Ride a dhow or walk the landscaped paths around the Dubai Marina. For 3 kilometres (2 miles), high-rise apartments and luxury resorts stand along a canal. High-end shopping and dining accompany this outdoor oasis in the middle of Dubai.

Dubai Marina is one of the largest man-made canal cities in the world. To build the canal, the land was dug away, allowing the gulf to flow into the interior of the city. Sail between the high-rises in a dhow, a traditional Arabian sailboat.

Walk along the shoreline through the walkways and parklands that abut the water. The Marina Walk runs along the water for 7 kilometres (4.5 miles) and encompasses the whole marina. Admire the speedboats and lavish yachts moored at the marina, and watch the ferryboats chug along the canal. At the end of your walk, drop by Jumeirah Beach to cool off in the Persian Gulf.

Spend the rest of your day shopping around the marina. The Dubai Marina Mall features more than 120 stores, plus an outdoor arcade of vendors called the Marina Market. Find it by stepping out behind the mall, where the market runs along the canal. It is open between October and April from Wednesday to Saturday. Sit in the outdoor terraces of one of the market’s many restaurants and eat dinner while enjoying the breeze.

From the mall, take the elevator up through the seven-storey Gourmet Tower. Cuisine varies by floor, so spend some time cruising up and down in the elevator before you make a decision. Head up to the top floor and look out onto the marina from above.

Located in western Dubai, the Dubai Marina is around 20 kilometres (13 miles) from downtown. Reach it by car along the Sheikh Zayed Road or take the red line on the Metro. A ferry loop passes through the marina and out to the Atlantis Hotel.