You are visiting Dubai for the first time, take a look at this important information to plan your trip.
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Getting around Dubai
As in any major city and tourist area, there is a lot of traffic in Dubai. There is also rush hour traffic. You should be aware that the working week in Dubai is from Sunday to Thursday. Their weekend days are Friday and Saturday. This affects the time it takes for the car / taxi to get from one place to another. Traffic is much lighter on the weekends. You can rent luxury car Dubai for events, or cruises…
Taxis
For the best prices, use regular taxis and not luxury Lexus taxis. Check if there is a meter in the taxi and you can also ask what the price will be from one place to another.
Meter
During the week and peak hours, this may be your best option depending on traffic. However, the day we used it we found it to be full of people (there were no seats available), we had to change trains and wait for long stretches as it was a weekend day and the distance to the metro in the Dubai Mall was a long walk. It took us over an hour to get to our location using the metro, so please allow yourself plenty of time if you have to change trains. During the week, trains run more frequently.
Do you need a visa to go to Dubai?
No, with a US passport, you do not need a visa to go to Dubai (or Abu Dhabi), which is part of the United Arab Emirates.
How to travel to Dubai
We take Emirates Airlines directly from New York to Dubai. They had a 2 for 1 airfare which was great! Emirates Airlines has deals often and they fly from various US cities so I suggest you sign up on their website. They also offer free stopovers in Dubai.
You can also fly with Etihad Airways to Abu Dhabi and take a shuttle bus or taxi for one hour to Dubai. Qatar Airways is another option. They make a stop in Doha before continuing to Dubai. Of course, you can also use airlines based in the US.
The best times to visit
Dubai is HOT! I know-Duh. During the “winter months”, which correlate with ours, temperatures are colder with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s. This is from November to March. However, in the summer months of June to August, temperatures average a high of 105.
The best places to stay
There is no shortage of hotels in Dubai, especially luxury hotels. You can also check rental sites like Airbnb. I compare it to Las Vegas or Cancun if you’ve been to either one. We kept driving from one side to the other, from one side to the other of the same main road.
The most central location, and therefore the busiest, is around the Dubai Mall, which is where Burj Khalifa is located. At the opposite end of this “strip” is Dubai Airport and Old Dubai with the souks. Along most of this strip is Jumeirah Beach, lined with beach resorts, shops, and restaurants.
I don’t know about you, but one of the most frustrating things for me when preparing for a trip is searching the internet for articles.
