Dubai, one of the most popular destination in the UAE. This place is not only a visual retreat but also a masterpiece in terms of its aspiring architecture, magnificent imagination and spectacular innovations. The city is completely modernised and yet so deeply connected to its roots. That is quite evident with its Arabic culture and ethnicity. The uprising skyscrapers and the top-notch hotel industry, has made a mark on the entire world. This city not only fulfils our expectations but with glory exceed them.
Planning a luxury vacation or on a budget, this place is the perfect pick for both. You can enjoy both ways, as i include all the spots from low to high.
Once you have decided on your destination: Let me tell you again, its a Great choice! now let´s get the Tickets and Visa done.
For luxury and comfort, Emirates is the best airlines to choose. Apart from that Etihad and Qatar are the options. If you want to save some bucks on tickets then you can consider the Turkish airlines, the Saudi airlines or the Riyadh airlines, but this will include some layovers which will increase the travel time. You can also consider other airlines if there is any offer going on. If you are travelling from India, then you have direct options like SpiceJet and AirIndia airlines.
US citizens, EU citizens, UK citizens do not require Dubai visa. Indian passport holders require prior visa. Indian passport holders with valid US, UK, Schengen visa, do not require a separate Dubai visa. And if you do not belong to any of the countries mentioned above, then check on your Visa requirements at the official website of UAE.
How to get the visa?
There are two ways to get it done, 1. If you have a sponsor(resident),
2. If you have no sponsor, then check on agencies that can get your visa done. There are many available on the internet, choose the one with genuine reviews.
How to get the visa?
There are two ways to get it done, 1. If you have a sponsor(resident),
Documents you need: Passport copy of sponsor Passport copy of yourself Salary statements or contract of employment Proof of relationship Flight tickets Travel insurance Visa application and fees few passport sized photos
2. If you have no sponsor, then check on agencies that can get your visa done. There are many available on the internet, choose the one with genuine reviews.
Documents you need: Passport copy Salary statements or employment contract Visa application and fees Flight and hotel reservations; the agent will guide you with rest.
Once your Flight and Visa is done, you are all set to go!
As i mentioned earlier, that if you do not have any sponsor then your alternative is to check with the agencies that work on Dubai Visas.
There is no need to panic, as the procedure is quite easy and quick. All you need to do is check online, few of the genuine Visa agencies with affirmative good number of reviews. Then get in contact with them via mail or call, they will ask for the documents that I had already mentioned earlier, Submit the documents and wait for the Visa.
In a couple of days, your visa will be in your inbox.
Here are few options for Visa:
It is good to know, that for non-sponsored candidates, the 5star hotels offer a Visa service.
If you happen to book at some 5star hotel, then do check with them about the Visa service. As most of such hotels provide tourist Visa.
Also, if you fly by the top UAE airlines, like Emirates and Ethiad, then they too offer Visa services. For this you need to check with the airlines while booking a flight.
Dubai is most celebrated for its hotel industry with its praise worthy hospitality and homely services. When we talk Dubai, we talk about the luxurious and high-end hotels. This place has tons of hotels, so you can choose from this wide range as per your own needs. If you are more comfortable being in an apartment, then you might want to check Airbnb. But my suggestion would be, to go with a hote
Where to stay?
Where to stay, is yet another task! But not anymore, as here are few options to consider:
Dubai is a long strip with the old Dubai (deira) to one end and Palm Jumeirah with Dubai Marina to the other. Bur or the down town is central to the strip with major attractions. Along, most part of this strip is the coast to enjoy.
If you want top-class luxury then go for areas like Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina: Here you have The Atlantis, The Burj Al-Arab, FIVE Palm Jumeirah etc.
Little less than luxury: Consider staying in area like Al-Barsha, Business Bay or in the centre, here you have Ibis, Novotel, Courtyard Marriot, DoubleTree by Hilton, Ramada, TYRP by Wyndham (highly recommended) as that is where I stayed for my last visit to Dubai.
Budget Luxury: Consider downtown or Deira Dubai.
Dubai is extremely HOT in summers so no way on this earth you can plan to go there in summer. In summer the temperature is between 30-45°C and it remains so from April to October. Dubai has the best weather from November to March where the temperature is between 15-25°C.
The currency here is Dirham (approx. 1 Dhs = 0.27 USD)
Eating, Drinking or chewing gum in public transport is prohibited.
Avoid wearing very revealing clothes, select your wardrobe on a bit conservative note.
Kissing in public is not considered appropriate.
What to do in Dubai? What all to visit?
While I was in Dubai (Dec´18), I had a lot on my plate to explore. Thankfully I did manage to visit them all in a short duration of 5 days, so if you are on relaxing vacation or are in short of days then I would suggest you skip few attractions as of your point of interest.
Get a spectacular view from the world´s tallest skyscraper.
Take your time at the top, there is no hurry to leave and enjoy the view. My suggestion is to go around the time to sunset to get a beautiful crimson lit landscape. Also, if you are lucky to find a spot on the viewing terrace, then, see the Dubai Fountain from the top, after the sunset, its beautiful!
You can totally save some money on the Burj Khalifa tickets, firstly, by booking it directly from its official website and not from any other sources, as i found them to be expensive, on my research. Secondly, as my suggestion was to visit the top at-around sunset, this can be done in-expensively, by booking the last cheap tickets slot of the afternoon and wait till the sun goes down.
Dubai Mall, Mall of Emirates, Ibn-Batuta are all remarkably huge in size with all high-end fashion couture. Enjoy your time shopping, eating and other activities, all in one place. If you are too lazy to walk then you can skip, Mall of Emirates as its more or less similar to the Dubai Mall and Ibn-Batuta which is not an ordinary mall but more inclining to the cultural aspect.
Enjoy the divine dance of water. The fountain is another key attraction at the very Burj Khalifa.
Visit the capital of UAE, which a short journey from Dubai. The bus ride to and fro makes its a very flexible option.
Abu Dhabi which is 140 km south of Dubai, can be reached via different modes of transport. You can rent-a-car or catch a taxi, which will cost you good 300 dhs. And if you looking for an affordable option then, there are buses that runs every 30mins through Dubai to Abu Dhabi and back daily, between 6am-11pm. You can catch the E101 bus from Ibn Battuta Metro Station 4 to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. The journey time is 1h30mins.
The Grand Mosque: The Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque is no less than a divine, serene landspace of art. It has great resemblance to the Taj Mahal of India. The architecture and the interiors are marvellous.
To get to the Mosque from the Abu Dhabi bus station: Bus Lines 032 and 054 can get you to your destination, apart from that, you can even take taxis which is an expensive option than bus.
The Ferrari world: If you are on a vacation with kids or you enjoy adventure then Ferrari world is a must visit destination. It has world largest roller coaster and dozens of other rides and activities. Here you need almost a day or at least 5-6 hours, to make the most out of it. The ticket includes basic rides, the fancy one´s costs extra!
To get to the Ferrari World from the Abu Dhabi bus station: Bus Line 190 can get you to this theme park. Other option is taxi.
When in this city, you tend to forget that Dubai comes from being a desert. Modernisation is all over Dubai and to get a break from that, can also be a retreat. Drive into the sand dunes and enjoy the Arabic culture in this phenomenal experience at Desert Safari.
Flowery, breezy and lovely. This garden is full of colours and artistic figurines. The ideology and the implementation are stunning. The only technical problem is that, it is not very well connected by the public transport. You need to get down at a bus stop near by and then take a taxi.
Dive into the aroma of spices, glitter of gold and fragrance of zafran.
Gold Souk: Deira could be called the richest area across the entire UAE, as the Gold souk is situated in this old suburb of Dubai. One of the major source of income for Dubai is through Gold trading. It’s a complete market of gold smiths and jewellers´. The designs are quite unique and ethnic.
Spice Souk: If you use different spices in your cooking, then this is the place to visit. The spices are abundant, the flavours and aroma are very natural and rich. You would surely end up buying those rich flavoured spices.
If you do happen to go to spice souk, then don’t forget to Zafran(saffron) from there. It is of great quality.
The shop keepers do bargain, so try to the get best deal.
Burj Al Arab: Get a close view of this glitzy hotel, which is amongst world´s most expensive hotel.
The Atlantis: Visit this grand hotel with the help of monorail and enjoy the breath-taking views over your ride. The Atlantis hotel is also amongst the most privileged. It offers Aquarium visit and water park activity for the non-resident tourist.
Bollywood theme park: This is a Bollywood inspired theme park. Have fun clicking picture with all the blockbuster hit stars and get a chance to feel one of them.
Dubai aquarium and underwater: Dubai mall is not just famous as a top-notch shopping arcade but is also known for its adventurous activities that it offers. Have a scuba diving experience at the Dubai mall aquarium.
Ice Skating: Dubai mall also offers Ice Skating field, so you can stay cool and have fun doing indoor activities.
Palm Jumeirah: Long standing palm trees, impeccable beach, luxurious villa, sipping through a world of complete oomph, is what you can expect from this part of Dubai.
Dubai History and cultural Village: Dubai showcases its ancient history and architecture, with this walk through museum like structure. Enjoy the winds and the eateries at Deira.
Getting around in Dubai
Public transport could be the best option while on a vacation. This saves you the hassle of understand the traffic rules and avoiding city traffic chaos. Though this city is well-organised and has good traffic control, driving in the main city could be challenging in such populated city.
The city has a good connectivity of metro, buses and in some part mono-rails. Dubai is one of the many city, offering cash-less travel. The different public transportation mode can be accessed easily with the help of NoI card system. All you need to do is buy a red or a silver NoI card before getting on any public transport.
Red NoI card: This is perfect for all tourists. The card costs 2 Dhs and credit for at least one single trip. This card can be recharged 10 times. The cost for the trip depends on the zones you plan to travel. For one zone its 4 Dhs, two zones its 6 Dhs and three or more zones its 8.50 Dhs. You can also avail one-day pass on the Red NoI card which costs 20 Dhs.
Silver NoI card: Though Red NoI card serves your purpose fairly, I would recommend on, buying the Silver NoI. The card costs 25 Dhs which include 19 Dhs credit.If you plan to go over 10 trips, then this card is the right choice. For one zone its 3 Dhs, two zones its 5 Dhs and three or more zones its 7.50 Dhs.
On my vacation, I initially bought the Red NoI as they said these are perfect for the travellers. But when I was to go to Abu-Dhabi with the public transport buses, they asked me to buy a Silver NoI card. So ultimately, if you have Abu-Dhabi planned in your itinerary than opt for the Silver NoI at the very first place.
Metro has good connectivity across the long strip of Dubai including major attractions like Burj Khalifa, Mall of Emirates etc. (also to the Airport). Eating, Drinking, chewing gum is strictly prohibited
Taxi is another convenient option to explore Dubai. The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced as app just like uber for the convenience of the passenger to book a taxi in few just clicks. The taxis´ are metered and starts with a base charge. They are very comfortable for short distances. The taxis´ charge additional as the Salik charge, when you use toll roads.
Dubai is a well spread city. The metro lines go across the whole city and helps you reach peak stops, from where, the destination could be reached very easily by buses. Buses are part of the RTA and can simply be accessed by the NoI card. Travelling by buses is a cheap option as compared to taxis.
Water Taxis or Abras: These are the cheapest modes of transport and can be called the fastest as it crosses from new to old, in just minutes. These are small wooden boats that cruise from one side to the other. RTA has now provided well-equipped and modernised water taxis that works the same purpose. This is the best way to explore Dubai as it showcases the blend of two eras and the skyline is the cherry on top.
Dubai as said is long elongated, the metro is not expanded in the areas like Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence and along Al Sufouh. These areas can be well accessed using the Dubai Tram, which is well connected to the Metro and Palm Jumeirah Mono-Rail. This is part of the RTA and does not require an extra ticket.
Monorail is not a part of RTA and is owned privately. This is the line that takes you across the palm Jumeirah. It´s the best way to reach, The Atlantis Hotel, which is the last stop of the monorail. There are two stops in between the run from the Palm Gateway station to the Atlantis Hotel; those are Al Ittihad Park and the Nakheel Mall. None of them are worth getting down as the area is still under construction (as on my trip in Dec 2018). The cost of the ticket is 30 DHs (round trip) which is about 10 mins ride.
My personal gallery
Make sure that, you don´t miss out on any of the attractions. To help you with that, here is a bucket list for your Dubai trip; do not forget to download it and cover all the destinations.
I had been to Dubai 5 years back and going back again showed me a complete new horizon. From Deira to Bur to Jumeirah, the graph of Dubai is quite fascinating, and what enlightens it more, is the fact, that it all comes from being a desert. The evolution is spectacular to gulp in. And if you up for it then go plan Dubai.
I hope, this information helps you and that you have a great time!
Happy Holiday!
Author: Kinnari
Welcome! I am Kinnari, a 20 something Engineer from Pune, India. Presently residing in Germany, which got me an opportunity to explore the world around me! Staying far from my family also got me a chance to step into the kitchen and put my apron on! Altogether a big opportunity to share my experiences with you!
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