For all those of you wanting to make a trip to Dubai,here is how you can spend about 5 days in Dubai. Rohan shares his experiences with us and there are many pointers to be taken !
Day 1:
If you are traveling from India, Dubai takes about 3-5 hours depending on where you are located to reach. So lets just assume that you reach Dubai, check in to the hotel, get fresh and are ready to go by about the Lunch hour.
Since you are traveling this day, the advice would be to go light in the afternoon. Just take a local tour on your own to get to know the city better(Cabs are affordable). (Meena Bazaar would be a nice location to walk around for the ladies 😉 ).
Around 5:30-6 p.m, take a Dhow cruise (In a well decorated Dhow that offers some amazing views of the dazzling city at night). This Dhow cruise is along the Dubai creek that includes a buffet dinner while sailing. (A bit of advise for vegetarians/elderly–The food may not be as delicious as you would imagine. So some homework on that front would be ideal. You can always avoid the dinner on the cruise and have dinner at any of the Indian restaurants close to your hotel).
There would be some fun activities on the dhow like Magic show etc for kids(Varies across various dhows).
Day 2:
Once again, take the morning to explore the city on your own. You can visit the Dubai City Mall(Which has a wonderful under water aquarium that you can explore) or the Emirates mall (two of the largest malls in the world) for some fun shopping or activities like snow park in Emirates.
Post lunch, proceed for the thrilling desert safari. It is an enjoyable roller coaster kind of experience along the dunes of the beautiful Dubai desert. Post this, a Barbecue dinner awaits you at the location arranged by the Desert Safari folks. (For those who enjoy Belly dancing, some fun performances await you here). (Once again, the food may not be as enjoyable as suggested–You have been warned! )
Day 3:
Okay…so what is the first thing that comes to mind when people say “Dubai”?? You guessed it right, its the Burj Khalifa.
Okay…so what is the first thing that comes to mind when people say “Dubai”?? You guessed it right, its the Burj Khalifa.
A wonderful spectacle it is! The tallest tower in the world. The Khalifa is right next to the Dubai Mall. You will need to book your tickets to visit the top of Burj Khalifa(124th Floor is the highest for viewing. Some people are allowed to explore the 149th floor but that is too expensive/restricted–I have limited knowledge about the same).
Khalifa takes half your day in itself (to and fro, plus time spent atop).
Palm Jumeira (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Explore the man made island in the second half of the day. You have a water park attached to it(would need separate tickets) if you are looking for some fun. It has a sea aquarium that is a spectacle in itself (Would need separate tickets). You also have a mono-rail that goes to the Jumeirah if you have the time.
Return back to the Khalifa/Dubai Mall in the evening for a wonderful fountain show. (Something you cannot miss). While it only lasts for about 5 minutes, that is surely will be one of the memorable 5 minutes you spend in Dubai. (For the romantics).
Day 4:
On this day, would advise you to visit Abu Dhabi(Another emirate/Capital of the UAE).
The city has a Ferrari world theme park which is a mind blowing experience on its own. For people that love going around in rides/simulations, this is a paradise in itself. This will need tickets for entry(Can pre-book or take them on the spot as well). It is a lifetime experience for people of all ages.
This can take the whole day in itself. (Do not miss the world’s fastest roller coaster(0-240 kmph in 3 seconds). There is also a water theme park quite close to Ferrari world that can be explored for a half a day if you can time your day to perfection.
You can explore the city if you aren’t a big fan of rides/water parks. The city in itself has some beautiful skyscrapers etc.
This can take the whole day in itself. (Do not miss the world’s fastest roller coaster(0-240 kmph in 3 seconds). There is also a water theme park quite close to Ferrari world that can be explored for a half a day if you can time your day to perfection.
You can explore the city if you aren’t a big fan of rides/water parks. The city in itself has some beautiful skyscrapers etc.
Day 5:
Take a dubai city tour on this day. There will be a city bus kind of transport that can be arranged where you can visit places like the Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai Museum, Burj Al Arab(one of the tallest hotels and a seven star hotel with a beach attached to it for fun), hatta village, gold souk etc. This will be a good day for those who love to explore the city for its historic background while also having fun at places like the Burj Al Arab beach etc.
There are also some beautiful skyscrapers along the way across various places in the city. (Scenic beauty)
Travel back to India on this day or the next depending on your schedule.
Other options:
—-There is a beautiful Mountain in Al-Ain that is probably not listed in any of the travelogues/packages etc. It is a wonderful mountain from where you can see Oman and the UAE on either sides.(It feels like you are in 2 countries at once and ofcourse on top of the world while at that! 
) The drive to Al-Ain is picturesque and will be an amazing experience. (If you plan on going there, it will take about 6 hours in all…(about 2 hours one way journey)).
) The drive to Al-Ain is picturesque and will be an amazing experience. (If you plan on going there, it will take about 6 hours in all…(about 2 hours one way journey)).It is a must in case you have time. I would say it is a must and should be squeezed into every itinerary
—You can stay at the Palm Jumeirah or the Burj Al Arab if you are a couple and are going there for your honeymoon or a personal trip as such. Albeit expensive, they are worth the stay :).
—There are plenty of Indian restaurants across various places in Dubai. So in case you are someone that can’t stay without Indian food, then do choose your hotel in and around these restaurants so that you can have your food there)
—You can also visit Sharjah (Another of the emirates) if you have time in hand and are going for an extra day. It is a couple of hours drive from Dubai and has its own attractions.
The best time to visit Dubai would be November end to mid March. The weather during these months is pleasant. For the rest of the months, the weather is too hot to handle for tourists and you would get tired very easily.
Author Info :
Rohan works with Cisco Systems as a software engineer.Apart from work, he loves to play various sports, is a dance enthusiast and has recently taken to traveling. He says – Travel while you can and while you are young. Money and savings can be taken care of later as well.
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