Photograph wild flamingos at the Ras Al Khor hide

Every holiday home rented to visitors in Dubai needs its own permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism. Ask the host for the permit number before you pay, and check that the unit you are given matches the one in the listing. Keep payment and messages inside the booking platform. If a listing has no permit…

XVA Art Hotel occupies a restored 19th-century wind tower house of the Seddiqi family in the Al Fahidi neighborhood and opened as a hotel in 2003. Its rooms were each styled with regional designers, and an art gallery and an alfresco vegetarian cafe sit in the courtyards. The hotel has only about 15 rooms, so book…

Global Village is a seasonal outdoor park that opens each year in mid-October and runs to around May, with country pavilions, food stalls and shows. It opens in the afternoon and runs late, with closing an hour later at the end of the week. Dress modestly, leave bikes, scooters and pets at home, and remember that…

Ripe Market runs on weekends through the cooler months, roughly October to early May, and the current season is held at Dubai Police Academy Park in Umm Suqeim. Independent makers sell handmade gifts, home decor and fresh produce, and food trucks and coffee stands fill the paths. Check the organiser's page for the…

Dubai Jazz Festival is a multi-night open-air event at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, with international headliners and supporting acts across jazz, blues, R&B and more modern styles. Recent editions were announced for around February, with line-ups and dates published only shortly before. Follow the festival's…

Dubai Opera in Downtown Dubai stages opera, ballet, musicals, Arabic music and comedy across a long season, so check the programme for something that fits your dates. Guests are asked to avoid overly casual or provocative clothes, such as shorts or flip-flops, and those who do not comply can be refused entry. Book…

The Textile Souk in Bur Dubai, a short walk from Al Fahidi metro station, sells silk, cotton, cashmere, linen and heavily embroidered fabric. A few shopkeepers can be insistent at the doorway, so smile, keep walking and compare two or three stalls before you bargain, which is expected. Late afternoon gives the best…

The Spice Souk in Deira is a working market where sacks of saffron, frankincense, dried limes and cardamom line the covered lanes. Vendors let you smell before you buy, and bargaining is normal: start around half the first price and raise it slowly. Many shops close informally in the early afternoon, so visit in the…