The best things to do in Dubai right now

The wooden water taxi abra in DubaiGetty Images

Take an abra on Dubai Creek

Dubai’s not cheap, but if you have one dirham in your pocket, the equivalent of 20p, you can spend it on an abra to cross Dubai Creek, one of the loveliest things to do in the whole city. These little wooden boats have been chugging along for years, ferrying commuters, traders and tourists between the souk markets on each side. For a more leisurely cruise, rent your own for a circular tour. The trip takes around an hour and costs AED120. Prices are fixed – just go to one of the counters at the abra stations along the Creek. As you glide past minarets, windtowers and some of the city’s earliest skyscrapers, it feels like a journey back in time.

Visit the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU)

Many visitors to Dubai – and a fair few residents – have a limited understanding of the city’s history, traditions and customs. One of the best places to learn more about Emirati culture is the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) in the creek-side neighbourhood of Al Fahidi. The aim of the centre is to create bridges between the UAE and the many different nationalities living, working and visiting here through a range of public programmes, activities and tours. Highlights include communal meals in the centre’s beautifully restored house with its traditional wind tower, and opportunities to ask Emiratis questions about day-to-day life, religion and pretty much anything else that might be on your mind. No question is off-limits, and you’re guaranteed a very warm welcome.

Deep Dive Dubai

Deep dive in Dubai

Dubai’s pre-oil fortunes lay largely in the pearl trade. Before cultured pearls were invented in Japan, around 40 to 50 million pearls were exported each year from the waters of the Arabian Gulf. Partially inspired by this heritage is Deep Dive Dubai, newly opened in summer 2021, housed in a building shaped like an oyster shell and, with a depth of 60 metres, the deepest diving pool in the world. But this is where the similarities end. The pool is designed as a sunken city filled with dystopian sights, such as an abandoned apartment, arcade games and a tree with far-reaching tangled roots. Beginners can join a Discover Scuba session and explore the shallower sights; advanced divers can head all the way down into the distant depths.

Experience a floating nightclub

Dubai’s love of breaking Guinness World Records knows no bounds, and the latest to be smashed is the world’s largest floating nightclub. New nightclub Float is located on the deck of the QE2, itself a bit of a secret hiding in plain sight – surprisingly few people know that the grande dame ocean liner is permanently docked in Dubai and operates as a hotel. For those who’d prefer to see this piece of travel history in a more sedate way, the QE2 offers excellent heritage tours led by Peter Warwick, the ship’s former Cruise Director.