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How To Cover Dubai In 4 Days

Meenakshi Chauhan

When it comes to visiting Dubai the first two things that come to my mind are shopping and gold. Dubai is like a never-ending shopping festival. The city of lights and buildings that touch the sky, Dubai is an ideal destination for your next vacation.

So, without wasting any time let me tell you how you can make the most of Dubai in 4 days.

Do’s and Don’ts In Dubai

  • Do not take the 1-day metro pass. Yes, I know most of you must be under the impression that this pass is going to be the cheapest and the most convenient option to travel but that’s not the case if you are traveling in a group. The best metro pass for tourists is the Red Ticket ( 2 AED), you can add a 1-day pass to this ticket for 20 AED which totals to 22 AED.

    Now, at the most, you can cover 3-4 locations in a day and not all the places will be accessible by metro directly. You will have to take either a taxi or a bus ( the red ticket can be used in buses also) after the metro.

    In short, you will be paying for the metro plus taxi or if you are waiting for the bus you will be wasting a lot of time.

  • Do not go for Uber, go for the local taxis. Uber is ultra expensive in Dubai. Local taxis are readily available, they charge a decent amount and they drop you directly at your destination, unlike metro.

  • The next reason why I would not recommend the metro is because you will have to walk a lot, and by a lot, I mean a lot. Don’t tire yourself by walking at the metro stations because you will also have to walk at the places you are visiting.

  • For the hotel, I went for Citymax it is just next to the Mall of Emirates which is internally connected to the metro, has a taxi stop and a bus station at the entrance of the hotel and a supermarket just a few steps away. So, it was very convenient to travel, eat or shop at any time of the day.  

  • Do not buy water from your hotel. Water is very expensive in hotels. They will charge you around 6 AED for one half litre bottle. However, I bought a pack of 6 bottles (each 1½ litre) from the supermarket for just 10 AED !!!

  • Food is cheap in Dubai if you are eating at a food court. I ate most of the time from the Mall of Emirates food court.

  • Do not visit Palm Atlantis if you are not planning on taking the helicopter ride to see the Palm Jumeirah. Take along something to eat if you are going there, everything is highly expensive.

  • Go for international roaming on your sim. You won’t need a Dubai sim if you are travelling in one group.

Places To Visit In 4 Days

Burj Khalifa

You can’t go to Dubai and not visit Burj Khalifa. The tallest building and free-standing structure in the world stands at 828 meters and has more than 160 stories. The Burj Khalifa’s design is inspired by the spider lily, a regional desert flower.

The building has offices, the Armani residential area, the Armani Hotel, health and wellness facilities, pools and observation decks.

The Burj Khalifa is one of the most photographed structures in the world. So, don’t forget to click lots of photos.

You will step into the world’s fastest lift to reach the observation decks and will see the entire Dubai from the deck. I didn't even realise the lift was moving and reached the 124th floor in 7-8 seconds.

Burj Khalifa entry is inside the Dubai Mall. You can reach Dubai Mall through the metro. The Dubai Mall metro station is connected to the Mall. So, you can walk to the Mall (it is going to be a long walk) or you can get down at the station and take a bus to the Mall.

Do’s and Don'ts at Burj Khalifa

  • Pre-book your tickets online. Do not buy the tickets inside the Mall. They will be expensive and you might not even get the ticket as the slots are booked most of the time.

  • The tickets are priced differently depending on the floor you are visiting. So, suit yourself. The most economical is the 124th and 125th floors and they also give an amazing view.

  • Book your time slot for the afternoon so that you can see the Dubai Fountain and the light show on the Burj Khalifa in the evening ( both are in the Dubai Mall).

Dubai Fountain

You can experience the Dubai fountain show in the Dubai Mall itself. The show is free and there are no tickets. It’s free that does not make it anything less than extraordinary. The water dance on Arabic music will give you goosebumps for sure! The show starts around 6:00 in the evening and repeats after every half an hour till 10:00 pm on weekdays and 11:00 pm on weekends.

The cherry on the cake is the light show on the Burj Khalifa.

Do’s and Don’ts at Dubai Fountain

  • Reach the fountains before 6 or you will not be able to see the show properly. People are gathered around the fountains beforehand and you might end up standing at the back cursing them.

  • Do not go for the ferry ride inside the lake. It is not free and you will not get the full view sitting in a ferry.

  • Keep your cameras ready.

Dubai Frame

You can see this building from far away. Shaped like a rectangular photo frame, it is a major attraction in Dubai. A lift will take you to the top. The frame gives a 360-degree view of Dubai, to the north you can see the old Dubai with its souk and Dubai creek and to the north, you can see the new Dubai with its shining skyscrapers. You can also walk on the glass bridge built at the top of the frame and believe me it will scare the hell out of you!!

Do’s and Don’ts at Dubai Frame

  • Buy the tickets online in advance.

  • Visit during the daytime so that you can get a clear 360-degree view.

  • It’s a very long walk from the metro. Go for a taxi or bus.

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

Discover the underwater world at Dubai aquarium which is also located inside the Dubai Mall. The aquarium house a number of different underwater species and guess what who I found at the zoo, both Nemo and Dori. You will be amazed to see such a huge variety of sea animals.

Do’s and Don’ts at Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

  • Buy the tickets on the spot. You might get some amazing offers if you buy on the spot.

  • Don’t go for the normal aquarium and zoo package. Try the adventurer package instead. You will get to see the aquarium, the zoo, a guide will give you a behind the scenes tour, a glass bottom boat ride, and shark feeding experience. I got all this for just 121 AED!!!

  • Keep ample time for the aquarium and zoo, it might take you 3 hours to explore if you took an adventurers package.

    Also Read: No Internet, No Cell Phone- The Best Place To Enjoy Nature Luxuriously !!

Desert Safari

I had some mixed experiences during the desert safari. The safari itself is great, you get to see the sun setting on the golden sand and the dune-bashing drive electrifies your body and mind. The safari is then followed by a cultural show, you will get to see the famous belly dance and some other jaw-dropping performances. What spoils the mood is the food. The food is pathetic and a total waste of money! But the rest of the experience is great and a must try.

Do’s and Don’ts at Desert Safari

  • Pre-book your desert safari package online. Arabian Nights is one of the most popular desert safaris available.

  • Start early, say 2 in the afternoon. The desert is far from the city and will take you around an hour to reach there.

  • Do not waste your money on the camel ride or the ATV. If you want to go for camel ride don’t book it in your Desert Safari package because that camel ride is mostly limited to a small circle ( I don’t think the camel walks more than 10 steps in that circle). As far as ATV is concerned, you will be driving the ATV at the speed of 40 kmph, the speed is locked and you can’t go faster than this.

  • There are two types of seating available. In the normal seating, there is self-service while in the VIP one you will be served at your seat.

Madinat Jumeirah Market

Madinat Jumeirah combines traditional Middle Eastern shopping culture of stands, barrows, and stalls with a mix of boutique brands, souvenir gift shops, luxury fashion, and jewellery. There are 25 different restaurants offering cuisines from all over the globe.

Go there to experience the culture and architecture.

Do’s and Don’ts at Madinat

  • Go there just for the experience and window shopping.

  • Do not even think of eating at a restaurant or cafe there. The place will leave a hole in your pocket for sure.

  • Keep around 1 hour for this place.

Glow Gardens

Glow garden is a recreation park built in 2015. The place is a must visit even if you are not a kid. The place is a tribute to nature and the underwater sea world. The glow garden also houses a dinosaur park. If you are a Jurassic Park fan do visit this park ( even if you are not a fan, the glow garden ticket includes the dinosaur park also).

Do’s and Don’ts at Glow Garden

  • You can book the tickets online or buy at the counter, no difference so it’s up to you.

  • As it goes without saying, visit after dark. The park closes at 11:00 pm except on Fridays when it closes at 12:00 pm.

Ice Park

Ice park is located inside the glow gardens but you have to take a separate ticket for it. Ice park is a recent addition to the glow garden. The park consists of various ice sculptures which are maintained at a temperature of -4-degree Celsius. You will get a jacket at the entrance of the park.

Do’s and Don’ts at the Ice Park

  • Just enjoy nothing much here.

Miracle Garden

Situated in the heart of Dubai this garden houses incredible structure made of flowers from a 12-meter high teddy bear to an 18 meter high Mickey Mouse. The garden is huge and spans 72000 sqm space. Inaugurated on Valentines day 2013 the park has 150 million flowers arranged in different shapes and patterns.

Do’s and Don’ts

  • Plan around mid-November to mid-May to visit this place.

  • The park closes at 9 pm Sunday to Thursday and at 11 pm on Friday and Saturday.

  • Try and visit during the day time.

  • You can buy tickets from the counter.

Global Village

The global village attracts millions of visitors every year. The village houses pavilions from 25 different countries displaying their cultures and specialties. There is a complete schedule for performances and events throughout the day. You can’t cover this place completely even if you give 2 full days but your trip will be incomplete without visiting the global village.

Do’s and Don’ts at Global Village

  • Tickets are pretty cheap just 15AED and it's free for senior citizens and children below 3. Buy from the counter.

  • Do see some of the performances.

  • Don’t try and cover the entire village.

  • Visit in the evening. It’s all about lights.

Bur Dubai

Bur Dubai or old Dubai is a must visit if you plan on shopping. You will get the cheapest everything here.

Do’s and Don’ts in Bur Dubai

  • Gold Souk is overrated. Yes!! Don’t go for gold souk for your jewellery shopping no matter what people say. It’s expensive and not worth it.

  • Try Meena Bazaar for gold shopping. Meena Jewellers is quite famous there and one of my known and a localite in Dubai recommended it for gold.

  • Meena Bazaar is also a good place to shop for electronics and first copy items. I got a MacBook Pro (13 inches) worth Rs.1,04,900 on Amazon for just Rs.84,000 !!!!

  • Ferry service is available from Meena Bazaar to Gold Souk for just 1 AED. You can go there just to explore the market.

Jumeirah Beach

Jumeirah beach is a white sand beach named after Jumeirah district of Dubai. It stretches along the coast south of the city's historic district to the junction with The Palm Jumeirah and terminates between the southern end of Jumeirah Beach Residence.

Do’s and Don’ts at Jumeirah Beach

  • You will need a taxi. Metro station is not close by and even buses won’t drop you nearby.

  • Go in the evening to enjoy the cool breeze sitting by the beach.

  • Don’t lose your parents, just kidding.

My Itinerary

Day 1:

Relax at the hotel

Visited Mall of Emirates

Visited Palm Jumeirah Beach, lost my parents and ended up traveling throughout Jumeirah

Day 2:

Visited Burj Khalifa, Dubai Aquarium, Dubai Fountain and Dubai Frames.

Day3:

Started with Palm Atlantis, then Madinat market, followed by Desert Safari, Glow gardens, and Ice Park.

Day 4:

Visited Bur Dubai, Miracle Gardens and then Global Village.

If you prefer enjoying natural beauty on a vacation then Dubai is not the place for you. It’s a concrete jungle, you will hardly find even a bird flying around. But it’s definitely worth seeing how Dubai has turned itself from nothing but sand to one of the most popular holiday destination. Who could have imagined that a desert could one day become a leading technologically advanced country. So, pack your bags and get going to explore this wonder!!