, Dubai has built the world's tallest building, its largest shopping mall, an artificial palm-shaped island, and positioned itself as the global hub between East and West — hosting Expo 2020 and welcoming 17 million tourists annually.

Top Attractions in Dubai

Burj Khalifa Observation Deck

The world's tallest building at 828 metres has observation decks at floors 124, 125, and 148 — the last being the world's highest outdoor observation deck. The views over the Arabian Gulf, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai's impossible skyline at sunset or during the nightly Dubai Fountain show below are genuinely breathtaking expressions of human ambition.

Palm Jumeirah

The world's largest artificial island — shaped like a date palm and reclaiming 5.72 sq km from the Arabian Gulf — is visible from space and home to the iconic Atlantis hotel, hundreds of beachfront villas, and the record-breaking Palm Monorail. The island took 50 million cubic metres of sand and rock to construct between 2001 and 2006.

Desert Safari & Dune Bashing

Just 45 minutes from Dubai's glass towers lies the sweeping red dunes of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve — an 87 sq km protected area of pristine Emirati desert. Dune bashing in 4WDs, camel rides, sandboarding, falconry displays, and dinners under the stars in a Bedouin camp connect visitors to the desert culture that shaped Emirati civilisation.

Gold Souk & Spice Souk, Deira

Dubai's old Deira district contains two of the world's most atmospheric traditional markets, connected by a wooden abra (water taxi) across the historic Dubai Creek. The Gold Souk's 380 shops display over 25 tonnes of gold jewellery at any time — the world's highest concentration — while the adjacent Spice Souk overflows with mountains of frankincense, saffron, dried roses, and Arabic spices.

Dubai Frame

The 150-metre picture frame building literally frames old Dubai on one side and new Dubai on the other from a glass-floored sky bridge, making it the world's best symbolic architectural concept. Built in 2018, it intentionally places you between the historic creek district and the modern skyscraper forest, telling Dubai's 50-year transformation story at a glance.