Dubai

High season: November to March

Shoulder seasons: October & April

Low season: May to September (Summers)

1. Places to Visit

Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building at 828 meters needs no introduction. It contains one of the world's fastest elevators which travel at the speed of 10 meters per second. You can go up to the observation decks on Levels 124, 125 and 148. The very top of the Burj Khalifa is the 163rd floor; however, this is not accessible to the public

How to Reach

You can take a metro on the Red line and get down at the 'Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa' Metro station. From the station it is just 10 minutes walk through the Dubai Mall. Adequate number of signboards are placed for directions. (Look for 'Burj Khalifa at the top')

Timings

10 am - Midnight - Weekdays.

08 am - Midnight - Weekends.

Fountain Show : Every 30 minutes from 6:00 PM until 11:00 PM is the usual schedule, though this can vary by season and for public holidays.

Time to Spend

Keep at least 2-3 hours for visiting At the top Burj Khalifa.

Fountain Show takes around 10 minutes, but reach early to get a good viewing spot.

You can also go for Burj Lake ride in the evening.

Tickets

Various types of tickets available for the Burj Khalifa are explained below in order of increasing cost:

At the Top (Non Prime): Access to only 124th & 125th floor - Cheapest.
At the Top (Prime time): Access to only 124th & 125th floor from 3 pm till 7 pm.
At the Top SKY: Access to 124th, 125th & 148th floor with guided tour.
Then there are other tickets which include dining options as well on the world's highest restaurant.

We purchased the tickets via the Headout app, however they are available on all other platforms like Viator, Get your guide, Klook and on the official site as well.

Tips

Buy Burj Khalifa and Dubai Aquarium clubbed tickets.

The fountain show is free.

Reach early for the fountain show to get a good spot.

There is a lot of rush and a long queue before you board the elevators.

Dubai Mall: Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

Dubai Mall is the world's largest destination for shopping, entertainment and leisure, located next to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Entertainment at the mall ranges from kid's zones, cinema, aquarium & underwater zoo, flying simulator to art exhibitions, acrobatic performances and Dubai Dino the 155-million-year-old skeleton of a dinosaur, on display in the mall’s Grand Atrium

How to Reach

Metro - You can take a metro on the Red line and get down at the 'Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa' Metro station. From the station it is just 10 minutes walk

Timings

10 am - 11 pm on Weekdays.

10 am - Midnight on Weekends.

Time to Spend

Keep your Complete Day dedicated for the Mall.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased for the following experiences:

Aquarium Tunnel
Underwater Zoo
Private Behind the Scenes Tour
Penguin Cove
Underwater Observatory
Submersible Simulator
Private Glass Bottom Boat Ride
Fish Feeding

Aquarium Tunnel & the underwater zoo are usually the most subscribed and the ticket cost around AED 200. Other add-ons such as the penguin cove experience can be selected as per preference for some additional amount.

Tickets can be purchased from the official site as well as third party apps. We got them via the Headout app.

Tips

Wear good walking shoes.

Dubai mall aquarium & underwater zoo can be clubbed with the Burj Khalifa At the top experience for a cheaper ticket.

The mall has an excellent collection for all those shopaholics, so go prepared.

Dubai Dolphinarium

Dubai Dolphinarium is the first fully air-conditioned indoor dolphinarium in the Middle East, providing habitat to dolphins and seals, allowing the public to watch and interact with them through live shows and photo sessions. It is located in the creek side park at Bur Dubai near the Children's City.

How to Reach

Bus : Bus number 6 drops at the Creek Park main gate bus stand. The Dolphinarium is inside the park.

Metro : Take the Green line metro & get down at Oud Metha station. From the Oud Metha bus stop board bus number 6 for Creek Park.

Another option for the fitness junkies is to get down at Dubai Healthcare city via the green line metro and from there walk for 10 minutes (1 km) to reach Creek Park.

Timings

09:30 am to 8 pm everyday.

Show timings are at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 6:00 PM

Tuesdays Closed.

Time to Spend

The Dolphin & Seal Show is for around an hour. Additional time can be catered for other activities such as swim with dolphins, bird show, mirror maze etc which are located in the Creek Park itself.

Tickets

Dolphin & Seal Show (Normal) - 90-100 AED

Dolphin & Seal Show (VIP) - 115-130 AED

Bird Show - 50 AED

Swim with dolphins - 475 AED

Note : Entry to the Park costs additional 5 AED per person. (Dolphinarium is inside the park)

Tips

Get VIP tickets if you want to have pre reserved seats & a slightly better view.

Reach early if you have booked normal tickets to grab seats in the front row.

Global Village

Global Village is a shopping, dining, and entertainment attraction located on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road in Dubai. It contains attractions from all over the world and is based on the concept of interconnected world.

How to Reach

Bus number 104/ 103/ 107/ 106 take you directly to Global village. Board the desired bus as per your location.

Timings

Saturday to Wednesday from 4:00 pm-12:00 am and usually gates close at 11:30pm.

Thursday & Friday from 4:00 pm -1:00 am and entry gates close at 12:30 am.

Time to Spend

6-7 hours

Tickets

AED 20-25

Tips

Wear walking shoes.

Keep entire evening free for Global Village.

Museum of the Future

The Museum of the Future is the Most Beautiful Building on Earth. The seven-storied pillarless museum sits atop a green mound that's been planted with endemic trees to represent the earth.

How to Reach

Take the Red line metro and get down at Emirates Towers Metro Station, walk for 4 mins.

Timings

10 am - 07:30 pm everyday.

Time to Spend

Around 3 hours

Tickets

149 AED for adults

Free for children under the age of 4 years.

Tip - Book tickets 2 months in advance during peak season.

Desert Safari

Desert Safari is one of the thrilling adventures that you can experience in Dubai. It includes Dune bashing, sand boarding, camel ride, ATV rides & entertainment program with dinner.

How to Reach

Pick up is by the Safari organizers from the place of stay or a designated location.

Timings

From 3 pm till 9 pm.

Time to Spend

Around 6-7 hours including journey time.

Tickets

Approx 100 AED per person.

ATV ride is additional 150 AED.

Tips

Wear comfortable clothes.

Cover head to protect hair from sand.

Dubai Frame

The Dubai Frame is a museum, and monument in Zabeel Park, Dubai. It holds the record for the largest frame in the world. It has a transparent floor at the top with mesmerizing views.

How to Reach

It is better to take a cab to Dubai frame if you do not want to walk as the frame is around 2 kms away from the nearest metro station (Max metro station).

Timings

9 am - 9 pm everyday.

Time to Spend

2 hours

Tickets

Around AED 50

Tips

Best photos just before Sunset.

Aquaventure Waterpark : Atlantis

Atlantis has it all, a massive waterpark, an aquarium, luxury shopping, and many restaurants. Aquaventure waterpark has 105 slides and is one of the largest waterparks in the world.

How to Reach

METRO + TRAM : Take the Metro to the Damac Properties Metro Station. Find your way to the Dubai Marina Tram Station. Take the tram to the Palm Jumeirah Tram Station. Find your way to the Gateway Station. At the Gateway Station, take the Dubai monorail to the last station, which is the Atlantis Aquaventure Station.

NOTE : 20 AED one way only for the tram route.

Note : We hired a cab through Careem app and found it to be the most comfortable and economical option to reach here.

Timings

8:45 am - 5:30 pm

Time to Spend

One full day

Tickets

Aquaventure Waterpark - 315 AED

Lost chambers Aquarium + Waterpark - 365 AED

Waterpark + Dolphin Encounter - 875 AED

Tips

Reach early

Carry additional clothes & towel

Can take complimentary socks from guest services.

Lockers have to be purchased additionally on site (small for AED 50, Large for AED 80). Small Locker is big enough to fit in one 30L bagpack.

There are chairs and table all around the park available to be used free of cost. If the bags do not contain any valuables then these places can be utilized to keep your belongings.

Best Rides: Leap of Faith, Shark Attack, The Surge, Poseidon’s Revenge, Aquaconda

Miracle Garden

Dubai Miracle Garden is the world's largest natural flower garden, home to 150 million flowers of different varieties. You'll find vibrant, larger-than-life flower structures, arches, and even a life-sized Airbus A380 covered in flowers.

How to Reach

Get down at the Mall of the Emirates metro station on the Red Line and take bus number 105 from the bus stop to reach Dubai Miracle garden.

Timings

Weekdays - 9 am till 9 pm

Weekends - 9 am till 10 pm

Time to Spend

3-4 hours

Tickets

95 AED

Tips

Wear walking shoes.

Dubai Marina & JBR Beach

Dubai Marina is an affluent residential neighborhood known for The Beach at JBR, a leisure complex with al fresco dining and sandy stretches to relax on. Smart cafes and pop-up craft markets line waterside promenade Dubai Marina Walk, while Dubai Marina Mall is packed with chain and luxury fashion brands. Upscale yachts cruise through the large man-made marina, where activities range from jet-skiing to skydiving.

How to Reach

Take the Red line metro till Sobha Realty metro station, walk for 4 minutes till Dubai Marina 1 tram station. Take the Tram till JBR 1. Walk to the Dubai Marina or beach.

Time to Spend

Dubai Marina is famous for the Yatch cruises which include dinner and entertainment as well.

Tickets

Tickets for the Yatch cruise range from 200 to 500 AED per person.

Other Attractions & Things to do

IMG Worlds of Adventure - World’s largest indoor theme park. Attractions inspired by Marvel & Cartoon Network including a Haunted Hotel.

City Sightseeing : Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour - Dubai hop-on hop-off bus tour covers all major attractions of the city with strategically placed stops.

Legoland Dubai - Theme park with Lego-inspired rides for kids.

Gold Souk, Meena Bazaar - For Shopaholics and gold investors

Sky Views Dubai . The Observatory gives guests a panoramic glass elevator ride to level 52, from where they can access a spiral staircase to the floor above for a spellbinding 46m-long glass walk to the adjacent building. Open daily from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Observatory tickets are at starting at AED 90, kids AED 75.

Sky Dive Dubai

Skydive Dubai is the top skydiving company located in Mina Seyahi, next to Jumeirah beach and costs around 2500 AED per person.

Deep Dive Dubai

Deep Dive Dubai is a 60-metre deep diving pool in Dubai. Containing 14,000,000 liters of fresh water, it is the deepest swimming pool in the world.

Ski Dubai

Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of indoor ski area. The park maintains a temperature of -1 degree to 2 degrees Celsius throughout the year. It is a part of the Mall of the Emirates

2. Transport Guide

DUBAI METRO - Dubai metro is comprised of the Red & Green Lines. It covers both Airport terminal 1 & 3 on the Red Line. Most of the attractions can be visited using the metro.

TRAM & BUS : Dubai has a good public transport system and all places not reachable by the metro are covered by the bus or tram.

Types of Tickets for METRO, BUS & TRAM

Nol Card

Nol cards are reloadable cards that give you easy access to Dubai’s public transportation system including the metro, buses, trams, and the Dubai ferry.

There are four cards available: red, silver, gold, and blue. If you’re staying in Dubai for a short time, RED TICKET is the most suitable option.

Silver Nol - costs AED 25 ($6.80), of which AED 6 is for the card, and AED 19 is a credit on your card. Validity 5 years.
Red Nol - costs AED 2 but has no pre-loaded credit.
You can purchase from ticket offices located in all Dubai Metro stations and some Dubai Bus stations.
All passengers aged 5 years and over need a Nol to use public transport in Dubai.

3. Apps to Download / Related Sites

Careem and Uber apps to use Taxi services

Headout, Getyourguide & Viator offer guided tours and entry tickets to various attractions. You can download the apps if needed.

Navigate using google maps.

Whatsapp calls may not work in Dubai, BOTIM app may come in handy.

4. Recommended Areas to Stay

Bur Dubai. The old city before all the developments happened. Lots of souks (markets), traditional structures, assorted restaurants, and cheap accommodations.

Deira. Adjacent to Bur Dubai, with plenty of affordable dining, shopping, and lodging options. The best part about Deira is its proximity to the airport and Cheap accommodations.

Downtown Dubai is where you’ll find some of the city’s most iconic structures including Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping complexes. It is also sometimes called the New Dubai. Expensive hotels.

Dubai Marina & Jumeirah Beach. This is one of the most ideal places to stay in the city. It is close to the beach and is easily accessible. It is also close to a lot of attractions. Very Expensive to stay here.

Al Barsha/ Internet City. Well-connected to the rest of the city. Mid-range hotels. Most Recommended place to stay. We stayed at the First Central Premium Suites.

Recommended Hotels based on own Experience

First Central Premium Suites

Staybridge Suites Dubai Internet City

Recommended Hotel in Bur Dubai : Park Regis Kris Kin

5. Important Tips/ Points to Note

Public transport is free for kids under 5 years.

Kids under 2 years of age can go free to the attractions and many attractions do not charge kids below 4 years as well, so check on the official site before you book the tickets.

A free sim valid for 24 hours is given to every adult at the immigration. The same sim can be recharged online with AED 49 to extend the validity to 28 days and 2 GB internet.

Minimum balance in Nol card has to be AED 7.5 to start the Journey.

Caution : Be careful while travelling in Metro and keep your belongings safe. Burjuman & Union metro stations have a lot of rush.

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