Dubai has half of TripAdvisor's top 10 best views in Middle East

Abu Dhabi and Al Ain also rank highly among cities with exceptional vistas

1. Visitors to Dubai Mall take pictures of Burj Khalifa. The view from the observation deck in the world's tallest tower has been ranked as the best in the Middle East. Chris Whiteoak / The National

2. The Dubai Fountain.

3. Burj Al Arab. Chris Whiteoak / The National

4. A Dhow is seen at Doha Bay next to the Museum of Islamic Art at sunset. Getty Images

5. A resident jogs along the Doha Corniche. Bloomberg

6. The Dubai Frame. Victor Besa / The National

7. The view from Observation Deck at 300 at Etihad Towers. Photo: Jumeirah at Etihad Towers

8. Dhows unloading and loading items on Dubai Creek. Reem Mohammed / The National

9. A view of the Jebel Hafeet mountain on the outskirts of Al Ain. Silvia Razgova / The National

10. Overcast skies at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Five spots in Dubai have earned a place in the top 10 locations with the best views in the Middle East, with attractions in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain also named in a new analysis of reviews on TripAdvisor.

In a study compiled by US remittance company Remitly, Burj Khalifa takes the crown for its breathtaking views in the region, followed by the Dubai Fountain, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Frame and Dubai Creek.

The Observation Deck at 300 in Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain round off the spots in the UAE to make it into the top 10.

Fireworks are shot from Burj Khalifa during its opening ceremony on January 4, 2010. Jeff Topping / The National

Tom Cruise climbs Burj Khalifa in ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’. Photo: Paramount Pictures

Downtown Dubai as taken in 2012 by the Pleiades satellite. Photo: European Space Agency

A web of lightning forms over Burj Khalifa on January 14, 2009. Paulo Vecina / The National

A shot of Burj Khalifa from the City Walk shopping district on April 2, 2016. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

The Moon, in its first quarter phase, starts to set on August 16, 2010. Jeff Topping / The National

A misty morning in Dubai. Getty

Window cleaners lower themselves from the 111th floor to the 73rd. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Since its completion, Burj Khalifa has held the record as the world’s tallest building. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Rawda Al Abrar Mosque in the foreground at sunset. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Burj Khalifa lights up to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars on February 9. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The skyscraper is barely visible on a rare overcast day. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Burj Khalifa as seen across the creek, from the InterContinental hotel in Dubai Festival City in 2011. Pawan Singh / The National

A view of the tower from Downtown Dubai in 2020. Pawan Singh / The National

Lasers light up the sky in Dubai. Christopher Pike / The National

Fireworks are released from the building’s surface to mark the new year. EPA

Burj Khalifa also makes it to No 4 in a global ranking, led by New York City skyscraper attraction Top of the Rock.

Remitly says it analysed more than 1.4 million TripAdvisor reviews to come to the conclusion. The study covered 253 cities around the world as well as all 50 states in the US.

Using the ‘Things to Do’ section of the TripAdvisor website, the attractions in each location with the highest number of mentions of "view" in their reviews were ranked as providing the best view for the specific location.

Results where the term "view" was used negatively or for another context, such as a sports stadium offering a good view of the pitch, were omitted from the final results, the company said. The data used was based on reviews as of May 2022.

The view from Burj Khalifa's observation deck was mentioned more than 28,000 times while the view at the Dubai Fountain had 9,285 mentions. Two spots from Doha, Qatar, also made it to the top 10, with both the Museum of Islamic Art and the Doha Corniche featuring on the list.

Top 10 best viewpoints in the Middle East:

1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai — 28,518 mentions
2. The Dubai Fountain, Dubai — 9,285
3. Burj Al Arab, Dubai — 2,516
4. Museum of Islamic Art, Doha — 1,437
5. The Doha Corniche, Doha — 1,251
6. Dubai Frame, Dubai — 1,121
7. Observation Deck at 300, Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi — 1,090
8. Dubai Creek, Dubai — 1,059
9. Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain — 1,041
10. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi — 936

Globally, the spot with the best views went to Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Centre in New York City, with more than 42,000 reviewers praising its great views. The London Eye, the Eiffel Tower and Australia's Victoria Peak also make it to the top 10.

Top 10 best viewpoints in the world:

1. Top of the Rock, New York City — 42,552 mentions
2. London Eye, London — 34,975
3. Eiffel Tower, Paris — 32,875
4. Burj Khalifa, Dubai — 28,518
5. Victoria Peak (The Peak), Hong Kong — 21,524
6. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh — 16,896
7. Guinness Storehouse, Dublin — 15,590
8. High Roller, Las Vegas — 15,535
9. Diamond Head State Monument, Hawaii — 15,191
10. Charles Bridge, Prague — 13,685

Remitly said it conducted the research to help people identify some of the best spots in their new neighbourhood when moving.

“Whether you’ve moved somewhere new or are just visiting somewhere for the first time, getting a good view of a place can be a great way to get a feel for the location, and give that satisfying feeling that you’ve truly ‘arrived’," said Jago McKenzie, principal business manager at Remitly.

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