Dubai Travel Guide for First Time Visitors

Dubai is one of the world's most famous destinations for many reasons. In this article I will give tips on how to plan your Dubai holiday, from visas to getting tickets and which main attractions you should check out. 

Dubai is known for its modern design is full of western entertainment including shopping malls, an indoor ski park, and plenty of bars and restaurants. But it is also a cultural place, traditions have been drawn from the Bedouin traditions of storytelling, poetry, song and dance.

Do you need a Visa?

There are different visa requirements depending on the country you are visiting from. For example. of you are travelling from the UK you do not require advance visa arrangements to enter the UAE and you can get a visa upon arrival to visit for 30 days with a 10-day grace period.

How to get to Dubai?

The very best way to get to Dubai is to fly with its very own carrier Emirates Airlines. You’ll arrive in style flying on one of Emirates world class liners and feel refreshed even when travelling in economy class. When you get to the airport the airline also offers complimentary coach services from the airport to Abu Dhabi or other beach resorts depending on your booking.

What can you do in Dubai?

There is more to do than you can imagine on your Dubai holiday, so here are a few things to choose from.

Sheikh Mohamed Centre for Cultural Understanding

This excellent centre introduces visitors to Islam and Emirati culture. There are many exhibits to read and learn from as well as joining in some things to do. These include walking tours of Bastakiya, taster Arabic classes and Jumeirah Mosque tours shoeing visitors a demonstration of ablutions and prayer, and also offering to answer questions about Islam as a whole. You could also experience a traditional Fuala, which is the Emirati custom of welcoming guests with tea and pastries. Delicious.

Dubai Museum

If you thought that Dubai had no history then you’d be wrong. Surprisingly there are more roots to Dubai than initially meets the eye. This museum is set beneath Dubais oldest building the Al Fahidi Fort constructed in 1787.  This air-conditioned museum gives you a welcome break from the heat and a new perspective on this relatively new country. You’ll find objects dating back to the bronze age and some interesting exhibits showing historic traditional dress and jewellery. Find the museum on Al-Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai open Monday to Saturday.

Dubai’s beaches

Some will visit Dubai just for the beaches and there’s good reason to. You’ll find five-star hotels with their very own stretch of beach and plenty of public beaches to choose from. Kite beach is popular and as the name suggests you’ll find lots of kite surfers here. Another picturesque beach is sunset beach which offers amazing views of Burj Al Arab. A very popular place for tourists wanting to take that perfect photo that personifies Dubai. Jumeirah Beach is great if you want to spend the whole day on the beach. There are plenty of facilities including changing rooms with showers, water-sports to try and sunbeds for rent. The beach is also lined with restaurants, cafes and boutiques if you want to grab a bite for lunch.

Burj Khalifa

This iconic building in Dubai stands at 828-metres tall and is the world’s tallest building. Make your way to the high-speed elevator which speedily takes you to the'At the Top' observation decks at level 125 or level 148. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows provide amazing 360-degree views of the city below. There’s also a cocktail lounge and restaurant on Level 122 where you can book a table by the window and enjoy the view with a drink in hand. Definitely a tick for the bucket list.

Are you looking forward to a trip to Dubai?
If you are a first-time visitor to Dubai hopefully this will set your mind at ease when you come to planning and booking your trip. It’s easy to get there and there are plenty of things to see and do, at least now you know where to start.

Image from Pixabay.com

This is a contribution from one of our contributing writers.

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