A Relaxed 5 Day Trip in the UAE
The UAE has developed so quickly over the past few decades and tourists are flocking in! It’s an amazing country to visit, with beautiful cityscapes and natural formations to explore. Amidst the hustle and bustle of its hub in Dubai, you are definitely going to want to try and take your trip in the UAE relaxed and slowly. Here’s some great things to do in the country over the course of a week.
Day One: Arrive in Dubai & Explore Around
One of the largest cities in the Middle East, Dubai is a behemoth to explore and will definitely take at least three days to see all that it has to offer. Upon landing, get some food & rest before popping on over to the Mall of the Emirates, which offers some great food and indoor shopping experiences.
From there, you are going to want to spend the afternoon & evening taking in two of Dubai’s treasures: the Dubai Museum and the Burj al-Arab. The Dubai Museum had such amazing artifacts from the country and region’s entire history and is very appealing to tourists from all over, so it is a can’t-miss. While less prominent than it’s tall neighbor (which we’ll get to tomorrow), the Burj al-Arab is the city’s most iconic hotel that sits nearby on Jumeirah Beach. After these two great sites, you’ve hopefully had a great first day in Dubai!
Day Two: See the Burj Khalifa
Headlining today is the site that Dubai is most famous for: the Burj Khalifa. The world’s tallest building, the views from the top floors that visitors are allowed on are absolutely spectacular and will give you a new appreciation for all the development that has taken place in the city over the past fifty years.
Spend your time at the building before exploring all that the Dubai Mall has to offer. This mall is near the Burj, and it is filled with any type of shop you can think of. Given Dubai’s consistent heat, it is also a great place to cool down and get some rest. Wrap up your day with a sunset boat ride in an abra and grab some dinner in the nearby restaurants along the shore.
Day Three: Enjoy a Dubai morning before heading to Abu Dhabi
Having seen most of the cosmopolitan sites in Dubai, try spending your morning exploring the souqs (street shops) that keep the city’s local economy running. This is a fantastic way to get some souvenirs to bring back home and practice your bartering skills.
The next stop in the country is Abu Dhabi, its capital, which is around a two-hour drive away. On your way to the capital, take a stop at Palm Jumeirah Beach, nearby to the Burj al-Arab. This is a great place to get a day pass to a resort and enjoy the waves and some great food/drinks before spending the evening coming into Abu Dhabi.
Day Four: Desert Safari
More rural than its counterpart Dubai, Abu Dhabi offers some great ways to explore the dunes that make up a lot of the UAE’s geography. Starting out at the Emirates Hotel to get a nice breakfast, you can see the history of Abu Dhabi in the nearby Abu Dhabi center.
After that, spend the afternoon on a Desert Safari, where you will have the choice of driving in an ATV or riding on a dune board over the magnificent dunes nearby to the city. This was an electric experience and by far my favorite of the whole trip. Camels are also a common animal in the country, so taking a camel at around sunset on the dunes makes for some magnificent photos.
Day Five: Grand Mosque & Museums
After a day in the sun prior, your final day in the UAE will be mostly exploring the indoor sights. Start off at the Grand Mosque, the country’s largest religious site, that is open to visitors and is a beautiful place to see many in the country worship. Make sure to check requirements on attire and timings before going.
From there you have the option of sticking indoors or doing some more hiking activities. The inside option is the Al-Ain Museum, the country’s national museum that provides a great history and exhibit on how so much development happened so quickly. If you are enjoying your time outside, take a nearby drive to Jebel Hafeet, a massive mountain that take around 1 hour to get to the top; when there, you’ll have amazing views of the landscape that adorns the capital city.
Hopefully this puts you in a great place to catch your flight back home. If there’s something else you think we should include in this relaxed UAE itinerary, please reach out!
