A different Dubai
Jumeirah runs along the coast from the edge of the old city towards the Burj Al Arab, in numbered districts: Jumeirah 1, 2 and 3, then Umm Suqeim. Behind the beach road it is almost all villas and gardens, with low walls, tall trees and very little above two floors.
Families have lived here for decades, and it shows: bakeries, schools, a mosque on most corners, and people walking their dogs in the evening. We put guests in Jumeirah when they want space, a garden and a beach they can walk to, and are happy to take a taxi to dinner.
The beaches
The beaches here are public and free. Kite Beach has a long running track, cafés and, on windy afternoons, the kites it is named after. The beach at Umm Suqeim, further south, has the view of the Burj Al Arab, and it is quietest just after sunrise.
La Mer, at the northern end, is a beachfront of restaurants and shops. It is better in the evening than at midday.
Where we would go
A walk or a short taxi from our Jumeirah homes.
- Kite BeachA morning run, then breakfast on the sand
- Jumeirah MosqueGuided visits for non-Muslims, booked ahead
- La MerThe beach in the evening, dinner after
- Etihad MuseumThe story of 1971, an hour well spent
- Al FahidiOld Dubai, fifteen minutes by car
Getting around
A car helps here, or a driver for the week. Taxis are easy to find on the beach road.
The Burj Al Arab stands off the beach at Umm Suqeim.
- Dubai InternationalAbout 20 minutes by car
- DowntownTen minutes by car
- Dubai MarinaAbout 25 minutes by car
- MetroRed Line, a short taxi inland
Next in the journal
Dubai, month by month. When the weather is kind, when the city is busy and when prices drop, from the cool weeks of January to Ramadan and the summer.
All the guides
