Dubai landmarks: World’s tallest building, largest mall and dancing fountains

Dubai is known as the “City of Gold”, “City of Lights”, and “City of Superlatives”- and it definitely lives up to its nicknames, our favorite of which is the last. It is the land of the biggest and the best, despite being just a small port town 30 some years ago known only for its pearls. After the discovery of nearby oil in the 1960’s, the city has morphed into one of the world’s richest cities that has become a hub for business and tourism. Dubai is an oasis of modern luxury rising out of the Arabian desert. It is home to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, which is the most famous of the Dubai landmarks. It also boasts the fastest elevator in the world, the largest mall in the world (Dubai Mall), the largest choreographed fountains in the world (Dubai Fountain), the world’s largest manmade island (Palm Islands), the most luxurious hotel in the world (Burj Al Arab), and the world’s largest natural flower garden (Miracle Garden) to name just some of its superlatives. There is not quite any other place like it on Earth, and its Palm islands can even be seen from space! If you’re wondering what to do in Dubai, keep reading for some of the must-sees in the City of Superlatives.

To be honest, we had heard several negative critiques of Dubai just before we arrived and feared it wouldn’t be our cup of tea. However, we ended up loving this city. We were there for only 3 days and managed to see a lot in that time including Souk Madinat, Textile Souk, Miracle Garden, Global Village, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, and Burj Al Arab. There are so many things to do in Dubai, so we definitely need to go back and see what we missed. We’d like to try some unique things to do in Dubai, including a hot air balloon ride over the Arabian desert. Here’s a look at some of the must visit places in Dubai: the Dubai Mall with its Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa, which is entered from the Dubai Mall. If you’re wondering what to do in Dubai in one day, we recommend seeing these top attractions as well as the beach and souks.

The tallest building in the world- Burj Khalifa

Every Dubai tour guide recommends a visit to this famous landmark. The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, is a staggering 829.8 meters tall and stretches into the clouds. To visit the building there are several options. You can buy an adult ticket ranging from 125 AED/$34 (during non-prime hours to go to the 124th floor) to 500 AED/$136 (during prime hours to the 148th floor). Another (we think better) option is available if you plan ahead. You can make a reservation at At.mosphere, the world’s highest restaurant, on the 123rd floor just a few meters below the observation deck. You can still experience the view but can actually get something for your money, such as high tea (320-580 AED/$87-158), a 2 or 3 course lunch (375 AED/$102 or 500 AED/$136), or even just a few cocktails in the lounge (price varies but expect about 85 AED/$23 each). The concierge at Park Hyatt Dubai recommended this option but unfortunately there were no reservations available for the time we wanted to go, so plan ahead if this is how you want to experience the views from the Burj Khalifa. We visited during prime hours and didn’t feel like spending $270 to see a view of Dubai, so opted out. This will be something we will have to revisit on our next trip to Dubai with advance reservations at At.mosphere.

Largest dancing fountains in the world- Dubai Fountain

The photo above of the Burj Khalifa was taken from the Burj Khalifa Lake, just outside the Dubai Mall. This is where the famous Dubai Fountain entertains onlookers with daily choreographed fountain shows. The fountain was designed by the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, but the one in Dubai is much bigger (remember it’s the biggest dancing fountain in the world) and the show lasts longer. The show is daily at 1pm, 1:30pm, and then every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm.  The music includes beautiful Arabic music as well as Andrea Bocelli’s “Time to Say Goodbye” for the finale. It is beautiful to watch and worth a visit when you are at the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. You can also take an abra boat tour around the lake for 65 AED (about $18) per person, which offers great views of the Downtown Dubai area and the Burj Khalifa.

World’s largest mall- Dubai Mall

When at Dubai Fountain, make sure to check out Dubai Mall. With nearly 6 million square feet of internal floor area, it is not only the world’s largest shopping mall by total area, but it is much more interesting than your typical mall. Inside you will find an aquarium and underwater zoo with over 140 species including 300 sharks and rays, an ice skating rink, a Sega theme park, and even a mini-city for kids that combines play with learning. If you are looking for luxury shopping and high end designer stores plus have lots of money to spend, then Dubai Mall is your destination. We strolled past Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and many more and saw people carrying so many bags they looked like they needed a luggage cart.

Dubai Mall also boasts over 120 restaurants (including Rainforest Cafe), a 22 screen cinema, and the world’s largest candy store “Candylicious” which spans over 10,000 sq ft. Dubai Mall has held the title of the world’s most-visited shopping and leisure destination for several years since it opened in 2008. It’s easy to understand why with so many entertainment options all under one roof, which is a nice escape from the sizzling sun of the Arabian desert. If we had brought our kids to Dubai, we would have surely spent more time at Dubai Mall visiting the family-friendly (albeit costly) attractions.

The 10 million liter Dubai Aquarium can be seen from the ground level for free but to see it all including the underwater zoo will cost between 100-250 AED per person ($27-68). Without our kids this visit, we briefly strolled through the mall to see what all the hype was about and snap some photos, and then headed out to more cultural destinations. We felt like we could visit a mall at home in the U.S., so we wanted to spend the majority of our time discovering things we can’t find at home. Nonetheless, it is worth a visit and you will enter it if you plan to visit At the Top, the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, since its entrance is inside the mall.

Don’t miss these Dubai landmarks

In conclusion, Dubai is the land of luxury with the biggest and the best -buildings, fountains, malls, hotels, you name it. There is so much to see and do in this modern city, but make sure to visit the most famous Dubai landmarks. The Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa are easy to visit at once since they are all located together. Once you have your fill of shopping and people-watching, make sure to check out some of the more cultural activities in Dubai, including the traditional souks for a more authentic Middle Eastern market experience. If you want an even more authentic Arabian experience, head to neighboring Oman where you can go glamping in the desert in a Bedouin tent. If you liked this post and want to get tips to travel like a millionaire, please sign up for our email newsletter and RSS feed.