ATD | Dubai Experts: Dubai's Living Heritage

Dubai offers a remarkable variety of exotic sights and experiences for the tourist and photographer.

The Creek:
The Creek is a natural deep water inlet which cuts through the center of the city. It is the historical focal point of life in Dubai. A stroll along its banks is like a look back through hundreds of years of trade in the Gulf. Few visitors can fail to be captivated by the colorful scene and bustle of loading and unloading. Over the years, only the goods piled on the wharves have changed. Today, the dhows transport car tires, electrical gadgets, pick up trucks and even the occasional bus to destinations throughout the Gulf and as far a field as India and East Africa.

An attractive way to view the dhows is from an abra, one of the small water taxis that makes a 10 minute crossing of the Creek from the souks of Deira to those on Bur Dubai side. At the inland end of the Creek is a large shallow lagoon that has become a haven for migrating shore birds. Some 27,000 birds have been counted here at one time during the autumn migration. The most spectacular are the many greater flamingoes that have made the area their permanent home.