Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa: Worth The Hype?

Let’s see of these viral spots in the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa are worth the hype! From the multitudes of indoor amenities and cafes in Dubai Mall to some of the best views of the city from the top of the Burj Khalifa, we try some of the most famous tourists spots everyone visits in Dubai. What’s worth the hype, and whats not?

My First Time in Dubai: Exploring Famous “Tourist Traps”

It’s my first time in Dubai, so let’s visit the most identifiable landmarks in the city: Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. This time, I’m here as a keynote speaker for the 1 Billion Summit. I’m so honored to be invited! I was so so nervous, but I’m glad I pushed through, because I also got to meet some of my favorite creators. It was truly a life changing experience!

After the summit, it’s time to travel Dubai! I am not ashamed to admit that since this is our first time here in Dubai, we really want to do all the famous tourist traps. If there’s one thing that I’m always traveling for, that is good food. So today, I want to let you guys know if some of these viral spots are worth the hype.

Attractions and Foods at Dubai Mall

If you ever visit Dubai and need a place to get your steps in, you have to come to the Dubai Mall. I was genuinely blown away by how massive this mall is. We did over 15,000 steps just walking around this one mall. It has possibly every brand you can think of! Even if you don’t like shopping, there’s so much to see and do. When I say they have everything, I mean everything from a dedicated Chinatown with lots of yummy food to random how is this even here installations, like their indoor waterfall.

Indoor Waterfall

Walking in from the promenade, you’ll see the Human Waterfall, a 4-story indoor waterfall. Every time I see it, I’m just in shock of how they managed this indoors. The water feature is dotted with life-size fiberglass human diver figures descending through cascading water from the ceiling. It reflects Dubai’s transformation from a fishing and pearl diving village to a modern big city.

Dubai Ice Rink

I cannot believe that there’s an Olympic-size ice rink in the middle of the mall! This rink is used by both the public and by professional ice skaters for training and private lessons. They offer public skating sessions, “Snowfall” session with artificial snow, and evenlive disco DJ skate events as well! The admissions include skate rentals and socks, with another skate shop for buying more gear. They’re open from 10 am to 10 pm, with extended hours to 11:45 PM on Friday to Sunday.

Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

They also have a full-blown aquarium, right inside the mall! The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo has the world’s largest suspended aquariums at 10 million liters, built so it can be viewed from multiple floors. Inside the aquarium, there’s also a 48-meter tunnel where you can walk through and see the sea life swim over you. The exhibits are split into Rain Forest, Rocky Shore, and Living Ocean, where they exhibit animals like crocodile, otters, penguins, sharks, and more. There are also shark dives, cage snorkeling, meet and greets, and glass-bottom boat tours for an additional fee.

Yummy Cakes at L’eto

For a little coffee break, we stopped by L’eto on the 2nd floor of the Mall. I honestly never knew how big the cafe culture is here in Dubai. Everywhere you go, there are beautiful coffee shops packed with lots of people. Walking in, L’eto has a beautiful dining area and a big display of pastries and cakes that all look so pretty.

We ordered an iced Rose Spanish Latte (47 AED), which came in a little flask with ice and a cute little pitcher of milk. I didn’t realize this until I got here, but the people here drink two to four cups of coffee per day. With such a beautiful presentation and delicious flavor, it’s no suprised they love the coffee culture here. I got a Lemon Mint Soda (39 AED), which was so refreshing that it became one of many I had on this trip!

Not only do the desserts here look good, they also taste absolutely amazing. We got the Dulce Le leche (49 AED), a light sponge cake soaked in 3 different kinds of milk, topped with condensed milk whipped cream, and fresh berries. We also grabbed a Napoleon Cake (59 AED), a puff pastry dessert layered with fresh cream and blueberry jam. The cakes were beautiful AND absolutely delicious, but we really love the Napoleon Cake!

L’eto was absolutely worth the hype, and a perfect coffee break for us! I was so surprised about was how big the coffee culture here in Dubai. Next time I come back to Dubai, I really want to dedicate an entire day just to cafe-hop all around the city.

Klay by Karan House

Another thing that I really, really wanted to try and have been seeing all over social media is Klay by Karan House. This modern and super creative Emirati cafe in Dubai Mall is known for their iconic paratha burgers, sweet buns, and karak chai, a spiced milk tea. You can see their staff busy at work through their open kitchen making and grilling those golden-brown parathas non-stop.

We here’s today for their most famous paratha smash burgers (39 AED). The crispy, flaky parathas are halved and paired with cheesy, juicy beef patties, all tied together with that iconic In-N-Out inspired sauce. I was a little bit worried that it would be a little bit too oily or heavy, it was literally perfectly balanced, a match made in heaven. The burger was so satisfying and not overwhelming at all.

Rather than a typical paper bag you’re expecting with a burger, these are wrapped in a clear plastic bag with a stylish little paper holder that makes it look more like pastries. Their paratha burgers are definitely a 10 out of 10. I would highly recommend trying Klay if you’re ever in Dubai Mall. This place definitely lived up to all the hype!

Where We Got The Best Views of Burj Khalifa

Waterfront Promenade

Of course, the spot everyone loves for viewing the Burj Khalifa is the Dubai Mall’s Waterfront Promenade. It’s the main outdoor plaza where everything happens. You’ve got the Dubai Mall and aquarium on one side, the Burj towering over you on the other, and the Dubai Fountains right in the middle. It’s basically the ultimate ‘tourist hub’ where you can hop from shopping to the restaurants to the top of the tower without ever leaving the area.

All around the promenade, there’s a ton of beautiful art installations, from the fountain to various sculptures. Starting at 6 PM, the Dubai Fountain Show runs every 30 minutes. This is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system, and a spectacle to see for sure. At night, everything’s lit up and it’s truly a beautiful sight. But, this area can be pretty packed with tourists at all times. If you’d rather avoid the crowds, I’ve got a not-so-secret spot coming up for you next!

Dubai Mall Secret Spot

If you come to the Dubai Mall, I have a secret spot for great views with a lot less tourists. To get there, you have to go to the Apple Store and walk out to their balcony. You’ll actually get a really good view of the fountain and the promenade. It’s not too crowded, so you won’t get a ton of other people in your photos. And, you can see the Burj Khalifa right there!  

Urla: Burj Light show and Aegean Dinner

So, for dinner, we decided to go to the famous Urla Restaurant and Lounge, known for their iconic views of Burj Kalifa and the Dubai Fountain. Yes, I know this is definitely one of those restaurants where you may be mostly paying for the views rather than the food or service. But, I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy some of their dishes.

Their menu focuses mainly on Mediterranean cuisine. Here’s what we ordered:

• Tuna Tartare (160 AED): Bluefin Tuna, Avocado, Ponzu
• Aegean Crudo (275 AED): Turkish Sea bass, Aegean Sauces Experience
• Truffle Rigatoni (190 AED): Rigatoni with Fresh Black Truffles
• Lobster Linguine (340 AED): Lobster Bisque, Cherry Tomato, Basil
• Coco Loco (75 AED): Passion Fruit, Coconut Ice Cream, Popping Candy

My favorite dish was definitely their Aegean Crudo, which is honestly an explosion of fresh, vibrant flavors in every single bite. The Turkish sea bass is served raw with three sauces: mandarin, tomato, and truffle. Each sauce has a salt that also matches it. You take a spoon, put on 1-2 piece of fish, drizzle with a little sauce and a little salt. The fish is super super fresh, and it takes a bit smoky.

This is where we truly got the best view of the Burj Khalifa. If you didn’t know, the Burj Khalifa light show actually happens every night right after sunset, running every 30 minutes. So throughout our whole dinner, we caught so many different variations. Every time the lights came on, I still got that little tingly feeling in my stomach. Like, is this really real life? Would I come to Urla again? Probably not. But, it was definitely a dinner that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful that I got to experience this!

Breakfast At Burj Khalifa

There’s no other landmark in Dubai as iconic as Burj Khalifa, so we clearly have to visit. Rather than waiting in the long lines for the observation deck, we opted to admire the views while enjoying some breakfast. Of course, we all know that it is the tallest building in the world at 828 meters. But, here’s a few more fun facts about it:

• It has one of the fastest elevator systems in the whole entire world, getting you to the top in under 1 minute.
• Up here, it’s actually usually 6° cooler than on the ground.
• The bulding is designed to be flexible so it can safely bend with the wind instead of snapping under the pressure. So, you can actually feel the building gently moving at all times. It sounds a little bit scary, but it was completely normal and safe. 

Atomsphere

Today, we’re having breakfast at Atmosphere, one of the most iconic restaurants located on the 122th floor of the Burj Khalifa. For our breakfast, we opted for the Atmosphere Breakfast Decadence at 450 AED per person, their set includes 3 courses with various options, but we chose:

• Cold Platter: Assorted fruits, cheese, pickles, croissants, jams, and waygu charcuterie
• 2 Eggs Your Style: with Vienna Sausage, Rosti Potatoes, Mushroom Puree, Vine Tomato, Truffle Foam, Mixed Salad
• Waffles: Chocolate Chantilly, Maple Syrup, Raspberry, Luwark Ice Cream

On the side, we ordered the Lobster Scrambled Eggs (325 AED), with caviar, veal bacon, truffle oil, and Hollandaise Sauce. Once again, this is definitely one of those experiences where you’re paying for the views where you’re literally dining above the city. To be completely honest, this was probably the worst meal we had in Dubai the whole trip. Food aside, the views were absolutely stunning and so worth it.

Seeing Burj Khaifa in person, especially from this height, makes it feel even more magical. Would I come here again and recommend this place to anyone? Probably not. But, comparing the wait time and ticket prices for the conservation deck at the top and the minimum 100 AED spend for breakfast here, I do think it’s worth it. Nevertheless, Burj Khalifa, you are absolutely stunning and definitely a memory that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.