August 26, 2022
Even if it may be difficult to believe, there are many activities you can do for no money in flashy, glossy Dubai! Make your trip to Dubai cheaper by including these goodies in your schedule. The greatest free activities in Dubai are highlighted below.
Birdwatchers can find refuge at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary. Many migratory species reside in this wetland reserve, including the gray heron, flamingos, cormorants, osprey, and black-winged stilts. The public is welcome to use the sanctuary’s three bird hides without charge from 9.00 am to 4:00 pm, excluding Fridays. In addition to the salt flats, intertidal mudflats, mangroves, and lagoons at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, the birds swarming in their natural habitat are even more beautiful.
A 300-year-old coffee pot is among the astonishing collection of coffee-related objects in this museum, coffee shop, and a monument to all things coffee, which is in the Al Fahidi cultural district. So grab a cup of coffee and explore the many coffee-related literatures, vintage coffee advertisements, and roasting demonstrations that give the museum its delightful aroma. Although admission is free, we are confident you will purchase a cup of coffee or maybe some coffee beans to take home after you leave.
Al Serkal Avenue, located in the center of Dubai, is a must-visit location for art enthusiasts. AlSerkal Avenue is made up of over 40 warehouses that have been transformed into galleries, dance studios, artisanal cafés, and other businesses. It was formerly an industrial area but is now an electrifying showcase of Dubai’s diversified cultural scene. The Al Quoz Gallery is located in this emerging art district and offers free admission, a lovely collection of contemporary art, seasonal activities, and open-air community days. In addition, you and your partner will have plenty to explore for hours together, thanks to all the pop-up stores, concept spaces, and charming eateries in the area.
The eye-catching Dubai Fountain is the world’s tallest performing fountain! The Dubai Fountain, one of the top free activities in Dubai, surged as high as 150 meters and was designed by California-based WET, who also created the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. You would be in wonder as the dancing waters sway to the music and the backdrop of vibrant lights. The Burj Lake, next to the enormous Burj Khalifa, is where you’ll find the Dubai Fountain.
You can enhance your experience by riding an abra into Burj Lake or purchasing tickets for the Burj Boardwalk, which will put you in the center of the fountain show. Every program starts every 30 minutes between 1:00 pm and 11:30 pm and lasts approximately 5 minutes.
Every Friday and Saturday at various locations in Dubai, the Ripe Food & Craft Market is an outdoor market featuring a plethora of dining options, fresh produce by the crate, and live performances. Local food, unusual toys, take-home presents, workshops, live music, fitness classes, educational activities, horseback riding, and even a petting zoo for youngsters are available at this market. Pop-up events for The Ripe Markets occur all year round at several different locales. It’s a fantastic free activity in Dubai because you don’t have to spend any money (provided you can curb your temptation while window shopping). While you’re here, stroll about, unwind, and take in the free shows.
Dubai has a mall on every corner, but several souqs meander through narrow lanes in the older portions of the city. These historic markets, which include spice souqs, gold souqs, and even a full souq devoted to perfumes, are at the top of the list of free things to do in Dubai. Walking through the narrow alleyways of these souqs transports you back in time. It offers a fascinating view of a period of history that has been meticulously preserved and is rich in culture and traditions. They are active, lively, and unpolished, and if you’re lucky (and haggle effectively), you could even manage to score a rare find for an incredible price.
Al Qudra, in the middle of a desert and contains a lake and a lush green region, is a great place for camping, cycling, bird watching, and other activities that will get you away from the bustle of Dubai and closer to nature. Anywhere is a good place to set up a tent and spend the night gazing at the stars. There are fire pits and restrooms in the bush, which are an extra luxury.
Another neighboring location that is regarded as one of the city’s greatest romantic destinations is The Love Lakes at Al Qudra. The two enormous lakes are like intertwined hearts, and the surrounding trees arranged to form the word “love.” The local wildlife includes various birds, including ducks, flamingos, eagles, swans, and falcons. Awe-inspiring in its own right, the flora has a diverse array of flowers, trees, and shrubs, including red begonia, over 16000 different types of olive, palm, and other desert staple trees, and hundreds of thousands of different shrub variations.
With quiet, crystal waters, immaculate white sand, and an Arabian sun that shines most of the year brightly, Dubai offers some of the best free beaches in the world. Running tracks, volleyball courts, skate parks, and beach libraries exist on Dubai’s beaches. JBR Beach, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, Umm Suqeim Park Beach, and Al Mamzar Beach are a few of Dubai’s most well-known beaches.
Head to the Al Fahidi District to get a sense of Dubai’s illustrious past and to see how the city seemed before the construction of skyscrapers. This historic area, also known as Bastakiya, maintains historical structures that previously belonged to pearl merchants and has reconstructed some areas to depict life in Dubai in the 1600s. There are numerous museums nearby, including the Coffee Museum and the Etihad Museum (entry here costs a modest AED 10). It is essential to visit this textile souk, and it is also advisable to stop by the Arabian Tea House Cafe for a snack and some tea.
Al Seef, another freshly created and renovated cultural district steeped in Emirati history and culture, is located next to Al Fahidi District. Traditions and contemporary designs are available here, demonstrating the city’s harmonious fusion of its historic history and promising future. On one side, mud-colored structures with lovely wind towers and arches are decorated in traditional architecture. A homage to Dubai’s fishing history exists in the placement of fishing nets throughout the waterfront promenade. After a short distance, the architecture changes into sleek, contemporary buildings that resemble shipping containers. Al Seef is home to a number of open-air floating markets, creekside pontoons, and pop-up restaurants serving regional crafts, textiles, and Emirati artwork. The district hosts several outdoor events, festivals, and live performances during the winter. Especially if you’re traveling with children, don’t skip the Museum of Illusions while you’re here.
The best of the sun, sea, entertainment, and adventure are available on a platter by La Mer Dubai with its edgy mood, millennial viewpoint, and an assortment of fashionable restaurants. Take a stroll around the neighborhood while appreciating the vibrant walls and graffiti around every corner, or visit the free La Mer beach. La Mer is unquestionably one of the UAE’s top Instagrammable locations with a ton of entertaining photo opportunities. This coastal community is home to 130 businesses, including cafés, stores, restaurants, a trampoline park, a movie theater, and a gym. The Laguna Waterpark is very popular, particularly in the summer. Additionally, it has the lowest entrance fee of any Dubai waterpark.
Al Marmoom Camel Race Track is a contemporary take on the age-old sport of camel racing, located deep in the Dubai desert. Locals enjoy playing the sport, making it a must-see attraction for visitors to Dubai. Observe as 60 camels pour through the gates, legs flailing in all directions, and race as quickly as they can along the path. Binoculars are a must-have for a clear view from the grandstands. The Dubai Camel Racing Club, where this racetrack is located, also houses a camel hospital and a camel research facility. If you arrive early, you can pet the camels and take pictures with them before the competition. The Al Marmoom track offers free parking and admission.
Dubai is one of the few locations where spectators can enjoy horse racing without paying a cent! Horse Racing activities take place at the Meydan Racecourse for more than five months out of the year, culminating in the world’s richest race day, the Dubai World Cup. Although World Cup tickets are not free, other days you can visit Meydan Racecourse and watch horse racing for free. The Meydan Grandstand has a small, excellently seen section accessible through the free admission area.
The main tank at the 10-million-liter Dubai Aquarium stretches 51 meters in length, 20 meters in breadth, and 11 meters in height. It is the largest aquarium in the world. More than 400 sharks live there and more than 30,000 other aquatic animals. It may surprise you that the world’s largest aquarium is free to visit, but it is! From the ground floor of the Dubai Mall, you can get a clear view of the Dubai Aquarium for nothing. Even if it doesn’t compare to going through the aquarium tunnel, getting a glance from the outside is still enjoyable.
Buried Village of Al Madam
The abandoned ghost village of Al Madam, lost in the sand and swallowed by the dunes, is located on a magnificent stretch of desert 37 miles from Dubai. There is something romantic yet unsettling about the sand-flecked breeze in this neighborhood of two rows of colorful houses with rusty iron gates and an old mosque at the end. When you enter the modest homes, you’re greeted by rooms painted with ceramic tiles and wallpaper in cheerful shades of blue and green. There are also nests for a few scorpions and piles of sand that reach halfway up the walls. The indigenous Al Kutbi tribe lived in the settlement, which is thought to have been constructed in the 1970s or 1980s.
In short order, it was abandoned. This vanished settlement is now known as Al Madam’s “ancient village,” “ghost village,” or “buried village.” Al Madam is drawing more thrill-seeking emiratis even if not a single person is left to recount its history.
If you also want to learn about some places for food and drinks in Dubai, check out this blog.
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