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MyPassportStory › Destinations › United Arab Emirates
🇦🇪Things to Do in United Arab Emirates
From the world's tallest building to desert dunes an hour outside the city - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
The UAE's two main cities read almost as opposites: Dubai built itself around record-breaking modern architecture and shopping, while Abu Dhabi leans into culture and heritage with the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Both sit close enough together for an easy day trip between them. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
The world's tallest building, with an observation deck on the 124th floor (and a pricier one higher up on the 148th). Book a sunset slot in advance - it's the most popular time and sells out first.
📍 Dubai
🚉 Nearest station: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall on the Dubai Metro Red Line, then a 10-minute walk through the air-conditioned link bridge into the mall and the At the Top entrance.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
One of the largest mosques in the world, with the largest hand-knotted carpet on Earth inside. Free to enter for all visitors, with modest dress required and abayas available to borrow at the entrance.
📍 Abu Dhabi
🚉 Abu Dhabi has no metro: city buses 94 and 170 stop at the mosque, and the E101 intercity bus from Dubai's Ibn Battuta station passes it on the way into town.
Dubai Desert Safari
Dune bashing, camel rides and a traditional Bedouin-style dinner camp, typically booked as a half-day tour from the city. Most operators run the same basic format - check reviews rather than price alone.
📍 Dubai Desert
🚉 No public transport serves the dunes - operators collect you from your hotel by 4x4 in the afternoon, which is the only practical way into the conservation reserves.
The Dubai Mall & Dubai Fountain
One of the world's largest malls by total area, with an aquarium built into it and the choreographed Dubai Fountain performing outside on the hour most evenings.
📍 Dubai
🚉 Nearest station: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall on the Red Line, connected to the mall by a covered travelator; the fountain shows run every half hour on the lake outside.
Palm Jumeirah
An artificial palm-shaped island visible from space, home to the Atlantis resort and a monorail that runs the length of the palm's trunk.
📍 Dubai
🚉 Take the Red Line to Nakheel or Palm Jumeirah station, then the Palm Monorail from Gateway Towers along the trunk to Atlantis at the far crescent.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
A branch of the Paris Louvre under a striking dome designed to filter light like a desert canopy, with a collection spanning global art and history rather than just European work.
📍 Abu Dhabi
🚉 The museum is on Saadiyat Island: city bus 94 runs there from central Abu Dhabi, and there is no rail service, so most visitors take a taxi or the intercity coach from Dubai plus a short hop.
Dubai Old Town & Gold Souk
The Al Fahidi Historic District and Dubai Creek, where an abra (traditional wooden boat) still crosses for a few dirhams - a useful contrast to the city's newer skyline.
📍 Dubai
🚉 Nearest station: Al Ras or Gold Souq on the Green Line for the Deira side, and Al Fahidi for the Bur Dubai creek - the abra water taxis across the creek cost a dirham and are half the experience.
Ferrari World & Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Home to the world's fastest roller coaster, alongside Warner Bros. World and Yas Waterworld on the same island - a full day for anyone traveling with kids.
📍 Abu Dhabi
🚉 No metro reaches Yas Island: the Yas Express shuttle circles the island attractions for free, and bus 190 connects from central Abu Dhabi, about 40 minutes.
Mark United Arab Emirates, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in the UAE?
4-5 days covers Dubai's main sights with a day trip to Abu Dhabi. A week lets you add a desert stay or slow the pace down considerably.
What's the best time to visit the UAE?
November-March has comfortable, warm-not-scorching temperatures. Summer (June-September) regularly passes 40°C (104°F), which pushes most outdoor activity indoors or to early morning and evening.
Is the UAE good for a first-time visit?
Yes - it's one of the easier Middle Eastern destinations for a first visit, with English widely spoken, modern infrastructure, and a well-organized tourist industry.
Do I need a visa to visit the UAE?
Many nationalities, including the US, UK, EU and Australia, receive visa-on-arrival or visa-free entry for short tourist stays; other nationalities should check requirements before booking. Check the official visa information for your nationality: icp.gov.ae.
What are some things to do in the UAE on a tight budget?
Dubai's public beaches (JBR, Kite Beach) are free, the Dubai Fountain show outside the mall runs on the hour at no cost, and walking the old Bur Dubai souks and Dubai Creek costs nothing beyond a cheap abra ride across the water.
Can I rent a car in the UAE, and what licence do I need?
Yes, and it is straightforward - fuel is cheap and the roads are excellent, though Dubai's metro covers the main sights. Visitors from a long list of countries, including the UK, US, EU states, Canada, Australia and Japan, can drive on their national licence as tourists; everyone else needs an International Driving Permit alongside it, and rental companies often ask for one regardless. Minimum age is 21, rising to 25 for larger cars, and a credit card is required. Salik toll gates and speed cameras are billed to the rental afterwards, so expect a final charge weeks later. Dubai rules are published by the RTA at rta.ae, with the federal government portal at u.ae; cars come from Hertz, Avis and Sixt.