Kamran Jebreili/AP
- Dubai is the vacation and shopping center of the United Arab Emirates.
- You can soak in the views from the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
- It can get very, very hot in the desert city, so be prepared for high temperatures and humidity.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Aside from the diverse restaurants, immersive exhibits, boutique hotels, and sweltering weather, there's much more to know about Dubai than meets the eye.
Once known for being a small fishing village, Dubai is now famed for growing into the ultimate vacation spot with luxurious accommodations, grand souks, and housing the world's tallest building that is currently open to visitors with new safety protocols.
Here's what you need to know about Dubai:
Dubai is dubbed the shopping capital of the Middle East
According to the Travel Channel, Dubai is one of the world's best shopping cities, thanks to the Dubai Mall.
This mammoth of a mall offers over 1,300 retail outlets, more than 200 food and beverage stores, an aquarium, an underwater zoo, an ice rink, and so much more. You can even attend the Dubai Shopping Festival from December to January.
For fine jewelry and other decorative items, you can visit traditional souks in Deira and Bur Dubai, also known as Old Dubai.
Top sites and centers will likely be crowded
According to TripSavvy, the Dubai Mall is one of the most crowded places in Dubai, and the souks received an honorable mention.
Keep in mind that most tourist sites and shopping centers will attract crowds due to the large population and rising tourist numbers. According to Reuters, Dubai is expected to attract over 5.5 million overseas visitors in 2021.
Additionally, according to the World Population Review, as of 2021, Dubai is one of the most populous cities out of the seven emirates of the UAE with over 1.1 million residents. Combined with high temperatures, you may want to consider bringing water with you on a shopping spree to avoid feeling overheated and overwhelmed.
However, if you happen to be visiting Dubai during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, you won't see these crowds. You also won't be able to eat or drink in public between sunrise and sunset during this fast.