# Old Dubai (Dubai) > The lanes of Al Fahidi are barely two metres wide and empty at seven in the morning; by ten they are a tour route, and by noon the coral walls throw back heat like an oven. This page as HTML: https://www.noorlight.cc/destinations/old-dubai - Coordinates: 25.264, 55.298 - Nearest airport: DXB Old Dubai is the only part of the city where the backdrop is older than its visitors: wind towers, coral-stone walls, carved doors, the Creek with wooden abras and dhows moored three deep. It is also lived in and worked in, which is the planning constraint. Al Fahidi’s lanes are best from first light to about nine, before the tour groups; the souks across the water in Deira are the opposite — dead in the early morning, alive from late afternoon, and full of traders who do not want to appear in someone’s holiday album. We ask before a stall is in frame, and in the spice and textile souks we shoot the colours and the lane, not the vendors. The Creek is the connective tissue. An abra crosses from the Bur Dubai side to Deira in a few minutes for a small cash fare, and the crossing is both transport and a scene. Light on the Creek works in your favour from the Bur Dubai bank in the evening, when the Deira waterfront and its dhows take the low sun. Dress is modest throughout — shoulders and knees covered — out of respect, and because the mosques and heritage houses ask for it. ## When to go October to April, mornings in Al Fahidi and late afternoons on the Creek. In summer the lanes trap heat and still air — a 7 am start finishes by 8:30 or not at all, and the souks are a short air-conditioned dash. Fridays the area is quiet until after midday prayers, which suits Al Fahidi and does not suit the souks. During Ramadan the souks shift their hours into the evening. ## Photo spots ### Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood - Coordinates: 25.264, 55.3 - Best time: From first light until about 9 am - Access and permits: Free — public lanes; museums and galleries inside are separate Sand-coloured lanes, wind towers and wooden doors, close enough together that the light bounces off the walls into faces — the most flattering soft light in Dubai, for about two hours. After that the groups arrive and the walls start to radiate heat. Courtyard cafés and galleries are private; we ask before using a doorway. - **November–March**: The sun is low and from the south-east, so the lanes stay in open shade with bright walls overhead until mid-morning. A 7:30 start is early enough. - **May–September**: Sunrise is about 5:30 and the sun is overhead early; start at sunrise and expect the lanes to be shadowless by 8:30. ### Abra crossing, Bur Dubai to Deira - Coordinates: 25.265, 55.293 - Best time: The last hour before sunset - Access and permits: A small cash fare per person Wooden water-taxis with open sides, crossing every few minutes. The frames are on board, mid-Creek, with Deira lit by the evening sun behind you. Other passengers share the boat; for an uninterrupted crossing an abra can be hired privately for a short ride. - **November–March**: The low evening sun from the south-west lights the Deira bank and the moored dhows from the front from about 4:45 pm. - **June–September**: The crossing is cooler than the land, but the light only turns warm after 6:30 pm; the open boat is the breeziest place in Old Dubai. ### Deira Spice Souk and Old Souk - Coordinates: 25.267, 55.297 - Best time: Late afternoon, when the stalls are fully open - Access and permits: Free — public market; vendors’ consent before they or their stall are in frame Sacks of spice, dried limes, frankincense, and shaded passages with mixed light. It reads best as detail and colour with the couple moving through it. Traders are working and some will say no; we accept it and move on, and we never photograph shoppers. ### Al Seef - Coordinates: 25.261, 55.309 - Best time: Sunset into blue hour - Access and permits: Free — public waterfront A rebuilt Creek-side quarter of heritage-style houses with a long promenade and lanterns after dark. Wider and cooler than Al Fahidi, and easier for evening dress and families with pushchairs. The architecture is new; that is fine for a holiday gallery and worth knowing if authenticity matters to you. ### Dubai Creek dhow wharfage, Deira - Coordinates: 25.27, 55.301 - Best time: Seen from the Bur Dubai bank, late afternoon - Access and permits: Free from the opposite bank; the wharf itself is a working port Wooden cargo dhows still load here for Iran, Somalia and the Gulf ports. The wharf is a working port and not a place to pose; the dhows are a backdrop from across the water, where the evening sun lights their hulls. ## Covered at no travel charge Bur Dubai, Deira, Al Karama, Al Jaddaf, Dubai Creek Harbour, Al Rigga, Dubai Festival City ## Popular here - [Holiday photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/vacation.md) — from $180; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Couple photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/couple.md) — from $220; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Dubai photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/dubai-photoshoot.md) — from $190; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Solo travel photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/solo-travel.md) — from $180; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Family holiday photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/family-vacation.md) — from $220; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Sunrise photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/sunrise-photoshoot.md) — from $230; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Holiday video](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/holiday-video.md) — from $350; 2–3 min film + 60 s vertical reel within 2–3 weeks - [Reels & short video](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/reels.md) — from $290; 3 vertical reels, 15–60 s each within 3–5 days - [Instagram content shoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/instagram-content.md) — from $280; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Personal brand photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/personal-brand.md) — from $350; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours - [Honeymoon photoshoot](https://www.noorlight.cc/services/honeymoon.md) — from $240; 20 edited photos within 48–72 hours ## Frequently asked questions ### What should we wear in Old Dubai? Shoulders and knees covered, nothing sheer — flowing dresses, linen shirts, long skirts. It photographs well against the walls and avoids being asked to cover up. Flat shoes: the lanes are uneven and the abra steps are high. ### Can we photograph people in the souks? Only with their agreement. Photographing someone without consent is an offence in the UAE, and traders are entitled to refuse. We frame around strangers and ask before a vendor’s stall is a prominent part of a picture. ### Can we visit a mosque during the session? Not as a photo location. Mosques in Old Dubai are places of worship; Jumeirah Mosque runs a guided visit for non-Muslims that can be added on another morning, and that is the right way to see one. --- Noorlight · https://www.noorlight.cc