I headed for my first-ever solo trip to the UAE. This was actually a trip which was split into 2.
Here’s my itinerary for my UAE journey. You can find part 1 of this journey (to Spain) here.
TRANSPORTATION:
I only had three different modes of transport while in the UAE. Their public transport is well developed and really convenient.
Train
The cheapest way to travel around! I got myself the NOL Silver card which is found at the train stations and top-up my card at the passenger service as well. I was not able to top up through the automated machines with my card. Their main line (the Red one), gets you pretty much everywhere. Getting to the airport only cost me AED 7 [SGD 2.60] compared to the taxi which would have been almost AED 100 [SGD 40].
Taxi
I took the Taxi to and fro certain places when I was in a rush. It is cheaper than Uber, and possibly Careem by 10% to 20%. Do note that some taxis may not accept cards so do check with the driver once you enter. There are taxis that are exclusive for women and children which can be seen based on the pink roofs of the taxis (which are driven by the ladies themselves). Some of the lady drivers will pick up male passengers, however, it is subject to the comfort of these drivers.
Bus
I took the bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and found them to be as reliable as their trains as well. They are here on time and start pretty early if you want to travel between the cities. For the bus, do remember to top up your NOL card AED 25 [SGD 10], per trip. The round trip will be AED 50 [SGD 20].
DAY 1 [Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant | Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood | Abra | Souks]
I landed in Dubai around 1 am and arrived at the hotel [Atana Hotel] via taxi at 2 am and got my hotel room at 2:30 am. I spent about 100 AED. Don’t worry if you don’t have any wifi, at customs, every traveller is given one free GB.
I was put into a room but didn’t feel comfortable entering. The door was left open, and amongst other things, I went back downstairs to request a change of room. The hotel receptionist was accommodating, after he consulted who I thought was his manager. I’ll write a post about traveling alone here.
Once I was in the new room, I felt a lot more at ease and retired for the night.
In the morning, I left the hotel around 1 pm, walking to the metro, Dubai Internet City.
Note: Some hotels have free shuttles to nearby malls and metro stations if you don’t want to walk in the sweltering heat. Mine only had shuttle buses to the Mall of the Emirates.
I got the Silver Nol Card from the ticket office which came with a 19 AED balance. Per trip, most journeys cost about 7.5 AED. I topped up about 30 AED.
Tip: If you’re using card, you’ll need to go to the ticket offices to top up, otherwise, use the machines to top up using cash.
The closest stop to Old Dubai is Sharaf DG on the green line, which was still a bit of a walk.
My first stop was the Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant as I was hungry. Do make a reservation beforehand as they are always very busy! They are the go-to restaurant if you want some authentic Emirate food. So I left my number on their waitlist.
I took a walk around the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood while waiting for the restaurant to drop me a call.
One of my tasks today was to come to Old Dubai to get an Abaya (which I’ll be bringing to Shiekh Zayed Grand Mosque). I got this abaya at the store [Almajal Alfidhi Trading] which was in a corner. There were two people seated outside, trying to entice people to come into their shop. I thought that they were the same store but they were different. The other shop was called Al Bahrain Carpets & Novelties. I went to the one closer to the pathway, where the lady was seated.
I read online that as part of a tour group, they were individually quoted AED 100 and as a group discount, they were quoted 50 AED. However, I was individually quoted AED 70 and eventually got it at AED 50. I definitely should have bargained a bit more.
Address: Almajal Alfidhi Trading 32 – Al Fahidi – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
I wandered around, saw the murals, the old wall and eavesdropped on some tour guides in the area [oops]. I even saw some filming happening which was pretty cool.
By then, the restaurant, Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant, called so I headed over to fill my belly. I got the Mixed Grill for 1 person which came with Briyani rice (you’ll need to request the rice), regag with cheese and chips and a Coca-Cola (it was so refreshing).
- Mixed Grill for one [93.45 AED], Regag with Cheese and Chips [12.60 AED], Coca Cola [10.50 AED] + 5% Tax.
From time to time, there were performances, and you could go up close in front to see the chef making your Regag and other desserts in person.
Address: Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant | مطعم الخيمة التراثي Historical Neighbourhood – 79 Al Mussallah Rd – Al Fahidi – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Alternatively, another place which was raved a lot was Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Cafe which is highly instagrammable.
Address: Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Cafe – Al Fahidi Bastakiya Opposite Musalla Post Office – Al Fahidi St – Bur Dubai – Al Fahidi – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
I headed for my next stop, which was to take the Abra across. There was a ticketing booth in which you could pay for the abra ride via card. It was only AED 2!! The sun was setting around the time I went across Dubai Creek, and the entire ride only took 5 minutes to take your photos and videos quickly!
The souks were still open by then, although there weren’t as many tourists as I thought. The storekeepers are all still active, trying to encourage you to go inside. It was pretty interesting to see them trying to guess the nationality of each tourist that they saw and trying to use their languages to entice them into their store. I had read that some are pretty aggressive in their sales pitch to bring you into the stores, but I just smiled and said ‘No, thank you’ and they left me alone, on my way.
Address: Dubai Gold Souk Deira – Al Ras – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
The train station also turned up to be further away than expected, at Gold Souq Metro Station 2, so you might be better off heading towards Baniyas Square Metro Station or even walking back towards Al Ras Metro Station.
DAY 2 [Abu Dhabi Day Trip: Qasr Al Watan | UAE Presidential Palace (Left this place in awe) | Louvre Abu Dhabi]
I woke up much earlier today to take the bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. I took the train to Ibn Battuta Train Station and headed to Bus stop 9, Bus 101. Remember to top up 50 AED on your Nol card here. It will cost 25 AED and another 25 AED back. This bus will take you to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. I referred to this link to plan my journey.
I didn’t think of getting a transport card in Abu Dhabi as traveling around on public transport was pretty long and I only had one day here. I ended up taking the taxi everywhere I went to save some time.
My first stop was to go to my hotel, Sheraton Khalidiya Hotel and check in first. It was 12 pm when I went so they couldn’t check me yet and I waited in the lobby. I should’ve gone to Qasr Al Hosn while waiting. That is one of the must visit while in Abu Dhabi especially if you are a history buff!
Address: Qasr Al Hosn Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum St(2nd St) – Al Hisn – W3 – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
Once, I got my room (which was upgraded to a junior suite for free), I unpacked a bit and went to Khalidiyah Mall for some lunch and got some jeans. I forgot to pack long pants for the Presidential Palace visit.
Note: Do check the dress code for the attractions that you are visiting.
From the mall, I hailed a taxi to Lourve Museum Abu Dhabi (yes, this is the companion museum to the one in France). This was such a beautiful museum.
I took some time to explore all the rooms in the area, each piece and painting was spaced out for its visitors to look and understand.
The highlight of the place, I’ve got to be honest would be the outside area and the famous ig spot of course. From all angles, the museum is still beautiful. I did wish that I had more time to go around since I was rushing to head towards the Presidential Palace of the UAE.
Address: Louvre Abu Dhabi Saadiyat – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
The last entry to visit was at 5:30 pm at the visitor’s centre, so ensure that you’re there before. After the X-ray scans of our bags, I boarded a bus that would take me closer to the palace itself.
Fun fact: Some parts of the palace are still being used by the President, Vice President and Crown Prince (although, I did not see any of them during my visit).
The palace had a massive plaza out front with great angles of the palace.
This place was seriously one of the most grand places that I’ve ever seen. I was left in awe by all the architecture.
On display as well are some of the state gifts during the visits from other nations as well as a show of their banquet halls when they are hosting state guests.
I managed to snag a nice photo of the palace at sunset and at night which was both beautiful. If you stay till 7 pm, you’ll see the light show cast on the palace’s exterior.
Address: Qasr Al Watan Al Ras Al Akhdar – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
After leaving the premises, I almost got stranded cause I had no data and I couldn’t board the bus since I had no local transport card (NOL card is not accepted here). So I’d suggest making sure that there’s data and that your apps are all downloaded.
For dinner, I was too tired from all the traveling. But I was going to go to the famous Lebanese Restaurant near my hotel, Zahrat Lebnan – Al Khalidya – زهرة لبنان الخالدية.
Address: Zahrat Lebnan – Al Khalidya 58 Al Qahirah St – Al Hisn – W4 – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
DAY 3 [Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque جامع الشيخ زايد الكبير | La Perle]
The next morning, I checked out early and headed for Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The mosque is free to enter but you need to make an online reservation here. If you don’t have the QR code, you get it on the spot or head towards the other end to get online access via the iPads provided.
I went to the restroom to change into my abaya but was stopped since my abaya didn’t zip fully. So I got some safety pins from the shops nearby. The younger kids don’t have to wear abayas or cover their arms, legs and hair.
There are options to take the little karts to the end of the Path of Tolerance. otherwise, there are travelators to help you walk the path.
The mosque was such a beauty to behold which could hold up to 31,000 worshippers. As you continue down the corridor, there are many angles of the Mosque which are all beautiful.
Along the way, there are some water coolers (the water was much needed and cooling). So do remember to hydrate in the heat.
Finally, we reached the air con place where the huge chandeliers and the world largest’s carpet were situated. It can be a bit squeezy here so do be considerate to take your photos quickly and move on!
You’ll enter another area which shows another angle of the same room as mentioned. To exit, there will be more karts to bring you back to the entrance that you entered from.
Address: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Al Rawdah – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
I took a taxi back to the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. So I felt like I almost got myself into a bad situation which you can read about here. Long story short, I knew that shared taxis are alternative ways to head back to Dubai and there was a person who came up to me to ask if I wanted to join the taxi. I was quite tempted since I was hoping to reach Dubai earlier for the performance. The driver was telling me that he already got two other girls to join. However, when I went, there were no such people and he even asked me to sit in front. I had read that under no circumstances, should we sit in front if you don’t want to give the wrong impression. Hence, I trusted my guts and decided to just take the bus.
It took almost three hours for me to get back to the hotel. This was also when I realised that there were Women and Children only cabins on the metro, which are usually situated on either end of the train. Of course, if you prefer, you can always choose to be in other cabins as well.
After changing, I headed to La Perle Performance.
I loved the performance and the set was amazing. The effects and props were all spectacular and out of my expectations. It was jaw dropping seeing even a few of their performers on motorcycles and circling in the round metal ball. Other acts were as impressive.
The acrobats were astounding, performing to the best of their abilities. You can really tell that so much time and effort has been put into training to ensure that the difficult things that they are doing look easy. Definitely worth watching if you have the time!
Address: La Perle Al Habtoor City – 260 Sheikh Zayed Rd – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
DAY 4 [Sky View Observatory | Burj Khalifa | Dubai Mall | The Cheesecake Factory | Dubai Fountains | “Human” Waterfall]
I woke up a bit later today and took the metro towards Burj Khalifa. Sky View Observatory was just outside of the metro, so this was the place where I started (I got the joint tickets for Burj Khalifa and Sky View Observatory). I got the e-tickets exchanged for a physical one which is used for the Burj Khalifa entry as well, having booked for 12 pm.
There was not much crowd when I entered but more people started trickling 15 minutes later.
The scenery was amazing and you get a great view of the iconic Burj Khalifa!
There are a few activities apart from looking at the view from Floor 53. My favourite was the Glass Walk which was a glass walkway with nothing in between. Head down the stairs to experience this. The view was pretty scary at the beginning but once you conquer that fear, it is really quite amazing seeing everything at your feet.
Afterward, I headed back up the stairs to head to the Sky Slides. Each ticket comes with a chance to slide. If you managed to conquer the Glass Walk, this is definitely not a challenge. If you didn’t manage to conquer, this is definitely still much easier than the Glass Walk. The entire slide is around 5 to 10 seconds and isn’t as fast as imagined. If you’re afraid, just shut your eyes, it’ll be over before you know it!
I’d love to challenge the Sky Edge the next time I head to Dubai if I get the chance. It seemed really daunting and I saw some brave souls conquering it. If you are a thrill seeker, don’t miss this!
Address: Sky Views Observatory Area Downtown, Standard Chartered Tower – Address Sky View – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
The next activity of the day is to go for some lunch at Dubai Mall. The metro is connected to the mall by numerous travelators. The mall itself is maybe the size of 3 Marina Bay Sands. It was so huge that it had its own internal mall taxi! I got Kelly’s Cajun Grill at the food court, although there are plenty of food options, including restaurants to choose from.
Address: Dubai Mall Downtown Dubai – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Then, I headed up the Burj Khalifa and took in the views of 125 floors above ground. This was quite surreal as I was as high as I could be (without being on the plane). I felt like I was in a different place, looking down at the ground as if I was looking in from the outside. It seemed as though my worries and problems were all left behind and that was quite an interesting experience. That aside, the view was beautiful, especially since the sun was setting.
There were two options to see the fountains
- At 6 pm, wait on top of the Burj Khalifa and see the sunset (around 6:15 pm) before glancing down at the Dubai Fountains (happening at 6:30 pm). You can see the fountains at 30-minute intervals. Although many mentioned that the 6:30 pm show was the most spectacular.
- Head towards the fountains at 6 plus to see the fountains dance before your eyes.
I opted for the latter as I had spent quite some time in Burj Khalifa. Some tourists have also opted to go closer to the fountains and take the abra ride for AED 73.25 [SGD 27.50].
Address: Burj Khalifa 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd – Downtown Dubai – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Afterward, I shopped around the mall, there’s so much to see. And popped by the human waterfalls, where a kind passer-by helped take this photo.
Between the two, I preferred Sky View Observatory as there were more activities to do there but Burj Khalifa is a no-brainer in visiting since it is the highest building in the world.
DAY 5 [Premium Desert Safari]
I booked the evening desert safari as I wanted some rest (I had stubbed my toe and it was getting pretty serious).
My guide, Asif, picked me up at 2:45 pm, alongside three others, Alessia, and Martia. (From Sicily) And Nadia (From Canada). We then headed towards the ‘Headquarters’ where the action was happening.
We got our scarves wrapped by our guide and had the option of riding the ATV in the desert. I opted out of it as it was blazing hot (the hottest day out of all the days in the UAE at 41 degrees Celsius). I could feel the heat even while standing in the shade (as though the sun’s rays were still shining directly on me).
While waiting for some of my companions, I rested at the rest area with free drinks (water, soft drinks, Arabian coffee and tea) and dates.
I also had the chance to take a photo with Sha-hin the Falcon (The UAE’s National bird) and his keeper, Abdul. Shahin was such a friendly and adorable falcon, allowing us to pat his belly. The smart birdie did subtly try to warn me not to touch his head though. I managed to take some nice pictures with him.
Afterward, we headed to the desert to begin our Sand Dune session (this was my most anticipated activity). We first took a quick stop to let out some of the air from the tires before we went on our way to the next destination, Sand Boarding. Following the curvature of the desert hills and path, at times, Asif forged his own, leading to the full-fledged experience of sand duning.
Note: Not recommended if you get motion sickness very easily, we did see a car stop to let its passenger throw up.
Finally, we arrived at the sandboarding where the sandboards were on top of a hill. You have the option of standing or sitting (I opted for the latter). Don’t worry if you can’t sandboard standing, if you fall, your legs will get released from the board and you’ll land safely on the soft and silky sand. Asif helped us get set up and even took all the photos and videos for us. Going down was fun but the nightmare was climbing up the hill with the heavy board.
We took more photos against the setting sun, it was truly a rare experience to be in the vast desert at sunset and it was utterly stunning.
After sandboarding, we headed to the camp which we will be at for the rest of the night. Cue part 2 of sand duning (although this was not as bad as the first half).
We arrived at Al Khayma Camp Safari to a pair of baby camels (who we fed later).
We took the camel ride, just one round around the area and took some photos and video with them. Do hold on tight when the camel stands up and sits back down to let you on and off. They were such pretty creatures with their long eyelashes.
We headed back towards the entrances to feed the growing baby camels with the grass in the boxes in front. Apparently, it is their dinner time, but I’ve got to say, they are a bit stinky so at your own risk!
Finally, we went inside and were greeted with some emirati desserts. Our guide gave us a quick tour of where everything was, before getting some loqaimat (an emirate donut-tasting dessert which was drizzled with date sauce), and Regag (which is type of crepe and crispy). Both of them are so delicious. We were seated just outside a tent which we can change into the Abaya for some photo op or you can rest inside too. I decided to have a sit as some of the performances were starting.
There were 2 performances before dinner, a Tanura and Nashaat Show. All of which involved a lot of spinning and hair-swishing. It was pretty amazing to see how they do that without getting dizzy.
After the two performances, we headed to take our dinner which was served international buffet style. The three styles were Emirate, Arabic and Morroco. On the side, you can also get some bbq as well. All of it was so delicious. They are by the same restaurant as the one I had on day 1.
While having dinner, the fire performances also started and having fire in any show is sure the bring the atmosphere to a height. This jaw dropping show was brilliant and I have no clue how the performer can even breathe fire. It was definitely the highlight of all the performances.
After dinner, I got myself a henna as well which is usually drawn on the back of your hands or even feet. A few ladies also requested pictures that the artists could opt to mimic. Note: If you want, you can have it on your palms but it has a much darker effect. Leave it for at least 30 minutes to an hour for your skin to absorb the henna. Afterward, it’s likely to last for the next 1 to 2 weeks. The longer you leave the henna to absorb, the longer it’ll last.
Finally, it was time to head back to the hotel. I did feel that the itinerary at the camp was a bit rushed. It would be nice if we could have stayed a bit longer at the Camp. Other than that, it was a great day well spent and was a lot of fun.
DAY 6 [Back Home]
On the final day, I rested as I had to do my packing and ordered lunch from Careem. After, I headed to the airport. Emirates flights all fly out of Terminal 3 of Dubai Airport. I took the train directly to the terminal.
You can head to any counter to do your check-in. If there’s a queue, walk inwards to the other check-in points (there are many empty counters inside).
Do take some time to head to the gates as you’ll need to take a tram to the boarding gates. There are food and drinks if you get hungry while waiting.
So that is the end of my trip to Spain and UAE. You can read about my Spanish journey here!
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