What To Do In Dubai in 4 Days 3 Nights
Last November, I did an impromptu trip to Dubai by following Big Teddy along on his business trip. It was my first time in the Middle East and I didn’t know what to expect in this part of the world (I heard more horror travel stories online recently). Yet, I managed to do some last minute researches and figured out what to do in Dubai in 4D3N. So here’s my free & easy Dubai sightseeing itinerary for the first timer…
Day 1
- After arriving at the Dubai International Airport, picked up a local SIM Card at Etisalat counter at the arrival hall. Visitor Line Pack with 1GB Data for AED100 only with is good enough for staying active on social media for 4D3N.
- Checked into The Address Dubai Marina Hotel. About 30-45 minutes taxi ride depending on traffic (taxi fare was AED95).
- After a quick rest and unpacking, took an Uber to Dubai Mall, the largest mall in the world by total area! It also has one of the largest aquarium in the world, Dubai Aquarium right inside the Dubai Mall.
- Dinner by the Dubai Fountain. Wafi Gourmet Restaurant has a nice view of the fountain during show time from 6pm – 11pm daily. The Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. Lovely Lebanese dinner for 2 was AED409.
Day 2
- The next morning after breakfast, had a walk around Dubai Marina, from the Dubai Marina Mall to Marina Promenade.
- Took the Dubai Tram & Dubai Metro to the Dubai Mall, just to experience the public transport of the city. It was a super long journey with a lot of walking, and luckily I had a lot of time to spare. It was the cheapest way to get around in Dubai, as it only cost AED5 if compared to Uber/Taxi fare of at least AED80.
- Burj Khalifa, At The Top Observatory booked online for 4.30pm. Online booking will help to cut the ticket queue and gain entry faster. AED215 per adult for entry to Level 124+125 during peak hours or AED530 for an extra entry to the highest observatory level in the world at Level 148. I didn’t want to spend so much and prefer the view closer to the ground so I only paid for Level 124+125 during sunset hours. A definitely must do in Dubai to be at the top of the highest building in the world!
Top Tips: For sunset lover, enter an hour before the sunset to enjoy the best views from the tallest building in the world.
Day 3
- Morning Desert Safari by Arabian Adventures with pickup from hotel, with desert dune drive at the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a 4-wheel drive. Sandboarding, short camel ride and breakfast at the desert camp were also included. Awesome Dubai sightseeing tour with a total cost per adult was AED220.
- Traditional Dubai City Tour by Arabian Adventures in the afternoon. Explored the old parts of Dubai, such as the Dubai Museum, the famous Spice and Gold Souks of Dubai, as well as crossed the Dubai Creek in a traditional abra (water taxi). Total cost per adult was AED175. Also, if you love saffron do bargain at the Spice Souk.
Day 4
- Lunch at Mir Amin Restaurant (AED182 for 2) by the Marina Promenade.
- 90 minutes Dubai sightseeing tour with The Yellow Boat Tour (Full review click here). I got to see some of the amazing landmarks of Dubai, from the Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Atlantis Hotel and the Dubai Marina.
For any first timer to the city like I was, this Dubai sightseeing itinerary will definitely give you a decent taste of the old and new, the modern concretes and the natural desert safari. My favourite activity was the visit to the top of Burj Khalifa, the morning desert safari and The Yellow Boat Tour. The Traditional Dubai City Tour was interesting at parts especially the Dubai Museum and the abra ride across the creek, but the Spice and Gold Souks were a little underwhelming to my taste. If you’re spending lesser time than 4 days, check out what to do in Dubai in two days too. Or if you need some inspiration on accomodation, check out this guide on where to stay in Dubai. So have you been to Dubai? Any favourite city tour or sightseeing tips to share with me?
Check out my other posts on Dubai here.
For my other travel itinerary, please click here.
Do follow my adventures on Facebook here and Instagram here.
13 comments
You did a lot over a short trip, Allison! I had wished I could take the boat tour too but ended up didn’t, as we had a very short time in Dubai. For me, I really enjoyed the fountain show outside Dubai Mall!
It would be pretty awesome to visit Dubai one day! I can imagine how amazing it must be with all those skyscrapers! #blogpostsaturday
Wow!.. You did exactly what we did on our first Dubai visit. Did you have a good stay? I loved the pics of your accommodation 🙂
Great itinerary. I pretty much did the same thing as you 😉 I’d love to go again and then do a daytrip to Abu Dhabi to see the Louvre… Pinned your post! Thanks for sharing my #bps Marrakech article!
Dubai does seem like an intimidating place, but you certainly made it seem more accessible. The city itself seems almost sterile. Or maybe it’s just not how I would imagine it. What would interest me more is the trek into the desert and the camel ride. Good to know that’s easy to arrange there, too.
I’ve only ever spent a quick night at the Dubai Airport on my way to Africa. Your post is useful, because the next time, I’ll plan to lay over for several days. The modern architecture is spectacular, and your views from the top of the Burj Khalifa are amazing — thanks for sharing!
These are great tips! The desert safari looks so fun – I would definitely want to do that. Also, I didn’t realize the biggest mall in the world was in Dubai!
It seems like you hit the highlights of Dubai with all the biggest, tallest, most expensive. Dubai seems like the Vegas Strip on Steroids, without the sleaze. The two parts of Dubai that always fascinate me are camel caravans going out into the desert and the cityscape when fog rolls in. We would check out the indoor skiing too, which I think is in the mall.
I need to get on the ball about local SIM cards. Great Burj Khalid’s pictures, and the dessert tour is an adventure I’d be totally into!
The architectures in Dubai are stunning! I’ve seen many clips of the fountain shows on TV. It reminded me of the one in Vegas in front of Bellagio 🙂
As someone who hasn’t been to Dubai yet, this is great! I’ve been wanting to go to the Middle East for so long and can’t wait to make that a reality!
Wow! You really had an action-packed couple of days. I loved my visit to Dubai, especially the souks. It was like stepping into an ancient forgotten world for me. The smell of the spices was amazing! Great pics as well. 🙂
Oh, I love this! Your post really made me miss Dubai. It’s such a cool and colourful place. I lived there for one month when I first started traveling and haven’t been back since 2009. Definitely, need to make a visit happen sometime soon.