Things to do in Deira Dubai that you shouldn’t miss out on

• Souks and Waterfront Market
• Museums
• Emirati Cuisine and Shisha
• Parks and Libraries
• Golf and Bowling
• Abra and Dhow
• FAQs

Similar to other areas of Dubai, there are many fun things to do in Deira. You can purchase ornate pieces from Gold Souk, visit the Women’s Museum, live your racing fantasies at Xtreme Simulation or take a stroll around the Deira Clocktower. Check out what more Deira has to offer.

List of the best things to do in Deira Dubai

Deira is one of the oldest established areas of Dubai that has witnessed several changes when it comes to the emirate’s urbanisation and socio-economic development. The community is home to many historical wonders of Dubai. 

The outlets, restaurants and markets located in this area speak volumes about the heritage of the city. Try some of these activities in Deira to soak up the culture of this beautiful city. 

Explore the Waterfront Market and Souks in Deira Dubai

Fancy shopping at Deira? Visit the Spice Souk and Deira Gold Souk in Dubai. At Gold Souq, you can buy every kind of jewellery from lavish gold necklaces to pearl earrings. While at Spice Souq, you can buy cardamom, saffron, nuts and plenty of other aromatic herbs.

Away from the main thoroughfare of the spice souk, you can also take a glimpse at the tiny shops which are selling plastics, groceries and other household items.

• Location: 
  • Spice Souq: Between Baniyas Road, Al Ras Road and Al Abra Street
  • Gold Souq: Sikkat Al Khail Street

WATERFRONT MARKET

Deira Waterfront Fish Market is the best place for those who want to buy fresh produce in Dubai. You can find an immense selection of fish from any of the 435 stalls selling raw cuts there. 

If you love meat, towering piles of fresh beef and lamb are available too. You can pick your cut in any quantity you need. You will be given fresh meat right from the butcher’s block at a reasonable price. 

You can also purchase high quality spices from Deira’s Waterfront Market. From cumin, cardamom, zaatar and tahini to plenty of international mixes such as barbecue and marinade mixes, you can find a wide assortment of spices here.

The place isn’t all about the food. You can even find clothes, books and a variety of exotic perfumes.

One of the things to do in Deira when you unwind after a long day of shopping is explore the cafes and restaurants at the Waterfront Market. The place is home to Yahya Seafood Restaurant, Baskin-Robbins and Paluto Restaurant by Chef Boy Logro.

• Location: Al Khaleej Road, Opposite Dubai Hospital, Corniche Deira
• Timings: Open 24 hours
• Contact: +971-800-627-538

SHOP AT CITY CENTRE DEIRA

With a wide range of shops, restaurants and VOX Cinema, the City Centre Deira shopping mall offers the best shopping, dining and cinematic experiences. If you’re a shopaholic, you should definitely stop by this mall. 

Deira City Centre shops have a variety of high-end brands such as Aldo, Accessorize, Forever 21 and Mango. You can buy one-off gems as well as casual clothing items from there.

City Centre Deira cinema is also famous for offering an incredible movie experience. Other than that, if you’re coming with your kids, you can visit one of the branches of Magic Planet that has a branch here. 

The mall has a Carrefour supermarket, bowling alley and an entertainment centre along with a large number of anchor stores. It has a pharmacy and a textile shop as well. And that’s not just it, there are plenty of things to do in City Centre Deira that you can be excited about!

City Centre Deira is located in convenient vicinity from Al Garhoud and Oud Muteena Park.

• Location: 8th Street, Dubai
• Timings: 10:00 am – 12:00 am
• Contact: +971-800-226-255

Explore the Museums in Deira

Deira is home to some of the best museums in Dubai. You can check out Dubai Women’s Museum, the Naif Museum and the Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili.

Bait Al Banat Women’s Museum has a gallery that showcases the work of established as well as emerging artists. While Naif Museum offers an insight into the history of the Dubai Police Force.

Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili exhibits an original collection of poems of the poet Mubarak bin Hamad bin Mubarak Al Manea Al Oqaili, his documents and other precious artefacts of the late nineteenth century.

Museum	Location	Contact	Timing
Museum Bait Al Banat Women’s Museum	Location Al Sabkha, Gold Souq	Contact +971-4-234-2342	Timing Daily 10:00 am – 05:30 pm
Museum Naif Museum	Location Sikkath Al Khail Road Naif Opp Hyatt Regency Hotel	Contact +971-4-515-5000	Timing Mon to Thurs. 08:00 am – 03:00 pm
Museum Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili	Location Al Ras Area	Contact +971-800-33222	Timing Mon to Thurs. 09:00 am – 02:00 pm

INDULGE IN EMIRATI CUISINE AND SHISHA

ASEELAH RESTAURANT

There is no doubt that Emirati cuisine has plenty of unexplored treats. You can try a variety of Arabic and Middle-Eastern dishes at Aseelah, one of the finest Emirati restaurants in Dubai. 

The restaurant features a mix of traditional and modern dishes that range from date-stuffed chicken leg to Aseelah’s special chicken harees.

Most of the dishes are made from a local spice mix called bezar. It contains a blend of cumin, fennel, cinnamon and dried chillies, which adds a unique flavour to the food.

• Location: Level 2, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, Baniyas
• Timings: Sunday Wednesday and Friday 07:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Saturday 02:30 pm – 04:00 pm
• Price: AED 260 for two
• Contact: +971-4-205-7033

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS WITH A SHISHA SESSION AT QD‘s

QD’s is a fun creek-side lounge deck where you can sip your favourite cocktails and enjoy shisha, amidst beautiful views of Dubai’s skyline.

You can chill out either in low-slung couches or at the restaurant-style seating area, while enjoying the sight of the lit dhows floating by.

QD’s food menu is vast. It offers a blend of Mediterranean, Arabic mezze and seafood dishes that you can relish while listening to the music played by the DJ.

• Location: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Deira
• Timings: 05:00 pm – 02:00 am | Friday to Saturday: 05:00 pm – 03:00 am
• Price: AED 460 for two
• Contact: +971-4-602-1814

VISIT THE PARKS AND LIBRARIES IN DEIRA

AL MAMZAR BEACH PARK

Located in the residential area of Deira, Al Mamzar Beach Park is a popular tourist spot in Dubai. You can do plenty of things to enjoy your day there.

There are several fun activities to do at Al Mamzar Beach Park such as watersports.

• Location: Al Mamzar, Deira
• Timings: Monday to Friday: 08:00 am – 10:00 pm | Saturday and Sunday 09:00 am – 10:00 pm
• Contact: +971-4-296-6201

WALK AROUND AL HAMRIYA PARK

Al Hamriya Park is a family-friendly park in Deira Dubai. Offering plenty of electric rides in a lush, green environment, it is an incredible retreat for your kids.

• Location: 25th Street, Abu Hail
• Timings: 06:00 am – 11:00 pm

READ AT HOR AL ANZ LIBRARY

If you love to read, you can spend hours lost in your favourite book at Hor al Anz Library. Established in 1989, this haven of books contains works of both eminent and emerging writers. You can find fiction and non-fiction books in Arabic as well as English.

The library features a dedicated children’s section, which includes a reading hall and an activity room equipped with audiovisual facilities. If you want to inculcate a lasting-love for reading in your child, drop by this peaceful place in Dubai.

The membership is valid for UAE nationals and residents, UAE registered companies and GCC nationals. However, people from all over the world, can come and read books, newspapers and magazines there. Here are the library fees that may be applicable:

• Life time membership for individuals from 12 years to 18-years-old: AED 50.
• Life time membership for individuals above 19-years-old: AED 100.
• Life time membership for families: AED 250.
• Life time Library membership for institutions: AED 500.

Apart from the Hor al Anz Library, there are many other public libraries in Dubai. You can subscribe to them as well.

• Timings: Sunday to Thursday: 07:00 am – 04:00 pm | Friday: 07:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Contact: +971-800-33222 | 800-552-2550

Try Bowling and Golf

ENJOY A BOWLING GAME AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL BOWLING CENTRE DEIRA

A fun retreat for bowling enthusiasts, Dubai International Bowling Centre caters to budding bowlers and seasoned leaguers alike. It features 36 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, providing players from various parts of the city with an ultimate bowling experience.

More than just lanes, this gargantuan bowling centre in Dubai has billiards tables and arcade games where visitors can test their skills.

You can also rent shoes and socks – shoes are free, while socks are at AED 4 per pair.

• Location: Al Mamzar, Dubai
• Timings: 09:00 am – 01:00 am
• Prices: From AED 22 per game | From AED 140 per hour
• Contact: +971-4-296-9222

PLAY GOLF AT DUBAI CREEK GOLF AND YACHT CLUB

Dubai Creek, Golf and Yacht Club offers you the best sports facilities in Deira, Dubai. It provides you with an opportunity to opt for any of the three courses: The Championship Course, Park 3 Course and The #minigolfdubai Course.

The Championship Course is an 18-hole course that provides a fun challenge to golfers across 6,967 yards, while Park 3 is a 9-hole course designed especially for beginners. The #minigolfdubai Course is relevant to people of all ages. Juniors below 18 can opt for this course at AED 40.

The place also has an array of lounges and restaurants where you can enjoy delicious food, looking at the panoramic views of Dubai Creek. Cielo Sky Lounge and Boardwalk Restaurant are the most notable ones.

• Location: Port Saeed
• Contact: +971-4-602-1518

Traditional Abra and Dhow Rides

ENJOY A DHOW DINNER CRUISE ACROSS DUBAI CREEK

Soak in the views of major landmarks across the Dubai Creek from Deira on one of the several dhow dinner cruises available. Listen to live music and enjoy delicious food for a memorable experience. Some of the companies that offer these dhow dinner cruises along the Deira Dubai Creek are:

• Rustar Dhow Cruise in Dubai Deira Creek | Contact: +971-52-286-7778
• Dhow Cruise Dubai by Skygaze Tours | +971-55-727-2545

Prices for the cruise start from AED 50 onwards, depending on the package on offer.

TAKE AN ABRA RIDE AT DEIRA ABRA STATION

Crossing the Dubai Creek by abra (water taxis) is something that entices both visitors and residents alike. These abra rides in Dubai run every few minutes across Deira Abra Station, along with the other three stations.

You can take a ride aboard a bustling abra and explore the popular creek that parts Bur Dubai from the lifeblood of the emirate – Deira. Each water boat carries 20 passengers at once. The journey takes just about five minutes but the experience is worth it – you can enjoy the spectacle of old and new Dubai while passing by buildings and minarets. 

• Location: 32 3A Street
• Timings: 05:00 am-midnight
• Price: AED 1

FAQs

What is Deira famous for?

Deira is well-known for its traditional souks, including the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, as well as Dubai Creek.

Is Deira a good place for food lovers?

Yes, it’s one of the top spots for foodies. Deira is home to a wide range of street food stalls and restaurants offering Middle Eastern, South Asian and international cuisines.

Can I take a dhow cruise in Deira?

Yes, evening dhow cruises along Dubai Creek are a popular way to enjoy dining and city views.

And this brings an end to our list of the best things to do in Deira. We hope that you will explore many different activities on this list.

Aside from Deira, there are many other areas in Dubai where you can spend quality time with your family. For instance, there are many activities to do in Downtown Dubai. You can soak up the beautiful views of the Burj Khalifa, shop at the Dubai Mall and enjoy the performances of various artists at Dubai Opera there. 

Similarly, there are many things to do in one of the most glitzy areas such as the Dubai Marina. You can enjoy Al Fresco dining at Pier 7, go for deep-sea fishing adventures and explore Dubai from a different lens in a special sightseeing tour there. To check out what more you can do there, read our articles that cover more incredible activities to do in Dubai Marina. 

Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) is one of the main thoroughfares of Dubai. Many locals and tourists come here to engage in different activities. It has a massive indoor maze and one of the largest indoor ski resorts in the world. Have a look at the major attractions on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Have a knack for art? Then you should definitely check out City Walk – it is famous for its street art. Aside from exploring art, check out what more things you can do at City Walk.

To cap it all off, extreme things to do in Dubai are ideal for adventure seekers. These activities are highly popular among local and global tourists.