What can 18 hours in Dubai offer you?
Quite a lot actually, if you plan well, and brace yourself for a pretty jam packed day!
Seven Preparation Tips
- Strategically book a long layover landing in the early morning and departing after midnight to make the most out of the daylight hours. (Departing Dublin at 2030, I arrived at Dubai at 0830 local time and departed at 0330 the following day to get to Kuala Lumpur for 1430)
- Check your bags to your final destination so you’ll only need to carry your cabin bag in Dubai.
- Double check the metro times to know whether you need a taxi (As I arrived into Dubai Airport on a Friday morning at 0835, no metros ran to the city that early as it’s their Holy Day)
- Buy a Metro Day ticket as it’s well worth the value and ease of travelling (22 AED)
- Download Uber and Careem for hailing taxis on the go.
- Book a cheap accommodation where you can take an hour nap or take a shower (Sand mixed with humidity doesn’t leave you feeling very fresh! Haha)
- If you have a Revolut Card, you can hold the AED currency on it for ease of transactions!
So here are
Four things to do in Dubai in 18 hours
1. Take a stroll along Jumeirah Beach Residence and Marina Bay
I hopped on the metro from the city to DMCC and transferred onto the tram to Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). Welcomed by a pedestrian-friendly region by the beach, there were many food and retail shops along Al Mamshah Street to explore.
With a pistachio gelato in one hand and a refreshing ice americano in the other, I soaked in some sun while adventuring through its nooks and crannies. I did try to get a bird’s eye view of the Palm Jumeirah and went up to the Observatory Bar in the Marriott Hotel. However due to a sandstorm, the view was pretty much obsolete so wasnt exactly ideal!
But on the upside, I stumbled upon a little side trail which led me to walk along the beautiful Marina and it was beautiful just walking along the water while looking up at the skyscrapers.
2. Embark on a Sand Safari Adventure
I booked a tour on TripAdvisor which included a 4×4 adventure drive through the sand dunes, camel riding, falcon demonstrations, and a buffet dinner in a desert camp which had little stalls offering cultural activities (henna, shisha, sand sliding, dance performances).
I would highly recommend this experience as it includes a pick up from any hotel and it allows you to experience so much in 7 hours (2-9PM). It was a good way to meet other travelers and although the dinner was just satisfactory, the adventures of all that the desert had to offer were exhilarating (got caught in a sandstorm and went on a pretty insane ride through the sand).
Maybe bring some sunnies and a bandana to cover your face! I definitely had my fair share of sand particles. So having access to shower facilities at my hostel was needed!
3. Watch the Music Fountain by the Burj Khalifa
Every half hour in the evening, the Dubai Fountain has a light and wafer performance to their song of choice. The last show is at 11PM and a good spot to watch it is at the Souk Al Bahar Bridge. It can get crowded so maybe arrive 15 minutes before it begins! You also get to get a lovely view of the Burj Khalifa and go up to the top if you so wish.
4. Get lost in Dubai Mall
Open till about midnight or later, you can stroll around for food, shopping, and more after watching the fountain show.
A nice relaxing way for you to end your adventure before hopping on the metro or taxi back to the airport!
It definitely is a jam packed schedule and you do need energy to keep going so power naps on the plane and car trips are key. I managed to get a decent 30 min nap to and from the desert to help.
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Was it tiring?
Yes.
Was it worth it?
Most definitely
