Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Activities
Dubai Culture
The Time Out Ticket Line sells tickets for events (tel: 800 4669; www.itp.net/tickets).
Music
Dubai International Convention Center
The Dubai International Convention Center is one of the main venues for hosting visiting orchestras and musicians from around the world, although performances are far from regular. Arabic nightclubs are the main venues for traditional Arabian music.
Dubai World Trade Center, Bur Dubai
Tel: (04) 338 0102.
Website: www.dicc.ae
Theater
Dubai Community Theater and Arts Center (DUCTAC)
Dubai's first purpose-built community theater hosts classical music, opera, drama and musicals, as well as art exhibitions and workshops.
Mall of the Emirates
Tel: (04) 341 4777.
Website: www.ductac.org
Madinat Theater
Madinat Theater hosts regular crowd-pleasing entertainment from Russian plays to West-End musicals and first-class comedy sure to keep Dubai's culture vultures happy. Performances take place in the striking theater, the big arena, or outdoors at the charming waterside amphitheater.
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Tel: (04) 366 6546.
Website: www.madinattheater.com
Dance
Ballet Center
The renowned Ballet Center offers tuition in ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance.
Jumeirah Plaza
Tel: (04) 344 9776.
Website: www.balletcenter.com
Layali Arabic Nightclub
Dubai is a good place to see regional dance, such as belly dancing and traditional tribal dancing. These can be seen at local Arabic nightclubs, such as the one in the Dubai Mayfair Hotel.
Mayfair Hotel, Rigga Al Buteen
Tel: (04) 228 4444.
Website: www.mayfairdubai.ae
Dubai Tours
Walkingtours
A self-guided stroll around the older central parts of Deira and Bur Dubai is a great way of discovering the delights of the city, exploring its traditional souks or stumbling across hidden mosques or wind towers. Arabian Adventures offers various walking tours, such as ‘A Walk through the City of Contrasts', covering Bastakiya and including an abra ride (local water taxi) from Shindagha across the creek and a walk through the gold and spice souks.
Tel: (04) 303 4888.
Website: www.arabian-adventures.com
Bus tours
A number of companies offer half-day city tours, including Arabian Adventures and Net Tours Dubai. Tours vary depending on the operator but most go to the old and new Dubai souks, Jumeirah Mosque, the thriving commercial area and include a creek crossing by abra. Another option is to see Dubai by night. Post-tour dinner in one of Dubai's many restaurants is usually a feature of the night-time tours, which also incorporate the mosques, palaces and souks.
Arabian Adventures
Tel: (04) 303 4888.
Website: www.arabian-adventures.com
Net Tours Dubai
Tel: (04) 266 6655.
Website: www.nettoursdubai.com
Boat tours
Arabian Adventures offers a variety of cruises on Dubai Creek. Alpha Tours operates evening dhow dinner cruises, which take two hours. Alternatively, tourists should go down to Dubai Creek and charter a traditional abra (water taxi) for a short river tour lasting 60 to 90 minutes. The length of the tour and the price should be agreed in advance. Otherwise, visitors can just ride one across the creek to the other side (journey time - 5 minutes).
Arabian Adventures
Tel: (04) 303 4888.
Website: www.arabian-adventures.com
Alpha Tours
Tel: (04) 294 9888.
Website: www.alphatoursdubai.com
Other tours
Arabian Adventures operates a ‘Rides and Slides' tour combining camel rides with sand skiing. Rides on the original ‘ships of the desert' offer a totally different perspective on Dubai's desert landscapes. A half-hour journey in a traditional caravan introduces tourists to Dubai's traditional way of life, before throwing them back into the 21st century with the exhilarating sport of sand skiing.
Tel: (04) 303 4888.
Website: www.arabian-adventures.com
