The Ultimate Dubai Itinerary: 5 Days in the City of Gold

Alright, wanderers! Today we have a real treat. Our very first guest blog post! I’m lucky to have a lot of travel-loving besties in my life, and they inspire my adventures on the daily. When my friend Haley said that she was planning a Dubai itinerary 5 days long filled with epic adventures, I knew I had to share it with you all. Her itineraries are gold… no pun intended! So, without further ado, here’s Haley’s UAE itinerary inspiration… get ready for some laughs and really great insight into how to travel around Dubai.

Planning a 5-Day Dubai Itinerary: The Inspiration

When my husband flew to Dubai for a work trip, I knew it was the ideal time to plan a Dubai itinerary 5 days long that we could enjoy together after his trip. And I have to say, I was blown away by how comfortable I felt while traveling through the UAE and I’m excited to share this with you! 

Let the Adventure in the City of Gold Begin: The Itinerary

Did you know?

Dubai is called the City of Gold because it’s risen from a sleepy seaside down to a rich, luxurious international hub in less than one generation. We definitely saw why and it was interesting to see the contrast in development between the other UAE Emirates and Dubai.

Okay, now that we got that fun fact out of the way… Dubai itinerary time!

Day 1: Wander Around Old Dubai & Relax

I took a red-eye flight from Washington D.C., which had me landing at 9:00 A.M. local time. That said, day one was mostly unplanned because I had no idea how I would feel after the flight, and we didn’t know what my husband’s schedule would be. But unscheduled days can be the best ones! 

After dropping luggage off at the hotel, I went strolling around the city to get acquainted. If you’re unfamiliar with the area, Dubai is a sprawling city. You can walk around pretty easily, but I visited in March during the winter months, and it was already hot as hell. My #1 tip: Do not visit the UAE over the summer months unless you have a high heat tolerance. This New Englander was sweaty in the 90+ degree dry heat in March. 

Self-Led Walking Tour & Souks

Since our hotel was near Old Dubai we walked there after lunch using this amazing walking tour itinerary. If you go to Old Dubai you cannot miss the gold souk. Gold for days! I couldn’t believe the sheer amount of gold jewelry and doo-dads. There were gold headpieces, kinky outfits, insane necklaces, you name it. 

Now the gold souk was insane, but the other souks confused my American mind. The souks all blended together into one large market. But, we walked by a spoon souk, carpet souk, and perfume souk. Do people go to the spoon souk to buy their spoons and then to the fork souk to find matching forks?? I still wonder about this. 

From the souk souk city (b!tch), we wandered over down the street to take the water taxi back across the street and find some lunch. We had a little trouble figuring out which water taxi route went where but we finally found a map. The rides were cheap at 1 or 2 AED per passenger, and it was a fun little adventure. It was also miserably hot around noon so walking back down around Dubai Creek was not ideal! Thank god for public transportation.

Lunch Inside the Textile Souk – Bur Dubai – Al Souq Al Kabeer

Once back on the other side of the creek, we stopped for a lovely lunch at Bayt Al Wakeel Restaurant. It was inside the textile souk, Bur Dubai – Al Souq Al Kabeer. We ate shrimp and ordered a cocktail, only to find the cocktail was indeed a mocktail. This isn’t abnormal for UAE, so just mentally prepare yourself for surprises like that. On vacation, we’re typically cocktails at lunch kinda folks, so Dubai was a nice break for our livers. 

Time for a Bit of R&R

After lunch, it was getting too hot, so we walked back to the Canopy by Hilton Hotel where we were staying to relax by the pool and drink some real alcohol. We got bottles of rose, gawked at the huge Dubai skyline, and caught up on a week apart. Since I was still on east coast time, I had to call it a night by 9:00 p.m. At that time, I had been awake for almost 30 hours. Yikes! Plus, we had to be up hellishly early for tomorrow’s activity.

Day 2: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride & Dubai Desert Adventures

Booking a sunrise hot air balloon ride always sounds nicer when booking it rather than waking up for it. BUT THIS WAS SO WORTH IT!! It was brutal getting up at 5:00 a.m., even if it was after eight hours of sleep. But the hotel employees graciously found us some croissants and coffee, which we tipped them handsomely for. 

Choosing a Dubai Hot Air Balloon Tour

We booked the Adventure Tour with Hot Air Balloons Dubai after a lot of thought into what kind of desert experience we wanted. There were options for dinner buffets, camel tours, jeep rentals, etc. Neither of us had been in a hot air balloon, so we decided to give it a go. 

Getting to the Hot Air Balloon Tour in Dubai

Now, we half felt like we were getting kidnapped after the driver picked us up at our hotel, then proceeded to drive 30 minutes on the highway to a dirt road. When he parked off the side of said dirt road, there was no one else around, and it was still pitch black out. He then handed us some forms to sign and then left to go make a phone call. It was just the two of us in the car, and we had cell service, so it was totally fine. But we’ve seen Taken enough times to get a little nervous.  

After 10 minutes of just chilling in the Toyota Highlander, we were then off again. I think the guy was just getting directions to the correct location as it changes depending on the wind/weather. So after five more minutes on the road, we arrived at an obvious place where the balloons would take off. 

It was a very impressive operation of hauling in the baskets and balloons on big trailers then knocking them off the trailers to then unfold the actual balloons and fill them with hot air. Once they were all set up it was time to learn the ‘landing position’. It was unclear why we had to crouch down and brace ourselves for landing until we actually had to crouch down and brace ourselves for a crash landing. 🙂 More on that in a minute…

Heading Up Into the Dubai Sky

We hopped into the 16-person basket and were off! The pilot (?) was an older local dude who would definitely not let me pull the big handle that makes the fire and hot air. I tried. 

The ride was quick up, and once we hit 3,000 feet it was silent. We were just floating up there with no motor, wings, just a big ol’ balloon, and some strings to help guide us through the air. 

We were one of probably 10 balloons we could see, which made the pictures that much more epic. We were up there for about an hour or so and then started the descent. 

Prepare: It’s Time for Landfall

Did I mention that we didn’t have a motor? To land the bad boy, you literally crash into the dunes. It was slightly terrifying but very memorable and giggle-inducing. 

We bounced off of one dune and landed on another. Once the balloon deflates, we fall over, landing on our backs in the ‘landing position’. It gets better! They don’t have a specific landing spot because you basically follow the wind, so then we all just waited for our drivers to come to find us in the desert. Cue desert pic photo sesh. 

Once the Highlands found us in the desert, we loaded up and were off on the dune bashing. 

Dune Bashing in Dubai 

No, we didn’t punch the dunes. Dune bashing is when you drive over the sand dunes at varying speeds, and it’s really freaking fun. This drive was even more giggle-inducing for me than the hot air balloon descent. 

I’m a big roller coaster fan, so this type of ride was so fun! The thing about driving in the desert that they don’t tell you is that you have to keep up speed so you don’t get stuck, so we were hauling ass over peaks and around bushes, all while definitely not rolling over. I loved it and was so thankful for the air conditioning. We picked up another couple from a different balloon ride and bashed all the way to breakfast. This was the most disappointing part of the experience as it equated to a Hampton Inn in Tulsa complimentary breakfast. It does the trick at curbing hunger, but much to be desired in quality. 

Meet Desert Animals & Quad Excursion

At breakfast, they also had a horse and camel to ride. I try not to participate in animal experiences when traveling, so we just went over and said hi to the camel and passed on the ride. After we ate, we spent some quality time bonding with the camel.

Finally, our driver took us to the last adventure, which was quad biking. It consisted of a fenced-in area roughly the size of a football field where we could ride four-wheelers. At this point, it was really hot, so we only stayed for about 30 minutes. It was really fun, though!  Also, at this time, the drivers fill up their tires and try to clear the sand out of the vehicles. 

Relaxation & Time at Expo 2020 

Finally, we were dropped off around 10:00 a.m., just in time for 3rd breakfast at the hotel! We emptied our shoes of sand as best we could and then had lunch at the free breakfast. After some time relaxing, we picked up a rental car for tomorrow’s scuba adventure and headed to Expo 2020. I won’t go into this much because it’s already closed, but it was epic. In World Expo fashion, they brought to light innovative tech, art, and futuristic inspiration. You can learn more about it here!

Day 3: Scuba Diving in the Gulf of Oman at Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort

We’re big scuba divers, so we were pumped about the opportunity to do this! We hopped in the rental car to head to another Emirate, Fujairah, to dive in the Gulf of Oman. The UAE is made up of seven Emirates, including Dubai (Wikipedia explains it best).

The drive to Divers Down – Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort was just under two hours through the city, desert, and mountains. We like to drive, so it was nice to be on our own in such a foreign country. We arrived at the fancy resort and checked in, but the fog was so dense that we had to wait an extra hour to get on the dive boat. I wasn’t mad because it allowed me to hop in the water for a swim in the cool water! 

Time to Hit the Water

Once we got the OK to go on the water, we hopped off to the Coast Guard office to drop off our passports while we dove. Yep, we had to give our passports to the dive instructor, who handed them off to other dudes. It wasn’t the best feeling, but we trusted the dive shop and went along with it. It ended up not being a problem at all. 

We requested a wreck dive and were obliged to Inchcape 2 for the first dive, a very broken-up old shipwreck. Then we went to Martini Rock for a close-to-shore dive. The water was a bit chilly, so we wore thin wetsuits. It was also very murky, with about 30 feet of visibility at any time. 

We saw little wildlife or coral, but it was still fun to dive and see the shoreline from the boat. 

After our two very underwhelming dives and a wee bit of sunburn, we picked up our passports, and were dropped at the dive shop starving around 2:00 p.m. We ate at the resort pool restaurant and then hustled back to Dubai to drop off the rental car by 5:00 p.m. 

Dinner at Bu Qtair Restaurant

After racing back to drop off the car, we went to a suggested restaurant to try the local seafood, Bu Qtair Restaurant.  It did not disappoint. I could eat shrimp for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and this shrimp was out of this world. 

The restaurant had a different type of style in which you order by weight for pre-marinated shrimp and/or whole fish at the counter, get a number, then wait for a table to open up. When your number is called, you get a table and a waiter who takes your drink and sides order. 

There wasn’t really a menu at this point, so we just ordered Afghan-style naan bread, white rice, and some curry sauces. The flavor was so amazing, but it was very spicy. It was just spicy enough that I had to stop eating it before my stomach made me stop eating, which was probably for the best. Pro tip: This was a cash-only place, and there isn’t an ATM in immediate proximity, so come prepared! 

Day 4: A Highlight of Any Dubai Itinerary—Burj Khalifa

The Burj! I had been looking forward to this day since planning the trip. We had booked the tallest and most expensive Burj Khalifa experience. It’s the weirdest thing because when you’re under the building, it doesn’t look like the tallest building in the world, but it is! 

You have to have a skyline view from a bit of a distance to really get the breadth of the height, which is why our original hotel, the Canopy by Hilton, was a great choice. But first, on this day, we switched hotels! After finding a ‘spa package’ deal at The H Dubai featuring a suite and two massages for $200 USD, I knew we had to take advantage of it. What a score! 

Start Off at the Dubai Mall

From our hotel, we took the metro to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and made the walk to the Dubai Mall. It wasn’t bad at all because there is a long, indoor corridor that takes you from the metro station into the Dubai Mall, which is also where you grab the elevators for the Burj experience.

We arrived very early to give us time to walk around the mall, which is HUGE. I’m not a mall person, so this was overwhelming to me. We ended up stopping at a couple of super high-end shops, like Cartier, and chatting with the very personable shop workers. They loved hearing our stories and where we were from. We sat and had a snack and coffee at an ‘outdoor’ cafe within the mall, and people watched.

We love to sit with beverages and watch the craziness of sidewalks and crowds. It’s hard not to notice the diversity of this city. It’s out of the ordinary here where cultures seem to co-exist peacefully. Albeit there are A LOT of rules and laws with harsh punishments which keep violence to almost zero, we saw many people of all colors in all types of clothing and garbs just going about their lives. 

Visit Burj Khalifa

Back to the Burj. We booked (recommend booking in advance) the “World’s Highest Lounge” experience, which was $200 USD per person. But it was EPIC. We were escorted past everyone in the long line to the lower observation decks (there are a few to choose from based on price) and were whisked up to the 154th floor, the tallest public floor. 

Here we were greeted at the elevator and offered a complimentary alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage. We dutifully got wine and meandered around. It’s not a large area, just a few corridors to small sitting areas, but it was peaceful and fancy. I felt like we were among the wealthiest people in the world. Who knows if we actually were? 

It was nice because there were not many people; it felt very personal and romantic. There were a bunch of small canapes and bite-size desserts to try for free as well. We finished our wine and bought another for no more than $10 USD per glass, not bad at all for being at the top of the Burj. 

After exhausting our views, we started the descent down to the lower floors. Each subsequent level got more crowded, louder, and cheaper. We were so grateful to be able to splurge on that excursion and experience the luxury that Dubai has to offer. 

Watch the Dubai Fountain Show with Dinner at Thiptara

After coming back down to the working class level and checking out Beyonce-sized egos at the street, we found our way to our dinner reservations to watch the Dubai Fountain show. The show happens about every hour after 6:00 p.m. and is paired with a song and lights that spotlight the Burj. We ate outside at Thiptara, a nicer Thai restaurant right on the water, looking up at the Burj. 

End the Night at SKY5 Dubai

Back at the The H Dubai after dinner, we decided to try the nightclub, SKY5 Dubai, which was in the same building as the hotel. It opened at 9:00 p.m., so we arrived at 10ish. We were still one of the first people there. Of course. 

The place was interestingly decorated and had a retractable roof. We were able to get a table and some cocktails and enjoyed each other’s company some more. We watched as a million super hot girls got dinner and drinks. Was it girls’ night in Dubai, and we didn’t know about it? We stayed for a few fun hours, then our old butts had to go to bed.

Day 5: Final Day of Our Dubai Itinerary – Relax!

We had a 2:30 AM flight home on the final day, so we took it easy. It was the only direct flight to D.C., so we had to do it. 

The last day here was relaxing. We slept in, did some school/work in the morning, got some delicious sushi at Cafe Sushi then spent the afternoon at the hotel spa. We got our massages and then hung out in our respective steam rooms for a bit. 

That concludes the trip! We headed to the airport and hung out in one of the many AmEx lounges until our flight boarded and flew us home. 

Things To Know When Planning Your Dubai Itinerary

A few things you should know and consider when planning a Dubai itinerary!

Getting To & Getting Around Dubai

For $850, I flew from Washington Dulles to Dubai International on an Emirates direct 12-hour flight (14 on the way back!). It left at 10:00 a.m., so I could not knock myself out to sleep which was rough the next day since I then showed up in Dubai at 9:00 a.m. local time. I was able to force myself to stay up till about 9:00 p.m. that day which helped immensely. 

When you arrive, Uber is great and relatively cheap. The metro is also easy but with limited locations.

When to Visit Dubai

Word to the wise, go in the winter because it is HOT. We visited in March, and it was already in the 90s every day. Since it’s the desert, it cooled off nicely at night, but in the sun during the day, ugh, it was miserable for us!

Safety in Dubai

Crime is extremely low here due to the harsh punishment for the many rules and laws in place. For example, you are technically not allowed to be drunk outside. Dubai is more relaxed on this because it’s a tourist area, but just keep in mind and be respectful. 

Pro Travel Tip

While this isn’t necessarily Dubai itinerary-related, it’s important!

Something I always do when traveling internationally is register my travel with the U.S. State Department. As a worry wart, this brings me some comfort that if God forbid, something happens to the country I am traveling to, then the U.S. Government will at least know I am there and hopefully send help.

Cost for a 5-Day Dubai Itinerary

We were surprised at how inexpensive a trip can be to this lavish city. Here is a breakdown of our expenses. Obviously, you can tweak yours to fit your travel style, but this should give you a baseline. 

Most places take credit cards (not Amex), but I would carry some cash for those places that don’t, as well as tips. 

Item	Category	Total USD
Flight	Transportation	$1,600
Rental Car (1 day)	Transportation	$100
Uber/Metro	Transportation	$50
Hotel – Canopy by Hilton	Lodging	$270
Hotel – H Hotel + Massages	Lodging	$200
Breakfast & Lunch	Food	$120
Dinners	Food	$90
Snacks & Drinks	Food	$150
Burj Khalifa VIP Lounge	Experience	$400
Hot Air Balloon Experience	Experience	$700
Scuba Diving	Experience	$300
Other		$100
	Grand Total:	$4,080

A Note from Sara on This Amazing Dubai Itinerary: 

As you can see, Dubai provides an epic combination of luxury and adventure. And you don’t need a ton of time to be able to see all the highlights. Thanks, Haley, for sharing your ultimate Dubai itinerary! 

For more travel itineraries, check out this page.