DUBAI

Dubai – February 2021

We stayed at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, a great hotel located in Downtown Dubai, just 5–10 minutes from the Burj Khalifa. Dubai has several main hotel areas, Downtown, the Marina, and Palm Jumeirah. I personally preferred staying in the city center surrounded by skyscrapers, while others may prefer being closer to the beach.

The hotel is luxurious and highly recommended, with very spacious rooms.

Getting around

Some people rent cars in Dubai, but we used taxis. It’s important to pay attention when taking a cab. There are official government taxis that are regulated and required to use a meter, with fair prices. These taxis are silver with a yellow roof light and a number ending in 9090.

There are also private luxury drivers who charge extremely high prices for short rides. So always make sure you’re getting a metered official taxi (9090 number), otherwise you might get overcharged.

The local currency is the dirham (AED). We exchanged $50 at the airport and the rest in malls, where exchange rates are usually better.

Tickets, internet & tips

We booked attractions through Klook, which I’ve also used in other countries with good experience. If you use code PXMUAA when signing up, you get $5 off your first purchase (and I get a credit too).

For internet, I recommend Airalo. Easy eSIM setup with clear instructions. Using code KR8552 gives you a $3 discount on your first purchase (and I receive a credit as well).

Ramadan timing

During the last two days of our trip, Ramadan began, and the number of tourists dropped significantly. At the beginning of the trip, the Burj Khalifa fountains area was packed, while by the end we could enjoy the best viewing spots in peace.

It was also noticeable at the hotel. However, Ramadan doesn’t really affect tourism, most attractions remain open as usual. The only rule is that in public areas you shouldn’t eat or drink during the day.

Must-see attractions

Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa area – absolutely massive. The mall is part of the same complex as the Burj Khalifa and the fountains. You need hours just to explore it.

For the Burj Khalifa, I recommend booking around 6:00–6:30 PM to catch sunset and stay until it gets dark. The fountain show runs from 6 PM to 11 PM. Watching it from above was one of the most beautiful moments of the trip.

Dubai Miracle Garden & Global Village – these two are close to each other and are usually done on the same day.

Miracle Garden: 1–2 hours, best around 4 PM
Global Village: a huge cultural park with pavilions from countries around the world, food, markets, rides, and shows. You can easily spend the evening there. Entry is around 5$ and tickets can be bought on-site. Highly recommended

Sky Views Dubai (Marina zipline) – jumping from a 42nd-floor building sounds terrifying 😱 but it’s actually super fun and over in about a minute. The experience starts from a booth in Dubai Marina Mall, and then you’re taken to the tower and back.

La Perle show – absolutely amazing 😍 A theatrical acrobatic show with a storyline, stunts, and incredible effects. It’s produced by the same creator behind shows in Las Vegas. The theater is located in the Hilton hotel where we stayed, and we even got a discount. We booked Silver tickets and sat front row, an unforgettable experience.

Desert safari

A must-do in Dubai. We booked a desert safari including quad bikes. You get picked up from the hotel in the afternoon, start with quad biking in a designated area, then continue with dune bashing in a 4×4. It’s thrilling and a bit intense 😅

After that, there’s sandboarding, a scenic viewpoint stop, and finally a desert camp with dinner and live shows. Everything is very touristy and organized in stages, but we really enjoyed it.

The Frame & light attractions

Dubai Frame – a fun stop for about an hour around sunset. You go up in an elevator, see views of old and new Dubai, and walk on a glass floor (very scary for some people!).

Nearby is a beautiful illuminated park we visited for about two hours, perfect for the evening.

We also visited a 3D museum, which was fun and quiet since there were almost no tourists.

Marina experience

We took a yellow boat tour from Dubai Marina for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It was fast, fun, and included a guide explaining the skyline. You can also choose yacht cruises or dinner boats.

Malls

Dubai has three main malls:

Dubai Mall – the largest, next to Burj Khalifa, includes an aquarium
Mall of the Emirates – includes an indoor ski slope
Dubai Marina Mall – smaller, where the zipline experience starts

All malls are luxurious, full of global brands, restaurants, and entertainment.

Beach

We visited JBR Beach. It’s nice, but not a must in my opinion, I personally prefer more scenic beaches like Zanzibar or Thailand.

It was a week full of luxury, experiences, and nonstop activities.

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