Deira

One of the oldest parts of the city, Deira is a key commercial and trading area for Dubai, where age-old markets sit side-by-side with modern developments. Located on the north-east side of Dubai Creek, much of Deira’s character comes from Dubai’s waterway, with the traditional dhow wharfage located on this side of the creek, along with much of the resulting trade.

That spirit of commerce is alive and well today, with new markets opening up as part of the Dubai Islands development – along with the centuries-old souks. And from technology to tailoring, and perfumes to percussion, you can find anything you need in Deira.

The area’s bustling atmosphere also makes Deira a great dining destination for foodies seeking more than haute cuisine. And it’s also perfect for delving into Dubai’s heritage and history, both through museums and by just walking around the district and taking in the atmosphere.

No visit to Dubai would be complete without a trip to its souks, and Deira is home to most of them. Deira’s Gold Souk is perhaps the most famous, and is a large part of why Dubai is known as the "city of gold" – here you can find the precious metal in all its forms, from ingots to fine-wrought jewellery, and in every grade and colour imaginable.

Near to the Gold Souk is the Spice Souk, offering not just spices, but herbs, rice, dried fruit and other commodities among its fragrant arches – and for another type of fragrance, head to the Perfume Souk, just moments away. You can also find Grand Souk Deira in the same area, a great place to discover traditional Arabian gifts and products.

More modern shopping bazaars include Naif Souk, which used to house a camel market before being transformed, and Deira Waterfront Market, which is great for adventurous diners seeking fresh seafood.

Dubai Islands is one of Deira’s biggest and most recent developments, taking the area out into the sea for the first time. You can find several beach resorts, a waterpark and more here – with other new offerings on the way.

For those interested in exploring Dubai’s history in a bit more depth, head to Deira’s museums. The Women’s Museum is near the Gold Souk and highlights the contribution to women in the UAE, while the Pearl Museum dives into Dubai’s origins and Naif Museum explores the history of Dubai’s police force and justice system.

And to complete the cultural tour, don’t miss exploring Deira’s creekside, to see the traditional dhows against the bustle of the creek – hop on a traditional abra boat to get across to Bur Dubai and continue the journey through the souks and sights that side of the creek. You should also take a look at Deira Clocktower, one of the area’s most famous landmarks, as well as Union Square, the district’s de facto centre.

Finally, if all this culture has tired you out and you’re looking to play some golf head to Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. The club has one of the most picturesque courses in the city, set against the view of Downtown Dubai’s skyline over the creek – along with many great options for post game refreshments.

As befits one of the oldest and busiest parts of Dubai, you can find everything here from fine haute cuisine to cheap and delicious street food. A great way to launch yourself into Deira’s dining scene is through a foodie tour with Frying Pan Adventures – their expert guides will take you around some of the area’s most interesting eateries, which you might never stumble across by yourself.

You can also follow in the footsteps of the late chef Anthony Bourdain to try the delicious rice and lamb dish, aishu laham, at Bait Al Mandi restaurant on Al Muraqqabat Road. And for more tradition, head to Al Bait Al Qadeem for Emirati dishes, or any of Karachi Darbar’s Deira branches for authentic Pakistani food.

Dine around the region at the Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient Shabestan, which offers an extensive menu of Persian cuisine, or Sadaf Iranian Sweets for desserts. And for Syrian delicacies, head to Aroos Damascus – though be warned, it can get busy as hungry regulars wait for a table.

One of Dubai’s landmarks, the Hyatt Regency Dubai, near Deira’s corniche, is home to several top restaurants. Al Dawaar, the city’s only revolving restaurant, offers both fantastic views and fine dining, while Miyako provides delicious Japanese dishes at reasonable prices.

There are also a plethora of dining options at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the neighbouring Park Hyatt Dubai hotel. Enjoy creekside dining and waterside vistas at The Boardwalk, or Spanish tapas, a laid-back atmosphere and another amazing view at Cielo Sky Lounge. The Park Hyatt itself boasts Twiggy by La Cantine for lounging beside a lagoon, as well as the Traiteur Brunch, one of Dubai’s very best brunches, every Saturday.

You can also find other food options at the area’s malls: City Centre Deira and Al Ghurair both have a range of casual dining restaurants, along with the usual food court offerings. And if you’re interested in taking your meal not just by but on the water, try a Ramee Dhow Cruise, which combines a sightseeing tour of Dubai Creek with a generous Arabian buffet.

A recent arrival among Deira’s five-star hotels is the Centara Mirage Beach Resort on Dubai Islands. This spectacular beachside property features its own waterpark including a lazy river, waterslides and more. It also offers all-inclusive stays, making it perfect for a Deira beach break.

Near the Deira corniche is the Hyatt Regency Dubai, one of Deira’s landmarks thanks to its distinctive revolving restaurant, Al Dawaar. And closer to the centre are Swissôtel Al Ghurair and the Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre, both five-star hotels attached to two of Deira’s most famous shopping centres, Al Ghurair and City Centre Deira respectively.

There are also plenty of five-star hotels near to Dubai Creek, including the spectacular Park Hyatt Dubai, featuring Moroccan-style buildings set in lush gardens. And further towards the creek’s mouth are the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, Golden Sands Hotel Creek and Al Bandar Rotana Creek.

A fantastic four-star Deira hotel is the Hotel Riu Dubai on Dubai Islands, an all-inclusive spa hotel with a private beach. And also close to the Deira coast is the Wyndham Dubai Deira, offering sea views and superb facilities.

If you’re looking for views of Dubai Creek, the Hyatt Place Dubai Baniyas Square is just a stone’s throw from the waterway. Carlton Dubai Creek and Aloft Dubai Creek are other great four-star hotels close to the city's famous waterway.

For four-star hotels nearer to the centre of Deira, both the Copthorne Hotel Dubai and Novotel Dubai Deira City Centre are close to Deira’s main shopping mall, with J5 Hotels Port Saeed also nearby. And for a property with more in-room facilities close to City Centre Deira, the Somewhere Apartment Hotel is ideal for those wishing to cook or do laundry during their stay.

Deira has lots of appealing three-star hotels, with Days Hotel By Wyndham Dubai Deira and Super 8 by Wyndham Dubai Deira two options from the same group close to the corniche. Nearby is the Aparthotel Adagio Dubai Deira – perfect for those wanting a longer stay – while the ibis Styles Dubai Deira is ideal for access to the Gold Souk.

You can find two more sister properties in Deira, with the ibis Dubai Al Rigga in the heart of Al Rigga Road, and ibis Dubai Deira City Centre close to the shopping mall. Rove City Centre Dubai is one of the best three-star Deira hotels, and part of the Dubai-grown Rove hotel chain.

By public transport: As a major part of the city, Deira is very well-connected, with both the Red and Green lines of Dubai Metro running through it. If you’re coming from Downtown Dubai, head towards Union Station on the Red Line to get to the heart of Deira as well as Deira Creekside – or change here for the Green Line to reach the Gold Souk or other destinations.

Deira is also well-integrated within Dubai’s bus network, with the Gold Souk bus station one of the network’s main hubs. There are dozens of bus routes serving all parts of Deira, so use a route planner such as Google Maps or the RTA’s own journey planner.

By car: If you’re travelling from the Bur Dubai side of the creek, you can reach Deira via several routes: Infinity Bridge, Dubai Creek’s newest crossing, opened in 2022, or Al Shindagha Tunnel (route D92), both at the mouth of the creek; Al Maktoum Bridge (D78) or the Floating Bridge (D74), which take you into the heart of Deira, or Garhoud Bridge on E11, Dubai’s main arterial road.

Deira can be challenging to drive in because of its narrow streets and high levels of activity, which can often cause delays or jams, especially at rush hour – and also because of a lack of parking in the area. There are some multi-storey car parks in Deira, including one next to the Gold Souk, but on-street parking can be hard to find. An alternative to driving to Deira itself is to drive to Al Rashidiya Metro Station and use the free parking there – then catch the metro to Deira.

By taxi: There are generally plenty of taxis to be found in Deira, and drivers will know all the popular destinations in the area. However, taxis can also face the same traffic challenges as cars, particularly at peak times – leading to delays.