Five reasons to book a Dubai holiday this year

Dubai has gone to great lengths to make the city one of the safest destinations in the world for travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Health is the number one priority and a several measures have been put in place to keep attractions sanitary and safe for all visitors. This has earned Dubai the Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council – one of the first destinations to receive this certification.

With winter officially underway, Dubai’s activities are moving outdoors too. Think incredible al fresco meals with the family and sunshine-fuelled trips to the beaches, waterparks and theme parks. Being out in the fresh air is one of the best ways to stay Covid-safe, making Dubai a great holiday option for everyone.

The pandemic may have slowed things down a bit over summer, but along with attractions and hospitality venues reopening, there are plenty of new launches to get excited about. Families will love the wildlife sanctuary Dubai Safari Park, complete with safari drives and animal feeding experiences. There's also the new Al Khawaneej Walk packed with restaurants and leisure attractions, and The Palm Fountain at The Pointe that puts on a water and light show like no other.

For a livelier experience, sample a mix of games, food and fun activities over two floors at Brass Monkey, a fabulous new venue on Bluewaters Island. Alternatively, Top Golf will open at Emirates Golf Club soon for a fun spin on the sport. It's easy to score and you don't need prior golfing experience, as players simply take aim and swing microchipped balls towards a giant dartboard on the field.

On the hotel front, The Manor by JA has been making a buzz thanks to its eco-friendly ethos. The highly-anticipated Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk hotel will open its doors soon, along with Brasserie Boulud by acclaimed Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud – just the latest celebrity chef restaurant in Dubai. Also coming up is the new Atlantis, The Royal Resort that will house Dinner By Heston Blumenthal from the inventive genius behind The Fat Duck. 

And further ahead, 2021 will see the return of much-anticipated events such as the Dubai Shopping Festival and Art Dubai. 

Dubai excels at thrilling experiences – especially outdoor ones. For a start, try your hand at go-karting in the mountains of Hatta, horse riding under the moonlight, cycling in the desert, or gear up for combat at gaming hotspot Battle Park at Last Exit. 

If that’s not enough, Dubai also boasts some truly hair-raising experiences – literally in the case of Skydive Dubai, where you can jump out of a plane either above Palm Jumeirah or the Arabian desert and plummet towards Earth before opening your parachute. For another amazing airborne experience, try urban ziplining at XLine Dubai Marina. Hold on tight as you zoom along one of the world's steepest and fastest ziplines at an average speed of 80km/h. You can also hang off the edge of a building, strapped to a harness almost 220m above Downtown Dubai, at the Sky Views Dubai attraction. 

If these sky-high experiences aren't for you, have a look at the city's many theme parks. From the all-ages fun of Legoland and its attached waterpark, to the Hollywood-inspired thrills of Motiongate and the glamour of Bollywood Parks, Dubai's amusement parks can keep families occupied for days.

And for watersports fans, the city offers everything from dive trips, fishing, jet-skiing and parasailing to serene boat cruises and floating inflatable obstacle courses. For a truly unique aquatic experience, head to Deep Dive Dubai. The world's deepest swimming pool for diving descends to 60 metres and contains 14 million litres of water, equivalent to six Olympic-sized swimming pools. There's even a 'sunken city' full of abandoned spaces to explore, offering a fun creative touch for a scuba experience unlike any other.

Best of all, these and many more activities are within easy reach of anywhere in the city, so you can pick and choose whatever takes your fancy.

One experience that should be on every visitor's Dubai itinerary is a trip to the desert. It's the perfect getaway and the desertscapes outside the city are majestic, awe-inspiring and full of life.

A safari is the ideal introduction to Dubai’s dunes. There are plenty of providers, but start with Platinum Heritage. The award-winning operator offers a range of authentic Arabian experiences within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Journey across the golden sands in a vintage Land Rover or luxury Range Rover, spot native animals such as gazelles and oryx, discover traditional falcon training techniques, enjoy an astronomy session under the stars, meet local Bedouin people, tuck into a delicious dinner and even stay overnight. 

Arabian Adventures also has a luxury overnight camping experience, as well as desert safaris, horse riding, dune buggies and more. Arrive at your camp by camel after an exciting dune drive, then enjoy dinner and a bonfire before a restful night's sleep and a desert wildlife safari the next morning. Or perhaps you'd rather see the sun rise over the vast desert from a bird's eye view. If so, Balloon Adventures takes you 4,000ft into the sky aboard a hot air balloon, which is fitted with a GoPro camera so you can treasure the memory forever.