What’s new at La Mer? Dubai’s most Insta-friendly beach spot

We were among the first to dip our toes in the waters at La Mer, Meraas’s Dubai beach lifestyle destination, when it opened last year, and since then we have seen it grown into one the most Instagrammable beach spots in the city, and, the Dubai public beach of choice. There are a huge amount of activities in La Mer, with an increasing number of restaurants and amenities to offer for a great, family-friendly day out.

activities in la Mer

There was already plenty of things to do in La Mer to keep you busy for an entire day, from restaurants with international cuisine, designer ice cream outlets, options for retail therapy, and of course, swimming, soaking up the sun and getting that perfect ‘Gram shot in front of the brightly painted wooden boats, bucket showers and beach huts. Now, Meraas have added even more options to keep you amused. With news that a new attraction, Laguna Water Park, is to open in May, let’s check out the new things to do in La Mer that are already open.

‘new india’ meets the world at masti

With a name that means ‘fun and mischief’ in Hindi, what could be more diverting than a trip to Masti, one of the new restaurants in La Mer which is licensed. The first obvious highlight of Masti are its sea views, with plenty of opportunities for ‘people watching’ from your vantage point on the licensed restaurant’s colourfully decorated terrace. Nominally, Masti offers cuisine from ‘New India’, but you will find influences from around the world intertwined with Indian spices. What could be nicer than sitting right on a Dubai beach with a cool beverage and delicious fusion cuisine?

hang out with the cool kids at STAR ‘N’ BARS

This licensed celeb-friendly Monaco hang-out, which already has a sister branch in Abu Dhabi, has now opened a new outlet at La Mer. The early buzz is that the La Mer branch is a lot more food-focused than the Capital-based branch, with a high-end twist on all-American classics including burgers, nachos, and onion rings. Expect kooky vintage decor, DJ sets and an opportunity to hang out with the bright young things of Dubai in this California-style beach bar.

more foodie options

The good people behind La Mer clearly know their audience, as there are now eateries to suit every taste, so whatever your taste, you will have no difficulty finding restaurants in La Mer to suit them. From Amorino to Zou Zou, La Mer has you covered from Italian gelato to tasty Lebanese cuisine when it comes to breakfast, lunch or dinner time, or anything in between. You will also find popular chains PF Changs, Texas Roadhouse, Five Guys and Big Smoke burger joints, pancake restaurant Creptastic, food truck converts The Inventing Room, Pretzel World and Roti Rollers. The phrase “spoilt for choice” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

bounce by the beach at hawa hawa

There are plenty of activities in La Mer to keep the little kids and the kids-at-heart amused, but Hawa Hawa is perhaps one of the most amusing of the bunch, a trampoline park billed as ‘the inflatable playground for children, teenagers and adults that can’t sit still!’ There are numerous similar parks all over the Japan, where the idea originated, and the Dubai version is the first outside East Asia. It is the perfect energy burner for children, or adults, who would rather get active than sit around soaking up the sun.

The inflatables are made from durable, all-weather double skin tensile membrane, and it’s a fun, safe environment to get some cardiovascular exercise. Even the most cynical of beach-goers won’t notice the heat when they’re bouncing. The attraction, which covers more than 19,000 sqft, is made up of two ‘dunes’, a large one and a small one for children aged six and under to get their balance without being bumped by an over-enthusiastic older bouncer.

Tickets cost AED 25 for a 15-minute session, with an extra AED 5 for socks to help keep things hygienic. Children aged 12 and under will need to be supervised by an adult. If you are looking for more activities to keep the kids busy, check out our post on kids activities in Dubai.

get out on the ocean with watersports

We are fortunate in Dubai that we have calm coastal waters and temperate conditions for the large part of the year, making it a great place for trying your hand at a wacky new watersport to keep yourself occupied on long summer days. There are now plenty to choose from at La Mer, so plan your day accordingly depending on your preference.

If you are an adrenaline junkie or don’t mind the constant buzz of jetskis, visit La Mer’s North Beach to try jet skiing, flyboarding, wakeboarding and wake surfing. Or, if you prefer a slightly slower, pedal-powered approach to your activities in La Mer, nip over to the South Beach for stand-up paddle boards, waterbike, pedalos, kayaks and float rentals. Personally, we can’t wait to try the pedalo with slide, or rent a giant inflatable unicorn, swan or flamingo so we can really take to the waves in style.

shop by the sea

Shopping might not be first on your list when you are thinking of activities in La Mer, but as you might expect from a new beach in Jumeirah, there are plenty of places to indulge in some high-end retail therapy, and you will find some quirky spots for shopping at La Mer. With all the stylish souls pounding the beachfront boardwalk, you will probably start feeling the need for some cool new beachwear to help you keep up with the beautiful people. Self-proclaimed ‘Beach Boutique’ Hamac has a range of swimsuits and kaftans to suit beachgoers of every description, as well as fun beach accessories including giant fruit-shaped inflatables, sun hats, towels, beach chairs and more. So don’t panic if you’ve forgotten your suit, sun hat, beach toys or flipflops.

You will have your pick of designer sunglasses and swimwear, with Trina Turk, Sun Eye, and there’s also the achingly cool Via Rodeo selling creations by independent urban designers. Cosmetics fans will soon be able to top up their supplies as La Mer also promises a branch of Sephora, opening soon.

What’s your favourite thing of all the things to do at La Mer? Have you found a more Instagrammable spot in Dubai yet? Let us know in the comments below. Or, if all this talk of the seaside has got you hankering after a place by the sea, check out our property listings in Jumeirah or JBR to see what’s on offer. Or, read our previous posts to find out what to look for in an Abu Dhabi beachfront property or a Dubai beachfront property.