Dhow Cruises in Dubai: The 15 Best Trips on the Creek

1.Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Optional Dhow Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,288 reviews · 1 - 5 days · from $55Our pick

See Dubai from an open-top Big Bus on two routes covering Burj Khalifa, old Dubai, Jumeirah, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Marina. Choose 24 hours, 48 hours, or five days, with selected passes adding a dhow cruise, Lost World Aquarium, Dubai Frame, and desert sunset outing. Audio commentary comes in six languages, and mobile QR tickets are accepted.

“Great and very pleasant experience. Glenda helped us a lot and provided all necessary information, being very friendly and professional. Thank you!! Highly recommend the tour to everyone!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.City Sightseeing Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour & Dhow Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 678 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $68

Use a 1, 2, or 3-day City Sightseeing Dubai pass to reach landmarks from the Gold Souk to Atlantis The Palm. You get recorded commentary in 11 languages, a Dhow Cruise, and a Sunset and Night Tour. Two and 3-day passes also include Lost World Aquarium. Plan around traffic, which can greatly extend journey times.

“Was a great experience from start to finish , all excellent.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 612 reviews · 1h 45m · from $16

Sail Dubai Creek for 105 minutes aboard a traditional wooden dhow. Enjoy a buffet of local and international dishes, then watch live music, Tanoura dancing, and a puppet show. Meet staff in Ocean Express Floating Restaurant shirts opposite the British Embassy Dubai. Naushad has hosted some departures.

“Great activity, good selection of food. Good entertainment. Deffo worth the money”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Dinner Cruise in Dubai Marina onboard Alexandra Dhow

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 544 reviews · from $49

Board the refurbished wooden Alexandra Dhow at Dubai Marina Promenade for a roughly 1-hour-45-minute dinner cruise. You will enjoy an international buffet, soft drinks, tea, and coffee while passing Cayan Tower, JBR, Bluewaters, and Ain Dubai. Upper-deck seating gives the clearest city views, though the boat does not circle Palm Island.

“The cruise and staff were fantastic!!! The food was 1st class and served hot when the food is supposed to be! The cold food was also cold as expected and was perfect. The fees spent was excellent for the value! I would do this again if were staying longer!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.2-Hour Evening Dhow Cruise and Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 428 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $80

Enjoy a 2 to 3-hour evening cruise on a traditional Arabian dhow, with shared hotel pickup, an international buffet, Arabic treats, and views of Dubai Creek, Dubai Canal, or Dubai Marina. Expect a relaxed dinner on the water rather than a guided sightseeing tour. The boat’s route depends on availability.

“Pick-up was on time, food was average, but service and entertainment was very good! We had a very nice evening!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Desert Safari, City Tour & Dhow Cruise in Marina Enjoy In Dubai

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 313 reviews · from $110

See old Dubai, ride an abra across Dubai Creek, photograph Burj Al Arab and Atlantis, cruise Dubai Marina with dinner, then spend an evening dune bashing with a BBQ, camel ride, shisha, henna, and live shows. Hotel pickup, transport, and activity fees are included, with guides such as Shahid and Pankaj reported on some departures.

“Desert Safari was excellent and deserves 5 stars. Dubai City Tour was good and gets 4 stars. Dhow Cruise along the Marina was pathetic specially the rudeness and bad behavior of staff on the cruise, it gets no stars. Viator is further advisRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Dubai Dhow Dinner Cruise Marina with pickup drop option

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 248 reviews · from $37

Cruise Dubai Marina aboard a traditional dhow for about 90 minutes, passing the Yacht Club, Marina Towers, and Marina Mall. Choose standard or premium buffet dining, sit on the open upper deck or in air conditioning below, and watch a Tanoura performance. Hotel pickup and return are available for an added convenience.

“If I could give this experience a 0 I would. Where to begin. 45 minutes late for pickup. Food horrible and cold. Big deal we rode around the harbor, no entertainment except the group of 3 kids who kept yelling. When the driver dropped us off he told us we could walk back to tRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Dinner Dhow Cruise with Live Entertainment Al Seef

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 234 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $12Best value

Board a traditional dhow at Al Seef for a 1.5-hour Dubai Creek cruise with an open international buffet, unlimited water and soft drinks, Tanoura dance, music, and a puppet show. You will pass old souks, water taxis, and Dubai Creek Tower, with friendly service and strong value for a low-cost evening.

“Nice clean cruise, good food variety, friendly staff and good show. We enjoyed the views at night. Value for money”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.From Dubai/Sharjah/RAK: Dibba Musandam Trip & Dhow Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 232 reviews · 12 hours · from $65

Travel from Dubai, Sharjah, or Ras Al Khaimah into Oman’s Musandam for a full-day dhow cruise. Expect a shared boat, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, banana boat and speedboat rides, fishing, a limestone cave visit, buffet lunch, and refreshments. Guides speak English, Arabic, Hindi, and Russian. Bring a passport with six months’ validity.

“Winderful trip , beautiful scenic place. Great for swimming and water activities. Would highly recommend the cruise. Had a lot of fun”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Dhow Dinner Cruise on Creek or Marina with Live Shows

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 126 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $32

You’ll sail Dubai Creek or Dubai Marina on a traditional wooden dhow, with a buffet of local and international dishes, tea, coffee, sweets, fruit, and live music and dance. Choose a meeting point or optional Dubai hotel pickup. The cruise is listed as 1.5 hours, though some itinerary details indicate about two hours.

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Dubai Creek Luxury Dhow Dinner Cruise with Optional Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 123 reviews · from $72

Board a traditional wooden dhow at Al Seef for a roughly two-hour evening cruise along Dubai Creek. At 8:30 pm, you’ll see lit wind towers, minarets, bridges, and old Dubai waterfront scenes while enjoying an international buffet, coffee, tea, and bottled water. Hotel pickup may be added, but confirm entertainment and transfer details before booking.

“The boat is not maintained, look very poor. The food is avarage. No live show. We were very disappointed. Not value for money. I won't recommend this activity.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Dubai Creek Dhow Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 85 reviews · from $24

Board a traditional-style dhow at Al Seef for a one-hour Dubai Creek cruise. You’ll pass Maktoum Bridge, the Rolex Twin Towers, Infinity Bridge, and Heritage Village while watching abras and working boats. A chilled soft drink and Arabic music are included. Expect a simple sightseeing ride, not a full meal cruise or detailed guided tour every time.

“I booked a guided (English commentary) tour of Dubai Creek lasting 1 hr from 10.30 with water included. It was a disappointment on every element. I received a booking confirmation but no tickets. Thankfully a very helpful and friendly Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Marina Luxury Dhow Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 69 reviews · 2 hours · from $108

Spend two hours aboard a traditional wooden dhow in Dubai Marina, with views of Ain Dubai, JBR, Cayan Tower, and the Marina Yacht Club. You’ll receive Arabic coffee, dates, and rosewater hand cleansing before an international buffet with meat and vegetarian choices. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, with optional wine and beer.

“Food was not 5 star. We had a big group of Russians on board what ended in only Russian music.The only 5 star thing was our driver. Very good, friendly and supportive.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Musandam Khasab Day Trip and Dhow Cruise from Dubai

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 66 reviews · from $261

Travel from Dubai into Oman for a six-hour dhow cruise along Musandam’s fjord-like coast. You’ll watch for dolphins, snorkel near Telegraph Island, eat an Arabic buffet, and return by minivan. Plan for a long 12 to 14-hour day, bring your passport, and send a copy in advance for border authorization.

“a great leisurely trip. The transfer from Dubai to Al Khasab takes about 3 hours. Then you participate in a 6 hour show cruise around a fjord in the Munsandam peninsula, have to opportunity to swim and snorkle twice the water is very transparent and there's an abundance of fish, drink some coffee/tea, eat a tasty lunch and in general relax.”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Best 5-Star Dhow Dinner Cruise Dubai Marina Jack Sparrow

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 64 reviews · from $32

Cruise Dubai Marina aboard the Jack Sparrow Floating Restaurant for up to 90 minutes of skyline views, buffet dinner, soft drinks, music, and live cultural entertainment. The route passes Marina Mall, Pier 7, Bluewaters, JBR, Ain Dubai, and Skydive Dubai. Expect a budget-friendly evening, but note that juices cost extra and air conditioning may vary.

“The staff was really great and super nice. The tour of the marina is great and the buildings are really impressive. The meal is good and the show is great. We get priority boarding when we have reduced mobility. Heads up, the fruit juices aren't free!”

Check availability →Read our full review