Emirates has launched direct flights from Dubai to Miami with the airline now flying visitors between the cities four times per week. Now that you can easily travel direct to Miami from Dubai, the famed city may be worth adding to your visit list.
Known for its white sandy beaches, endless sunshine and thriving arts scene, Miami has something for everyone.
The National travelled on Emirates' first direct flight to the Dubai airline's newest destination in the US on July 22.
After spending time exploring the city and checking out what there is to do and see, we have rounded up five of the coolest things you won't want to miss on a trip to Miami.
From world-renowned street art and immersive museums, to escaping into a nature-filled wonderland, here's our round-up of Miami must-dos:
Street art at Wynwood Walls
Whether you're an art connoisseur or are simply seeking a cool background for your holiday pictures, Wynwood is the place to go.
A little over 10 minutes drive from downtown Miami, this funky neighbourhood is full of colour.
Street art, murals and graffiti plaster the pavements, building facades and walls.
Also known as "The 305", in reference to its area code, the Wynwood neighbourhood has some of the best street art, not only in Miami, but in the world.
Conceived in 2009 by Tony Goldman, the late real estate visionary who also helped put New York's SoHo on the map, Wynwood Walls has transformed the former warehouse district of Wynwood into something much bigger.
Since its inception, the Wynwood Walls programme has hosted over 50 artists from 16 countries, with each adding their own mark to more than 7,400 square metres of wall space.
Every day, thousands of visitors flock to this former industrial zone of Miami to immerse themselves in the art and take pictures beside the colourful walls.
Official guided tours can be booked here: https://thewynwoodwalls.com/officialtours
Superblue Miami
A 14-minute drive from downtown Miami is the city’s newest museum, Superblue Miami. Having only opened in May, the destination is already building something of a following among both locals and visitors.
When visitors step inside the museum, they'll be fully immersed inside the art on display.
During The National's visit, the museum was hosting an interactive installation of soap bubble clouds created by teamLab, an international art collective.
Titled Massless Clouds Between Sculpture and Life, a white mass of soapy bubbles represents the visualisation of energy. Touching and engaging with the sculpture breaks the artwork, encouraging guests to think about the cause and effect of interaction and the regeneration of living things.
Clouds aside, the museum offers several other immersive works including brilliant digital floral patterns, a mirrored labyrinth and multisensory journeys.
Tickets start from $36 and are available here.
The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
For a look at a quintessential grandiose Miami home, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a good choice. Previously known as Villa Vizcaya, it's the former estate of businessman and socialite James Deering.
A tribute to the Italian Renaissance, the mammoth estate dates back to the early 20th century and the ornate mansion still has much of the original furnishings and artwork inside.
Located just a six-minute drive from downtown Miami, it's well-worth a visit if you want to see one of Miami's Mediterranean Revival-style buildings in almost full former glory.
After enjoying the architecture and interiors, take in the Miami sunshine with a walk around the formal gardens. You might even bump into a newly married couple as you stroll, as the estate is super popular for wedding photoshoots.
You can buy tickets here.
Little Havana
Little Havana is the heart of Miami’s Cuban diaspora. The vibrant neighbourhood is packed full of Latin-inspired restaurants, cigar shops and original art galleries.
Its festivals, including the Calle Ocho Music Festival, Viernes Culturales and the Three Kings Parade are televised to millions of viewers every year on different continents, although Covid-19 related restrictions have greatly reduced the festivities of late.
If you are craving a great coffee, a Cubano sandwich or are keen to find out more about Miami's Cuban history and how the city became the Latin hub of Florida, a guided tour around Little Havana is the answer. Well-informed locals escort visitors on a walking tour of the area’s storied past, pointing out some of the must-see spots and revealing a few secrets along the way.
The Everglades National Park
About an hour’s drive from downtown Miami, a Florida-style rendezvous with nature awaits.
The Everglades National Park is a world-famous 600,000-hectare wetlands preserve on the southern tip of the state and it's the place to go when you want to get wild.
Visitors can hop on a boat and cruise through the coastal mangroves at the park. This place is a habitat for numerous rare and endangered species including manatees, American crocodiles, and the elusive Florida panther. Alligators and dolphins are also commonly spotted.
Depending on which area of the park you go to, you can try different outdoor activities. Climb the observation tower at Shark Valley, explore the pinelands by bike or trek into the heart of a cypress dome and canoe along the 160-kilometre-long Wilderness Waterway.
Find out more and book tickets or permits here.
For more information on visiting Miami, check out our travel guide with tips on where to stay, what to eat and what to do.
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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More on animal trafficking
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
Oppenheimer
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