What Should A First Timer Do In Dubai?

What Should A First Timer Do In Dubai? Enjoy a shoeshine and a meal in the Emirates First Class Lounge, then head back to Hong Kong.

Planning a stopover in Dubai as part of a RTW next year and these look like awesome suggestions. Can't wait.
Thanks Lucky.

I would be very interested in reading a post about the ethics of visiting certain countries based on their stance on human rights violations, etc. I'd imagine it is a tricky issue that you wrestle with, given that your posts may sometimes serve to increase tourism in these regions, supporting them financially.

Perfect Timing! finishing my daily Itinerary right now for my fam of 4 staying in early June. Flying Etihad CDG-AUH, and then AUH-IAD 2 in Bus and 2 in First. Staying at the Atlantis (you didnt recommend, but you also dont have a 5 and 7 year old who just want a beach vacation....). 5th night free from Prestige was a good perk here. Cant wait to do about 8 items off your list.

Good post. Do you have suggestions as the best way to get there realistically from the west coast pre AA devaluation for a family of 3 in first or business?

Any thoughts on unmarried couples visiting together and sharing a hotel room/walking around?

Amazing, lucky. I think that my wife and I did just about everything you mentioned except for Ferrari world. Well done!

It feels like Las Vegas in the Middle East. Not for the gambling but for being an "artificial city" with no history. However, I still want to visit it. 🙂

Ang- I doubt they ask couples for their marriage certificate. Click on the 2nd link in the post- "Is It Safe to Travel to the UAE?", that will answer this type of question.

Great post, Ben! One quick question. Since kids are not allowed at the Skyview Bar, do you think afternoon tea at the Sahn Eddin in the lobby of the Burj Al Arab would be worth it or not?

This is a good list Ben. Good tip about the monorail. When I lived there, so many people who came to visit wanted to see the Palm Jumeira. Of course if you drive on it, it's so massive that there is no way to know that you are on a palm-shaped island. You can really only see that from above.

Small clarification about the Madinat Jumeirah (Madinat=city, Jumeirah:various translations, but the one I use is reflecting/glowing so Madinat Jumeriah=Glowing City). But the point is that it's a complex, not a single hotel. There is is the souk that you mentioned, many restaurants, a huge conference center, a separate spa, and 3 different hotels. Al Qasr (the Palace) and Mina A'Salam (Harbor of Peace) are attached and you can most definitely go into them as a tourist for a nice drink, meal, or tea. The Dar Al Masyaf (summer houses) are separate and not accessible to the general public.

I'm surprised you haven't been to Mina A'Salam or Al Qasr. Two of my favorite hotels in Dubai for a meal or drink, with great food and awesome views if you choose the right restaurants or bars.

@ Alok -- I'd say it's probably not worth it, given the cost. Without the views it's just not as great.

@ Ang -- No problem at all.

@ tim -- Etihad is pretty good about opening space in first and business out of SF and LA, so I'd say that's your best bet.

@ Doug -- Wrote about exactly this here:
https://onemileatatime.com/countries-gay-illegal/

Great list.
And I support the Abu Dhabi visit. The Grand Mosque is amazing. Highly recommend. Beaches in abu Dhabi are better, I think, than those in Dubai. I'd recommend Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi. Either getting a day pass at one of the hotels (Park Hyatt or St Regis), spending a day at the Saadiyat Beach Club, or spending a day at Saadiyat Public beach is time and money well spent from October/November through early May.

Also left out on your list is BRUNCH in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. It's truly the best thing to do. Brunch is on Friday and it's an experience. It's an all - day affair, easily the highlight of the week for all ex pats in the UAE. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/13/travel/dubai-tourism-restaurants.html. Sums it up quite nicely.

It's fine traveling there as an unmarried couple, straight or gay. low key.

Enjoy!

@Chris "if you choose the right restaurants or bars".

If you're going to say that, why not name some of them? :;

We both have been in Dubai last Saturday Ben.

For me it was a first time for a short 2,5 days in Dubai and 2 days at Abu Dhabi.

Things i loved about Dubai:
- Bastakiya area with the Dubai Museum, art gallerys, cafe's
- Souks and then crossing the Creek on an Abra
- JBR Walk for a glimse of the modern Dubai and I was surprised that the Burj al Abra & the Atlantis Restaurant and there are some great food places aswell
- A visit to the Jumeira Mosque during a tour at 10 am - and a bit of information about islam

Not to sure about Dubai Mall, as after visiting The Venican in Macau, nothing can compare to it. Afternoon tea at Burj Khalif was a fun thing to do, but I do agree that the view is sort of boring, but def a better deal then the Premium ticket - even with the cheap "sparkling wine" they are now serving.

I'm going to be there for about 9 hours (last time was less but we still saw some sights) in the evening. Any recommendations of things we can see/do/visit in casual attire (t-shirts/jeans)? I don't want to dress up for the 2-day plane journey.

@Robert - well, I'm not the blogger, but you have a point. At Mina A'Salam, I like Al Samar Lounge for afternoon tea and Bahri Bar for evening drinks, and Zheng He's for fine Chinese. At Al Qasr, Pai Thai is good for Thai, and Pier Chic is a great romantic seafood place out on a pier from the hotel. For Friday brunch, Al Qasr is one of the very best anywhere in the world. If you want to experience ridiculous Dubai excess and glamour in a brunch, this is where you do it.

The outdoor balcony off the Mina A'Salam lobby is a great place and holds a nice memory for me. When I moved to Dubai years ago, my first weekend there I knew no one, my family had not yet come, and my house had no furniture yet. I was seated on the outdoor balcony on a great 82F/28C afternoon, looking out over the ocean and pool with an ocean breeze. I enjoyed some cocktails while listening to a band perform below. At that moment I thought, "Ok, Dubai is going to be alright."

I love Vegas but am bored by Dubai. Best thing to do in Dubai? Use it as a base and do a quick sidetrip to Tehran or Isfahan, both of which are amazingly wonderful. It's been 10 or so years since I have been to Iran; yet, I still smile whenever I think of that trip. The people were friendly, gregarious and charming. Dare I say but Tehran was vibrantly fun, even by Tel Aviv standards. And Isfahan has to be one of the world's great cities for aimless wandering.

Lucky, I am so anxious to read about your very quick trip to Mauritius!

Flying Auckland-Singapore-London and was wondering if its worth stopping in Singapore for a few days and what to do there.

I'm enjoying this new "series." You've frequently said in the past that you don't focus on what to do in the places you visit because there are other sources for the information. But I think you have a unique and valuable perspective as a person who frequently visits these international hubs, and only has a short time to see the sights.

Never been to Dubai, but it does not look very interesting if this post is any indication. Compared to cities like New York, Hong Kong and London where you could spend your whole life exploring and never run out of interesting things to see and do, it looks like an extended weekend would pretty much cover it.

My advice jump on a plane and fly to muscat, oman.
Its a relaxed , friendly and safe place for a few days.

@Jacob:

EAT! Hawker centers are everywhere. Pick the place with the longest line, get what everyone else is eating.

Rinse, repeat.

@Ben - Let me give you the story of the 'other side of Dubai'.. that most folks do not know (perhaps like yourself) or choose not to talk about

You want to see the real Dubai - go visit the labor camps - way out far away from Dubai.- This emirate and the whole country called UAE has violated every possible human right imaginable (as defined by United Nations). Laborers from the sub continent are treated so badly (note my present tense verbiage) it is unimaginable !!

You want to see the soul of Dubai
- meet these folks - who have build all the dazzle that wows you
-The workers who live 6 to 8 to a room, that is 8x10
- without air air-conditioning no decent sanitation, rampant spread of disease and many more horrific happenings .
-These poor souls are made to work in the hot sun and biting cold ,6 days a week,
- 14 hours a day for 200$ a month.
-No ability to leave because their passports are confiscated as soon as they land, and
-They cannot leave for two years.
- If they do not toe the line, they are flogged and whipped and subject to torture and worse

All those tall buildings, malls, that you are so mesmerized about, have been built on the blood, sweat, toil and deaths of thousands of unknown nameless souls, who have died over the last few decades to build that artificial bubble called Dubai.

As a nine year resident of the GCC (Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi), there is a lot of ground to cover... But another great side trip we encourage people to take is Jordan. Easily done in 2 nights/3 days - a visit to Petra and the Dead Sea is an excellent visit. With a 7(ish) day itinerary, there would be enough time to cover the UAE and Jordan.

@Lucky, love the list! I have a friend arriving on Saturday and this is pretty much the exact places we'll be showing her.

I'm definitely an outlier, but Dubai looks ghastly. A bigger, more tacky, more extravagant Las Vegas in another desert. Ugh. I have zero interest in going. Not wanting to rain on anyone's parade, but seriously, why go here? Also @Andrew F, have read about the terrible conditions of the laborers who basically built the city and it's pretty abominable. Why support a place like this? On the other hand, thanks for your top 10 things to see in Hong Kong. Just came back a couple of weeks ago and loved, loved, loved Hong Kong!

Dubai was not my cup of tea, to put it mildly. Vey dull place during stopover to Oman.

I wouldn't consider dune bashing as there are "sand fish" that pop in and out of the top of the dunes, and the dune bashing just kills them.

I would also recommend going to the falcon show out away from the city, and if you have time staying overnight. I wasn't able to but imagine looking at the stars with a clear sky would be beautiful

What about desert safari, that was my favorite thing to do in Dubai

Nikki Beach just opened in Dubai! So next time you're there you can visit this beach club 🙂 Last weekend I was in Dubai in stopover after visting Oman and I did the afternoon tea. I was too tempted after your post, but they did some changes to the menu.. There was no main 'beef' dish, nor a gift. But overall it was a great experience of course.