Age is no barrier when it comes to travel
If you are looking for a city similar to Singapore in the west, then Dubai is your easy pick. With relatively cheap flights from Southern India and 4 hours of travel, you can easily spend 4 days in Dubai. A city caught between the old and the new is Dubai. a region where anything is OK (as long as it happens behind closed doors) amid a conservative culture with old-world customs. I was taken aback by the city's abundance of things to do and how, after a week, I was still left wanting more.
Dubai is an intriguing, multicultural city with a lot to offer people of all ages. This Dubai travel guide will enable you to maximise your funds while there.
Things to Know before you Go
UAE is cheap in terms of Food, Accommodation, Travelling around, drink!!! but you can also extend your budget from Backing to Luxury options. It is home to some of the expensive hotels and luxury resorts.
Accommodation:
Around 80 AED (1700 INR) is spent every night for a bed in a dorm room with 6–8 other people. Expect to pay roughly 175 AED (3750 INR) per night for a private room with an Ensuite. Dubai & Sharjah are so close you can travel between them in less than 20~30 mins. The Hotels in Sharjah are relatively cheap. There are lots of Airbnb options in Dubai. A private room averages about 165 AED per night, while entire homes and apartments start at 350 AED.
Food:
Hummus, shawarma, shish tawook (grilled kebabs), and knafeh are well-liked foods in Dubai . A meal out costs approximately 65 AED, A combo meal at a fast-food restaurant like McDonald's should cost roughly 30 AED. There are plenty of Kerala restaurants & takeaways which are the most economical ones I found.
Booze:
Drinking is pricey outside of happy hours and all-you-can-eat brunches, so if you're on a tight budget, I recommend cutting back on your drinking during your visit.
Water: Do get bottled water and is inexpensive.
Wifi & Mobile data: Dubai would be the one location in the world where visitors may travel without a local SIM card. There is fast, reliable Wi-Fi available literally everywhere. In reality, The Dubai Mall asserts to boast the FASTEST PUBLIC WIFI IN THE WORLD. The local sim cards/traveller sim are not cheap. 2 GB data will cost you 1000 INR. But I would recommend to buy this in case of emergency.
Credit Cards and ATMs: Most restaurant and retailers in the big and small cities will accept credit cards as payment. If you need to draw cash, you can find ATM’s almost everywhere; bank lobbies, on the streets, shopping malls, convenience stores and petrol stations
What to Wear: The dress code in United Arab Emirates is fairly liberal and contemporary. Once you arrive in the nation, there are no specific dress codes given to you. Always dress modestly by covering your upper body, your shoulders, and your knees with shorts or a skirt. Reiterating that they are quite modern, Emirati people will only really request that you cover yourself when you are in a sacred space.
Safety:
Although it goes without saying that common sense must be used, the United Arab Emirates has a very low crime rate. Theft of your belongings and drug use provide the greatest threats. You can prevent 90% of crime by keeping an eye on your valuables, avoiding any contact with narcotics, and abstaining from morally offensive acts towards the local laws/traditions. The vast majority of crimes encountered by visitors fall into those three categories. Another one to watch out is the road accidents.
Best time to Visit
Understanding Geography
The greatest time to visit the UAE is between November and Early March because it offers mild weather and is also the busiest travel period. If you decide to be there for Christmas & new year, plan well ahead.
The United Arab Emirates' summer months, from April to October is the time to avoid. These are the best months to visit the UAE only if you enjoy shopping or want to go for water activities.
The United Arab Emirates is an absolute federal monarchy in Western Asia that shares maritime borders with Qatar and Iran in addition to land borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia. Seven emirates make up the legally recognised United Arab Emirates (UAE), including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, and Ras al-Khaimah. More than 9 million people call it home. Only about 1.5 million of them are actually Emirati, though. The remainder of them are foreigners.
Abu Dhabi serves as the UAE's capital. Dubai is the biggest city, nevertheless. Both cities have a reputation for having skyscrapers and futuristic settings.
How to get to Dubai
Our Budget
Traveling from India, International flights arrive at Dubai International Airport. The Airport itself is a built as a tourist attraction and has plenty to offer. Dumbstruck with the facilities, cleanliness and entertainment it offered.
Spicejet flies direct from Madurai International airport and flying time is 4 hours. You have direct flights from Chennai & Coimbatore as well
Travelling from Tamil Nadu, gives you the advantage of cheap flights to Dubai.
Spicejet airlines is the cheapest to get into Dubai from Madurai. Return ticket cost us 25000 INR/person and from Chennai, Air India flies at 2000 INR/Person
If you want to choose which area to stay in Dubai based on price, Bur Dubai also offers the cheapest rates when it comes to accommodation. Moreover, it also has some of the most authentic and cheap Indian restaurants in town. Alternatively Deira gives you the md range hotels which will cost you 200 AED (4500 INR per night)
Restaurants range from Cheap eats to fine dining. Most of them are Kerala style which is my absolute favourite. You can get 2 parottas and beef fry for 25 AED, A vegetarian full meal will cost you 20AED
Where to Stay
1. Budget Locations are Bur Dubai & Deira. People also stay in Sharjah because of the proximity & cheap hotel prices compared to Dubai
2. Downtown Dubai - This is where all the action takes place. Filled with tourists and central hub to see all places. Its comes with the price tag though
3. Marina & Pal Jumeirah. There is the beach, plenty of restaurants and bars and with the canal and all the skyscrapers, it is actually very impressive. Also the most expensive areas to stay in Dubai
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How to Travel around Dubai
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Dubai is not the best place for pedestrians because it is a large city with summertime temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius. It is dangerous to ride a bike around and nearly hard to get around on foot due to the five-lane highways and 100km/h speed limit. But don't worry, there are lots of other transportation options available in the city to make it easy for visitors to get around.
Taxi
The most effective way to travel in and around Dubai is definitely by taxi. There are plenty of cabs available in the city that may be contacted, flagged down on the street, or even reserved via an app called RTA Smart Taxi. The best part about taxi journeys in Dubai is how reasonably priced they are! Of course, prices vary depending on the distance, the time of day, and the volume of traffic, but overall, costs are moderate.
Dubai Metro
This is undoubtedly the least expensive method of transportation in Dubai. The Dubai Metro is unique among others in that the majority of its trains are above ground, giving passengers beautiful views of Dubai's renowned Sheikh Zayed Road, which is home to the majority of the city's well-known structures. There are just two largely straight-line lines in the Dubai Metro, so you might still need to take a taxi from the metro station closest to you.
Must do things in Dubai
Must see places in Dubai
1. Malls in Dubai
Dubai's malls are unique compared to malls elsewhere in the world. The city currently has approximately 65 malls, and more are on the way. Mall visits are really popular here! There is a tonne to see and do between the Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates.
At the Mall of the Emirates, there is upscale shopping, nightly fountain displays, an aquarium with a walk-through, 360-degree underwater tunnel, and even indoor skiing (the Mall of the Emirates also has over 650 stores and 100 restaurants).
The Ibn Battuta Mall, the largest themed mall in the world, is another option. It is named after the explorer with the same name and has a Moroccan theme.
2. Burj al Arab
A landmark of architectural innovation, A hotel that’s home to cutting-edge engineering — from the unique man-made beach and infinity pool terrace, to one of the tallest grand atrium at 180 metres high
For the first time in history, Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab welcomes guests to an exclusive 90-minute tour, to discover the untold stories of a true UAE landmark. Tours cost 249 AED (5500 INR per person)
