Entertainment and recreation in Dubai
This section deals with the fun side of life in Dubai.
Things to do in Dubai
Although most people come to Dubai to work there is much to do outside of working hours. Dubai offers year round skiing, great beaches and is well known for its incredible nightlife. Most clubs and bars are located within hotels due to licensing laws, but Dubai is still one of the world's top party cities, and The New York Times chose it as its top partying destination for 2008.
For the more active types there is plenty of sporting fun to be had, and Dubai has five top flight football teams. Every year Dubai hosts a major film festival and concerts by top acts from around the world. Dubai also boasts excellent cuisine and some of the most impressive shopping facilities in the world.
Browse guides to Dubai from Amazon (external) »
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Regular events
In addition to major public holidays such as National Day which falls on the second of December every year and celebrates the formation of the United Arab Emirates, and Eid al Fitr which falls on a different date each year and marks the end of Ramadan, Dubai regularly hosts a number of special events.
Each year the city hosts the Dubai International Film Festival. The yearly Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises events attract over four million visitors, generating in excess of one billion US dollars between them.
Shopping
Unsurprisingly, for a city that hosts an annual shopping festival, Dubai is a shopper's dream. It is served by several large shopping malls, such as the Deira City Centre, BurJuman, Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall, and what will be the largest shopping mall in the world is currently under construction. In addition to this, shoppers can also enjoy a bit of retail therapy at one of the traditional souks.
Restaurants
Dubai is home to some genuinely world class restaurants. Obviously Arab food is available everywhere in the city, but the diversity of the population is also reflected in the diversity of cuisine available in Dubai. In addition to traditional fare, South Asian and Chinese food is widely available, as is fast food such as burgers and pizza. Despite being a Muslim country pork is available, but only to non-Muslims and it must be consumed only in designated areas.
Browse books on eating out in Dubai from Amazon (external) »
Alcohol
As the UAE is a Muslim country, alcohol can not be bought freely - a liquor permit is required to purchase alcohol. Because of this most drinking is confined to the clubs, bars and restaurants within hotels, where a very lively ex-pat social scene thrives.
Music and cinema
Because of the large Asian and Western contingents in Dubai, both Bollywood and Hollywood movies are popular and there are many modern, air-conditioned cinemas to choose from. The city also hosts the annual Dubai International Film Festival, which attracts celebrities from around the globe.
Dubai also has a lively music scene, with artists from the Arab world and the West such as Santana, Elton John, Pink, Shakira, Celine Dion and Phil Collins, performing on a regular basis throughout the year. The city also plays host to The Dubai Desert Rock Festival, a major heavy metal and rock event.
Sport
There is plenty for active people to do in Dubai, from skiing to jet skiing, but there are also a lot of top class sporting events to watch. The two top sports in Dubai are football and cricket; Dubai has five teams in the top division of the UAE football league and the new home of the ICC has hosted several India-Pakistan cricket tests. Two grass cricket grounds are currently being developed in Dubai Sports City.
Dubai also hosts the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, the Dubai World Cup horse race, the Dubai Tennis Championships and The Legends Rock Dubai tennis tournament, all of which attract top athletes from around the world.
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