Two days in Dubai: how to ace your weekend getaway

Soak up the energy and excitement of the city from the open top deck of the Big Bus Dubai, as it rolls down Dubai’s main highway, Sheikh Zayed Road (or SZR, as the locals call it). This is hands-down the best way to begin your introduction to Dubai, as many of the important landmarks are either on or just off SZR, and you can explore each at your leisure by simply hopping off whenever you like, safe in the knowledge that there’ll be another bus shortly to ferry you onwards on your sightseeing odyssey.

We’re talking Dubai must-sees like the Burj Khalifa, Jumeirah Mosque, The Palm, Ain Dubai, the Gold and Spice Souks in Deira, Dubai Marina and so much more. Let’s face it: how else are you going to tick off more than 40 different points of interest, with the added bonus of an onboard guide to provide context, history and entertaining anecdotes at each site? 

Well, what else did you expect to find in the middle of the desert? Surely there could be nothing more natural in one of the hottest places on the planet than… a massive indoor ski resort (the largest in the Middle East, no less, and home of the world’s first indoor black diamond run to boot). There’s plenty here for non-skiers too, like the Mountain Thriller bobsled course, a chairlift ride, a snow cavern, snowball fighting and even a penguin march starring real Gentoo and King penguins. Cute!

You can choose access to Ski Dubai’s snow park or slopes with a Go City Dubai pass, which could save you bags of dirhams if you’re planning a packed sightseeing weekend, with discounted entry to more than 60 major attractions included.

Can you even say you’ve been to Dubai if you haven’t ascended the world’s tallest building? No, dear reader, you cannot. Standing at a mind-boggling 2,722 feet (that’s more than half a mile of glass, concrete and steel), the Burj Khalifa should be considered a Dubai must-do. Travel up to the 124th and 125th floors – a mere 1,483 feet above terra firma – where observation platforms promise jaw-dropping panoramic views across Dubai’s forest of skyscrapers to the Palm, the gulf and the Sahara Desert. You’ll get a pretty cool aerial view of the dancing Dubai Fountain from up here, too. However, a gentle warning that those who suffer from even the mildest acrophobia need not apply.

From Burj Khalifa, it’s an easy hop to Dubai Mall, one of the biggest, shiniest and most state-of-the-art shopping and entertainment complexes on Earth. If you have time, there are attractions aplenty in here – an indoor ice rink, an aquarium, hundreds of tempting stores and – naturally – a 155-million-year-old diplodocus skeleton.

Hungry? Make a beeline for Al Hallab Restaurant, where – if you’re a Go City Dubai pass holder – a superb Lebanese mezze banquet awaits. Gorge on hummus, vine leaves, grilled meats, fries and more out on the terrace, accompanied by gasp-inducing views of the dancing Dubai Fountain (the largest choreographed fountain system in the world, no less) and the soaring Burj Khalifa beyond. 

No weekend in Dubai would be complete without even a little foray into the desert, and this morning dune bashing adventure more than fits the bill. Rise early to catch the sunrise and take a 4x4 ride across the dunes, as the sand glows red, pink and gold in the early morning light. Once you reach camp, there are also opportunities for camel rides and sandboarding.

Or, for something a little more high-octane, try this epic desert adventure, which adds the rip-roaring opportunity to whip up a sandstorm from behind the wheel of a dune buggy. Mad Max, eat your heart out!

Instantly recognisable from its opulent pink facade and massive Arabian arch, Atlantis The Palm is one of the Palm Jumeirah’s most luxurious addresses. And it’s inside this vast complex that you’ll find the world’s biggest water park, boasting more than 100 thrilling ways to get wet, from perilously high vertical slides to river rapids, sedate lazy rivers, and splash zones for younger visitors (and, indeed, anyone of a more sensitive disposition). 

Adrenaline fiends who take Aquaventure’s Leap of Faith will find themselves being catapulted through a shark-filled lagoon. And it doesn’t take a genius to work out that rides with names like the Odyssey of Terror and Poseidon’s Revenge are likely not for the faint of heart either. Once you’ve completed these self-inflicted waterboardings, grab a nerve-steadying cocktail at the Wavehouse, or chill beneath the parasols at Aquaventure’s private beach.

If you have time (and, more likely, kids to entertain), there's plenty more water-based fun to be had at the resort’s Lost Chambers Aquarium. Discover the legend of the lost civilization of Atlantis as you wind your way through the city’s recreated underwater ruins. The aquarium has 10 different themed chambers to explore, each containing plenty of marine critters to ogle up close, including piranhas, jellyfish, stingrays, sharks and tropical fish galore.

The Myths of Atlantis tour (hourly, included with admission) adds insights and color to the legend of the lost city, and the thousands of cool sea creatures that now lurk within its depths. If you visit during the afternoon, you might even catch a glimpse of the aquarium’s scuba divers as they check on all the animals in the tanks and put on live feeding shows.

Cap off your thrilling weekend of adventure with a sunset cruise around Dubai Marina. Here’s your chance to see the city at dusk as its skyline begins to twinkle alluringly. Expect fantastic views of some of Dubai’s most celebrated super-structures – think the billowing sail of the Burj Al Arab, the dizzyingly tall Ain Dubai observation wheel, and the corkscrew twist of the Cayan Tower.

If you can tear your gaze away from all that eye candy, there’s also an extensive luxury buffet to attend to, including international and Arabian favorites like lamb and bean stew, grilled spice-rubbed fish, Lebanese fattoush salad and double chocolate brownies. Dine accompanied by live music, then step out onto deck to feel the wind in your hair and take in those expansive sunset views one last time. What a weekend!