Dubai Marina & Jumeirah Beach Residences

With a 1.7 kilometre beach, a marina filled with luxury yachts and towering, futuristic skyscrapers, Dubai Marina and JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residences) never fail to impress.

Voted one of the 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world by the global editors of Time Out, it’s one of the city’s favourite social destinations for sun-soaked beach days and nights out, but the community feel makes it popular among young professionals and families alike.

There’s always something happening at The Beach opposite JBR, a beachfront boulevard studded with dining and retail. Fringed by a 600-metre running track and outdoor exercise equipment, weekends regularly host free events from fireworks, live music and street art performances to carnivals and freestyle BMX biking.

The waters buzz with aquatic action with parasailing, wake-boarding and banana boat rides aplenty, along with the world’s largest inflatable water park. But of course, you can always simply hire a sun bed and stay horizontal, or opt for a lazy camel ride along the beach.

Just across the road behind JBR, Dubai Marina is a waterfront city, the emerald-green waters framed by some of the tallest — not to mention some of the most architecturally impressive — residential towers in the world.

Foodies flock to Dubai Marina for sky-high dining with sparkling water views, while families can entertain the little ones at shaded play areas, with organised street festivals, open-air cinema and pop-up stalls held throughout the year.

After exploring the marina’s seven-kilometre, harbourfront pedestrian walkway, studded with a mix of al fresco restaurants, coffee shops and a waterfront mall, getting out on the water is a must. Consider chartering a luxury yacht for the day – a number of leading cruise companies have boats that depart from Dubai Marina and glide around the district, before heading out to the shimmering open waters of the Arabian Gulf.

Getting there: Metro users can alight at DAMAC Properties or DMCC stations, with connections to the Dubai Tram. Water taxis and the Dubai Ferry also service the neighbourhood with a few marine stops to choose from, including major ones like the Dubai Marina station and Dubai Marina Mall ferry station.