Travel Guide to Dubai, UAE

Region: Middle East · Budget: Luxury · Flight from UK: 7 hours · Best months: November to March

Dubai isn't a city built for slow wandering — it's a city built for spectacle. Seven decades ago this was a fishing village; today it's the Burj Khalifa, the Palm Jumeirah, indoor ski slopes and a metro that runs entirely without drivers. From the UK it's 7 hours direct, and the visa is free on arrival for British passport holders. The real Dubai is best experienced as a contrast: a sunrise wander through the textile and gold souks of Deira, a coffee in the restored wind-tower neighbourhood of Al Fahidi, and then an evening on the 124th floor watching the fountains. Most travellers stay 4–5 nights — long enough to mix the iconic stuff with a desert safari and a couple of slow beach days. The city is safe to a degree that surprises Western visitors (you can leave a phone on a café table and it will still be there an hour later) but the laws on alcohol, dress and public behaviour are stricter than the resort experience suggests — book bars only inside hotels, dress modestly outside the beach clubs and respect Ramadan if you're visiting during the holy month.

Budget breakdown (per day, GBP)

Stay £150–£350 · Food £60–£120 · Activities £40–£100 · Total £250–£570

Best time to visit

November–March is the only sensible window — 22–28°C, blue skies, and beach weather. April and October are still pleasant but starting to get hot. May–September is brutally hot (35–45°C) with high humidity; outdoor sights become unusable from 10am. Christmas through New Year is peak — book 4–6 months ahead.

Weather overview

Desert climate — extreme. Winter is warm and dry, summer is hot enough to be genuinely dangerous outside. Sandstorms occasionally roll through in spring and reduce visibility for 24 hours. Pack light cottons but bring a layer for over-air-conditioned malls and restaurants.

Suggested trip length

Weekend or 1 Week

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Dubai, drop bags at your accommodation and take a slow orientation walk through the centre to get your bearings before the jet lag hits. Grab an early dinner near your hotel — somewhere you can walk back from in five minutes — and have an early night to reset your body clock. If you've still got energy in the evening: Burj Khalifa.
Day 2: Desert safari in the morning while you're fresh and the light is good for photos, followed by a long local lunch somewhere off the main tourist drag. Afternoon: explore a neighbourhood you haven't seen yet on foot, stopping for a coffee or a drink whenever you find a spot that looks right.
Day 3: Dubai Mall — book any tickets in advance online to skip the queues, which can easily eat 90 minutes in peak season. Afternoon: a slower café-and-shops loop in a different part of town, then dinner somewhere recommended by your accommodation hosts rather than a top-10 list.
Day 4: Palm Jumeirah. Use the second half of the day for any souvenirs or gifts to take home, and try a restaurant outside the main tourist strip — typically 30–40% cheaper for noticeably better food. End the day somewhere with a view, sunset is usually the best free attraction in any city.
Day 5: Day trip out of Dubai — a coastal town, mountain village, vineyard region or nearby city is usually under an hour by train, bus or ferry and gives you a completely different angle on UAE. Pack light, leave early, and aim to be back for a relaxed dinner.
Day 6–7: Revisit your favourite spot from earlier in the week now that you know your way around, slow down with a long lunch, and pick up anything you missed on the first pass. Use the final morning for a quiet breakfast and a final wander before heading to the airport — leave at least 3 hours' buffer for international flights.

Things to do in Dubai

Sunset on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa — book the 'At The Top' ticket online for sunset slot, much cheaper than the 148th floor and the view is the same.
Old Dubai morning: take an abra (1 dirham, £0.20) across Dubai Creek from Bur Dubai to Deira, walk through the spice and gold souks, finish with breakfast at Arabian Tea House.
Desert safari with a reputable operator (Platinum Heritage runs vintage Land Rovers and small groups) — dune-bashing, falconry, traditional dinner under the stars.
Spend a half-day at Madinat Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab area — the souk is curated rather than authentic but the views and the architecture are spectacular.
Book a beach club day pass at Drift, Cove or Nikki Beach — proper beach, proper food, around £40–80 a day depending on the venue.
Dubai Mall plus the Dubai Fountains at night — the world's largest mall (more useful than it sounds in the heat) and a free 30-minute fountain show at the base.
Brunch on a Saturday — Dubai's all-you-can-eat-and-drink Saturday brunches at hotels like the Atlantis or the Westin are legendary; book three weeks ahead.
Cycle the canal at Al Qudra — a 50km loop into the desert, free, and an easy escape from the city if you're staying for a week.

Best areas to stay in Dubai

Downtown Dubai — the Burj Khalifa, the Mall, walkable to Dubai Opera. Best for first-time visitors who want to be central.
JBR / Dubai Marina — the beach strip, walkable promenade, brilliant for families and people who want to swim every day.
Palm Jumeirah — for resort holidays; the iconic palm-shaped island with luxury hotels and private beaches.
Bur Dubai / Al Seef — the old historic side; cheaper, more atmospheric, useful if you want to balance the bling with culture.
Avoid generic chain hotels in Deira if you want a beach holiday — Deira is great for the souks but a 30-min drive from the sea.

Transport tips

From DXB airport: the metro Red Line (Terminal 1 and 3) reaches Downtown in 25 minutes for £2 — far faster than a taxi at rush hour.
Get a Nol card on arrival — works on the metro, tram and bus.
Metro is excellent but doesn't reach everywhere; for Palm Jumeirah, JBR or beach clubs you'll need taxis.
Use Careem (the local Uber) for transparent pricing — taxis are metered and reliable but Careem avoids the cash-payment hassle.
Ladies-only carriages exist on the metro (pink) — a useful option for solo women.
Avoid driving unless you're confident with assertive driving — Dubai's roads are excellent but the pace is fast.

Safety tips

Dubai is one of the safest cities on earth — violent crime against tourists is essentially zero.
Alcohol is only legally served in licensed venues (almost all of which are inside hotels) — drinking in public or being visibly drunk in a public space is a criminal offence.
Public displays of affection (kissing, hand-holding beyond couples) can lead to fines — keep it to hotels and beach clubs.
Dress modestly outside resorts and beach clubs — shoulders and knees covered in malls and the souks.
If you're visiting during Ramadan, no eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight — even water; restaurants are mostly closed but hotel restaurants serve through the day for guests.

Visa & entry requirements (UK travellers)

Visa-free up to 30 days for UK passport holders.