United Arab Emirates attractions

Set on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the race car–themed Ferrari World features 20 rides and attractions—everything from the toddler-friendly carousel of Ferrari prototype cars to cutting-edge racing simulators that will please older kids and teens. The largest indoor theme park in the world is also home to the world’s fastest roller coaster, the Formula Rossa, a hydraulic-powered thrill ride that sees visitors strapped into a Ferrari Formula One-like coaster car and launched at speeds of up to 150 miles (240 kilometers) per hour.

Built from white sandstone and crowned with a central dome and two towering minarets, Jumeirah Mosque is Dubai's main place of worship and arguably one of the most beautiful mosques in the United Arab Emirates. Aside from being an extremely popular photography site in Dubai, the landmark is also notable in that it's the only mosque in the city open to non-Muslim visitors—an excellent way to gain a deeper understanding of Islam and its traditions.

Looming from the eastern edges of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), the Uniter Arab Emirate’s (UAE) northernmost emirate, Jabal Al Jais is a group of mountains in the Al Hajar range along the country’s border with Oman. Forming the UAE’s highest peak at 6,345 feet (1,934 meters), the Jabal Al Jais region combines awe-inspiring scenery with exciting attractions for outdoor enthusiasts and thrill-seekers.

Brave water rides, see marine animals, and dive into pools at the Aquaventure Waterpark in Dubai. One of the Middle East's biggest and best water parks, it sits next to Atlantis, The Palm resort on Palm Jumeirah island. Visit for record-breaking slides, river rides, multiple pools, and a private beach spread over 42 acres (17 hectares) of seafront.

Set inside Al Fahidi Fort, the Dubai Museum recounts the Emirates’ history up until the oil boom, which forever altered its skyline. Dioramas and artifacts convey what daily life was like for Dubai’s earliest communities, while life-sized re-creations of the city’s early souks and wharfs bring the past to life.

Within the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is no stranger to superlatives, including the world’s largest collection of sand sharks and one of the world’s largest acrylic panel viewing platforms. Numerous marine habitats, including an underwater tunnel, house 33,000 marine animals, from crocodiles to tropical fish.

Running about 15 miles (25 kilometers) along Dubai’s Persian Gulf coast, Jumeirah Beach is a go-to for sun and surf lovers. Named after Dubai’s nearby residential Jumeirah district, the beach extends from Jumeirah Mosque in the north to Palm Jumeirah in the south, and includes of a string of private sections and public beaches.

Sitting on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Breakwater, the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village is a reconstruction of an authentic Arabian village. The site offers everything from craft workshops to a replica souk and museum, as well as providing a window into desert life before the 20th-century oil boom.

Sheikh Zayed Road is Dubai’s main artery and carves through the city north to south, parallel to the coast, before continuing to neighboring Abu Dhabi. Extending for a total of 346 miles (558 kilometers), it’s best-known for the skyscrapers along its central Dubai section—creating a scene reminiscent of a sci-fi movie.

The Dubai Fountain, which sits in the Burj Khalifa Lake in Downtown Dubai, is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system with jets that shoot 500 feet (150 meters) into the air. Visitors flock to the shop- and restaurant-lined lakeside to watch the spectacle, as water jets burst into life and sway in synchronicity to lights and music 12 times each day.

Opened in 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi stands on Saadiyat Island near central Abu Dhabi. A collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and France, this museum’s stunning, filigreed metal dome draws visitors in to view a collection of artworks and artifacts designed to chart the story of the world’s civilizations.

The first national park in the United Arab Emirates, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) offers visitors a stunning landscape of sand dunes and desert fauna. The reserve is a must-visit for adventure travelers and outdoor enthusiasts, with its rolling dunes setting the scene for fat bike riding, dune buggy trips, camel trekking, sandboarding, and falcon demonstrations.

South of Dubai Creek, the Bastakia Quarter—aka the Al Fahidi Historic District—is comprised of wind tower (barjeel) houses, courtyards, and lanes dating from the late 1800s when Persian merchants first settled the area. As Dubai’s oldest district, it’s filled with museums and cultural attractions.

Situated on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Breakwater, the Marina Mall is one of the city’s leading shopping destinations, with five floors of stores and leisure venues. There are more than 400 shops, a movie multiplex, family entertainment hubs, and a mix of restaurants, cafés, and fast food options.

Come face-to-face with 65,000 marine creatures, dive with sharks, and walk underwater at The Lost Chambers Aquarium in Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm hotel. This state-of-the-art aquarium is themed around the mythical Lost City of Atlantis and consists of illuminated underground chambers brimming with sea life from across the world.

Bordering Al Ain’s UNESCO-listed Oasis in the city center, the Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum—or Al Ain Palace Museum, as it’s also known—occupies the former home of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founder. Turned into a museum in 2001, the decorous setting provides a glimpse into his life and local culture up until the 1960s.

Smack dab in the heart of modern Dubai, the Mall of the Emirates is more than the city’s second-largest mall. The multilevel center, one of Dubai’s most popular destinations, draws visitors with a huge array of international stores and leisure attractions, from fashion outlets and restaurants to theaters and an indoor ski resort.

Opened in 2022, Dubai’s Museum of the Future explores the future of society, science, and technology. Interactive spaces show what daily life, technology, space travel, climate, and health might look like 50 years from today. Other draws include a fantasy kids’ world and an observatory with sweeping skyscraper views.

Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort with five slopes of varying difficulties, lengths, and gradients, including the world's first indoor black run and largest indoor snow park. Aside from the sporting opportunities, the park offers plenty of snow-centric fun for nonskiers as well.

Fly over Dubai and you'll notice something unusual about the shoreline. More specifically, you'll notice the unique shapes of Palm Islands and the World, some of the largest artificial islands on the planet. From above, these islands resemble a trio of palm trees (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, and Palm Deira), golden on the otherwise azure surface of the Persian Gulf in the United Arab Emirates.

Overlooking the lagoon in Sharjah’s Al Khan district, Sharjah Museum brings visitors face-to-face with marine life native to the Persian Gulf and other oceans. Set over two levels of an impressive modern building, the aquarium houses more than 100 species—from exotic fish to stingrays—making it a fun and educational destination for all.

As the northernmost emirate in the UAE, Ras al Khaimah has a fascinating history that’s displayed at this national museum. Housed in an 18th century fort, the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum was the home of the emirate’s ruling family until 1964, and was opened to the public as a national museum in 1987. Once inside the historic fort, enjoy a casual, self-guided tour of artifacts detailing the early history of peoples inhabiting the desert. You’ll also find ethnological displays, as well as documents and treaties from deals with Britain in the 19th century.The most prominent feature is the old tower, which rises above the two-story buildings and was once an important lookout point for guarding the royal family. Because the museum doesn’t offer guides, it’s good to visit the museum as part of a half-day tour of town, where the local guides who administer the tour can tell you about the artifacts. Favorites include the ancient weapons that were used to defend the fort, as well as equipment that divers used when diving for pearls offshore.

No place gives better insight into life on the Mekong Delta than the Cai Rang Floating Market (Chợ Noi Cái Rang), where hundreds of wooden rowboats showcase everything from rice and clothing to exotic fruits and vegetables. Located just 4 miles (6 kilometers) from the city of Can Tho, the market can be admired from dry land or during a boat ride.

Explore the world of illusions and test the limits of your perception at Dubai’s immersive Museum of Illusions. Spanning around 4,845 square feet (450 square meters), the museum features more than 80 interactive exhibits, mind-bending optical illusions, stereograms, and holograms, as well as a playroom with puzzles to challenge the mind.

Covering an area of 28 American football fields, IMG Worlds of Adventure in Dubai is the world’s biggest indoor theme park. Situated on the edge of the city, this destination offers four adventure zones—Marvel, Cartoon Network, Lost Valley Dinosaur Adventure, and Novo Cinemas—all based on the fantasy worlds of movie superheroes.

Located in Ai Ain, Al Jahili Fort is one of the largest forts in the UAE. It was built by Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan in the late 19th century as a summer residence and to control the area’s resources. Thoroughly renovated, the mud-brick fort is an important cultural attraction, and it houses permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Crowning a hill below the Hajar Mountains in Ras Al Khaimah emirate, the 19th-century mud-brick Dhayah Fort is the United Arab Emirates’ last remaining hilltop fort. Built from the remnants of earlier fortifications, it’s famous for serving as a holdout for the local Al Qawasim peoples when they attempted—but failed—to resist British forces in 1819.

Overlooking Dubai Marina, Dubai Marina Mall is one of the city’s smaller and more understated shopping and entertainment destinations. Opened in 2008 with a central domed atrium and around 140 outlets spread across four levels, the mall exudes a calm and unhurried atmosphere in keeping with its waterside location.

Located in the heart of the city, the Al Ain National Museum is the UAE’s oldest museum, and it charts the country’s history from ancient times. Its archaeological and ethnographic galleries house everything from 5,000-year-old pottery to traditional Emirati artifacts from the pre-oil era.

Prepared to be amazed at Dubai’s first permanent show,La Perle by Dragone.A feast for the senses,La Perle is an immersive theater experience that features thrilling aerial displays, aquatic stunts and acrobatics, and cutting-edge special effects and illusion, all unfolding in a purpose-built “aqua theater” that includes an on-stage pool.