The Ultimate Tourist Guide To Dubai By Area: Deira

Think back to the time you were a tourist in some city. There’s so much to see and so little time. So what do you do? You try and squeeze in as much as you can, most often wasting time on the commute between different tourist attractions.

While we do understand every city has one or two major attractions that you’d like to see no matter what, there could be so many more amazing things around you that you fail to explore. 

To ensure that doesn’t happen to anyone visiting Dubai, we’re helping you explore the city one area at a time.

Here’s our first stop: Deira.

What to see…

The souks

The Gold Souk and Spice Souk lie close to each other and can be covered in one trip. The Gold Souk is proof of why Dubai is called the ‘City of Gold’. Think over 300 retailers displaying all sorts of gold and diamond jewellery in their windows. It’s pretty amazing.

For the Spice Souk: expect narrow lanes filled with aromas of different spices and herbs. Don’t be surprised to find incense and traditional medicinal items too.

Dubai Gold Souk location map / Spice Souk location map

The museum

This part of town is home to the Naif Museum which is definitely worth a visit to understand the history of the police and security service in the city (there’s more to them than just the super cars). A part of Naif Police station, the museum has two showrooms which showcase different uniforms, medals, badges and weapons used since the formation of the department in 1956. Entry is free.

For more info: call 04 227 6484 / location map

Deira Clocktower

Listed by the Telegraph newspaper as one of the 17 most beautiful clocks around the world, the Deira Clocktower (originally called Dubai Clocktower) is a monument of the area. It was erected as a symbol of Dubai because prior to the Dubai-Abu Dhabi road, all major routes into Dubai met in Deira.

Location map

What to do…

Spend some time at the mall

Temperatures are pretty high during the day (especially at this
time of the year) and the best way to protect your self is to stay
indoors. City Centre Deira offers enough to keep you busy for a few hours. From high-street
and high-end shopping to department stores and a cinema as well, you won’t get
bored. And you don’t have to worry too much about the little ones. Magic
Planet, its indoor entertainment destination, provides all the fun they need
with exciting games and rides.

Get
more info here.

Bargain
at street shops / grab a bite from little restaurants

The streets of Deira are quite intriguing. From Muraqqabat to
Naif and Rigga Road, each house loads of retailers selling everything from
clothes to electronics. The best part is that you can bargain. And it’s not
just about the shopping. These over-populated areas boast some of the best
Iraqi, Lebanese and Asian restaurants in town. If you’re after fus-free,
delicious food – you will definitely find it at these authentic joints. A
must-visit on Rigga Road is Juice World. It offers fresh juices, fruit salads
and fruit bouquets but the main attraction is the display of fruits hanging all
over the store. That’s a lot of fruit!

Get
more info about Juice World here.

What to eat…

Let the restaurant revolve while you lunch

Imagine views that keep changing through the course of the
afternoon. Yes, Hyatt Regency Dubai’s Al Dawaar promises just that. The
revolving restaurant offers stunning sights of the Creek and old Dubai, as well
as sneaky views of the skyline in the distance. Enjoy a buffet of international
dishes while the restaurant revolves 360 degrees. Not a bad way to see the
city, is it?

Get
more info here.

Have afternoon
tea on a floating donut

If the thought of afternoon tea while floating on the Creek
sounds exciting then you will love the BBQ Donut at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht
Club. The experience allows you to enjoy bites and beverages with up to eight
people in these quirky little rings. You can opt for a captain, but we’re
pretty sure you’d manage equally well on your own.

Get
more info here.

Shop some seafood for dinner

Along Deira Creek lies the Radisson Blu. The hotel houses the award-winning restaurant Fish Market. It’s not your typical pick-off-the-menu style venue. Here you select your fave kind of seafood from the display and have it cooked to your liking. It could be anything from succulent tiger prawns in lemon butter garlic sauce to crab in black pepper sauce. What’s finally brought to your plate is just delicious. 

Get more info here.