11 Best Sights in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The world's tallest building dominates the Dubai skyline like a scimitar pointing skyward. Designed by Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the Burj Khalifa houses a mixture of commercial and residential spaces, as well as the Armani Hotel. The 828 meter building, named after the ruler of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed al Nahyan, can be visited in the hotel public areas, and it is also possible to book a viewing "At the Top" for some spectacular 360-degree views. A high-speed lift will zoom you up 1,500 feet to the 125th floor, or, you may book the second rung "Burj Khalifa Sky," a VIP lounge experience on level 148. At.mosphere restaurant and bar on level 122 can be visited without an entry fee, but there is always minimum spend.

Without the creek, Dubai would not exist. This safe inlet, one of a few in the Gulf area, was the obvious choice for a commercial port for the sea trade that funds the region. Dubai port developed into the natural focus for ocean traffic around the Gulf, to the west, and for boats from India and Africa. The waterfront bears little resemblance to its early years, because it's been dredged and widened several times during the 20th century. On the Deira bank near the creek mouth are a series of low-rise merchant districts that include the major souks. Further inland at Al-Rigga and Garhoud, the Deira creek front is home to the first modernist architecture that transformed the city from local hub into worldwide style icon. Dubai's abras have been transporting people across the creek for as long as anyone can remember. These tiny engine-powered wooden boats provide a perfect outlook of the bustle of the creek, for just one dirham a crossing, and can deliver tourists from one souk to another in just a few minutes.

Winter in Dubai brings about many events, but none are more colorful than those at the Global Village. Every year, delegates from more than 75 countries and regions come together in this 17 million square foot venue for the largest cultural festival in the emirate. Each country holds a stand over 30 pavilions, and offer local handicrafts, retail specialties and ethnic food. Folkloric and fireworks displays take place every night, and a huge amusement park is on-site.

Take sunglasses when you visit the Gold Souk—no matter what time of day. The window displays shine with precious metals and cut stones that are so reflective they'll nearly blind you. The Gold Souk is one of the world's most important jewelry trading centers, catering to customers from the Gulf region and beyond. Jewelry is a portable method of storing wealth, and gold still makes up part of a woman's wedding dowry in many societies in Africa, the Arabian Gulf, and India. Citizens of these countries flock to Dubai to buy gold because prices are some of the most competitive in the world. There is a high proportion of very yellow gold, a finish popular in the region, but it's also possible to find gleaming metals and gems in almost any shape and color. If you can't find what you want, you can even have something made over a couple of days. Gold is sold by weight, a constantly shifting price that is consistent across the souk, with variations in price based only on workmanship.

Translating to Jumeirah City in Arabic, Madinat Jumeirah connects four five-star hotels around a central souk, theater, gardens, and waterways. Although constructed in recent years, it resembles an adobe brick oasis town, and is exceptionally well replicated. The complex looks especially appealing after dark when soft lighting illuminates the pastel stucco, barjeels, and cobbled courtyards.

Souk Madinat, a beautifully designed bazaar of winding alleyways, takes the best aspects of a traditional market with lots of small stalls piled high with tempting souvenirs, partners them with high-end boutiques and traders of exotic housewares, then adds an extra element of comfort—air-conditioning. Art, carpets, and furniture are high quality here, but the prices reflect this and are rarely negotiable.

Madinat Jumeirah's waterfront makes a great stop for a lazy lunch or long dinner. Restaurants and bars line both sides of the canal promenade and many have liquor licenses, so you can enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail as you relax in the balmy air and watch the abras putt-putt along the waterways.

Ski Dubai caused a wave of excitement to spread through the Gulf region when it opened in 2005. It's a mountain resort in miniature with two key runs and various spaces for learners and the more experienced who wish to do tricks. Entry includes all your ski or snowboard gear, and you can also book lessons. There's plenty to do if you don't ski; at the base is a snow park with toboggans, a giant ball run and some minirides for tots. Nonskiers may also take the chair lift for a spin to the top, or halfway to the "snow bullet," a fast-seated zip line. There are gentoo and king penguins living in the complex, and it's possible to see them on the hour, or book a meet-and-greet session. When you're ready for a break, relax at one of the two cafés in the complex, and appreciate the irony of needing a warming hot chocolate in the middle of the Arabian desert.

Easily accessed via the abra station that delivers tourists from the textile souk across the river, the Spice Souk is one of the most popular destinations in Deira for visitors. It's only a small market, but the rear edges spill toward a more generic market area, which in turn meets the gold and perfume souks. Spices, dried herbs, and flowers and resinous globs of frankincense are displayed in large baskets in traditional alleyways and allow for some excellent photography opportunities. If you want to buy, look for saffron in particular, which comes in various qualities that will happily be displayed by the vendors. Feel free to ask them about everything—there are plenty of unrecognizable and surprising products available. It makes great fodder for the budding chef or simply the curious.

A series of stores runs from the Old Souk abra station, through to the Al Fahidi district. It's loosely termed the Textile Souk, though it's also full of tacky souvenirs, touts, and eateries. Meandering from the wooden arch at the old souk end will take you past pashminas, table linen, and cushion covers. Farther out, past the wooden roofing framework, the stores sprawl into neighboring lanes and are filled with the raw materials. Most of the fabric comes from India and China, and includes quality cottons for the Emirati dishdasha, exotic silks, and sheer bejeweled fabrics and saris. You can order a full skein of cloth to take home, or have one of the tailors in the area construct something from your chosen fabric within a couple of days. Even if you're not buying, it's a worthwhile place to wander, a thriving marketplace full of photogenic aging architecture and colorful characters.

Dubai's premier water park, Wild Wadi covers 12 acres and abuts Jumeirah Beach in the shadow of the Burj Al-Arab hotel. There are 30 rides and other watery attractions here, including the Jumeirah Scierah (a 50-mph, high-adrenaline chute) and artificial wave rides (Riptide Flowrider and The Wipeout) that were designed by industry leader Thomas Lochtefel. Wild Wadi Water Park has its own artificial beach at Breakers Bay, and cabanas that can be booked to provide a home base for a large family. There is a good range of rides for all ages, including a large children's area suitable for very little ones.