Visiting a place with the world’s most expensive hotel and the highest concentration of luxury hotels doesn’t set my heart aflutter.
As for the world’s largest indoor ski resort, that’s the opposite of where I want my ski resorts to be. And spending time in the world’s largest shopping mall sounds like one of those nightmares where I’m lost and can’t get out.
As a nature person, Dubai isn’t my dream destination.
Finding Nature Near Dubai
But since I was attending the Global Wellness Summit in Dubai, I decided to go a little early and see if I could find some nature in the United Arab Emirates.
Turns out, I was right about it not being a nature destination. But if you’re going anyway, whether for a stopover or a business meeting, there are some fun and interesting outdoorsy things to do in the area.
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
In 2002, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve became Dubai’s first national park. It covers about 5% of Dubai’s landmass and protects Arabian oryx, Arabian gazelle, pharaoh eagle owls, and many other desert creatures.
I visited on what was supposed to be a sunset desert hike. Unfortunately, the bus got lost, so it was almost dark when we arrived. But we were lucky to see a huge number of oryx before night fell.
If I return to Dubai, I want to come back earlier in the day and look for the Lappet-faced vulture, one of the world’s largest vultures, and the desert monitor.
Beyond walking and wildlife spotting, there are other ways to experience the reserve. One option is a heritage desert safari in a vintage 1950s Land Rover. The tour includes camel rides, traditional activities like falconry and Arabic coffee making, and a four-course dinner. It offers a chance to see the desert and its wildlife in a thoughtful, sustainable way. More about the tour here.
Beaches and Night Swimming
Dubai has several good swimming beaches. I visited two: Kite Beach and Jumeirah Beach.
I was super impressed by the swim amenities. At Jumeirah, there’s a beach for day use and a night beach that’s open 24/7.
Both are sheltered by an island and cordoned off from boat traffic. These are big beaches. The Jumeirah 2-night beach is 800 meters long!
The night beach is equipped with lights, lockers, restrooms, outdoor showers, and lifeguards. Night swimming makes sense in Dubai, where the high temperature averages 106 degrees in August. Swimming at night could save your skin from that blazing sun.
I’d hoped to connect with Swim Tribe Dubai for a group open water swim. But I just couldn’t manage to get all the way from Old Dubai to Kite Beach at 6:45 on a Sunday morning. Maybe next time!
Walking Along Dubai Creek
I spent my first five nights in Dubai in one of my favorite lodgings, the XVA Art Hotel.
The XVA has a magical courtyard built around a living tree and strung with fairy lights.
I took my yoga mat to the roof, where I saluted the sun while listening to calls to prayer from the nearby Grand Mosque.
Just beyond the mosque, water taxis called abras cross the Dubai Creek 24/7 to the Deira district, home to the spice and gold souqs. I strolled along the waterfront, watching wooden dhows cruise by.
Dubai Creek is one of the best places for a long walk in Dubai because you don’t have to contend with traffic. You can walk uninterrupted for about four miles. Leave time for a side trip to browse a souk or stop for a coffee or snack from a vendor.
It’s where old meets new in Dubai.
Kayaking at Jumeirah Beach
Because it’s so hot in Dubai, Crystal Clear Water Sports opens at 6:30 AM, even on weekdays. I reserved a 7:30 AM spot for my paddling off Jumeirah Beach, just a couple of miles from downtown.
I’d never paddled a clear kayak before. It was an interesting novelty, as not only was it clear, but it was strangely wide and there was nothing inside it except for a couple of metal support bars. No seat—you lean against a bar. It felt like paddling a bathtub!
But kayaking at Jumeirah Beach isn’t about paddling far. It’s about seeing the Dubai skyline from a new perspective. It was a misty morning. The Burj Khalifa—the world’s tallest structure—looked otherworldly poking out of the mist.
Crystal Clear also rents out clear SUPs, regular kayaks and SUPs, water bikes, and pedal drive kayaks.
If I visit Dubai again, I want to rent a kayak at night and see the skyline all lit up. Probably in a normal kayak next time.
Scuba Diving in Fujairah
Diving in Fujairah was my favorite outing of the trip.
The United Arab Emirates consists of seven emirates. Fujairah is an emirate northeast of Dubai, on the Gulf of Oman. It’s known for the best diving in the UAE.
I booked my trip through Get Your Guide for $157. That included hotel pickup, transportation to Fujairah (two hours if the traffic situation is good), trip on a dive boat, all your gear, and charming guides. A steal.
At Nemo Diving Center, the diving staff are from Egypt and learned their craft in the Red Sea. I loved our guide Sergio Amir, who was very encouraging to a newish diver like me.
We took a short boat ride from the dive center to Dibba Rock, where we saw schools and schools of fish, and a huge stingray. The water was a pleasant 80 degrees.
Our second dive site was an artificial reef. I was happy to see how the local fish population had embraced it. There were tons of fish and a huge green sea turtle.
Oman Day Trip for Swimmers
My $78 day trip to Oman from Dubai was a 14.5-hour outing. I knew what I was getting into from online reviews—lots of traffic plus slow border crossings in and out of Oman.
To me, it was worth it, because I really wanted to swim and snorkel in the Gulf of Oman.
The water-focused trip includes hotel pickup and transportation to Musandam, Oman. There, you get on a boat and cruise through a fjord.
There’s lots of time to swim, snorkel, kayak, ride in a banana boat or a speed boat, eat a buffet lunch, and lounge around on cushions watching the dry desert hills of Oman go by. The water is warm, turquoise, and clear.
If I had paid a little more attention to a map—and if I’d realized how long it takes to get anywhere with Dubai traffic—I would have stayed over a night in Fujairah and combined the Oman day trip with scuba diving. So keep that in mind if you want to do both.
This trip really made me want to see more of Oman. It also gave me a serious aversion to Dubai traffic.
Dubai Fountain and Skyline
After my time in Old Dubai, I moved downtown for my last few nights, so I’d be close to the conference I was attending.
My new walking commute between my lodging and the conference hotel took me by a couple of Dubai’s superlatives.
I had to walk through Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping mall (where I got lost almost every time), and pass Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure at just over half a mile high.
Every night, thousands of people gather to watch a water and light show in the fountain in front of the mall. Music blares while colored water jets into the sky. Lights on the Burj Khalifa turn it blue and gold, or project the UAE flag on its side. This is probably the most touristy thing you can do in Dubai.
But despite my love of nature and my preference for old Dubai, the tower grew on me every time I passed it. I found myself getting swept up in the oohing, ahing crowd as just a smidge of Dubai’s modernity weaseled its way into my heart.
Practical Tips If You Go
I’m going to plug the XVA Art Hotel one more time. It’s exquisite and affordable.
Plan ahead for the climate. The heat in Dubai is no joke, especially in summer. Bring clothes that will protect your skin.
Don’t overpack your schedule. Traffic can make outings take twice as long as you expect.
Need a hand planning your trip? Here are the sites and services we rely on most, from booking tools to travel products we love.
Inspire your next adventure with our articles below:
- A Guide to Abu Dhabi for First-Time Travelers
- 10 Island Escapes for Surf, Sand and Sun Around the World
Author Bio: Teresa Bergen writes about adventure, eco, vegan, and sober travel. She’s on a mission to kayak or SUP in every US state and Canadian province—and other countries, too, when she gets the chance. Teresa is the author of Sober Travel Handbook and Easy Portland Outdoors
Want to discover more hidden gems and helpful travel tips? Join our free newsletter for the latest travel secrets and travel articles.
We are reader-supported and may earn a commission on purchases made through links in this article.
