Incredible Outdoor and Adventure Activities to Try in Dubai

With so much investment and tourism infrastructure happening all over Dubai, it's no surprise that the city has been quick to develop a large range of activities to offer visitors and locals alike. Neighboring both the sea and the desert has given rise to countless adventure activities, ranging from the heart-stopping and adrenaline-heightening to kid-friendly offerings. It's no doubt Dubai has now become one of the adventure capitals of the world.

Sandboarding

With the city mostly surrounded by desert and towering sand dunes, it's no surprise the locals make use of it for leisure time. Virtually the same as snowboarding, only replacing the snow with sand, thrill seekers drive up the many dunes and use snowboards to navigate their way down. Unlike snowboarding however, the dunes are here all year round and you don't need to almost freeze to visit them.

For those that feel replacing snow with sand just doesn't cut it however, Ski Dubai is a huge indoor ski resort that maintains a constant temperature of around 0 degrees Celsius, despite the sweltering summer temperatures outside.

Skydiving

Often an adrenaline junkies favorite, the adventure capital of Dubai doesn't disappoint with its incredible skydiving activities on offer. You can either choose to be dropped above the beautiful man-made palm islands with stunning views out towards the city, or for a less scary alternative, above the desert outside of the city.

Indoor Skydiving

If plummeting half a kilometer through the sky still seems a step too far, Skydive Dubai also offer indoor skydiving experiences in a fully controlled environment. Using wind tunnels to propel air upwards and keep you in the air, it lets you get a feel for skydiving without the heart-skipping extras of the real thing.

Flyboarding

With Dubai being one of the world's most innovative cities, it's not surprising that the city has some equally cutting-edge extreme sports. Flyboarding is one of these new creations, a 'hoverboard' connected to a jet-ski engine, that allows it to propel itself into the air. Dubai and the surrounding region have been pioneers in this new technology and is one of the best places to try it out.

Desert Quad-biking

The silky desert sands provide the perfect terrain for quad-biking without much danger of injuring yourself. For those feeling confident, it allows you to explore the dessert terrain at your own pace.

Dune Bashing

If you're looking for a desert motor activity that's a little more intense, try going 'dune bashing' instead. This form of off-road driving is famous in Dubai, letting you drive over the dunes at intense speeds while 'bashing' the desert sands. The heavy SUV vehicles used make it perfectly safe, even if you manage to somehow topple the car over. If you're looking to try as many desert activities as you can, there are numerous tour packages that include dune bashing, sandboarding and more in the package, along with dinner or lunch in the desert.

Ziplining

Dubai might lack mountains or forests, but has never stopped its citizens from creating the same adventure activities. Instead of ziplining between trees or mountain peaks, the city offers an exhilarating ride through the towering skyscrapers of Dubai as you zipline between buildings. Unsurprisingly, the XLine at Dubai Marina is the world's longest urban zipline, taking you a kilometer through the skyline at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Conclusion

There's much more to Dubai than its glitzy malls and towering skyscrapers. There's a huge list of incredible things to do, mainly stemming from its location both next to the desert and the sea. For those looking for less adrenaline-pumping activities, camel riding and desert camping along with sailboat fishing off the coast or snorkeling amongst the coral are also popular.