The glitzy and glamorous buildings and locations of Dubai are quite alluring. However, a holiday in Dubai does not need to be only about sightseeing. In fact, the city is a hotspot for adventurous activities, which include everything from mildly thrilling activities to extreme adventures. There are so many options that all you have to do is pick those that interest you. With this note, let us check out the best adventure things to do in Dubai.
Land Adventures
The land of adventures in Dubai would ensure that the adventurer in you is satisfied and at the same time, you have a lot of fun.
Dune Bashing: A unique adventurous activity that you would find in Dubai is dune bashing. It is usually a part of the desert safari, although you can make customized arrangements if you want to enjoy only dune bashing at the desert. Dune bashing involves a 4×4 vehicle running on the high and low dunes of the desert at different speeds. The pressure of the tyres is released to gain more traction. Dune bashing is no less than a rollercoaster ride and is extremely thrilling.
Timing: Depend on whether you have chosen morning or evening desert safari
Duration: 30-45 minutes
Location: Dubai Desert Conservatory Region
Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon during winter season
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Pregnant women, little children and people with chronic back pain or heart conditions should not try this activity.
- Make sure to fasten your seatbelts properly before beginning the adventure.
Skiing: Skiing in Dubai may seem like a dream. However, this is a true experience that you can enjoy at Ski Dubai. Comprising five slopes of varying degrees, Ski Dubai is the largest indoor ski resort in the world. The ski resort is spread around an area of 22,500 square meters, which is completely covered in snow. Then longest run of the five slopes is 400 meters high, and there is also a Freestyle Zone, where you can experiment. The place also has Snow Park, where you can have fun playing in the snow.
Timings: 10 AM to 11 PM (Saturday to Wednesday) and 10 AM to 12 AM (Thursday and Friday)
Duration: 6 hours
Location: The Mall of Emirates, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Any time in the year
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Wear the safety gear properly
- Follow the instructions or guidelines provided by the professionals carefully for your own safety.
IMG Worlds of Adventure: The list of best adventure things to do in Dubai cannot be complete without mentioning IMG Worlds of Adventure, the largest indoor theme park in the world. The place is spread around an area of 1.5 million square feet and has attractive rides based on popular movies and shows like Marvel, DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Disney, etc. Other than this, you would be able to enjoy live shows, performances and great food at IMG Worlds of Adventure.
Timings: 11 AM to 8 PM (Saturday to Wednesday) and 11 AM to 10 PM (Thursday and Friday)
Duration: 8 hours
Location: E211, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, City of Arabia, Dubai
Best Time to Visit: Anytime during the year
Safety Tips for Travellers: Every ride has an age or height restriction that has to be followed.
Air Adventures
Air adventures are perfect for those who want to experience the feeling of flying like a bird. These are some of the air adventure activities you would find in Dubai.
Hot Air Ballooning: Another desert related adventure is the hot air balloon ride. This usually happens early in the morning, so you get to see a magnificent sunrise in the desert. Moreover, as the hot air balloon flies 4000 feet above the ground, you get to enjoy spectacular view of not only the desert but also the modern city of Dubai as well as the Persian Gulf. It also gives you the opportunity to check out the rare flora and fauna of the desert, which is not possible during a regular desert safari.
Timing: 4:30 AM
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Dubai Desert
Best Time to Visit: Any time during the year
Safety Tips for Travellers: Children under the age of 6 years, pregnant women and people with chronic back or neck pain as well as those who have undergone major surgery recently should avoid going for hot air balloon ride.
Helicopter Ride: The helicopter ride in Dubai combines adventure and sightseeing like never before. The helicopter would hover over the city, giving you awesome view of the Dubai skyline. It is also a great opportunity to see a bird’s eye view of the Palm Jumeirah, Hotel Atlantis as well as the most famous Downtown Dubai. The best thing is that you do not have to bear the traffic or crowd during this unique way of sightseeing. Do not forget to get your camera and take tons of pictures of the Dubai skyline from above.
Timing: 9 AM to 6 PM
Duration: 12, 15, 17, 22, 25 or 40 minutes
Location: Dubai Police Academy, Al Sufouh, Near Madinat Souk, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Early morning and evening (before sunset)
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Children below the age of 2 are not allowed onboard for helicopter tour.
- Make sure to take all the safety precautions, especially if children are accompanying you.
Ziplining: Dubai offers you the world’s longest zipline in Dubai Marina, one of the most luxurious localities of the city. The XLine Zipline has two ziplines running concurrently together, and gives you a bird’s eye view of the glamour of Dubai Marina. The XLine is 170 m high in the air and the zipline runs at the speed of 80 km/hour, giving you the feeling of soaring in the sky like a bird.
Timing: 10 AM to 4:30 PM
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Location: Level P, Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Winter season
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Wear clothes that are comfortable. Refrain from wearing skirts, frocks, flip-flops or any other loose footwear.
- Avoid wearing accessories like bracelets, earrings, superhero capes, etc.
- You must be between the ages of 12 and 65 to go ziplining.
Sky Diving: If you are ready for one of the extreme adventures known to humankind, skydive Dubai would be your best experience. As you fall from 14000 feet above sea level, from a helicopter, you would experience adrenaline pumping through your body like never before. Apart from this, you would get to see the extraordinary view of the Palm Jumeirah, Deira Island ad Palm Jebel Ali, three manmade islands of Dubai. On the other hand, if you are not ready for the real thing, Dubai also has indoor sky diving facility.
Timing: 10 AM to 4 PM
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Location: The Pam or Desert Campus (drop zones)
Best Time to Visit: Winter season (October to March)
Safety Tips for Travellers
- One should be above the age of 18 to go skydiving.
- People above the age of 60 years should produce a medical certificate before going for skydiving.
- The maximum weight should be 100 kg for men and 90 kg for women to be eligible for skydiving.
Water Adventures
With the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea flanking the city of Dubai, you would get to enjoy several water adventures in the city.
Scuba Diving: Scuba diving is one of the best things to do in Dubai, especially if you love to explore the underwater world. Scuba diving would give you the chance to come across over 500 species of marine life under the sea. Apart from checking out sea animals like turtles, manta rays, Arabian angelfish, sea snakes, barracudas, etc. you also get to explore incredible ship and wreck diving sites under the sea. You would find authentic PADI instructors who would not only help you to learn scuba diving but also make sure that you have a good time.
Timing: 9 AM, 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Behind Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Winter Season
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Always double-check your diving equipment to know if it is functioning well.
- Refrain from taking drugs and drinking alcohol before diving.
Snorkelling: If you think you are not ready for deep-sea scuba diving, a simpler alternative would be snorkelling. Snorkelling in the blue waters of the Persian Gulf would give you the opportunity to see the marine animals as well as the corals under water. While several places in Dubai offer snorkelling, the best place to try this is at Hotel Atlantis, the Palm. They surely have the most premium facilities.
Timing: 9:30 AM to 3 PM
Duration: 30 minutes (approximately)
Location: Al Boom Diving, Jumeirah Dive Center, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Winter Season
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Have a light meal of fruits, vegetables and salads before snorkelling. Snorkelling after having heavy meals can lead to discomfort.
- Do not snorkel after drinking alcohol. However, it is necessary to keep yourself hydrated by drinking water.
Flyboarding: Flyboarding is an adventurous water activity that lets you fly in the air. For this activity, your legs would be attached to a board with an engine or device that lets out water propelling you high up. You can control your movements with the help of hand controls or distributing your weight across the board. While flyboarding looks really cool, it is not easy. Getting the hang of it can take some time, but once you do, you would have a thrilling experience.
Timing: 10 AM
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Location: Hydro Water Sports JBR, JBR Beach, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit
- Children under the age of 10 years are not allowed to flyboard.
- You should be able to swim or tread in water if you want to flyboard.
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Avoid wearing clothes that restrict movement.
- Pregnant women and people with asthma, back pain and heart problems should avoid this activity.
Deep Sea Fishing: Before Dubai became the sprawling metropolis of today, it was a simple village, where fishing was the main occupation of the locals. Although today fishing is not the main source of income for the Emiratis in Dubai, it makes for a fun adventurous activity. Deep sea fishing takes you right in the middle of the sea, where you can try your luck in catching a fish and enjoy the view of the sea.
Timing: 6 AM to 10 AM and 2 PM to 6 PM
Duration: 4 hours
Location: Depends on the company you choose
Best Time to Visit: Early morning and late afternoon
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Opt to wear clothes that you would be comfortable in offshore places.
- Listen to the advice or instructions provided and stick to them.
Atlantis Aquaventure: Atlantis Aquaventure is one of the best water parks not just in the UAE but the whole of Middle East and Europe. This family-friendly attraction is popular with adventure enthusiasts as it has some of the best thrilling rides and slides in the city. The top attraction is The Leap of Faith, which is 27.5 meters tall slide that passes through the Shark Lagoon. Some other rides to look out for include the Surge Ride, the Stinger and the Shark Attack Slide.
Timing: 10 AM to 6 PM
Duration: 8 hours
Location: Atlantis The Palm, The Crescent, Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Winter season and late afternoon during summer season
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Keep yourself and your family members hydrated with water.
- Alcohol is available at this water park. However, make sure to limit your consumption. Moreover, never go on a ride or slide after consuming alcohol.
Wild Wadi Water Park: Although the oldest water park in Dubai, the Wild Wadi Water Park has attractions that would excite any adventure lover. Jumeirah Sceirah is the most adventurous as well as the scariest slides at the water park. The sides begin 32 meters above ground and take you through an exciting, rollercoaster ride. Tantrum Alley, Master Blaster, Burj Surjm etc. are some other mind-blowing attractions of Wild Wadi Water Park.
Timings
- 10 AM to 7 PM (Sunday to Wednesday)
- 10 AM to 6 PM (Thursday), 8 PM to 12 AM (Ladies Night)
- 10 AM to 10 PM (Friday)
- 10 AM to 8 PM (Saturday)
Duration: 7 hours
Location: Jumeirah Road, Next to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Late afternoon
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Make sure to adhere to age and height restrictions at the park
- You also have to follow the dress code of the water park
Shark Diving: If you want to enjoy something little more exciting and adventurous than scuba diving, shark diving would be your best bet. Shark diving can be done at the Dubai Mall Aquarium, where a professional diver as well as a novice can dive with one of the greatest predators under water. The experience of swimming with a marine species that weighs 750 pounds and has 300 razor sharp teeth is definitely heart pounding.
Timings: 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Location: Dubai Mall Aquarium, Downtown Dubai, UAE
Best Time to Visit: Anytime during the year
Safety Tips for Travellers
- Minimum age requirement for shark diving is 10 years.
- If you are a non-swimmer and a non-diver, you have to undergo a short diving course.
Conclusion
Trying out at least few of the adventurous things in Dubai would add some zing to your holiday. So, do make space for some of these adventurous things in your itinerary.