Hi Kish & Sunil here to discuss the most popular area in Dubai

There is not just one popular area to visit in Dubai. A lot of these areas are our personal favorites so we thought we'd include it in this section. Make sure to click the individual links to read more about each one in detail.

These are not all the areas within Dubai but a mere list of the popular areas and areas we are most fond of. So make sure you visit these areas on your trip to Dubai or if you're already there!

Popular Area in Dubai #1
Dubai Palm Island

If there is an 8th wonder of the world it's probably the Dubai Palm Islands. How ironic is it talking about the wonders of the world in context of Dubai yet none exists in Dubai?

Very ironic. We think Dubai has seven wonders of its own that can trump any other wonder of the world. The Dubai Pam Island group is definitely one of them. We mean how can it not be?

Palm Dubai is a set of islands in the shape of a palm tree. The "branches" (islands) are connected to a main "stem" which is the main road to the island from the mainland.

This is the road we take to get deep into the islands where you could see million dollar homes (Dubai Villas) and all kinds of large buildings. I believe Donald Trump is building the Atlantis there. Though when I was there in 2007 the Atlantis was not finished yet.

The three islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Deira and Palm Jebel Ali) are a development on water and we have both been to Palm Jumeirah! It's perfectly stable.

At first I (Sunil) used to think it would move or cannot sustain its stability. But I have to take my hat off and anything else to the engineers that designed the islands.

The Palm Dubai is a one of a kind project. No one thought it would be possible but Dubai made it happen. It is real my friend.

Check it out during your visit to Dubai. You can see it nice and clear from a helicopter tour. We definitely recommend the tour.

Read all about the Dubai Palm Island project in this discussion.

Popular Area in Dubai #2
Palm Jumeirah Dubai

The Palm Jumeira Dubai was the first Dubai Palm Island to be completed. In fact as I (Sunil) am writing this it is not completely done. It should be right around the beginning of 2009. It is an artificial island (or set of interconnected islands) created using “land reclamation” techniques.

It was a project initiated by the Dubai Government and it will increase Dubai’s area by more than 500 kilometers. What better way to increase your territory than just to create it lol. The Palm Jumeirah is the first and original one of the three Palm Islands.

You know how special the first one always is!

Popular Area in Dubai #3
Dubai Marina

We have had some of our best romantic moments at the Dubai Marina. This area is absolutely stunning.

It is a district set up in "New Dubai" surrounded by water all over, hence the name "marina". It's such an innovative achievement as the architects found a way to wrap the waters of the Dubai river around the city.

When you stand on one of the bridges, it feels like an abstract painting with the bodies of water weaving in and out of the city. We drove in this area one night and the scenery was so pretty despite the orange construction barrels everywhere!

The entire Marina project is man-made (like most things in Dubai) and is developed by one of UAE's most prestigious and reputable developer Emaar Properties.

Popular Area in Dubai #4
Deira Dubai

Deira, the city of Gold...well not quite but this is where the famous Dubai Gold Souk is. Deira is part of Dubai but it is separated from Dubai City by the Dubai creek. You have to take the Abra (water taxi) to get from one side to another.

We love the Abra! It's a short and sweet ride and allows you to enjoy the beautiful waters and skies of Dubai in a relaxing and peaceful setting away from the noise and traffic.

Deira is most commonly known for its souks (markets). Deira is also bordered by the Persian Gulf and the Emirate of Sharjah.

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Popular Area in Dubai #5
International City Dubai

Dubai International City is intended to become the cultural capital of not only Dubai but the entire Middle East. It is an 800 hectare project that includes a variety of residential and commercial buildings.

When fully completed, the area will have many shopping and touristy attractions from all around the world. The International City is only 15 minutes from Dubai Festival City and 20 minutes from the Dubai Financial Center. The area is right off of Emirates road near Dubai International Airport. The area has run into some sewage issues in its early stages but nothing earth shattering (yet).

Popular Area in Dubai #6
Dubai Media City

Surprise! Dubai Media City is meant for media companies. The Government built this area to encourage and attract local and foreign media companies to set up shop in this area.

One thing to note. When we say area it is really a gigantic complex where all the companies are housed. It is located between Jumeirah and Dubai Marina right before Jebel Ali.

The Government has deemed this a tax free zone making it more attractive for media companies (news, publishing, online, advertising companies, etc) to operate out of the area.

The Government went a step further and set up the fiber optic infrastructure to make the companies' transition easy. In addition, Visa granting laws are easier for employees of these companies.

More on Dubai Media City in this discussion.

Popular Area in Dubai #7
Dubai Internet City

Being the web junky that I (Sunil) am, this is one of my favorite areas in Dubai. Like Media City, the Internet City is also more of a big complex of buildings. It is a technology carnival where you will find all the blue chip names such as Dell and Microsoft.

And Media City, the Dubai Internet city was also formed by the Government to attract technology companies. It is also a tax free zone and laws of operation are quite lenient. It is located right next to Media City and the Dubai Knowledge Village.

I love the way the buildings look in this area next to each other. Just imagine IBM, Microsoft, Dell, Cisco, X, Y, Z all next to each other! A Geek's dream come true.

Popular Area in Dubai #8
Dubai Festival City

The Dubai Festival City is an interesting project. We are still not sure of its purpose but it is clearly an attempt to build a city within a city. In fact when you approach the area you will be greeted by a sign that welcomes you to Dubai Festival City. Interesting to say the least.

You will find residences, businesses and entertainment spots in this area. It is heavily residential (almost like a gigantic subdivision) and will include a bunch of hotels, shopping malls and golf courses once fully complete. We think it will even have a school district of its own for its residents.

I remember this area has a huge shopping mall and a river walk type area similar to San Antonio, Texas. It is a very pretty area.

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Popular Area in Dubai #9
Dubai Beaches

One of our favorites! Beaches in Dubai are gorgeous. The water is clear and clean (not sure how long that will last will all the sand dumping in the water) and it is always a pleasure hanging out in the area.

Most beaches are accessible through the parks of Dubai. Jumeirah beach is one of our favorite beaches. It has a long shoreline similar to orange county beach in California.

My (Kish) parents live right across Jumeirah beach Dubai on Jumeirah road. I grew up looking at the shore from our balcony! My mom told me that when they moved there it seemed like the shore was reaching distance from our villa.

However, The City dumped more dirt on the shorelines to extend the shore out so that the water doesn’t reach mainland and cause any damage. It's amazing to observe what man can do to (or with) nature.

Find out all the nice Dubai beaches and where to go in this discussion.

Popular Area in Dubai #10
City Center Dubai

We want to say City Center is the second biggest shopping mall to the Mall of Emirates. You can pretty much find whatever you are looking for here.

The architecture is quite modern and the mall is located in Deira just opposite the Dubai Greek Club. This mall has a large movie theater and a 5 star hotel Sofitel. What a luxury lol.

This place is gigantic and we recommend a few days to fully explore it. You can usually also find good bargains in this mall. And when you feel hungry, head over to the top floor where you will find all kinds of restaurants.

Popular Area in Dubai #11
Dubai Healthcare City

The Dubai Healthcare City is truly a wonderful project and one that my (Sunil) sister (a Doctors in training) can appreciate. Really, it is a massive $1.8B project that will form a yet another city within a city that focuses mainly on Healthcare.

The Healthcare City will have medical schools, hospitals and clinics all in one location. There will also be many research and rehabilitation centers once is fully completed.

And check this out, Dubai truly mixes pleasure with business on every opportunity it gets. So this area will include villas and apartment complexes accompanied by 5 star hotels all around an artificial lake.

This city within a city is established to promote tourism within the medical capacity. What an absolute genius!

Popular Area in Dubai #12
Dubai Sports City

Dubai Sports City is the dream of every sports fan. It is another Dubai "city within a city" that focuses on guess what? Sports :) Here you will find stadiums that host any and every sporting event with record breaking seating capacity.

There was a ton of construction going on back in 2007 when Kish and I drove by it. It truly looks promising. I (Sunil) briefly caught a view of the tennis courts from a distance (as the area is fenced) and they looked soft, smooth and greener than ever.

As hard core sports fans, we cannot wait until this "city" is completed. Better yet, we cannot wait until the Olympic Games will be held there in the near future. We will definitely be there for them!

Read more about Dubai Sports City here.

Popular Area in Dubai #13
Jumeirah

Last but not least is Jumeirah. Jumeirah is a very popular area in Dubai and it is home to the Burj al Arab, the well known Jumeirah Beach and a ton of good malls and parks.

It used to be THE MOST popular area in Dubai until the recent real estate boom. The newer developments have cut into Jumeirah's popularity a bit. However, Jumeirah is still an expensive and preferred area for many Dubai residents.

So the above are just a few of the popular areas in Dubai that we recommend you visit while you are there. We have provided a brief introduction to each in this section.

For more details and to learn more about our own experiences in each area click on the links leading to the detailed discussions around each popular area in Dubai.

We have provided some guides and valuable resources that you may find helpful in learning more about these areas and in your journey to and through them. Please let us know if you would like us to cover any other areas in this section.

The Dubai Palm Island

The Dubai Palm Island initiative is an attempt to aid Dubai?s overgrowing population problem and assist in stabilizing its future. These man-made islands are some of the best creations of man today.

The Dubai Waterfront

The Dubai Waterfront is the largest man-made development in the world (as of 2007). Look at the pictures of the development plan and learn more about this gigantic Dubai project.

Bur Dubai

Learn about Bur Dubai, one of the oldest and most historic places of Dubai. Located at the Dubai and Deira border, it faces the Dubai Creek as its shoreline.