Dubai is a popular tourist destination, which is visited by numerous people throughout the year. However, new visitors should know all about the important factors about touring Dubai so that they can enjoy a memorable trip.
Things to do before flying to Dubai
When to visit Dubai
The winter months from November to March comprise the peak tourist season in Dubai. The weather remains comfortably cool and dry during this season, compared to the scorching heat of summer.
Advance booking
Tourists need to book flight tickets a few months in advance of their scheduled trip to Dubai, to get cheaper rates for airfare. Many people prefer to buy air tickets from Cebu Pacific Airways, due to its low-cost air fare and easy availability. They should also book hotel accommodation prior to landing here so that they do not need to face the rush of peak tourist season.
What to wear in Dubai
Tourists should wear conservative dresses while touring Dubai, maintaining the prevailing culture of this country. Women can wear long skirts or trousers, with tops or t-shirts with long sleeves. They may also wear dresses of knee-length and covering their shoulders. Men need to wear comfortable shorts, pants, or jeans, paired with half-sleeved shirts made of light fabrics.
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Prepare Travel Itinerary
Since Dubai houses lots of tourist attractions in and around the city, tourists need to prepare a travel itinerary for covering all the tourist spots within the limited time of their stay. However, if they have paid for a tour package from a reliable travel agency, they only need to follow the itinerary prepared for them by that agency.
Buy Overseas Travel Insurance
Though it is not mandatory to buy travel insurance to visit Dubai, tourists need it for their own interest. They can receive free medical benefits if they need medical attention during their vacation in Dubai if they have travel insurance.
Things to do after flying to Dubai
Take in the Views from the World’s Tallest Building
Burj Khalifa is now known as the tallest building in the world. This building has 163 floors with a total height of 828 meters. There are two observation decks on the 125th floor and 148th floor, from where tourists can have a great view of the city of Dubai and even the adjoining desert.
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Visit the Spice and Gold Souks
Tourists can buy different types of condiments from the Spice Souk or Old Souk in Dubai, like rose water, saffron, cinnamon, vanilla pods, and dried lemons. They may also buy hibiscus tea, lavender tea, incense sticks, rugs, and other household items from this market in Al Ras locality. Dubai Gold Souk is located in the Al Dhagaya locality in the Deira district, where people can buy expensive jewelry of gold, platinum, and diamond studded.
See the Dubai Fountain Show
Dubai Fountain is another prime tourist attraction, which is made on Burj Lake that spreads over an area of 30 acres. The height of this fountain is 900 feet and tourists are mesmerized to see its performance with 25 color projectors and more than 6600 WET super lights. Different melodious songs in Arabic and other languages of the world are played during this Fountain show every day.
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Go Dune Bashing in the Desert!
Desert safari is another interesting activity for tourists. Travel agencies arrange such safaris, including camel rides, dune bashing, and camping. Dune bashing is driving up and down the sand dunes in a specially designed car, usually an SUV, to experience a thrilling adventure.
Encounter Marine Wildlife at the Dubai Aquarium
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo at the ground floor of Dubai Mall is another popular tourist attraction. There are plenty of marine creatures living in a huge 10-million-liter tank, including more than 400 sharks, rays, shoals, and sea fishes. Tourists can also walk through the 48-meter-long Aquarium Tunnel to have a view of marine life.
Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride over the Desert
Some travel agencies arrange hot air balloon rides for their customers so that they can have an aerial view of the desert and canyons from these balloons. Tourists also enjoy watching falcons flying to a high altitude beside their balloons while camels and gazelles wandering around in the desert.
Spend a night in the desert
When tourists go on a desert safari in Dubai, they love to spend a night in the camps in the desert. They can enjoy strolling on the sands of the desert, relish the traditional Arabian cuisines while resting in the camps provided with all the luxury amenities. They may also relax by the bonfire arranged outside their camps, along with BBQ dinner and local belly dance.
Try Food in Dubai
Food lovers cannot miss the taste of various Arabian dishes, among which Shawarma, Oozie, Mandi, Iranian Sangak, Al Harees, Chelo kebab, and Al Machboos are the most popular ones. Manousheh is an Arabian-styled pizza and Tabbouleh is a healthy vegetarian salad. Baba Ganoush is a starter while Shirin Polo and Kousa Mahshi are eaten as main course items.
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Show respect during Ramadan
Non-Muslim tourists should show some respect towards Muslim traditions while visiting Dubai, mainly during Ramadan. They should not eat in front of Muslims who are fasting due to their religious rites. They should not play loud music in their hotel rooms, which can disturb others in the neighborhood. If they are invited to an Iftar party, they should join respectfully and may offer a pack of dates as Iftar present.
Ask permission before taking pictures
It is not proper for tourists to take photos of mosques without permission, mainly while visiting the interior spaces. They should not also take pictures of local people without asking them, as some of them may be offended about it.
Check How Much You Can Tip
Tourists usually offer tips to waiters in restaurants after meals or people serving them in hotels. Normally, people pay around 10 – 15% of their bills as tips in Dubai restaurants. They also give tips to valet drivers, depending on the weight of their luggage carried by these people.
Stay away from PDA
Tourists should not show their affection even to their spouses in public, as that is considered obscene in Dubai. They should not kiss or hug their companions of the opposite sex, keeping in mind the conservative culture of this land.
Be careful where you consume alcohol
Tourists are allowed to drink alcohol only in their hotel rooms or private spaces within the resorts where they are staying. It is illegal to drink in the public or go out in a drunken state on the roads of Dubai.
All these factors should be known by tourists while they plan for a trip to Dubai, to enjoy a great vacation there.