Old Dubai is the historic trading town on both banks of Dubai Creek: Bur Dubai on the west side and Deira on the east, linked by AED 1 abra boats and the Green Line metro. This page explains how the area fits together, which quarters are worth your time, how to get in and around, and what older guides get wrong.
Dubai Creek (Khor Dubai) is a saltwater inlet that splits the old town in two. Before oil, dhows traded along it with Iran, India and East Africa, and the settlements on each bank grew into the districts visitors now call Old Dubai.
Bur Dubai, on the west bank, holds the restored heritage quarters: Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood with its wind-tower houses, Al Shindagha at the mouth of the Creek, the Textile Souk and the Al Seef waterfront. Deira, on the east bank, is the commercial side: the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, the Perfume Souk and the busy dhow wharves along Baniyas Road.
The two banks are a few minutes apart by abra, so most visitors see both in one outing. If you are deciding which side to base yourself on, our Deira vs Bur Dubai comparison covers hotels, atmosphere and transport side by side.
| Quarter | Bank | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood | Bur Dubai | Restored lanes of wind-tower houses, small museums, galleries and cafes | Free to walk |
| Al Shindagha | Bur Dubai | Heritage district at the Creek mouth, home of Al Shindagha Museum | Ticketed museum, check Dubai Culture |
| Textile Souk | Bur Dubai | Covered lanes of fabric, pashmina and souvenir shops by the abra station | Free to browse |
| Al Seef | Bur Dubai | Modern waterfront built in a heritage style, restaurants and an abra stop | Free |
| Gold Souk | Deira | Covered arcade of jewellery shops | Free to browse |
| Spice Souk and Perfume Souk | Deira | Spices, frankincense, oud and attar near Al Ras | Free to browse |
The best-preserved slice of pre-oil Dubai: coral-stone and gypsum houses with barjeel wind towers, shaded alleys, the Coffee Museum, art spaces and courtyard cafes. It is free to enter. See our Al Fahidi neighbourhood guide.
The fort beside Al Fahidi housed the Dubai Museum until it closed in 2021. It had not reopened as of September 2026. You can still see the exterior; for history exhibits, go to Al Shindagha Museum or see our Dubai museums round-up.
Wooden abras shuttle between the Bur Dubai and Deira stations throughout the day. The fare is AED 1 per person in cash. RTA also offers private abra charters, listed at AED 120 per hour as of September 2026. More in our Dubai Creek guide.
Deira's covered jewellery arcade is free to browse. Our Gold Souk visitor guide covers hours, directions and what to look at, and our separate page on buying gold in Dubai explains daily rates, making charges and VAT refunds.
A few lanes near Al Ras metro and the Deira Old Souk abra station, selling saffron, dried limes, frankincense and dried flowers. Prices are rarely marked, so haggling is normal. See the Spice Souk guide.
A newer waterfront promenade designed to echo old Dubai, with restaurants, shops and an abra stop. It is pleasant in the evening. Our Al Seef guide has the details.
Want a stop-by-stop plan? This page is the overview. For a ranked list of activities with timings, use our things to do in Old Dubai page; for a narrative walking route on the west bank, read our Bur Dubai walk.
Old Dubai is the historic core around Dubai Creek: Bur Dubai (including Al Fahidi, Al Shindagha and the Textile Souk) on the west bank, and Deira (including the Gold Souk, Spice Souk and Al Ras) on the east bank. It is not an official district name, just the common label for the pre-oil trading town.
No. The Dubai Museum inside Al Fahidi Fort has been closed since 2021 and had not reopened as of September 2026. Many older guides still list it with an AED 3 ticket, so ignore those. Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood next door remains open and free to walk around.
Take a traditional abra across the Creek. The standard crossing costs AED 1 per person, paid in cash to the driver, and takes a few minutes. RTA also runs other marine routes, and the Green Line metro connects both banks underground.
The Green Line serves both banks. On the Bur Dubai side, use Al Ghubaiba or Sharaf DG (the station formerly called Al Fahidi). On the Deira side, Al Ras is closest to the Spice Souk and Gold Souk station (formerly Palm Deira) is closest to the Gold Souk.
Half a day covers Al Fahidi, an abra crossing and a walk through the Deira souks. A full day lets you add Al Shindagha, a proper meal and Al Seef at sunset. Our things-to-do page has a detailed list if you want to plan stop by stop.
Tell us your dates and interests, and we will suggest which quarters to prioritise and how to link them up.
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