Your first visit to Dubai
Traveling for the first time to Dubai might raise all sorts of questions (particularly for a woman travelling for the first time in the Middle East):
How should I dress?
What’s there to do besides shopping?
Is it safe to travel alone?
That’s why I gathered some notes from my trip to give you some ideas to create your own!
About Dubai
Dubai is a multicultural city that hosts both visitors and residents from all countries, religions and traditions in the world. You will find Muslim Mosques, Hindi Temples and Catholic Churches alike, and everyone is free to wear whatever they want.
Dubai is also a very safe city. With a criminality rate close to 0%, it is totally safe to travel and visit alone or in a small group.
Dubai is nested mostly throughout the coastline, which makes it very long from North to South and quite narrow from East to West. Distances are long from one end to the other, so always allow enough time to move around!
There are 3 main areas to visit as a traveler: the beachside area (commonly known as JBR), Downtown Dubai and Old Dubai. Dedicate some time to each of them (at least half a day) and then you can choose your favorite to spend more time there!
Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR)
Surrounded by massive hotel and apartment buildings, malls and activities for all ages, the JBR area is the perfect family destination. Things to do include relaxing at the beach, grabbing a bite at The Walk or taking a stroll at the Marina, among many others. Brunch on Fridays is a must and you can find great 2x1 deals in The Entertainer app.
Downtown Dubai
Downtown Dubai is home to incredible venues such as Business Bay, Dubai Mall — the biggest shopping center in the world, and the impressive Burj Khalifa-the tallest building in the world, which stand at 880 mts high and is visible from almost the entire city.
In between Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa you will find the Dubai Fountain, where stunning water and light shows take place every half an hour every evening. This one won’t disappoint!
Old Dubai
Don’t miss the chance to visit the place where it all began. Wander around Al Fahidi’s narrow, yet breezy alleys, and get ready for some serious shopping in the souks. Whether in the textile, the spice or the pottery markets, I guarantee you’ll fall for a traditional souvenir (or many!)
If you’re interested in history and would like to understand a bit more of the culture traditions of Dubai, you can take a tour in the old town. I took this 2 hour Historic Dubai tour, which gives you some insight about the habits and lifestyle of Dubai before oil was discovered in 1966.
The hop-on hop-off buses
If you don’t have a long time to visit Dubai, the hop-on hop-off buses might be the best option to see the city and hear about its history. They offer different routes to cover the most relevant sightings such as the Palm, the Burj Al Arab and the Mall of the Emirates, and they include some extra activities such as museum entries and boat cruises.
Some premium passes include day trips to other Emirates such as Abu Dhabi and Sharya, which can be a good deal if you have the time to make them all.
Big Bus Dubai and City Sightseeing Dubai are the two companies offering these tours. Visit their websites to review all information related to routes and activites.
Other things to do in Dubai
Dubai really is a city where can find anything: water parks, aquariums, museums and even an indoor ski resort with real snow all year round!
My top picks if you have more time are:
The Desert Safari
Visit the Dubai and Sharya deserts in a 6 hour trip that includes a dune bashing round on a 4x4, a bbq dinner in a desert camp with live shows, and other optional activities like camel riding and boogie drives. It’s pretty touristy but lots of fun! You can book it from a hotel or find a deal in Groupon.
The Global Village
Get a taste of many different destinations in one place. Travel from Rusia to India to Thailand in just one evening — they’re all just a few steps away!
Aquatic activities
From diving with sharks in the indoor aquarium at Dubai Mall, to going on the craziest water rides at Wild Wadi aqua park, to swimming with dolphins in open water at the majestic Atlantis resort in the Palm — you could spend your entire Dubai visit in the water.
In sum… Dubai is a lot more than just the shopping capital of the Middle East!
Even though Dubai is best known for its countless skyscrapers and its shopping malls second to none, my best advise is to get out there and discover a city that truly is a model of development, multiculturalism and vision of the future.
Make sure to fly in with luggage space for all the shopping — and make sure to fly out with a bigger picture of Dubai!
