Dubai is often considered an expensive and luxuriant city, but I’ll tell you 5 places that you can visit and see without spending a penny and they are even worth it. Just imagine your day starting with a stunning view of Burj Khalifa and the stunning Dubai Fountain show. Secondly, you can visit the vast spread Dubai mall. Then for the relaxing time head to see the beautiful views of Marina Bay’s waterfront. And near in this area don’t miss out on the beautiful sunset view at Jumeirah Beach. Lastly, you can witness the Dubai Creek, where you can see the local culture and history blended with modernity. Lets start explaining all these places one by one.
1. Burj Khalifa & Dubai Fountain show
One of the symbol of Dubai is Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at the moment. Even you don’t go up to the deck, still you can see it free from very near, and the view is even more breathtaking from the ground, personally I like to see and enjoy more watching Burj Khalifa from the ground, because when you go up on the deck, you can witness the surroundings but the the building itself. Then the area around the Burj Khalifa is perfect for leisurely walk, especially in the evening when the weather is good and the building is illuminated.
Then, just below the Burj Khalifa, there is Dubai Fountain, which is again the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. It is a activity that you can enjoy from sunset until 11PM after every 30 minutes, and believe me you will just love this. Fountains shoot water jets as high as 500 feet, dancing to the tunes of various musics. The show is completely free, just make sure to get early to get a good spot to experience the fountain show because it gets crowded.
Now you can reach their by metro, just get off the train at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and on 5 to 10 minutes walk you will reach there, there are signs everywhere which will tell you about the direction, so no need to worry about that.
2. Dubai Mall: A Mall to Watch
Dubai Mall is not only a place for shopping lovers, but it is an experience in itself, if you are in Dubai and you not see that, this will be unfair. As one of the largest malls in the world, it offers more then just shops, and you can spend entire day in this and I’m sure you can not visit this in a single day, and the great thing is that it is free to visit.
The Dubai mall has aquarium & underwater zoo, but there is a fee to enter in this, but still you can see some portion of the aquarium from outside where you can see variety of marine life from a large glass panel for free.
Another interesting and famous attraction in the mall is the Human Waterfall. As it features life sized human figures diving down the cascade, it makes a perfect opportunity for your social media photos.
The Dubai Mall also offers the opportunity to outer promenade, where you can see the views of Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain. So the other good thing is that along with Burj Khalifa, The Fountain show and Dubai Mall, all you can see at a single place, because all three places are just together and interconnected.
3. Marina Bay, A Picturesque Waterfront
The third free spot and one of my favorite in Dubai is the Marina Bay area, it is a vibrant and picturesque destination that offers a mix of modern architecture, beautiful waterfront views and some bustling activities. And this area is perfect for leisurely stroll either day or night. You should start with walk along the Dubai Marina promenade, which is beautifully designed and landscaped pathway stretches around the Marina’s edge. here you can see some stunning and luxury views of yachts, modern skyscrapers, and beautiful cafes and restaurants
And as the sun sets, the area transforms into more beauty, as the buildings and boats are illuminated, creating a magical ambience that’s perfect for evening walk. So for me, this is the best free attraction or area of Dubai which offers breathtaking views, vibrant atmosphere and lot of opportunities to relax and enjoy the city charm and luxury feeling without spending a single Dirham.
4. Sun, Sand and Sea for Free, Jumeirah Beach
Jumeirah beach is one of the most popular and public beach of Dubai which you can access and enjoy without spending a single penny. This beautiful stretch of white sand and clear blue sea water is ideal place to tackle the heat of Dubai.
The beach also offers stunning views of Burj Al Arab and Ain Dubai (Ferris wheel), These two provides a picturesque backdrop for your beach photos which adds beauty to your visit. Along with this you can do lot of activities on the beach like can play volleyball, their are jogging tracks, and designated swimming areas where you can swim in the sea. And as the sun sets don’t miss out the views of sunset, the golden hues reflecting off the water which creates a magical experience that’s hard to forget. So whether you are looking to get relax or get active, this beach has something for everyone.
5. Dubai Creek, Where Tradition meets Modernity
Dubai Creek is famous and historic waterway which connects the traditions with modern elements, this is a place where tourists can experience the heritage of Dubai for free. By walking along the Creek’s promenade, you can see the old traditional wooden dhows and in the backdrop their are modern skyscrapers.
One of the main thing about Dubai Creek is the bustling Deira and Bur Dubai districts which are full of traditional markets and souks. There are some famous souks like Spice and Gold souk where you can experience the vibrant atmosphere. And don’t forget to hop on the local boat there known as Abra, a traditional wooden boat that ferries passengers around the Creek, although their is a small fee of getting on hop to Abra but even you can witness them from the shore for free. So while exploring the Dubai Creek area you have plenty of opportunities’ to capture the beauty of both traditional and modern Dubai.
This is it, now what are you waiting for? pack your bags, grab your camera and set off to discover the beautiful city of Dubai. Enjoy your trip.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions or suggestions, you can comment below.