Itineraries to visit Dubai

24 hours is short to visit Dubai as there is plenty to do. So we advise you to go to the basics: take a hotel next to the airport, drop in your luggage and then take a taxi to old Dubai . Spend a few hours strolling through the old souks, the Iranian district of Al Bastakiya and Dubai Creek crossing. You can have lunch in an Arab restaurant.

Then take the metro or taxi direction Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach. You can also eat there, restaurants in this sector offering more international cuisine. Soak up the seaside atmosphere of the neighborhood, put your towel on the sand and swim in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf, with the famous Burj Al Arab in the background.

As night falls, pick up the metro or taxi to Dubai Mall to see the show Dubai Fountains in front of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper. It is a prime location for outdoor dining. The shopping center and the modern souk Al Bahar remain open until late at night.

Another simpler solution is to book a Dubai tour in advance. With this formula, it may even be possible to include a desert safari on the same day.

Visiting Dubai in 48 hours is also rather short. So better to go to the basics. For this Dubai 2 days tour, we recommend following the first day of the previously detailed 24 hour program.

On the second day, book a desert trip in advance. This is an unforgettable experience that will make you discover a more traditional face of the United Arab Emirates, far from glass towers and 10-lane highways. On the program according to the provider, 4x4 ride, camel ride, henna tattoo, falcon flight demonstration and many others. The reservation is more than recommended. Prices are pretty much all in the same range. Providers who make aggressive prices are often those who have just started, and therefore have a logistics not yet perfectly oiled.

Depending on the safari schedule, there will be plenty of time to visit Dubai sites not covered by the first day, such as Madinat Jumeirah souk, Ski Dubai. Or do a little more shopping, a little more beach at Jumeirah Beach, or go back to one of the places on the first day.

For your hotel, we recommend a central and easily accessible area on the Sheikh Zayed Road, such as Dubai Downtown.

Visit Dubai in 3 days is the bare minimum to have a good overview and not to speed up making one visit after another. Here is our recommendation for a 3 day Dubai tour (72 hours).

The first day, go to old Dubai. An excellent introduction is the Dubai Museum. Then, follow the suggested visit itinerary in our article about the historical district of Dubai, which gives bonus tips for restaurants.

In the late afternoon, head to Dubai's central district and climb to the top of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world. Booking tickets at least a week in advance is essential, especially for the sunset schedule. Then attend the fountains show and go shopping at Dubai Mall, the largest shopping center in the country, until it closes at 11pm. Do not forget to see the dinosaur skeleton and the aquarium.

For your hotel, you can stay in the same area, or go further south on the beaches of Jumeirah.

On the second day, go to the Jumeirah Beach Residences area. You can go to the Atlantis Hotel on Dubai Palm, lunch at the souk Madinat Jumeirah. During the day you can go to the beach, at a water amusement park to cool off, or go shopping at the nearby Mall of the Emirates, where the famous ski slope is located. For the evening, prefer a restaurant at the Dubai Marina (which is also a great choice for your hotel).

The last day, go to the desert for the safari, just to have all the pictures shot in the camera (dunes, camels, falcons, etc.)

If you want to visit Dubai in 5 days, we recommend that you first follow the 3-day tour.

The following days you can do more beach or shopping. We preferred to go on a day in Abu Dhabi visit Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Louvre Museum, and the luxury hotel Emirates Palace. The city Al Ain rich in ancient monuments is also a very nice excursion, especially because thanks to its oasis, it is cooler than on the coast. And if you are not afraid to wake up rate, why not go to Mussandam Peninsula in Oman? The dolphin watching cruise and snorkel diving from Khasab is definitely worth it.

And if you stay longer, we advise you to go deeper into the remote place of United Arab Emirates and Oman. We must also consider a cultural and authentic visit of Sharjah, the visit of the east coast (Fujairah) and Oman. We also give you a little secret to get more quality by paying less: stay in a 5 star hotel in Abu Dhabi: they are much cheaper than in Dubai and accessible from 100USD. The best beach hotels in the country are at Saadiyat Beach. Beyond Abu Dhabi, step into the beautiful Liwa desert, in the marvelous region of Al Gharbia, a forgotten wonder of the tourist circuits where we have engraved our most beautiful memories of the region.

Visit also