How to Plan Your First Trip to Dubai – Discover A Magical and Enthralling City

 The Emirate of Dubai is always an engrossing place to visit, offering many varied attractions and experiences for the visitor. Here, you will encounter sightseeing attractions, amazing shopping opportunities, cultural highlights and many other interesting things to see and do. You will also find that English is widely spoken with items like street signs and menus featuring English translations. Provided below is more useful information that will help to plan your first visit to Dubai.

Ayisha rida, Dubai Mall Fountain, CC BY-SA 4.0

Select the time to visit

There is no doubt that Dubai will usually feel warm to travellers from more temperate climates. However, during the months of winter which extend from November through March, there will be cooler temperatures that will please visitors from colder countries. Due to this reason, this period will also be the peak season for tourism in Dubai. Accordingly, you can expect more crowds and somewhat higher prices if you opt to visit the Emirate during this time. On the other hand, during the months of summer extending from June through August the rates will be lower if you can brave the heat; remember, whenever it gets too hot you can always head to the many indoor attractions or malls with blissful air conditioning!

Know how to get around

As you might expect in a busy city, there can be traffic on the streets of Dubai, particularly during rush hour. There will be several good ways to get about in the city; taking taxis will be a comfortable and quick way of getting about and for optimal rates you can consider the regular cabs rather than the luxurious Lexus ones. Another good way to travel would be taking the metro as the local metro system is clean as well as convenient. In fact, during rush hour and even at other times on weekdays, the metro could very well be the best method of travelling within Dubai. However, particularly during weekends and if you need to switch trains during your trip, you should give yourself adequate time for the journey. You will also be able to ride the hop-on/ hop-off buses which will allow you to see some of the key sights of the city.

 Enjoy the things to see and do

Dubai is rightfully renowned for its remarkable shopping opportunities which include souks (traditional marketplaces) as well as splendid modern shopping malls such as the Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall. An accommodation choice to consider from where you could easily experience the things to do in Ibn Battuta Mall would be the pleasingly located Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai which is just a short walk away.

Many visitors to the city also take the opportunity to experience the stunning views from the lofty Burj Khalifa skyscraper, while another highlight would be the spectacular Dubai Fountain. You may also choose to visit the stunning Dubai Marina with its shops, restaurants and mall. Sightseers will additionally be captivated by the Dubai Museum and the Dubai Creek with its traditional boats. Another not-to-be-missed experience in Dubai would be to undertake an unforgettable desert safari as well.

 Be aware of the cultural considerations

Since Dubai happens to have a Muslim culture, visitors should keep this in mind during their visit to the Emirate. Generally, tourists and expatriates may dress as they like on the streets but need to avoid revealing clothing; likewise, at the beaches, swimwear can be worn, so long as you avoid excessively revealing outfits. On the other hand, ladies will be obliged to wear a traditional abaya and hijab for visiting mosques and men too must dress conservatively when at religious sites. Public displays of affection are forbidden anywhere in Dubai as well.

The dining options in Dubai will be varied and excellent, but naturally, you will not find pork dishes on the menus. Also, Keep in mind that tourists are permitted to consume alcohol at licensed bars, hotels and restaurants, but not in public.