mcbg1

I am thinking of going to Dubai by myself in January and I was wondering how long I should stay there for my first visit? I was thinking of going for about two weeks since it's a pretty long flight from home. I'd really like to spend a few days just enjoying the sun and the beach (I know it'll be winter but it'll be pretty warm compared to the weather in Ottawa at that time of the year). I'd also like to spend a few days exploring other nearby towns. Also, how safe is Dubai for single travellers?

Thanks!

DesertNomad

Dubai is VERY safe. There is no place in the city I would not go no matter what the hour. Three days would probably be enough.

I would combine it with a trip to Oman and spend perhaps 5 days in northern Oman, basing yourself in Muscat. (do the circle loop taking in Rustaq, Nizwa and Sohar, among others). Sur is also interesting but is the other direction on the tip of the peninsula.

Sharjah is a good place to buy Persian Carpets (at the Central Market) and is only 20min taxi/minibus from Dubai.

blueline7

Are there any days in dubai that things are shut down for the islamic weekend, such as friday or something?

rankourabu

its usually pretty slow going on Friday morning, some malls open later as well.

I would second the idea of Oman, a quick circuit in a rental car is well worth it, you will most likely be bored in Dubai for 2 weeks, I'd say 3-4 days.... maybe even a cheap flight (Jazeera/Air Arabia/FlyDubai/Bahrain Air) to Bahrain or Beirut.

I dont think there is a safer city.

PETEFLYS

Well first off of all the places in the world why would you want to go there???
Two weeks I think 2 days would be more then plenty. I think you are safe except for the cheating cabbies LOL. I hope you are not on any type of budget because the exchange rate from CAD will not be very good.
I guess you figured I do not care for this place at all. Yes I have been there and seen it all a few times. The only reason to go there is for work. For a holiday I can not think of any other place that could be more of a disappointment. I think if you want to go there do it on your way to another destination for a few days. You did not say if you are a male or female because that will come in to play in this location for sure.

DesertNomad

I have spent more than 4 years in Dubai and have never been cheated by a cab. There is a meter which is always used without asking, 20 AED flagfall for airport pickup, elsewhere I think 3.50, but a 10 AED minimum (which effectively means a 10 AED flagfall). Add an extra dirham for call-to-pickup.

It really doesn't matter if you are male or female either and Dubai is a good introduction to the Mid East. Oman is a must and I'd second the Beirut idea. You can skip Doha, but a day in Kuwait would be nice if it is convenient with flights (say to/from Beirut with a Kuwait stop).

If you want something really different find an agency in Yemen (I can suggest one) and book for perhaps 4 days in and around Sanaa. You'll have to see what the political situation is in Yemen when the time comes, but I can't think of a more interesting city in the world than Sanaa. Air Arabia (excellent) has cheap flights from Sharjah to Sanaa (and all over the region too).

mecabq

Sigh. Like clockwork, ask a question about Dubai, and someone will provide his (unsolicited) scorn asking why you would ever want to go there. There is no other destination that provokes as much scorn on FlyerTalk as Dubai. If you asked what to do in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for two weeks, you wouldn't get the same reaction. Of course this poster is entitled to his opinion, although the question of "why anyone would ever want to go to Dubai" is silly, bordering on absurd, in my opinion -- Dubai is a unique place, which has accomplished more in a shorter period of time than just about anywhere else in human history.

At a minimum, it is worth seeing. It has great amenities plus a bit of traditional Arabic culture. I also lived in the UAE for a brief period and have probably been to Dubai 40 times, and no taxi driver ever attempted to cheat me. I am not even sure how that would work, given the tight control on the taxi system. Hotels can be expensive at certain times of year, including January, but otherwise (e.g., food, transportation, activities), Dubai is pretty inexpensive.

All of that said, I think that a few days there is enough to see the major sites and get the gist of the place. If I were spending two weeks in the Gulf, I would probably do about three or four days in Dubai, about the same in Oman (maybe a bit more if you can drive around the country as some posters suggest), and maybe a night in Abu Dhabi just to see the contrast. I also agree with rankourabu -- you could add a weekend in Bahrain and/or a few-day side trip to Beirut. If you really want to get adventuresome (and get a visa in advance), you could go to Syria for a few days, which is an excellent place to visit too.

Of course if you want to spend two weeks on the beach, then you can do that in Dubai -- they have excellent beach resorts. You could even take a tour around the UAE, and try some of the newer beach hotels in Fujeirah for a couple of days.

beergut

Well I've been so disappointed I've visited 12 times

mcbg1

Well first of all, I am a 24 year old male.

I thought of visiting Dubai because it seemed like an easy introduction to the Middle East. While this might make me look ignorant and judgmental, the Middle East never interested me as a travel destination as it looked too dangerous and inaccessible. With that said, I decided to open my horizons and start with somewhere westernized: Dubai.

Two weeks didn't seem that long to spend in Dubai since I want to spend a few days just relaxing on the beach or by a pool, going shopping, walking around, etc. I just came back from spending a month in South Africa and we didn't have one day to relax since we had so much to see.

I really don't want to rent a car while on vacation so ideally I could just base myself in Dubai the whole time (looked at a couple apartments) and do some day trips from there. I looked on Viator and it seems like I could spend a week just doing that. I definitely want to go to Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah, Hatta, etc. and see the East coast.

Hopefully this clears up some things. Keep the suggestions coming. Good or bad.

rankourabu

Its ironic that us Canadians dont think twice about taking a holiday in actually dangerous places like Jamaica or Mexico, but fear the Middle East ....


You can take a bus to Oman if you dont feel like driving.
It would be a real shame if you were so close and didnt go.

mcbg1

Would Jordan be a good place to go before/after Dubai? I'd really like to see Petra and swim in the Dead Sea.

mcbg1

Also, what about Egypt? Would Cairo be a good stop for a few days before or after Dubai?

tex1899

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9630/5.0.0.591 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I spent a week in DXB in March visiting my sister and her fam. Got to see basically everything except the observation deck at the Burj, which I believe is now reopened. Two weeks will allow you to see other locales, Oman, AUH, etc. Will follow up when I return home Mon (and have my laptop).

mecabq

Yes, Egypt and Jordan would be good choices. I agree that Petra and the Dead Sea are each worth seeing once, for about a day each, but besides that there is not a lot to see in Jordan.

Of course Egypt has a ton to see. You could spend a few days in Cairo.

Note also that Jordan can be very cold (i.e., snowing) in January. The roads and other infrastructure make it worse. The Dead Sea is always warmer than Amman, and I don't think that it snows there, but not really great weather for lounging around. Egypt won't be as cold, but if your goal is to sit and enjoy the sun and beach, then that's not the place to go, either.

mcbg1

I'm thinking of going in late October or in early November instead. Would the weather be better then? I'd like to spend a few days in Cairo and then go to Sharm El Sheikh to do some snorkelling. I also saw some companies do day trips from Sharm to Petra via air. I'd like to do that. If I have a week to spend in Egypt (with a day trip to Petra), how would you organize it? I'd then fly from Cairo to Dubai for 5-7 days.