_The top luxurious attractions in Dubai
Dubai’s sun, sea and sand provide the perfect playground for an active lifestyle. Pristine public beaches, such as JBR Beach, offer a host of water sports including parasailing, wakeboarding and banana boating, while Sunset Beach is perfect for stand up paddle boarding in the shadow of the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab. Or try your hand at kite surfing at the aptly named Kite Beach.
With calm waters and clear blue skies, sailing and yachting are popular pastimes. Deep-sea fishing is another big draw, with species such as barracuda and king mackerel tempting anglers.
If you are looking for underwater adventure, scuba diving centres offer lessons and PADI certification. Experienced divers can explore wrecks such as the Zainab, while even non-certified divers can swim with sharks and rays at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo and The Lost Chambers Aquarium.
The surrounding desert, meanwhile, is made for off-roading. If you are new to dune bashing, offer beginner’s courses, while social clubs organise weekend drives and camping trips. Or opt for a quintessential desert safari tour, which usually includes sandboarding, camel riding and a meal under the stars.
For hiking and mountain biking, head to the enclave of Hatta, 90 minutes’ drive from Dubai. Backed by the craggy Hajar Mountains, there are marked hiking and biking trails, plus you can hire kayaks and pedalos to cruise the turquoise waters of Hatta Dam.
Dubai may be known as a city of skyscrapers, but there is an increasing emphasis on developing urban green spaces too. Zabeel Park is one of the largest and most popular parks, with sports courts and barbecue areas, while promenades, such as the Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk and Jumeirah Corniche, attract joggers and sunset strollers.
For golfers, the emirate offers challenging courses and great clubhouse facilities. Regular players can tee off at championship courses at Emirates or Jumeirah Golf Estates, while beginners can sharpen their skills at The Track, a nine-hole floodlit course that is open for night golf.
Cycling is growing in popularity, thanks to bike-only paths such as Al Qudra, a 30-mile loop around desert dunes, and Nad Al Sheba, a converted camel track near Meydan Racecourse. Other top spots include the new seven-mile path along the Dubai Water Canal.
The Arabian horse plays an important role in Emirati culture and there are a multitude of equestrian experiences to enjoy. Saddle up for a lesson or partake in a polo match. If you’re keen on horse racing, Meydan Racecourse has a packed calendar of meetings from November to March, culminating in the prestigious Dubai World Cup, held every March.
Family comes first in Arab culture and few cities cater to all ages quite as well as Dubai. Small and big kids alike will love the water slides and lazy river rapids at Aquaventure Waterpark and Wild Wadi, while Aventura is a 375,000-square-foot outdoor adventure park in Mushrif Park with zip-lining, tree-surfing and rope-climbing.
Downhill skiing in a desert? You can do just that at Ski Dubai, a huge indoor slope complete with a colony of king penguins. Equally exotic is the tropical rainforest inside The Green Planet. Built around a huge tree, the bio-dome is home to more than 3,000 plants and animals including toucans and a super-cute sloth.
The emirate is also hoping to rival Orlando with four new theme parks. Dubai Parks & Resorts comprises a trio of parks – Legoland Dubai, Motiongate and Bollywood Parks – and a Legoland-themed waterpark, while the indoor IMG Worlds of Adventure features rides based on Marvel superheroes and dinosaurs. Sit still in Dubai? Well, now that is practically impossible.