Tourist Attractions & Monuments Dubai

Timetable

Opening hours: there is no rule for Dubai, but we can say that in general everything starts at 10 am and closes relatively late. Be careful, some places open later on Friday and Saturday. But there is no precise rule. It can happen that some places to visit are closed on Friday, Sunday or Monday.

Crowds: the number of visitors depends on the month of the year, with the peak season between November and January.

To be booked

It's best to book in advance to visit the Museum of the Future, climb to the top of the Burj Khalifa, take a helicopter tour, see the Cirque du Soleil-style show "La Perle", which tells the story of Dubai, and take part in tours organized by the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding.

Budget & Tips

First of all, download the Visit Dubai application, also available in French. It is the official application of the Tourist Office. All the latest news, prices, schedules are there.

Affordable: all museums are very affordable in Dubai. In the old districts, the amount is even symbolic and some are free.

Reasonable: guided tours in the old Dubai with local people in the Al Fahidi district. The French-speaking guides listed in our guidebook are reasonably priced, but there are few of them.

Expensive: All of the city's theme parks and landmarks are expensive and require a certain budget.

Passes: to keep expenses under control, Dubai offers passes with several activities included at reduced prices. Visit www.dubaipass.ae

Main events

Download the app: Dubai Calendar for the latest events.

2025 / 2026 : Expo city Dubai. Although the largest world's fair ever held has closed its doors, some 40 pavilions and attractions can still be visited.

December and January : in early December, it's the national holiday. Traditional dances, colourful decorations and fireworks mark the three-day celebration. Late December sees the Dubai Shopping Festival, or the sales period, which runs from the end of December to the end of January. It's also the festive season, marked by the legendary fireworks display on December 31.

Ramadan: In 2025, it will begin on February 27 and end on March 29 (dates confirmed the evening before by moon observation). Schedules are altered during the day, but there's plenty of excitement throughout the country after sunset. The end of Ramadan ushers in a period of sales and bargains.

July and August : Dubai Summer Surprises: A period of summer sales, including discounts at attractions.

Guided tours

Sightseeing buses: These are available in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, enabling you to discover these cities.

Guided tours of the historic Al Fahidi district in Dubai and Sharjah: these allow you to stroll through the historic districts with a local guide.

Question-and-answer lunches in Dubai: over a typical Emirati breakfast, brunch or lunch, visitors can ask the locals any question they like, in a no-holds-barred question-and-answer session. The Sheikh Mohammed bin Rachid Heritage Al Maktoum Centre for cultural understanding has made this a Dubai specialty.

Guided tour of the Jumeirah Mosque: a no-holds-barred exchange that begins in the morning with a breakfast on Islamic issues.

Visits to the archaeological site of Mleiha in Sharjah by 4X4: beautiful discoveries dating back to the Paleolithic period (2.5 million years to 12,000 years BC).

Visits to the Liwa region: With Emiratis, on the road to the forts, on a farm and in the desert.

Atypical tours: gastronomic discovery of street food in Dubai's old quarters. A guaranteed change of scenery and gastronomic discoveries.

Smokers

Smoking is permitted except: in or near schools, universities and government buildings and inside shopping malls. Restaurants generally have smoking and non-smoking sections.

Tourist traps

The regulations are such that tourist traps are uncommon. Some attractions such as desert getaways where camps are overcrowded or dinner cruises may be for some, but this is a personal judgment.

What's very local

The United Arab Emirates is a very open country with no dress code except in mosques, government offices and in the historic part of the city where a more conservative dress code is advised. It is forbidden to wear T-shirts that contain political slogans or insults. Bikinis are permitted, but not monokinis, and beachwear is allowed only in swimming pools and on the sand. During the month of Ramadan, however, a more conservative dress is adopted and to go to iftars and Suhoor, for women, long dresses with long sleeves are more appropriate.