Dubai Creek Harbour

Dubai Creek Harbour is the city's newest waterfront district, and it has one of the finest free views in Dubai. It lies on the eastern bank of the upper Creek, where the water widens toward the Ras Al Khor wetlands, directly across from the Downtown skyline; from the promenade the Burj Khalifa rises above the water at the centre of a row of towers, with the city lights doubling in the Creek after dark. The district is still growing, with residential towers, hotels and offices, but the waterfront is open and well made: a long, landscaped promenade along the Creek, a marina lined with restaurants and cafes, playgrounds, cycle paths and public art. The Viewing Point, a raised deck facing Downtown, is the classic place for photographs. Art trails thread through the district, and boat tours and kayak trips leave from the marina, giving you a different perspective of the skyline from the water. The atmosphere is calm and residential compared with Downtown or the Marina, and it is a pleasant place for an evening walk and dinner with a view. Next to the district, the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary protects mangroves and lagoons where flamingos gather in the cooler months; the sanctuary is being developed as a major eco-tourism project, so check access to its bird hides before planning a visit. Creek Harbour is free to visit. Fit: couples looking for a sunset walk, photographers, families who want a quiet promenade, and anyone who has seen Downtown from the inside and wants to see it from across the water.

The district was planned around the idea of a new city centre by the Creek, and parts of that plan are still to come, so expect construction cranes on the skyline and some empty plots. That does not matter much for visitors, because the finished waterfront is the part you came for. Hotels such as Vida Creek Harbour and the Address make it possible to stay here, with infinity pools facing the skyline, and the restaurants along the marina are good for a relaxed meal.

How to do it well: arrive about an hour before sunset, walk the promenade toward The Viewing Point, and stay for the blue hour as the towers light up. Bring a camera with a zoom or a small tripod if you take photography seriously. In the cooler months, take an evening boat tour or kayak trip from the marina for the view from the water. Look out over the wetlands for flamingos; binoculars help. There is limited shade on the promenade in the daytime, so in warmer months come in the evening.

Getting there: the easiest way is by taxi or ride-hailing car, about fifteen minutes from Downtown and Deira, longer at rush hour. There is parking in the district. Combine Creek Harbour with an afternoon at the Dubai Frame or in old Dubai, then come here for sunset and dinner; or pair it with the Burj Khalifa on the same day to see the tower from top and from afar.