Creekside in Dubai, on the Bur side, an entire old town neighborhood has been lovingly preserved and restored.

In fact, the whole western bank of the Creek is a treasure of Emirati heritage, including the Bastakia Quarter, Dubai Museum, the Grand Mosque, Dubai Old Souq, and up to Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House in the Diving and Heritage Villages.

If you’re up for an evening stroll in the old Dubai – away from the modern shopping malls – this is the place to go!

Start with a boat ride – on Dubai’s public water transportation: the Abra boats. A couple of dirham will see you across the Creek, just like the locals used and still do.

The boats are traditional, and they are equipped with diesel engines. They criss-cross the Creek, taking just a few minutes to reach the other side.

This is the best way to start your exploration of the Dubai Creek!

Aim to descend at the Dubai Old Souq station, or further south, at Bastakia Quarter.

Here the buildings are built with bricks made of sea coral, as they were made traditionally.

It is a lively place, with shops and waterfront cafés.

And then there are several museums and traditional houses that the Dubai rulers have kindly opened for public viewing.

Inside you will find displays and exhibitions showcasing how life used to be in Dubai and the Emirates.

And if you head from south to north, you will emerge at a very pleasant large square showcasing the ingenious traditional wind towers – a lovely walk into Dubai’s rich history and heritage.

The Dubai Heritage Village is easy to find, here is an interactive map:

View Dubai Heritage in a larger map and download the GPS track coordinates here.