One Day in Dubai – Must See and Do
If you only have one day in Dubai, you can still get a real feel for the city and everything it has to offer.
Dubai is an extremely popular gateway for global travellers. Whether you’re coming from Europe, North or South America, or Asia, the city is a busy stopover point. Also, many cruise ships have now added Dubai to their cruise port itineraries which is how we came to be in Dubai.
If you do find yourself with only one day in Dubai as a stopover in your journey, it can be hard to decide what to cram in with such limited time. Fortunately, we’ve put together a number of options from the vast list of things to do in Dubai that can be used as a one day in Dubai itinerary to help you make the most of your stopover.
You name it, Dubai has it. Or if it doesn’t have it, it’s building it.
– Anonymous –
Introduction to Dubai
Where is Dubai?
This United Arab Emirates (UAE) state is located on the eastern coast of the Arabic Peninsular, in the southwest corner of the Arabian Gulf. Renowned worldwide as a booming centre of international trade and innovation, Dubai has fast become one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.
Map of Dubai
Why Visit Dubai?
1. Dubai Has The Most Impressive Skyline In The World
No matter if you are Downtown around the Burj Khalifa (the tallest man made structure on earth), or down at the Marina, home to 4 of the 5 tallest residential buildings in the world (pictured), you’re never too far away from a pretty amazing view.
2. Climb The Tallest Building In The World
Home to more skyscrapers than you can count, Dubai is known for its super structures with the Burj Khalifa being the tallest of the supertall. At nearly twice the height of New York’s Empire State building, the tallest free-standing structure in the world towers above the clouds at 2,722 ft or 828m. With 163 floors you just know the view from the observation decks are going to be worth the entry fee.
3. Be Entertained By The Mega Malls
Known for its ‘mega malls’, Dubai is home to the biggest shopping centre on the planet called ‘Dubai Mall’ and is only one of the novelty centres to visit. People travel from near and far to indulge in retail therapy and visit the attractions built into the shopping centres. Dubai holds a month-long shopping festival in January with concerts and giveaways where shoppers can win cars and gold.
4. You Can Go Skiing In The Desert
Yes, you read that correctly. Dubai is home to a ski slope, in the middle of the Arabian Desert. At 85 metres high and 22,500 square metres, the 5 slope indoor ski resort also boasts the world’s first 400 metre long indoor black run.
5. It Has A Thriving Foodie Scene
With such a diverse population, there is a spectacular range of food styles available in the city. With hundreds of Arab-Persian-Indian-Pakistani-Filipino-French-Japanese-Chinese-British, and American restaurants, both humble and high-end, there’s something for everyone. Throw in the array of food festivals that happen throughout the year and the stream of pop-up eateries and it’s no wonder people talk about newbies putting on the ‘Dubai stone’.
6. There Is 1,000km Of Beaches To Enjoy
This is another pretty obvious one, but definitely one of the main draws for visitors. Dubai has more than 300 days of sunshine per year and over 1,000km of coastline, so you are never too far away from getting your tan on.
7. It Is The Modern Art And Design Capital Of The Middle East
From the gritty Alserkal Avenue art district that has sprouted up in the industrial Al Quoz area in the last few years, to the slick art galleries sprinkled through the Financial Centre, Dubai has a pretty diverse art scene. The Dubai Design District has just been opened, and when you throw in the array of art and design festivals like Art Dubai and Design Days taking place, there’s always something going on for the aesthetically minded.
8. It Is A Multi-Cultural Melting Pot
With almost 200 different nationalities calling it home, and a massive 90% of the population coming from outside the country, Dubai is arguably one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. In contrast to cities like New York or London that have been inhabited for hundreds of years, Dubai’s expats are mainly first-generation, bringing with them a host of different cultural traditions. The diversity on show in the city is unparalleled.
9. See The Biggest Fountain Display In The World
The Dubai Fountain is a really fun sight for anyone! Made by the same guys that created the iconic Bellagio fountain in Las Vegas, it is illuminated by 6,600 lights and 25 coloured projectors. It’s almost 1,000ft long and shoots water up to 500ft into the air accompanied by a range of classical, contemporary, Arabic and world music.
10. World’s Largest Artificial Island
Palm Jumeirah is the world’s largest artificial island, built between 2001 and 2006, it is home to multi-million dollar mega mansions and a host of 5 star luxury hotels, including the iconic Atlantis The Palm.
Emirates Stopover Program
The reason Dubai has become such a hot spot lately for long layovers is due to the amazing Emirates Stopover Program. Basically, if you have a layover of more than 8 hours when there is no option for a shorter one, Emirates Airlines will give you a free hotel room, transportation to and from the hotel, breakfast ,and dinner at the hotel.
NB: After you book your flight, you must go on the Emirates website and click that you want the Emirates Stopover Program voucher. This must be done prior to your arrival in Dubai!
When Should I Visit?
November to March: Dubai winters are from November to April and this is the best time to visit Dubai. The weather is pleasant and suited for all kinds of outdoor activities. What’s more, the much loved Dubai Shopping Festival is held during January and February which sees heavy tourist traffic. Since this is the peak season, hotel rates and airfares tend to go really high. Book well in advance to get the best rates possible and avoid any inconvenience.
April to October: The temperatures begin to rise by April and May and during peak summers, even start hitting the late forties. Summer months in Dubai are really, really hot and humid, making it almost impossible to explore the outdoors. However, all malls are air-conditioned and you can indulge in as much retail therapy as you would like.
Festivals / Events Calendar
| JANUARY | JULY |
| Dubai Shopping Festival The Dubai Marathon Dubai Desert Classic Golf Tournament | Dubai Summer Surprise |
| FEBRUARY | AUGUST |
| Dubai Shopping Festival Dubai International Jazz Festival Taste of Dubai Dubai Tennis Championships | Dubai Summer Surprise |
| MARCH | SEPTEMBER |
| Art Dubai Sikkha Art Fair Dubai International Boat Show Dubai World Cup (world’s richest horse race) | Al Gaffal Dhow Race |
| APRIL | OCTOBER |
| Arab Fashion Week Middle East Film and Comic Con Swim the Burj | |
| MAY | NOVEMBER |
| Dubai Design Week | |
| JUNE | DECEMBER |
| Dubai Summer Surprise | National Day Festival Dubai International Film Festival Dubai Rugby Sevens |
Transport / How to Get Around
Due to having such a short period of time in Dubai, we decided to purchase a ticket with City Sightseeing Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour. As mentioned above, we were on a cruise so it was extremely convenient as one of the stops on the route was the cruise port terminal.
They had 24, 48 and 72 hour tickets for their services and 5 routes available which featured over 40 destinations around the city and in its vicinity.
We started our day early and found ourselves a seat on the top deck to enjoy the views of the city as it drove down Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s main highway. An on-board guide provided us with entertaining anecdotes, context, and history for each point of interest along our tour route. We found we had plenty of time to hop off, take pictures and explore at our leisure each of the stops we were interested in.
One Day in Dubai – This is How we Spent Our Day
With limited time constraints, we knew we did not have enough time to see everything Dubai has to offer, however one day in Dubai was great to see all the absolute ‘must dos’ for a first visit.
1. Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab (Tower of the Arabs) calls itself a 7 star hotel, however, it is of course a luxury 5 star hotel. It is the third tallest hotel in the world and is best known for its aesthetic shape resembling the sail of a traditional dhow boat. Interestingly, it is located on a man-made island of reclaimed land near Jumeirah Beach.
An incredible number of tourists make a visit to this iconic building a vital part of their one-day tour of Dubai. Unfortunately, you cannot step inside the hotel (not even into the lobby) without a hotel, restaurant or spa reservation. We were content enough just viewing it from the outside.
- Visit Duration: 20 minutes
- Where: Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai
- Hours: Anytime
- Cost: Free
Top Tip: The cheapest way to experience the Burj Al Arab is to book a reservation for the Ultimate Afternoon Tea at Sahn Eddar. This will allow you entry to the hotel and the opportunity to check out the hotel facilities including watching the sun go down over the Gulf at the Skyview Bar.
2. Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis The Palm Hotel
Our next stop was at Palm Jumeirah (palm-shaped island), an artificial archipelago off the Jumeirah coast in Dubai. Built out of land reclaimed from the sea, Palm Jumeirah is considered to be one of the poshest locales in Dubai.
You enter through the main center tunnel (the stem) and then there are 14 different branches (7 on each side) all of which are huge condos where individuals can rent or own. The piece of land making up the outer shell of the whole archipelago is filled with massive 5 star hotels and insane views of downtown Dubai.
At the top and farthest point of The Palm Jumeirah archipelago is the Atlantis The Palm Hotel. The hotel is home to the world famous Aquaventure Waterpark.
- Visit Duration: 90 minutes
- Where: The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
- Hours: Anytime
- Cost: Free
Top Tip: There are numerous cruises that sail in and out of the Palm Islands. These cruises will take you around the islands and show you all its major sights. This is one of the best ways to sightsee the Palm Islands.
3. Dubai Marina and Marine Walk
The Dubai Marina is an affluent residential neighbourhood where you can find people hanging out in restaurants, bars and coffee shops at all hours of the day. Cafes and pop-up craft markets line the 7km palm tree lined waterside promenade, Dubai Marina Walk, while Dubai Marina Mall is packed with chain and luxury fashion brands. Upscale yachts cruise through the large man-made marina, where activities range from jet-skiing to skydiving.
- Visit Duration: 90 minutes
- Where: Dubai Marina Dubai
- Hours: Anytime
- Cost: Free
Top Tip: Jumeirah Beach Residence, also known as JBR, is the ideal place to take a rest or swim at the beach enjoying the waterfront view.
4. The Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa needs no introduction and is the number one spot to visit in Dubai and for good reason. This iconic landmark is the tallest building in the world. The 828 meter tall building is a fabulous sight from any angle.
We seriously debated whether to go up to the Burj Khalifa observation deck to see what the views from the tallest building in the world was like, however, we had heard the queue to enter could take 1 hour or more. With such limited time in Dubai, we decided against it and satisfied ourselves with views from the outside instead.
- Visit Duration: 20 minutes
- Where: 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, Downtown Dubai
- Hours: Anytime
- Cost: Free
Top Tip: After a little research, we found the best (and most budget friendly) way to experience the Burj Khalifa is to eat at the restaurant on the 122nd floor, At.mosphere. If you get a reservation here, ask for a window seat (very hard to get). There are multiple food options, the cheapest of which is 250 AED (US$69 or AUD$90) a la carte per person. We think this is great value considering an ‘At the Top’ ticket alone is 216 AED during peak hours.
5. The Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall is just one of the mind boggling malls in Dubai where you could spend the entire day shopping, dining and enjoying amazing places of entertainment. This is the world’s largest mall in terms of total area (1,124,000m²) and it has 1,200 stores including the world’s largest candy store.
You will find almost every store you can possibly imagine in this complex and you could easily spend a whole day here if you wished. Besides the shopping, the mall is also home to indoor theme parks for children, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and an indoor ice skating rink.
Situated next to Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall also affords you the opportunity to stand right next to the tallest building in the world and enjoy the lake’s beautiful fountain show.
- Visit Duration: 2 hours
- Where: Al Mussallah Road, Downtown Dubai
- Hours: 10:00am – 12:00pm, Thursday to Saturday; 10:00am – 10:00pm, Sunday to Wednesday.
- Cost: Free
Top Tip: Delight your palate with the ‘Arabian Culinary Experience’ (serving Lebanese delicacies) at Al Hallab Restaurant on the Dubai Mall terrace with views of the Dubai Fountain show.
6. Dubai Fountain Show
The famous dancing Dubai Fountains is the world’s biggest choreographed fountain system. The jets of water reach as high as 152 metres, which is the equivalent of a 45 story building. 6,600 lights are used to create the incredible effects with 25 colourful projected images and 83,279 litres (22,000 gallons) of water in the air. The fountains “dance” to the sound of classical music, Arabic music and famous internationally loved tunes.
The fountain show happens right outside the Dubai Mall at 1pm and 1:30pm each day, and every evening starting at 6pm until 11pm on the half hour. The show lasts for just 3 minutes of choreography to a single song, with a different song and different design each time. If you have the time, feel free to hang around the area to see more than one!
- Visit Duration: 10 minutes
- Where: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, Downtown Dubai
- Hours: 1pm, 1:30pm, every half hour from 6:00pm – 11:00pm
- Cost: Free
Top Tip: Be sure to get a good spot near the Souk Al Bahar Bridge for prime viewing.
7. Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is located in the Dubai Mall and is home to over 33,000 species of aquatic creatures. There is a huge 10 million litre tank on one level and an underwater zoo on an upper level where people can interact with the animals.
A variety of experiences are offered. You can go underwater in a cage and get up-close with the marine animals including 300 sharks and stingrays. Or, you can take a dive (without a cage) down among the sharks. You can even learn to dive and get certified at the aquarium.
The aquarium is the proud owner of giant crocodiles 5 meters long. You can see the stingrays, fish, crocodiles and sharks being fed. One of the most thrilling experiences at the aquarium is to walk through the transparent 48 meter long tunnel which goes through the aquarium tank, and watch all the animals swimming around and overhead.
The latest attraction is the UAE Night Creatures. This attraction covers 200m² and is home to creatures which live in the Arabian Desert environment.
- Visit Duration: 90 minutes
- Where: Al Mussallah Road, Downtown Dubai
- Hours: 12:00pm – 10:00pm, Sunday – Thursday; 10:00am – 12:00am, Friday and Saturday
- Cost: From 299 AED (Experiences are an additional cost)
Top Tip: Check online for discounted tickets through third party companies.
8. Old Souk
Our last and final stop was to the famous Souks of Old Dubai. You can find a specific market for almost anything you want but the most famous to visit are the Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Perfume Souk and Textile Souk. We walked through all of these and you could literally feel the energy and history here. Enjoy browsing window after window of the most expensive gold, mounds of herbs and spices, silk shawls, handicrafts and more.
In Old Dubai, the best way to get to the Souks across Dubai Creek is on an Abra! An Abra is a typical boat that locals use to get to and from one side of the river to the other. The ride only takes about 10 minutes and you literally just hop on for a small $1 fee.
- Visit Duration: 2 hours
- Where: Bur Dubai, Downtown Dubai
- Hours: Anytime
- Cost: Free
In Summary: One Day In Dubai
Overall, we loved our day of sightseeing in Dubai. The ‘New Dubai’ is truly spectacular in every way, whether it be the size of the buildings, or the amazing architecture. In direct contrast, the ‘Old Dubai’ is how we pictured the Middle East. The contrast between the two is insane and you must visit both during your one day in Dubai sightseeing tour.
When we go back to Dubai again (and I think we most likely will), we would definitely spend a day or more in the Old Dubai area and further explore the souks and Al Bastakiya area. Al Bastakiya or Bastakia is a delightful historical quarter of Dubai with many narrow winding lanes, traditional wind tower architecture and old buildings. The neighbourhood (on the Bur Dubai side of the Dubai Creek) dates back to the 1890’s when the area was settled by merchants from Iran who had come to the Gulf for commerce and were lured by offers of free land. They settled in this area and named the quarter after a town in Iran – Bastak.
Today Bastakiya has been restored and the area has become the place to learn about Dubai’s traditional culture. There are many art galleries, boutique hotels, cafes, restaurants and several impressive mosques. Some of the most famous buildings in the area include the Al Fahidi Fort which houses the Dubai Museum; Bait Al Wakeel, the city’s first office building; Majlis Gallery; XVA Art Gallery for contemporary art and the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding.
Have you been to Dubai? have I missed any ‘must do’ activities? Please let us know in the comments below.
Essential Travel Planning Resources
Below are our favourite companies to use for planning our travels. They consistently turn up the best deals, offer great customer service and amazing value, and overall, are better than their competitors. These are always our starting point when we need to book a flight, hotel, tour, car rental etc.
Book Your Flight:
We have found the best and easiest way to find cheap flights is to use Skyscanner or Kiwi. They compare all of the available prices across every airline to help you compare flights in one place.
Book Accommodation:
Whether you are looking to book a hostel, guest house, hotel or resort, between Booking.com and Agoda, you’ll always find the best deals. We always search using the map feature to find accommodation in the best location. If we are staying for a month or longer in a destination, we also search for monthly deals on Airbnb. For hostel bookings, we compare reviews on Hostelworld, then check other booking sites to compare prices.
Book a Tour:
We mostly travel independently, however, some places are better to visit with a guided tour. We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation, but we also use Viator.
Book Transportation:
Our first port of call for transportation planning is Rome2Rio. This website allows us to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. When planning a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for finding the best deal on a car rental in advance.
Book Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft and cancellations. We never travel without it as we have had to use it several times in the past. We have been using 1Cover for the past 4 years, however, we also recommend SafetyWing as many of our fulltime travel friends swear by them.
Our Packing List:
If you need some packing tips or some travel gear suggestions, refer to our blog post on _______________ for our best tips and what we pack as fulltime travellers.
Ready to Book Your Trip?
Check out our Travel Resources page for the companies we use and recommend to plan and book our travels. Through lots of trial and error over the years, these are the best!
