Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)! The futuristic city of superlatives! Here you'll find the world's tallest building (Burj Khalifa), a 7-star hotel (Burj Al Arab) and the world's largest mall (Dubai Mall)! And that's not all, because this city is steadily building with the world's largest airport underway! Crazy, right?! Dubai is indulgent. Dubai is glamorous. Dubai is progressive. It's not hard to see why this luxurious Middle Eastern metropolis is on millions of traveler’s bucket list!
Planning your 1st trip to Dubai can seem overwhelming (it most certainly was for me)! There's so much to see and a TON of things to do! Add to that the rules you must abide by! The UAE is a very conservative country!
My 1st trip to Dubai was for 2.5 weeks! My family & I zipped all over the city using Dubai's public transportation and hiring taxi drivers. We ate in some of the most AMAZING restaurants while staying in the heart of all the action! Before we get into where to eat, things to do and all that good stuff, let's check out a few tips on visiting this beautiful city first!
☀️ General info for traveling to Dubai: A LOT has changed in the travel world since COVID-19 hit! Be sure to stay up to date on pertinent information on travel to the United Arab Emirates! | Emirates Website
☀️ The best time to visit Dubai: As many of you know, certain countries in the Middle East get hot (and I mean HOT HOT)! The ideal time to visit Dubai is November-February. But be aware that Christmas & New Year’s can be extremely crowded! Visiting from April-September can mean scorching heat! We visited in the month of April and the daily temp rose to over 100 degrees!
This city is filled with STUNNING skyscrapers!
☀️ How to dress in Dubai: the UAE is a Muslim country, so that means the rules are far different from those in western countries. To me, Dubai is extremely conservative when it comes to the dress code - ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN. On one occasion, I was asked to change from my shorts to pants to enter an establishment. Out of respect for their culture I changed. Be sure to pack long sleeve shirts & pants on your trip to the UAE.
☀️ ANOTHER TIP: PDA (Public Display of Affection) can land you in jail in Dubai! So, keep your hands to yourself until you're back in your hotel.
☀️ YET ANOTHER TIP: alcohol can ONLY be consumed in licensed venues (hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.)! Alcohol is not sold in the supermarkets.
☀️ Visiting the UAE during Ramadan: if you are traveling to Dubai during this time, be sure to check out the do's & don'ts of visiting around Ramadan!
☀️ Where is everything located: Dubai is a huge city, so a map is necessary when it comes to exploring! Get the lay of the land! | Map of Dubai
Dubai has over 500 hotels and countless Airbnb’s! For a 1st time visitor, it can be pretty hard trying to narrow down exactly where to stay! This quick summary will give you an idea of how the hotels in Dubai are laid out:
☀️ Jumeirah: a very EXCLUSIVE area in Dubai with high end accommodations!
☀️ Dubai Downtown: a great area to stay in for sightseeing!
☀️ Dubai Beach: calling all beach lovers (heeeeeey)! You'll find incredible beach front accommodations in this part of the city!
☀️ Dubai Business: the perfect area for travelers visiting Dubai on business!
For our stay, we chose one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in Dubai - Dubai Marina! After looking for weeks for a beautiful place that wouldn't break the bank and would put me within walking distance to my Skydive Dubai appointment, I found the PERFECT Airbnb!
Waterfront Suite @ the Cayan Tower
The Cayan Tower (also known as the Twisting Tower/Infinity Tower) is a STUNNING 75-story, helical skyscraper with unbelievable views of Dubai's marina! This luxurious condo is also walking distance to the marina, the supermarket, and a plethora of fabulous restaurants & bars!
When I came across this Airbnb, I initially thought it was a scam (LOL)! There was no way this amazing property was available to rent for less than $200.00 a night (rate during the time of my stay)! I went through the reviews and read EACH and EVERY one of them carefully. I even bombarded the host of the Airbnb with a ton of questions (LOL)! Once I felt confident, I booked it!
I arranged for us to be picked up from DXB airport with our Airbnb host (for an extra fee. The airport is 17 miles away). Arriving at the Cayan Tower had me feeling like a celebrity! You couldn't tell me NOTHING about NOTHING, OKAY?! (Hahahaha)!
The check in process was a breeze! The staff on duty was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable of the area plus they had the lobby smelling glorious with an amazing scent!
The 1st step into this suite was EVERYTHING! It looked EXACTLY like the pictures advertised on Airbnb! The view of the marina stunned me; it was so beautiful! This made me even more excited about our stay in Dubai! Let's get into the details of this waterfront suite!
Cayan Tower Waterfront Suite Deets:
714 sq. ft. | Entire apartment | Sleeps up to 4 guests | 1-bedroom with King bed + living room sofa bed | 1.5 baths | Kitchen | Washer & dryer | WIFI + more!
Other amenities while staying at the Cayan Tower include a gym, a spa on the premises, and around the clock security! My absolute favorite amenity was the pool! We spent a lot of time here! In the morning, afternoon, evening, sunrise, sunset - you name the time of day, and we were there (LOL)! The views from this pool are absolutely breathtaking too!
Staying in one of the world's tallest twisting towers was such a dope experience! I think my son loved it more than I did! (LOL)! For a 1st timer visiting Dubai, this is a great place to start your trip!
Adventure. Relaxation. Shopping. Awe inspiring scenery. This city literally has it all! They'll be something to fit every traveler's personality in Dubai! I didn't get to check all of the things off my "Dubai to-do list", but here are a few things I did get to experience:
☀️ Skydive Dubai: the next day after landing in Dubai - THIS is what I did! Yep! I took my 1st tandem skydive at one of the most BEAUTIFUL drop zones in the world! Without a doubt was an experience I will NEVER forget! See how my jump went down here!
ON THE BLOG! GET ALL THE DEETS NOW!
Conquering my 1st skydive with Skydive Dubai!
☀️ Afternoon Tea @ Burj Al Arab: The Burj Al Arab is the only 7-star hotel in the world so you can imagine that a stay here will cost you a pretty penny! But stopping by to enjoy an afternoon tea is a great way to get up close & personal with this unbelievable property! *Reservations are required*
☀️ 4x4 Dubai Desert Safari: a trip to Dubai is not complete without an adventurous day of sand dunning in the desert, camel rides, a delicious BBQ meal, live entertainment + more! This was something my family & I really enjoyed!
☀️ Dubai Malls: shopping in Dubai is a must! This city has some of the most EXTRAVAGANT malls in the world! Check these out:
☀️ Beach Clubs: you can't visit the desert and not hit a beach club or 2....or 3! Dubai offers some of the most stunning beach clubs where you can spend the day relaxing, enjoying good music and delicious cocktails!
Nikki Beach Dubai | Andreea's | Zero Gravity | Azure Beach |
☀️ Visit the tallest building in the world: a vacay to Dubai is not complete without visiting the tallest building in the world - the Burj Khalifa! Peaking at the height of 2,717 feet, the Burj Khalifa is an astonishing piece of architecture that leaves many travelers stunned simply by its existence! If you have no fear of heights, you can book tickets and head to the top of the Burj Khalifa and have a cocktail in the clouds if you choose! Brunch is also available to book!
☀️ Dubai Miracle Garden: take some time to relax and enjoy more than 150 million flowers in full bloom! This is easily one of the most picturesque places in Dubai! DMG is the world's largest natural flower garden so a visit here is definitely worth it!
☀️ Take a day trip to Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and is about a 1.5 hour drive from Dubai so a day trip is necessary! Here you can visit one of the most visually stunning mosques, check out the fastest roller coaster in the world (the Formula Rossa @ Ferrari World) and make a splash at the water parks!
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | Ferrari World Abu Dhabi | Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi
Need info on getting from Dubai to Abu Dhabi? Check out this link - Kiwitaxi.com!
This was EASILY one of my favorite things to do in Dubai - EAT (LOL)! I can STILL taste some of that delicious food as I'm typing this right now! (Mmmmm)! Let's fill our bellies up with some good brunch, lunch & dinner spots in Dubai!
☀️ Bubbalicious, The Westin, Marina: this brunch is not to be missed! The champagne is constantly being poured and there's so much food to choose from!
☀️ Toro Toro: great cocktails, STUNNING restaurant and delicious South American inspired dishes!
☀️ 3in1: this picnic style brunch offers a buffet or an a la carte menu! Brunching by the pool in a cabana is super cute too!
☀️ SALT: looking for a delicious, quick bite? Check out this spot located at the Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall & Kite Beach for yummy sandwiches, parfaits + more!
☀️ The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill: amazing restaurant with the customer service to match! Here you'll find an impressive oyster list and other mouthwatering seafood!!
☀️ The Boardwalk: the view of the creek and the Burj Khalifa are amazing here! The smoked salmon & salt crusted sea bass are popular dishes! If you hang around, catch the sunset here too!
☀️ Zuma: amazing Japanese restaurant with great sushi in a BEAUTIFUL setting! The bartenders are fantastic at making cocktails here too!
☀️ Flamingo Room by Tasha's: this African glamour inspired restaurant gives beauty, offers delicious pasta (+ other delectable dishes) and handcrafted cocktails!
☀️ 101 Dining Lounge & Bar: located at the One&Only Royal Mirage, this restaurant offers beautiful terrace dining with seafood, vegetarian, and vegan options!
☀️ Dinner in the Sky: feeling adventurous? How about dining 50m above the sea? This is exactly what Dinner in the Sky Dubai offers along with a full course meal!
Dubai is truly a fascinating city! I loved that I got the chance to experience this futuristic place with my family! Not once did we feel unsafe while we were out exploring during the day and even in the evenings.
Take your time to thoroughly plan out your holiday here! There is A LOT to conquer in Dubai & Abu Dhabi! I've visited twice and I still haven't checked everything off my list yet! I guess a third trip will have to happen! (LOL)!
Happy travels to Dubai, jetsetters!
