Jump To My Reviews

There are 200 pavilions at Expo 2020. 192 of those are countries, the other 8 are specialty pavilions. They take between a few minutes and up to an hour to experience in full.

I visited the following pavilions in order, over two days:

Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion, New Zealand, Turkey, Canada, Korea, Alif – Mobility Pavilion, Australia, Oman, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Russia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Iraq, Norway, Pakistan, Lebanon, Indonesia, Dubai Cares, Saudi Arabia, Palestine

Kuwait, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Mexico, Algeria

Pavilions that I missed out on, but were on my list:

UAE, Egypt, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Yemen, Afghanistan

Which Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions to visit:

From my experience, I would suggest Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as pavilions that everyone should visit. I thought Australia, Oman, Mexico, Dubai Cares, Russia, Indonesia, Jordan and the Alif Mobility pavilions were worthwhile as well. The Terra Sustainability pavilion was educational for anyone not versed with the issues facing the planet currently.

My reviews of Expo 2020 pavilions

My experiences of the following pavilions may not be the same as others. Both days were mid-week, and I arrived around midday on both occasions. As such, the queues were significantly shorter for most of the time. I have heard that evenings on the weekend are vastly different, so take that into account.

Terra - Sustainability Pavilion, New Zealand, Turkey, Canada, Korea, Alif – Mobility Pavilion, Australia, Oman, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Russia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Iraq, Norway, Pakistan, Lebanon, Indonesia, Dubai Cares, Saudi Arabia, Palestine

Kuwait, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Mexico, Algeria

Must See Expo 2020 Pavilions

Worth A Visit Expo 2020 Dubai Pavilions

OK Expo 2020 Dubai Pavilions

Pavilions to Avoid at Expo 2020

I lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years in my childhood. I will always have a special connection to the country, and it is on my list of places to visit thanks to the new tourist visas. It is arguably the most untouched gem of a country, and has so much to offer that I find most people have no concept of.

This pavilion was quite easily my favourite. There is simply so much to see and it is so stunning. It was clear that a lot of money was spent on the pavilion (in true Saudi form), but it was worth it. The pavilion stands out like some futuristic science fiction alien spacecraft.

Outside the pavilion where you queue to enter, there are various entertainment shows. When I visited, there was a singer. Later on there was a celebration of 1,000,000 visitors with green confetti and Arabic Ardah sword dancing!

Once you enter the pavilion, you are faced with a fountain display, with people running in and out to stand inside!

This is followed by a panorama screen showing scenes from the country from endless sand dunes to the turquoise oceans.

Once past the panoramic scenes, you alight an escalator and you move through “history” with holograms being projected onto rock facades and traditional architecture. These scenes start with Neolithic cave paintings, then move to traditional dances and markets, and ibex goats fighting

The main room involves video being projected on the main wall and beneath the floor, giving a similar effect to Imax. The videos show scenes from around the country accompanied with a map showing where the areas are.

This was my favourite part. From the rose harvest to the Ka’bah in Mecca to green palm tree forests to caves to the desert to the oceans.

Following this area is another escalator going down this time. The holographic scenery, this time, is of the future. People enjoying the Formula One poolside.

The next area involves various holographic light projections on a giant globe and on the floor. The floor projections interact with you as you walk on them.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. This is pavilion that should not be missed. This was my favourite.

I was informed by a (Pakistani) friend that I had to visit the Pakistan pavilion. Before that, it wasn’t high on my list, but I agreed to ensure I did. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Pakistan pavilion has a perfect balance (in my eyes) between history, culture, geographical videos, flashy CGI, art and displays of products and industries. The pavilion is exceptionally well thought out.

The sections on art are beautiful, with historic and more modern versions. There are reproductions of ancient artefacts and displays discussing the pre-history of the area. I stood and watched the screen displaying footage of the picturesque landscapes and wildlife longer than most, as the production value and sheer beauty of it held my eye.

The area dedicated to pink Himalayan salt was apt, as many people don’t know the location of the mine where pink salt comes from.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. I would put this on my “must see” list. It’s not a small pavilion, but the time is worth the visit.

I was told that the Korean pavilion at Expo 2020 was a “must do”. Due to the time which I was at Expo, the normally long queue was much shorter, so I went inside.

It’s amazing to see the difference in effort/expense between the country pavilions.

The Korean pavilion begins with a computerised temperature reading, then you are assigned a Samsung smartphone and a lanyard.

You are then taken upstairs and you undertake a self-guided tour of various stations, using your smartphone. The stations vary from artistic installations to Augmented Reality displays. The AR displays use the smartphone to show depictions of the future.

The wall of rotating boxes can be viewed outside on a platform at the top of the pavilion. This is also a great spot to view Expo 2020 as a whole.

The path leads into a theatre, with a vertical curved screen. Visitors lie on beanbags and watch a show about the history, culture, food and industrial advancements of Korea.

The final part of the pavilion is an amphitheatre where traditional dances and modern dances are performed.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. Definitely fun, worth a visit.

I was walking past the Alif pavilion, and it looked interesting. There was a decent queue, but it was moving quickly. I didn’t really know anything about the pavilion, but I took a chance and I am glad.

The Alif pavilion starts with a history of exploration and travel, focusing on Al-Bakri, Ibn Battuta & Ibn Majid. Three huge lifelike statues of these men, created by the New Zealand special effects studio Weta (known for the Lord of the Rings movies), stand in a room adorned with information about historical exploration.

The pavilion moves on to more history of trade and economy of the area, focusing on pearl diving etc.

Next is the internet and satellite technology, and how that has connected the world.

As you move further into the pavilion, the theme becomes space travel and the future of communication.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. It was beautifully built and worth a visit.

Oman is one of my favourite countries in the world. So I was glad to see that the pavilion didn’t disappoint.

The Oman pavilion has a heavy theme of the importance of frankincense to the country’s history. From the frankincense hand sanitiser mist at the front entrance to the Boswellia sacra trees around the gardens of the pavilion to the frankincense lip balm and perfume in the gift shop, the theme of frankincense was everywhere.

The Oman pavilion also focused on sustainability of flora and fauna, the history of perfumes from the area, renewable energy and even frankincense on Mars (yep).

The gift shop had beautiful products from Oman. There were beauty products and perfumes, many based in oud and frankincense, even myrrh. Various raw incense and mixed incense products, as well as jewellery and assorted souvenirs.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. I went twice. There isn’t a tonne of flashy video, but my love of frankincense was appeased.

Mexico has become one of my favourite places in the world, and the reason why I started to learn Spanish (poorly).

The Mexico pavilion did not disappoint.

The pavilion is mostly fairly straightforward with information and photos about the country and history. But, by far, the best part of the pavilion was the Mystika display.

I had to wait a few minutes for access as the rooms have limited numbers. The display involves a wall of video while the floor and ceiling are mirrored, making the experience feel quite encompassing.

From the hallucinogenic space and pyramid art to the wall of doors to the monarch butterfly migration, I honestly wanted this room in my house!

Outside of the display there is art by Pepe Soho on the walls, in the vein of the Mystika videos.

The pavilion also includes woven fabrics from Mexico.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. That room was an experience and a half, and I will definitely visit the museum one day!

The Australia pavilion was well put together. The first area involved a domed screen over the crowd, telling dreamtime stories about the stars.

The next area was a room showing videos of the natural beauty, flora and fauna of the country. From the Great Barrier Reef to the rainforests and deserts of the vast country. The fauna footage, from kangaroos to cockatoos to kookaburras, surrounds you with the huge draw for tourism.

As like much of Expo 2020, the pavilion includes a souvenir store, showcasing many Australian made items. I purchased a metal water bottle here, as i was in need of one. I also purchased some koala-shaped kangaroo hide name tags, very similar to those that Qantas used to hand out in the 80s.

Outside, the pavilion has a food court with some Australian classics. I enjoyed a Vegemite and cheese jaffle (toasted sandwich) and a lamington, accompanied by a coffee.

On a big screen outside, AC/DC (and other Australian artists) was played loudly.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. The CGI dreamtime stories were beautifully done. The immersive footage of the natural beauty were worth the visit. The jaffles should be on everyone’s list!

The Canadian pavilion centred around a room with 360 degrees of video. The videos included a CGI interpretation of birds performing murmuration, footage of the wildlife and scenery that makes Canada so beautiful. There was footage of the main cities and provinces, showing the beauty of Quebec through to the Rockies.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. It’s short and sweet, and the CGI is fun.

The Russian pavilion was wild. The focus was mostly about the amazing technological advances which have come out of Russia under the heading “From Russia With Love”

The focal point of the pavilion was a giant robotic brain, which opened and moved around in the centre of the room.

The pavilion is fascinating, and worth visiting to look through the inventions.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. It’s a fun exploration of Russia’s inventions.

Due to my love of Lebanese food, and even Lebanese music, I was excited to visit the Lebanon pavilion.

The main room in the pavilion is filled with semi transparent screens displaying videos of the food, landscape, culture, fashion and history of Lebanon. It’s beautifully done, and definitely made me hungry for fresh khubz!

There are displays of art work and pottery by Lebanese artists in another area, and then a room filled with swings surrounded by more video displays.

There is a final area with items for sale, such as jewellery, and then a café outside. I was considering stopping for food, but I didn’t at this point (I think it was too busy).

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. While it is not the flashiest or most unique, I enjoyed the pavilion enough to suggest others experience it.

The Iraq pavilion is worth it for the tea served to the queue. The pavilion involves a walk through various screens showing the beautiful historical buildings and landscapes from the cradle of civilisation.

The staff walk you through as a guided tour and honestly were so friendly and fun.

Beyond the screens, there is a theatre showing educational videos about Mesopotamia.

The pavilion also has an art gallery, showcasing Iraqi art.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. The shear beauty and history of the country is worth the few minutes to go through the pavilion. And the queue gets tea!

Unlike Zimbabwe, the Namibia pavilion showcased the country far more in a small pavilion. There were educational displays, wooden carvings, wildlife photos and sustainability displays.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. It’s a small pavilion with interesting displays, worth a few minutes.

I have a love affair with Indonesia and can’t wait to return. Knowing how unique and diverse it is across all the islands, I was excited to see the pavilion.

Outside the pavilion were traditional dancers, much like those I have seen in Bali and Java. It was entertaining enough to distract from the queue.

The first area inside is dedicated to spices. Known as part of the “East Indies” and “spice islands”, and the reason for Columbus’ journey, Indonesia has a history of rich spices that have been shared around the world.

The spice display is a wall showing examples of all of the spices which have played a huge part in the history of Indonesia.

The pavilion follows with an area dedicated to screens displaying the flora and fauna of Indonesia, along with the landscapes and timeless temples.

There is a artistic display of batik patterns projected on the walls, transitioning between patterns.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes, purely for the spice display.

The Jordan pavilion had my vote due to the majlis/diwaniya cushions outside! The entrance leads you through a wooden reconstruction of the Siq at Petra.

Inside the main room, there is a wall of vertical blinds to enter. Video of the country is projected onto this wall of blinds. The mirrors reflect the video and interactive light effects are projected onto the floor.

The experience is enthralling.

The pavilion also includes a gift shop displaying all the various products from Jordan.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes, it is well thought out and a great example of displaying the beauty and history of a country in an enticing and enjoyable way.

The Dubai Cares pavilion showcases the UAE-based global philanthropic organisation’s work as well as technological advances in career development employment tools.

Dubai Cares operates around the world and the pavilion shows the history of humanitarian work.

A large part of the focus was how to help the youth of the world access their potential

A highlight for me was the screaming booth (it is exactly what you’d expect) and the VR display at the end of the pavilion.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. The philanthropic nature of the organisation along with the VR stations are worth the visit, and the staff were truly enjoying their work.

The Palestinian pavilion is a beautifully thought out celebration of one of the most historically important regions of the world.

The pavilion includes various sensory displays showing the many draws of the area.

The first area is a guided tour through a visual display of the old parts of Jerusalem, walking on tiles that match the streets. The next area has displays to touch including dead sea salt and part of the Dome of the Rock.

Following this is a display of the fragrant smells from the region, of course including za’atar.

After this is a display of the food which is famous from the region, then various art.

Lastly, there is a gift shop.

Outside is the Mama’esh stand where you can order Palestinian manaesh or fatayers.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. It was a beautiful representation about a often misunderstood place.

My time living in Kuwait will always be remembered fondly, so I was excited to visit the Kuwait pavilion.

The pavilion has a similar theme to others in the region, showcasing the history of the area through to oil production and future progress to sustainable energy generation.

The pavilion is well laid out and is interesting, from the archaeological findings from Failaka Island to the history of pearling and trade to the wildlife of Kuwait. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical video clips of important events in Kuwait’s history.

The focus on environmental protection and sustainability, scientific research undertaken in Kuwait and renewable energy. There were a couple of interactive stations showing education and research from Kuwait University.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. For pavilions representing the gulf, this was a great example.

Perhaps my favourite part of the pavilion was the taxidermy of local animals, purely due to an interesting choice of a fox.

My travel plans for 2020 were to include Azerbaijan, as I was interested in this obscure country with wolf photography opportunities. So this pavilion was on my list to visit.

The pavilion is well laid out with various representations of the historical artwork and production from the country. A partially woven rug showing how the process is undertaken along with water jugs on loan from a museum made this a fun pavilion. There were blown glass flowers and a stunning heart sculpture outside.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes, it’s interesting and fairly quick to visit.

My visit to the Algerian pavilion was on a whim. I was walking past and thought “why not”. It wasn’t on my list of pavilions I truly wanted to experience.

The pavilion was a positive surprise and I’m glad I went in.

The focus of the pavilion, much like many others at Expo 2020, starts with the rich history of the country. Due to the size and placement of the country in northern Africa with a Mediterranean coastline, Algeria has been an important country in history as part of many empires.

From early human civilisation through to archaeological excavations, Roman cities through to current populations, the rich history is on display.

The pavilion also displays Algeria’s investment in fibreoptic internet (Trans-Saharan Optical Fibre Backbone) and concentrated solar energy mirror sites.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. It’s interesting and quite well designed.

The Terra Sustainability Pavilion is centred around sustainable energy and development, pollution impacts and climate change impacts. Clearly seen from a distance, the pavilion has 4912 solar panels across 18 “energy trees”.

Walking into the very large pavilion, you pass examples of prehistoric and extinct flora and fauna displays. In the initial space of the pavilion are a number of displays focussing on the importance of sustainability to the world, and how it is a global issue.

As you move deeper into the pavilion, beneath the entrance, you find yourself in a virtual coral reef surrounded by colourful fish. Further again and you move through the deep sea.

The pavilion then changes tack and becomes about pollution and natural disasters. There is a large focus on plastic pollution in the ocean.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Not overly, if you are aware of pollution impacts. It is educational, and may be good for children.

Having visited Trinidad and Tobago in 2019, I wanted to experience the pavilion. Much like a lot of the smaller pavilions, this was a showcase of culture, wildlife and scenery.

I enjoyed the photos of the islands, reminding me of all the amazing hidden gems in Trinidad and Tobago. I especially loved seeing jacamar photos, and shots from Englishman’s Bay.

The pavilion reminded me of the beauty of this once-popular tourist destination which has fallen on harder times.

I also remembered that I have some mauby at home to drink.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Yes. The pavilion is small and straightforward. It’s worth a few minutes to walk through.

The New Zealand pavilion has a restaurant, which I did not visit (but heard it was highly rated).

The main pavilion involves a walk through an area of running water, feeling like you are walking on water, or through a stream. There is a corridor with visuals and a main room with video projections on the walls.

The videos are various, and the main one that was on while I was in the pavilion was a Maori cultural heritage presentation.

I left this room, expecting another, but that was it.

Would I recommend this pavilion? No

The Turkish Expo 2020 Pavilion was sadly the biggest disappointment of Expo for me.

Before the pandemic, I was planning a trip to Turkey. The country has been a bucket list item for me most of my life, and I had put in a lot of time into research.

My expectations for the pavilion were high. Turkey has one of the most exceptional histories of any country/region in the world. From Gobekli Tepe to the Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire to the Silk Road, Turkey has so much to offer.

There was more focus on stone exports than the history that I expected.

While I didn’t purely expect a history lesson, there was more of a focus on modern industries than the tourism aspect. This was not unique to this pavilion, but I was certainly let down here.

Would I recommend this pavilion? No

Zimbabwe holds a special place in my heart from a visit when I was a boy.

Sadly, the pavilion was a missed opportunity in my eyes. For a country with some of the most amazing wildlife in the world, along with beautiful handcrafted sculptures, the pavilion was lacking.

There were a handful of photos and a small display of souvenir and food items. I feel that it was a missed opportunity for Zimbabwe.

Would I recommend this pavilion? No. Your time would be better spent elsewhere.

I loved visiting Norway, so I was excited for the Norway Expo 2020 pavilion. Norway has a rich history and stunning countryside, as well as technological advancements.

The Norway pavilion focussed mostly on sustainability, which is a common theme at Expo 2020. I found the guided tour to be long for what it was. The ocean fish farming section seemed strange based on the issues plaguing similar systems in other countries. The undersea mining and exploration videos were fascinating.

Would I recommend this pavilion? No. Not unless you are interested in undersea mining. Otherwise, it was slightly education on environmental sustainability matters, but overall took too long.

I was intrigued as to what Turkmenistan would show off in their pavilion.

The pavilion is a large, but mostly empty space. Downstairs, there is a visual display on the walls and a cotton display in the middle of the room, big business as an export for Turkmenistan.

Upstairs contains more in the way of displays. These included cultural and manufacturing displays.

The displays showed off woven rugs, resources, mining, cotton, horses and the alabay dog (one was famously given to Vladimir Putin as a gift from the President of Turkmenistan.

Would I recommend this pavilion? Maybe? It was clear that the pavilion was there more for export discussions rather than tourism, which arguably is traditionally a big part of Expo.

Qatar is on my list of countries to visit. I was planning to visit in 2021, but the covid restrictions made it slightly too complicated and chose not to. What a lot of people don’t know about Qatar is that the wildlife there, especially in the ocean, is world class in terms of diversity.

The pavilion was somewhat of a disappointment. It was mostly a room with images and videos of the country along with a happy man playing a keyboard.

Would I recommend this pavilion? No, not really.