Dubai flights and travel guide

Often nicknamed the “Vegas of the Middle East”, Dubai is much more than a town filled with tacky hotels and flashing lights. Yes everything is here is larger than life and it’s true that some of its shopping malls verge on being slightly ostentatious. But if you look beyond its shiny exterior you’ll discover a tiny emirate that has everything you could ask for in a holiday. Miles of white sandy beaches provide great spots for a barbeque or for simply relaxing beneath a palm tree, while adrenaline-seekers can go parasailing or jet skiing instead. And since most travellers taking flights to Dubai merely use it as a hub to stopover on route to Asia why not stay a few days – or a week - and explore all that this desert city has to offer.

Dubai’s shopping malls and souks surmount any in the region and are usually the first stop for travellers coming off their flights to Dubai. The Mall of the Emirates is the largest and has an indoor ski slope, the first of its kind in the Middle East; while Deira’s Gold Souq has an extensive selection of Indian and Arabian gold.

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Dubai Climate

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When to Fly to Dubai

Peak Season:
Winter is the peak season for flights to Dubai, from December through March.

Off Season:
Ramadan is a Muslim month of fasting and is strictly adhered to throughout the UAE. During this time it illegal to eat, drink, or smoke in public from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan takes place between mid-October and mid-November. Hotel rates are significantly lower during this time.

If you love it sizzling hot, visit in summer.

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Getting Downtown Dubai

Dubai Transport taxis are available 24 hours a day at the Arrivals Terminal. Buses leave regularly for the city centre; the bus stations are located opposite both terminals.

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Getting Around Dubai

The older parts of Dubai are best seen on foot, so you can explore the souqs, architecture, and museums.

Taxis and buses are available to get you around the city and the metro has just opened its first line, from Olympic Stadium to Maigaoqiao. Taxis are the most popular form of transport for visitors. Metered taxis are beige and the drivers are uniformed, but metered taxis are not allowed to service the airport. Privately owned taxis will take you anywhere, but they are not metered and you need to agree on a fare.

Buses cover most of the city and beaches, and the routes are printed in Arabic and English. Discounted tickets are available for unlimited travel on either or both sides of the Dubai Creek.

Abras (water taxis) are a convenient way to across the Creek, and they provide a great way to see the waterfront. You pay the fare once the abra is out on the water.

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Dubai Insider Information

• Spend a day exploring Dubai’s ubiquitous souqs. Start in the Bur Dubai souq where you’ll discover lots of different textile, clothing, and antique stores housed under arabesque arcades and wind-towers. Then head to Deira’s Gold Souq, a crucial stop for anyone visiting Dubai. Its wooden archways give way to a treasure-trove filled with the most ornate Indian and Arabian jewellery.  After spending much more than you intended, take a short walk to the Deira Spice Souq and pick up some aromatic frankincense and spices.
• Built to resemble a traditional Arabian marketplace, Souk Madinat Jumeirah is well worth a visit. Take a ride in its waterways and admire the stunning hotels, then explore the numerous shops and pop into one of the many cafes for some mint tea
• Escape the chaos of the city and take a short drive to the desert where the real action takes place. If you’re feeling adventurous then there’s nowhere better than Dubai to go dune bashing. Strap yourself into the 4x4 jeep, take a deep breath, and off you go over the sand dunes.
• If you get tired of shopping and eating (which you will do a lot of) then spend a tranquil afternoon in XVA, an old courtyard residence that’s been restored and turned into a contemporary art gallery, cafe and boutique hotel.

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Dubai Airports

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