Three days in Dubai for first-timers

Get an early start and grab a seat on the Big Bus – hands-down the best way to get your bearings in the Desert City, and to tick off a few bucket-listers while you’re at it. Cameras at the ready: you’ll have an elevated view of the city from the comfort of the open-top bus as it rolls through town. There are three different routes to choose from, all with onboard guides providing fascinating facts and entertaining anecdotes to add color to each site and landmark. Expect to spot up to 40 points of interest along the way, with the option to hop off and explore at your leisure at the likes of the Burj Al Arab, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai Marina and the Spice Souk. In short: as perfect an intro to Dubai as you’re likely to find.

Whaddya mean you didn't come all the way to the desert just to go skiing? Course ya did! Next up is Ski Dubai, the Middle East’s biggest indoor ski resort, home of the world’s first indoor black diamond run. While somewhat unexpected in the middle of the desert, you'll soon learn it's just par for the course when it comes to all the astonishing things you'll find in Dubai – and a great way to keep cool too, of course.

This amazing venue houses five ski slopes of different steepness and difficulty, a sled and toboggan run, an ice cave, and a live penguin zone. (We're not kidding: King and Gentoo penguins periodically roam the slopes – away from skiers, of course.) Even if you’ve never skied or snowboarded before, Ski Dubai offers plenty of options for rookies and beginners.

Use your Go City Dubai pass to access the wintery wonderland with Snow Classic priveleges, or take to the slopes with Ski Slope access.

Surely the most perfect way to round out your first day in Dubai is with a gentle sunset sail on one of those authentic wooden dhow boats you've seen bobbing around the bay. A dinner cruise aboard one of these traditional Arabian vessels is a fun evening option, combining as it does the wonder and excitement of sightseeing on the Creek with the vacation-friendly indulgence of a five-star dinner buffet. On this two-hour cruise, you'll set sail along the charming Dubai Creek, which divides the downtown area into two distinct banks. 

Between courses, take time to gaze out at the eye-popping sight of the illuminated city at night, with lights from iconic waterfront skyscrapers including the National Bank of Dubai and the Chamber of Commerce Building reflecting in the ripples from the dhow's wake.

It should go without saying that you can't visit Dubai without ascending to the top of the tallest structure on the entire planet. We're talking, of course, about the Burj Khalifa. More spacescraper than skyscraper, this marvel of modern engineering towers over the already fairly lofty Dubai skyline, topping out at a little over half a mile high. Yep, you read that right. Those with nerves of absolute steel can take a trip up to the At The Top observation area. Set on the 123rd and 124th floors, the deck is not in fact 'at the top', but around halfway up. But believe us when we tell you that's still plenty high enough to make your knees knock and teeth chatter, as well as providing sweeping views of the bustling city and the desert below – assuming you can open your eyes for long enough to look at them.

Head to IMG Worlds of Adventure, the world’s largest indoor theme park, and one of the most epic entertainment destinations in Dubai. Here, you'll find all your favorite characters from Cartoon Network and the Marvel franchise: Iron Man, Hulk, the Black Widow, Ben 10, even The Powerpuff Girls - you'll find them all here. Each distinct zone has themed rides and unique experiences to keep the whole crew entertained: wind your way through a prehistoric-themed zone, a lost valley and a haunted hotel. 

Don't miss The Velociraptor – a jaw-dropping (and heart-stopping) thrill ride that launches you from the prehistoric jungles of the Lost Valley right out into the Dubai desert. Hang on tight!

Wrap up day two with a genuine Dubai bucket-lister, as you head out into the desert for a gentle spot of dune-bashing. For the uninitiated, this involves haring around the sand in a 4x4, usually at sunrise or sunset, as the dunes gently change color with the light. There are two such excursions included with the Go City Dubai pass, which can save you a packet on access to 60+ top-tier tours, activities and attractions. Both desert experiences come stacked with the aforementioned dune-bashing, plus dinner, traditional music and dance and – if you so desire – a sunset camel ride.

Kick off day three in Dubai with another early start and get a unique vantage point as the jaw-dropping Palm Jumeirah island wakes up – from a paddle board, a kayak, or taking it easy aboard a yacht, with breakfast included.

Don't worry about drying off: your next stop is at the epic Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm anyway. Only the biggest water-based theme park on the planet, Aquaventure boasts a record-breaking 105 ways to get wet across a whopping 54 acres. Hurtle down heart-pounding slides – including the highest on the planet, and another that plummets through a shark-filled lagoon – ride the rapids in a rubber ring or just chill out on the lazy river. Rides with names like the Odyssey of Terror and Poseidon’s Revenge should give you some idea of what to expect here, but there are also plenty of gentler zones for families with younger kids, including lagoons, non-motorized water sports and cute splash areas complete with mini slides, tipping buckets and climbing apparatus.

Come afternoon, nab a shady cabana at one of the Palm’s excellent beach clubs to snooze off the morning's exertions.

Also located at Atlantis The Palm, the Lost Chambers Aquarium has 10 zones themed around the mythical lost city of Atlantis, each with a wide variety of crazy aquatic critters to ogle. There are some 65,000 animals here in all, including sharks, jellyfish, stingrays, turtles, tropical fish and even the occasional giant arapaima.

You can do more than just look, too. There's a whole host of live shows and guided tours available – see scuba diverse at work in the tanks in interactive Aquatheatre shows, or take one of the hourly Myth of Atlantis tours to learn all about the legend of the lost city. Further paid add-on experiences include ray feeding sessions, aquarium snorkeling, underwater yoga and – for the very brave – thrilling shark safaris, in which participants don glass diving helmets and stroll casually along the bottom of the Ambassador Lagoon aquarium as the sharks circle overhead.