if you are wondering what fun things there are to do in dubai, keep reading to find out all about our trip!
we went to dubai in the first week of april in 2022. this was during ramadan, and we wanted to respect the religion. we packed a combination of shorts (3.5″ and longer), jeans, long skirts, t-shirts, long dresses, and long sleeve shirts. we hadn’t found any clear guidelines online, so we packed everything just to be safe. the weather was sunny and around 90ºF every day. we mostly wore shorts and t-shirts because of the weather. this was completely acceptable, and we were not the only ones wearing these outfits. it is more than acceptable to wear shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, dresses, etc. when visiting dubai. even during ramadan. however, if you plan to visit areas where people are more religious (the souqs or a mosque), it is better to pack some long sleeve clothing.
what to pack (as a girl):
*this was written as a plan for a 1 week trip*
- 1-2 long sleeve button up shirts (to wear as a cover up)
- 1-3 pairs of jeans
- 6 t-shirts
- 1-2 tank tops
- 1 long skirt
- 2 long dresses
- 5 pairs of shorts
- 1 scarf
- 2 pairs of sneakers
best views in dubai:
best activities:
desert tour:
we did a full-day desert tour that we booked through our hotel. this tour was great! it was one of our favorite activities on the trip. we were picked up directly from our hotel at around 9am and were dropped off at around 8pm. our driver took us to the sand dunes where we did atv riding and sand boarding. the drive was 1-2 hours long, but it was entertaining. our driver was a great conversationalist and told us everything we needed to know about dubai.
at the sand dunes, instructors led us on an atv tour. we drove the atvs to the top of a dune with a great view (seen in the “best views” section). were offered cold, bottled water, which was extremely refreshing because the desert is over 100ºF and very sunny. we took pictures on the atvs and in front of the dunes. when the atv tour was complete, we had the opportunity to purchase head scarves, which we wore as ghutra. this is traditional muslim headwear. we both bought the scarves which employees then tied on our heads. it stayed on for the rest of the night, and the scarves serve as great souvenirs.
after a sunny day on the dunes, our driver took us to a campsite where we did camel back riding, got henna, ate dinner, and watched a light show. we arrived at the campsite right at sunset, so it was the perfect photo spot. we immediately did the camel ride, which was a little different than we expected. the camels were walked on a leash by the tour guides, and the ride was barely 10 minutes long. however, we would still recommend doing the camel ride as it is a unique experience. there were tents at the campsite, and you had the chance to experience a different part of arabian culture in each one. in the first tent, we tried on traditional arab clothing called abaya. in the second tent, we got henna (which with proper care lasted about 2 weeks, and was a catalyst for compliments back home). in the third tent, we tried traditional arabic tea and coffee. we loved the tea! especially with date honey mixed in. however, we are not big coffee drinkers, so the coffee did not please our taste buds. our mom (who is a coffee enthusiast) absolutely loved the drink. in the last tent, there was a very tasty dessert called luqamaat. these are fried dough balls with date honey and sesame seeds.
the souks:
dubai is separated into two parts, old dubai and new dubai. old dubai is made up of the historical buildings of dubai, which are mostly made of stone. new dubai has the skyscrapers and intricate highway systems. the souks are located in old dubai, which can be accessed by taxi or by a ferry for 1 AED. we went to old dubai both ways, and we would definitely recommend the ferry as it is cheaper and more scenic.
souks are handcraft marketplaces. they have different specializations, like gold, spices, or textiles. they are the best place to go if you’re looking for something unique to remind you of your trip to dubai.
while exploring the souks, we did not do a guided tour. we took a ferry to the gold souk and discovered things on our own. all the souks are connected, so they can be explored in one trip. during ramadan, the souks are usually open from 10am – 3pm, then again from 5pm – 10pm. in the souks, many merchants are religious. for girls, we would recommend you wear looser and longer clothing (especially during ramadan) to respect the religion.
dubai mall/emirates mall:
dubai mall and emirates mall are not just regular malls. even if you’re not into shopping, we highly suggest that you visit these two! these are two of the largest malls in the world, and there is much more to do than simple shopping. dubai mall has over 1,200 stores. these stores range from typical stores like zara to luxury stores like cartier. there are many restaurants throughout the malls, apart from the food court, which are delicious. however, the most astonishing things in these malls are the waterfall (dubai mall), ice skating rink (dubai mall), and indoor ski slopes (emirates mall). we did not try the ice skating rink, but we did a few runs on the snowy slopes of emirates mall.
the “ski dubai” facility provided us with everything we needed for our skiing adventure. we received gloves (which we got to keep), a jacket, snow pants, and ski boots. you’re not allowed alone time on the slopes if you are not an intermediate level skier. if you’re a beginner, you must purchase ski lessons to get on the slopes. however, we both have skied many times before, so this rule was not an issue for us. if you don’t feel like skiing and just want to enjoy some time in the snow, you can purchase a ticket that allows you simply to play in the snow. this was a popular attraction for young children.
sky views observatory in dubai mall has astonishing views of the city. this may be something that you have seen on social media, and we think you should definitely check it out. this is a great photo spot, especially at sunset. there is a slide completely made of glass, which makes you feel like you’re flying above the city. though it’s short, it’s worth trying. the floors throughout the observatory are also made of glass, and you can watch the bustling city of dubai beneath your feet.
global village:
global village is a cultural theme park in dubai. it is a cool and unique way to learn about other cultures from around the world. there is a “building” for 90 different countries from every continent except antarctica. each one has common food, clothes, architecture, jewelry, music, etc. from the country. you can even try the foods eaten in the part of the world. at global village, we tried ethiopian food for the first time! it was amazing. we would advise you wear comfortable walking shoes because this place is HUGE. there is so much to see and you’ll want to explore everything. we loved it so much we went twice! we also recommend going at night. the lights on each building are amazing.