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Burj Khalifa
Skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A megatall skyscraper in Dubai, designed by the architects SOM, and the tallest structure on Earth: 829.8 m to its tip and 828 m (2,717 ft) to its roof.
Photo: Tim.Reckmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
AE · Curated travel guide
United Arab Emirates: 10 places worth the journey
Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and 7 more — what each one is, and why it is worth the detour.
- Places
- 10
- Language
- Arabic
- Currency
- AED
What to see in United Arab Emirates
Chosen from everything Wikidata knows about United Arab Emirates and ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions describe them, which is about as close to "famous" as open data gets.
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Burj Al Arab
Luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Properly the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, a luxury hotel in Dubai developed and run by Jumeirah. It is among the world's tallest hotels, though 39% of its height is space no one can occupy.
Photo: Alberto-g-rovi, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE
The largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, in the capital, Abu Dhabi, and the country's chief place for the daily Islamic prayers.
Photo: PotatoWitch, CC BY-SA 4.0
Almas Tower
Skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A supertall office skyscraper of 68 storeys and 360 m (1,180 ft) in Dubai's Jumeirah Lakes Towers. Work began early in 2005 and finished in 2008, when the last cladding panels were fitted at the top.
Photo: Dmcccomms, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Dubai Mall
Shopping mall in Dubai, UAE
Dubai's biggest shopping mall, part of Downtown Dubai, right beside the Burj Khalifa.
Photo: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0
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Rose Rayhaan by Rotana
Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Also called the Rose Tower, a hotel of 72 storeys and 333 m (1,093 ft) on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, fifth on the list of the world's tallest hotels.
Photo: Imre Solt, CC BY-SA 3.0
23 Marina
88-story, 392.8 m (1,289 ft) residential skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A residential skyscraper in Dubai with 88 storeys, 392.8 m (1,289 ft) high. As of 2022 it ranked fourth among Dubai's tallest buildings and sixth among the world's tallest residential towers.
Photo: BS2024, CC BY-SA 4.0
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Art museum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
An art museum on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. Under an agreement signed by France and the UAE in March 2007, it may use the Louvre's name until 2047, and the Louvre has called it "France's largest cultural project abroad."
Photo: Boubloub, CC BY-SA 4.0
Princess Tower
Residential skyscraper in Dubai, UAE
A skyscraper for housing only, 101 storeys and 413.4 m (1,356 ft) tall, in Dubai's Marina district. As of September 2022 it was the city's third-tallest building, after Marina 101 and the Burj Khalifa, and the 36th tallest in the world.
Photo: Fabio Achilli, CC BY 2.0
Emirates Office Tower
56-floor office building along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
An office building of 54 floors on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, joined by a shopping boulevard to the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, also of 54 floors. Together the two make up what is usually called the Emirates Towers complex.
Photo: Bgabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
About United Arab Emirates
Often called simply the Emirates, a country of West Asia at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. A federal semi-constitutional monarchy of seven emirates, it has Abu Dhabi as its national capital, and borders Saudi Arabia to the south and southwest and Oman to the east and northeast.
Officially The United Arab Emirates.
Based on the Wikipedia article, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0: the facts are Wikipedia's, the wording is this site's.
Questions travellers ask
What is worth seeing in United Arab Emirates?
This guide lists 10: Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Almas Tower and others.
How were these places chosen?
By machine, from open data, with no human ranking them and nobody able to pay for a place on the list. Everything Wikidata records in United Arab Emirates that is a building, a landform, a protected area or a tourist attraction, has coordinates, a photograph and an English Wikipedia article, is ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions wrote about it. Provinces, cities, airports, stations and stretches of sea shared with the neighbours are filtered out.
What language is spoken in United Arab Emirates, and what currency?
Arabic. The currency is AED.
How do I get mobile data in United Arab Emirates?
A travel eSIM is usually the cheapest way, and avoids a roaming bill. The plans suggested at the foot of this guide start at $3.04 for 1GB per day. The eSIM is data-only and sits alongside your normal SIM, so calls, texts and WhatsApp keep working on your own number.
Which networks would my phone use in United Arab Emirates?
Du. Your phone picks whichever has the best signal where you are, the same way a local phone does.
One practical note: staying online
Maps, tickets and translation all want data, and roaming is the expensive way to get it. A Computatus eSIM eSIM connects to Du once you land, and installs by QR code before you leave.
See 16 Computatus eSIM plans for United Arab Emirates from $3.04
| Plan | Data | Valid | Price | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB per day Cheapest | 1 GB | 1 day | $3.04 | Get it → |
| 1GB for 7 days | 1 GB | 7 days | $3.13 | Get it → |
| 1GB per day | 1 GB | 1 day | $3.24 | Get it → |
| 2GB per day | 2 GB | 1 day | $4.96 | Get it → |
| 2GB per day | 2 GB | 1 day | $5.73 | Get it → |
| 3GB per day | 3 GB | 1 day | $7.09 | Get it → |
No app needed. Install by QR code before you fly, keep your own number for calls, and it connects the moment you land.
Du 5G
A commission on plans bought through these links is what pays for this guide. Nothing above depends on it: the places are chosen before any price is looked up.