On our way back from our India trip, we decide to make a stop in Dubai for 4 days and 3 nights. We always wanted to visit this city of riches but didn’t know the visa requirements, places to visit, etc. So I wanted to share these details in case you are planning to visit Dubai as well. If you are from India and you live in the west, you can plan it on the way to/from India and save a 16-hour flight journey.
Entry:
If you have an Indian passport, Dubai issues a visa on arrival if you have one of these:
- B1/B2 visa or GC by the USA
- Residence visa issued by the UK or European Union.
If you don’t have either of these, you have to apply for a visa before traveling. If you book your flights through Emirates, you might be able to apply for this visa through their app.
We have B1/B2 visas and we were issued a Dubai visa for 14 days with a single entry. You will need to go to the Marhaba counter before going to the immigration at Dubai airport. They charged us about $70 and asked for no other documents. You do have to carry a COVID negative test report with you. They also provide you with a free Dubai sim card with 1GB and a 10-minute talk time. You will also find currency exchange counters where you can get Dirhams for your Dollars/Rupees.
Once we came out, there were taxis lined up in 3-4 rows based on the model and occupancy. You can just pick the taxi you like and head out. We found that taxis are cheaper than Uber/Careem(local app like Uber) rides in Dubai.
Stay:
We stayed downtown in Hotel Indigo. It’s a 5-star hotel with a great view of the downtown. It is about 10 min walk to The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. They are kind enough to give us a late checkout on the last day of our stay letting us enjoy the city for a whole day before our flight.
Tip: Do check the travel desk in your hotels as they usually have contacts for various local tours like Desert Safari Tours, Hot air balloon rides, etc. They also suggest the best places you can visit during your stay.
We wouldn’t have known about The Global Village if we hadn’t talked to them as it usually runs only for a few days. We booked our Desert tour on Day 3 and planned the rest of the trip. We were looking forward to the hot air balloon ride but unfortunately, the travel agent informed us that it was being canceled due to the weather.
They also booked our Covid test before our travel. The nurse came to our room to take the samples the day before and emailed us the reports.
We visited Dubai during the Ramadan month and we were told that eating or drinking anything is illegal during the day. You can eat/drink in restaurants or in closed areas. But we found that it isn’t that strict in Dubai as it is very accommodative to tourists and localities are very friendly and understanding. I read that they’d expect women to dress conservatively but I saw people in shorts and dresses. People were very open-minded in the city, especially the downtown.
Day1:
We reached the hotel around noon and by the time we freshened up, it was about 3 pm. We decided to visit The Dubai Mall first as it’s still hot and sunny outside. This is one of the most visited places in Dubai. It got many attractions like the Aquarium, the world’s largest LED screen, and the water fountain. It takes at least 3 hours to just walk around the mall. You can feel the grandeur and richness in every corner of this mall.
The Mall has access to The Burj Khalifa and the water fountain show that runs every evening after 6 30pm. We stepped out after sunset and the place was full of tourists who were waiting to witness the biggest fountain dance in front of the Burj. After the show, we went back to the hotel in a taxi. Every mall/hotel has a designated Taxi pick-up spot and Uber Pick up spot and you won’t have to wait long to find a ride.
Day 2:
Because of jet lag, we woke up early and we decided to take a walk to Burj Khalifa again and explore the place a little. It was so great to have the place all to ourselves unlike the day before. We took some pictures there and picked up breakfast on our way back to our hotel.
After getting ready, we decided to go to the Miracle Garden, which was highly recommended by our travel desk agent. It’s the most picturesque garden I’ve ever seen. It’s looked straight out of a fairy tale. It’s a beautiful place for any photoshoots. We spent about 2 hours there, grabbed a bite, and went back to our hotel. The sun was so harsh we had to go back to the hotel to take a rest for a couple of hours.
On our way back we stopped at the Mall of Emirates, the second most famous mall in Dubai.
From our hotel, we took a cab to The View at The Palm Jumeirah. Unfortunately, the cab driver misunderstood and dropped us at “The Pointe – The Palm Jumeirah Fountain Walk”. We quickly realized we weren’t at the place we wanted but before taking another cab to The View, we walked around The Palm Jumeirah Fountain walk and saw the Atlantis across the waters. It’s a good place to eat and just hang out after sunset. We rushed to The View observatory as we didn’t want to miss the sunset from the top.
It wasn’t far from The Pointe to The View observatory. It took us about 5 minutes to reach there. The access to The View at The Palm is located in The Nakheel Mall. We went straight to the observatory and got the tickets to watch the sunset. They charge more for premium timings (sunrise and sunset) but I’d say it’s worth it as there will be less crowd and you get the best pictures during this time.
From The View, we went to the Marina, which is close by and is known for its nightlife. It has dinner cruises, upscale restaurants, and pubs on either side of the man-made Marina. The other side of the waters is called JBR, known for its beach. It is a well-known residential neighborhood full of high-rise apartments. We had dinner here in one of the outdoor restaurants and took a cab to The Global Village
We were hoping to cover this place in about 2 hours and go back to our room but we were there almost until its closing time which was 2 pm! I have never seen anything like it. It’s a unique cultural entertainment destination with so many shops, food stalls, and fun things to do. Once you enter, you will see huge sets for different countries. Each set is designed to resemble their corresponding country has shops, food sold by the people of those countries, You get all the authentic things from almost all the countries. We spent so much time here buying some unique decor, food, and many more from different countries. We were truly amazed by all the details. We saw a lot of local residents here too because this runs only for a few months and you find almost everything here. There’s also a floating market and it’s wonderfully decorated for Ramadan too.
Day 3:
We decided to take it easy this morning as we were still tired from the night before and we have a Desert tour in the evening. So we visited Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi fort. Unfortunately, the Museum is temporarily closed but we could see the fort. Then we walked to the Al Fahidi Historical where the beautiful old Dubai is preserved so well. It’s so fascinating to see how much the city has evolved since the 1800s. The whole vibe of this place is just amazing. They have various restaurants and museums too in these old buildings. This is a must-visit place if you want the real feel of old Dubai.
On our way back we visited The Dubai frame where you can see the skyline of both old and new Dubai. It took us about 30-40 min to visit this tourist attraction
Our tour guide for Desert Safari picked us up at the hotel at 3 40pm in an SUV. There were 2 other Indian couples. We learned that they group tourists based on ethnicity if possible. He took us to the place where they rent ATVs for 30 min. We took a double ATV ride and it was a great experience. If you aren’t interested in this, you can do other things like camel rides here.
After this, our tour guide took us to the camping area. How? Driving through the sand dunes and it’s apparently called Dune Bashing. This was no less than a roller coaster ride. People take a trip to Dubai to experience it best in this place for a reason. The sand, music, and an adventurous ride all during the spectacular sunset.
Once we reached the camp area, there saw a big setup with a stage and tables. They were all ready to serve dinner. There were counters for hennas, camel rides, sheesha(Hookah), etc. There were a couple of dance shows. We were looking forward to the famous belly dancing but it was canceled because of the Ramadan month.
Day 4:
On our last day, we decided to visit the Gould Souks. After all, it is the city of Gold. We were overwhelmed by the number of gold shops here. You get almost every design and the best thing, you can bargain! The making charges are negotiable here and you get the purest gold here. On top of it, if you are a tourist, you can get a refund on the VAT you pay here, at the airport. So you don’t pay much tax if you are a tourist.
We reached the airport in the evening and we found out that they won’t let you check in until 3 hours before your flight’s departure. So we had to wait for an hour before we could go in but the flight back home was empty enough and we had a comfortable flight.
Overall we loved Dubai and would want to visit again. I’d suggest at least 4-5 days if you want to cover the major attractions here. I hope this blog helped you plan your next vacation 🙂