DUBAI DIRIES .

Dubai's landmark building is the Burj Khalifa, which at 829.8 m is the tallest building in the world. For most visitors a trip to the observation deck on the 124th floor here is a must-do while in the city. The views across the city skyline from this bird's-eye perspective are simply staggering. The slick observation deck experience includes a multi-media presentation on both Dubai and the building of the Burj Khalifa (completed in 2010) before a high-speed elevator whizzes you up to the observation deck for those 360-degree views out across the skyscrapers to the desert on one side and the ocean on the other. Night-time visits are particularly popular with photographers due to Dubai's famous city-lights panoramas.

Back on the ground, wrapping around the Burj Khalifa, are the building's beautifully designed gardens with winding walkways. There are plenty of water features including the Dubai Fountain, the world's tallest performing fountain, modelled on Las Vegas  famous Fountains of Bellagio.

Hours: Daily 8:30am-1am

Location: Entry from Dubai Mall, Sheikh Zayed Road, Downtown

Dubai's excellent museum is housed in the Al-Fahidi Fort, built in 1787 to defend Dubai Creek. The fort's walls are built out of traditional coral-blocks and held together with lime. The upper floor is supported by wooden poles known as "handels", and the ceiling is constructed from palm fronts, mud and plaster. In its history, the fort has served as residence for the ruling family, seat of government, garrison and prison. Restored in 1971 (and again extensively in 1995) it is now the city's premier museum. The entrance has a fascinating exhibition of old maps of the Emirates and Dubai, showing the mammoth expansion that hit the region after the oil boom.

The courtyard is home to several traditional boats and a palm-leaf house with an Emirati wind-tower. The right-hand hall features weaponry and the left-hand hall showcases Emirati musical instruments. Below the ground floor are display halls with exhibits and dioramas covering various aspects of traditional Emirati lifestyle (including pearl fishing and Bedouin desert life) as well as artifacts from the 3,000-4,000 year old graves at Al Qusais archaeological site.

The Bastakia Quarter was built in the late 19th century to be the home of wealthy Persian merchants who dealt mainly in pearls and textiles, and were lured to Dubai because of the tax-free trading and access to Dubai Creek. Bastakia occupies the eastern portion of Bur Dubai along the creek and the coral and limestone buildings here, many with walls topped with wind-towers, have been excellently preserved. Wind-towers provided the homes here with an early form of air conditioning, with the wind trapped in the towers funnelled down into the houses. Persian merchants likely transplanted this architectural element (common in Iranian coastal houses) from their home country to the Gulf.
Lined with distinct Arabian architecture, narrow lanes are highly evocative of a bygone, and much slower, age in Dubai's history. Inside the district you'll find the Majlis Gallery with its collection of traditional Arab ceramics and furniture (housed in a wind-tower) and the XVA Gallery with a contemporary art collection (located in one of the historic buildings).

Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum was the Ruler of Dubai from 1921 to 1958 and grandfather to the current ruler. His former residence has been rebuilt and restored as a museum that is a fine example of Arabian architecture. The original house was built in 1896 by Sheikh Saeed's father, so he could observe shipping activity from the balconies. The original home was demolished but the current house was rebuilt next to the original site, staying true to the original model by incorporating carved teak doors, wooden lattice screens across the windows and gypsum ventilation screens with floral and geometric designs. Thirty rooms are built around a central courtyard with wind-tower details on top.

Inside are the exhibits of the Dubai Museum of Historical Photographs and Documents with many wonderful old photographs of Dubai from the period between 1948 and 1953. The marine wing of the museum has photos of fishing, pearling and boat building. Throughout the building there are many letters, maps, coins and stamps on display showing the development of the Emirate. Nearby is the Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House, restored with displays of traditional interiors.