Last Updated on April 14, 2022
Solo Travel To Dubai
Dubai is a city in the Middle East on the Arabian Peninsula known for its glitz and glamour thanks to its oil and diversified economy. Although exploring the Middle East can be intimidating for a solo traveler, Dubai is one of the safest and easiest countries in the region to navigate.
SOLO TRAVEL TIP:
Solo travel can be a daunting experience whether you've done it one time or a thousand. The biggest hurdle is just doing it. Once you're traveling, focus on the present moment. Take each day one at a time. Try to eliminate distractions that could get you into unsafe situations (headphones, on your phone, open bag, large crowds, drinking alcohol, etc.). Play it smart and you may find just how empowering solo travel can be!
WHAT TO EXPECT
Where to stay in Dubai
- Atlantis The Royal Dubai (new property 2022)
What to do in Dubai
- See the Burj Khalifa
- Watch the infamous fountain show
- Visit the world’s largest and second-largest mall
- Shop at souks
- Walk along the marina
- Head to the beach
- See the Burj Arab
- Take a desert safari
Where to eat & drink in Dubai
- La Mer beach area
- Kite Beach
- Madinat Jumeirah souk
- The Marina
- Burj Khalifa area
- Time Out Market at Dubai Mall
- Dubai Creek area
Why should you solo travel to Dubai? Obviously, for most, having someone to travel and share experiences with is ideal, but sometimes this isn’t always possible. If I had always waited on someone to travel with me in the past, I wouldn’t have made it to half of the countries I’ve visited to this day.
Solo travel offers the freedom to go where you want to go, do what you want to do, and see what you want to see without taking other’s opinions into account. And let me tell you, having conquered a trip all on your own to a foreign country in the Middle East is an achievement not many people get to say that they’ve done – it will certainly make you feel proud of yourself at the end of the day! (Plus, a little time alone can sometimes be very therapeutic).
There is an abundance of things to do in Dubai – the City of Gold – but here is an itinerary with some of my top picks that you can use to plan out your solo trip to Dubai. Note that there are many attractions open late in Dubai, so I tried to plan the trip around what would be preferential during the daytime and what I could save for the evenings or bad-weather days.
Before you continue to the itinerary, another thing to note here is how to get around. Unfortunately, Dubai is not like New York City or other large Metropolitan cities that are easy to explore on foot. The city is filled with lots of busy roads and highways cutting through the center. Everything is very spread out and not very easy to get to. There is a subway system, but it basically goes in one straight line across the city to get you to the general area you need to be in, but definitely not a method to rely on.
Typically, since there was a subway station within walking distance to my hotel, I would take the subway to the area I needed to be in and then would get a taxi or Careem (Dubai’s version of “Uber”/ride-sharing app) if I couldn’t walk to where I needed to go. Don’t let this deter you from exploring. The taxis and ride-sharing services were fairly cheap and the metro was easy to navigate.
Dubai Sample Itinerary
*Please take note that this is a simplified sample itinerary that outlines the brief idea of a trip Drift Destinations can plan. When you book your trip with us, we will go into much more detail, taking all of your dream trip desires into account, to design a destination getaway that will [hopefully] go above and beyond your expectations.
Day 1: Arrival in Dubai
Depending on where you’re coming from, arrival times will obviously vary. Though, many flights (in my experience), seem to either arrive late in the evening or very early in the morning. So, be sure to take some time to settle in, explore the local area, and check out the hotel’s amenities before you hit the ground running.
I highly recommend splurging on a nice hotel in Dubai (most, if not all of my suggestions above are 5-star). The hotels are absolutely stunning and a once-in-a-lifetime experience – they’re part of what defines Dubai. Especially while solo traveling in a foreign country you’re not too comfortable or familiar with, staying somewhere nice is a great way to put your nerves at ease.
Most of the nice hotels in Dubai have plenty to do on property, such as state-of-the-art fitness centers, pools, spas, incredible restaurants, and more. Many even have concierges available 24/7 to set up tours, arrange transportation, get directions, and more. So, although it’s important to be prepared before arriving, it’s nice to have a local available in your back pocket for any last minute questions, ideas, or suggestions.
Day 2: Souks, Fountain Show, Burj Khalifa, and Dubai Mall
Start today off with a delicious breakfast at your hotel to fuel the start of your day. Many top-notch hotels in Dubai offer buffet-style breakfasts to accommodate the many different cultures that visit the area. You’ll find endless stations of nearly every variety of food you could think of! (Don’t overdo it, you still need to be able to move around today!)
After breakfast, utilize the metro system or take a taxi/Careem to Deira. This area isn’t somewhere you necessarily want to be alone after dusk, so make this a priority during daytime. Deira is an older area of Dubai and where you will find the more-authentic souks in the city.
Be sure to explore the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, and the Perfume Souk. *Be sure to haggle!!!* These vendors in the souk purposely will give you a higher price expecting you to try to barter. If you’re really wanting a lower price and you’re pretty close with the negotiation, just walk away. Likely, they will cave and give you what you want.
For the Gold Souk, don’t expect to barter much lower than $100 — even for the simplest of pieces of jewelry (trust me, I tried…).
Expect vendors to be in your face about you checking out their product. Usually, these are the vendors I try to avoid and I’ll gravitate towards the ones who let you peruse at your leisure.
After wandering the souks, be sure to walk over to the Dubai Creek for some cool views of the old city.
Next on the agenda, make your way over to the infamous Burj Khalifa. You can either metro here or take a cab (I’d suggest the metro since many cabs don’t like to get involved in the traffic here, so you may be dropped off a distance from your ideal destination anyway.
If it’s a priority on your to-do list, now is a great time to make your way to the top of the Burj Khalifa. You will need to purchase tickets to do this.
You can see the Dubai Fountain from many areas around the Burj Khalifa, but I suggest trying to make your way to the Souk Al Bahar Bridge or over to the Time Out Market for the best views. Note that the fountain shows do not start until 6:00 PM and will run every 30 minutes until 11:00 PM. Stake out your spot early (like 20-30 minutes early) to ensure you get the best view!
After you’ve watched the fountain show, head into the world’s largest mall – the Dubai Mall! Plan on spending the rest of the evening exploring the giant mall. There’s an ice skating rink, aquarium, endless shops, and so much more to see and do! If you want to see the aquarium, you technically don’t have to pay to go inside — you can see a good portion of the aquarium from inside the mall.
Day 3: The Dubai Frame, La Mer, the Dubai Miracle Garden, the Mall of the Emirates
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel again, or check out a local eatery in the area. Once you’re ready to go, make your way to the Dubai Frame.
The Dubai Frame is the giant frame that separates the old Dubai from the new and modernized Dubai. It’s awesome to see, but you can also go to the top of the frame to get a better vantage point of the differences from then to now, as well as get a little bit of a history of the city.
This landmark is situated in Zabeel Park. If you’re wanting a nice, peaceful spot to sit or wander after, you can do that here (as well as get some more cool views of the Frame).
Next, make your way to the area of La Mer. This beachy area has lots of restaurants and a few shops to wander around — not to mention the beach! It’s a good spot to grab a bite to eat, enjoy the views, and people-watch.
Looking for something fairly quick and tasty? Check out SALT. There are multiple locations around the city. It’s essentially the “Shake Shack” of Dubai. You can get sliders and delicious sweet potato fries!
While you’re in the area of La Mer (particularly the north part of the beach), walk across the street over to Jumeirah Mosque for a photo op of the cultural landmark.
Next, grab a cab or Careem and head to the Miracle Garden. The Miracle Garden is a beautiful attraction filled with flowers and that iconic life-sized floral-covered airplane you’ve likely seen on social media. It’s a peaceful oasis amongst the chaos of the city.
While you’re in the “general area”, head to the Mall of the Emirates (this is the second largest mall in Dubai). Here is where you’ll find the indoor ski slope along with tons of shops and restaurants to grab dinner before heading back to your hotel.
Day 4: The Marina, Atlantis/Palm Jumeirah, Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Take the subway to Sobha Realty Metro station and walk over to Friends Avenue Café for breakfast. The spot is super cute and has amazing breakfast food (as well as puts you right in the area that you need to be in for the day).
After breakfast, you’ll want to walk back into the subway station to cross the highway over towards the marina. Take the morning to stroll along the marina (I’d suggest start by walking south and then you can cross and walk back up). It’s very peaceful and picturesque. There are also restaurants along the marina and the Dubai Marina Mall where you can stop to shop.
You’ll eventually want to make your way towards Palm Jumeirah. You can either walk, take a cab, or even take a trolley. In order to get onto Palm Jumeirah, you can take a cab or you can take a separate trolley that will take you all the way to Atlantis.
Feel free to check out the rest of the Palm (most of the palms are filled with villas, but you’ll find an occasional restaurant here and there). I suggest taking the tram all the way to the end to Atlantis. It’s a stunning property (you can even stay here!). There are shops inside, a water park, the beach, a pool, and restaurants. You may have a hard time getting outside as security is pretty strict about only letting guests of the hotel out there. You can just tell them you are meeting a guest there for lunch/dinner at the restaurant on the pool deck.
Snag a table at the pool deck restaurant and treat yourself to some refreshments before continuing on. There’s a good Mexican restaurant there that had a great selection of options! (A little overpriced but worth it for the view).
Eventually, take the tram back to the mainland and then either take the trolley + bus north or a cab to get to Souk Madinat Jumeirah. This modernized souk is gorgeous and has stunning views of the Burj Arab. Wander around the souk’s shops for a bit. If you opted out of eating at Atlantis, there are also a few restaurants here at the souk right on the water.
Day 5: Departure Day
Depending on how long you have in Dubai, you could spread out some of the above activities or find an endless list of other things to do in the City of Gold.
I found three full days of exploring to be a decent amount of time to see Dubai — if you’re making use of every spare moment you have to sightsee. If you’re wanting a little more wiggle room, I’d suggest adding an extra day or two to make the most out of your solo trip to Dubai.
