Dubai, decoded

Dubai travel guides

Start with Dubai: places to stay, things to do and practical plans for your trip.

Where to stayChoose the right part of Dubai before comparing hotels.Things to doFind the icons, tours and experiences worth a place in the day.Plan your tripBuild a route, then make the practical decisions in order.

All published guides

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Showing 39 guides.

Dubai guide6 min read

Abu Dhabi or Dubai: Which Should You Visit First? (2026)

An honest first-timer verdict on Abu Dhabi vs Dubai: what each city is best for, which is cheaper for hotels and tickets, families, beaches, whether Abu Dhabi is stricter, and how to combine the two.Read the guide

Plan your trip6 min read

Best Beaches in Dubai: Free Public Beaches, Fees, Swimming and Sea Temperature (2026)

Which Dubai beaches are free and which charge, where you can swim after dark, what the beach flags mean, how warm the sea is month by month, the rules on the sand and where to stay for the beach.Read the guide

Plan your trip6 min read

Dubai Metro: Fares, Hours, Stations and How to Ride (2026)

A tourist's guide to the Dubai Metro: Nol card and Red Ticket fares by zone, opening hours, the stations that matter, the airport run, the Tram, Monorail and Etihad Rail links, the rules and fines, and the new Blue and Gold lines.Read the guide

Plan your trip5 min read

3 Days in Dubai: A First-Timer's Itinerary and Budget (2026)

One anchor per day – Downtown and the Burj Khalifa, Old Dubai plus a desert safari, then the Marina and JBR beach – with a costed budget from ~AED 1,450 per person.Read the guide

Plan your trip5 min read

5 Days in Dubai: A First-Timer's Itinerary and Is It Enough? (2026)

A 5-day Dubai itinerary for first-timers: how many days you really need, the 3-day core plus a Palm or water day and a day trip to Abu Dhabi, where to base yourself and what five days costs.Read the guide

Things to do5 min read

Atlantis Aquaventure Tickets: Day Pass Prices, Rides and Tips (Dubai, 2026)

Tickets for Aquaventure World at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai – official vs GetYourGuide prices, the Lost World Aquarium combo, the best rides, and how it compares with Wild Wadi.Read the guide

Where to stay5 min read

Best Boutique Hotels in Dubai: Small, Design-Led Stays from Old Dubai to the Palm (2026)

What counts as boutique in a city of 1,500-room towers – and the six small, design-led hotels worth booking, from 15-room XVA in Al Fahidi to 94-key One&Only The Palm.Read the guide

Where to stay6 min read

Best Family Hotels in Dubai: Waterparks, All-Inclusive and Kids' Clubs (2026)

Nine family hotels across Dubai compared – waterparks included in the rate, the resorts that are genuinely all-inclusive, LEGOLAND's theme-park hotels and the best budget rooms for four.Read the guide

Where to stay5 min read

Best Hotels in Downtown Dubai: Where to Stay Near the Burj Khalifa (2026)

Five Downtown Dubai hotels compared on location, price and who they suit – from Address Downtown on the Boulevard to Rove Downtown, the value pick 10 minutes' walk from Dubai Mall.Read the guide

Where to stay6 min read

Best Luxury Hotels in Dubai: The 5-Star Shortlist, the 7-Star Myth and Real Prices (2026)

Nine five-star hotels across Dubai compared on price, privacy and location – plus why there is no 7-star hotel, where the underwater suites are, and how to pay far less for the same room.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Dubai Frame Tickets: Price, What's Inside and Resident Rates (2026)

Yes, you can go inside: what a ~AED 50 Dubai Frame ticket covers, from the glass-floored Sky Bridge to the old-vs-new Dubai views, plus resident and senior rates, Frame vs Burj Khalifa, and the best time for photos.Read the guide

Trip timing6 min read

Dubai in December 2026: Weather, Prices, Events and Christmas

Is December a good time for Dubai? Our climate data, what hotel prices do around the school break and New Year's Eve, dated December 2026 events, Christmas in Dubai and the honest risk line.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Dubai Miracle Garden Tickets: Prices, Season Dates and How to Get There (2026)

Dubai Miracle Garden's season runs October to May: what tickets cost for tourists and UAE residents, how to get there without a metro stop, and whether it's worth the trip.Read the guide

Dubai guide5 min read

Dubai New Year's Eve 2026–27: Where to Watch, Galas, Hotels and Getting Around

How New Year's Eve works in Dubai: the Burj Khalifa fireworks and the free and ticketed viewing areas, hotel galas such as Atlantis The Palm's, what hotels cost over the New Year week, and how to get around on the night.Read the guide

Plan your trip7 min read

Dubai Rules for Tourists: Dress Code, Alcohol, Affection and Entry (2026)

The rules that actually matter for visitors to Dubai – dress, public affection, alcohol, drugs, photography and Ramadan – quoted from the UK Foreign Office and the US State Department, plus the truth about the '3000 dirham rule' and what US and British citizens need to enter.Read the guide

Plan your trip5 min read

Dubai to Abu Dhabi by Train: Etihad Rail Fares, Times and Stations (2026)

Etihad Rail's Dubai to Abu Dhabi service: fares from ~AED 40, the 64-minute journey, where Al Yalayis and Mohammed Bin Zayed City stations are, what you can bring, and how the train compares with the bus, a taxi and a tour.Read the guide

Things to do5 min read

Global Village Dubai: Season Dates, Opening Hours, Tickets and Tips (2026–27)

When Global Village opens each season, its evening opening hours, the Tuesday families-only rule, what entry and rides cost, how the Wonder Pass works, and how to get there by bus, taxi or car.Read the guide

Plan your trip9 min read

How Much Does a Trip to Dubai Cost? Budget, Mid-Range and Luxury (2026)

What a Dubai trip really costs per person per day and for 5 or 7 nights – a line-item model with dated hotel, food, transport and ticket prices, the hotel taxes most budgets skip, and flights from the US.Read the guide

Plan your trip6 min read

Is Dubai Safe to Visit in 2026? US and UK Advice, Flights and Insurance

Is Dubai safe to visit in 2026? What the US State Department and the UK Foreign Office say, how to check the live advice, your refund and insurance position, what to do if there is an alert, and everyday safety for families, women and solo travellers.Read the guide

Things to do6 min read

Things to Do in Dubai: The Best Sights & Day Trips (2026)

Free beaches, the Burj Khalifa, a desert safari and getting around by Metro – what's actually worth doing in Dubai in 2026, and what to skip.Read the guide

Dubai guide7 min read

Things to Do in Dubai with Kids: Best Activities by Age, Indoor and Free (2026)

The best things to do in Dubai with children, sorted by age – toddlers, 5–12s and teenagers – plus indoor and summer options, free and cheap days out, verified age rules and prices, and which area to stay in.Read the guide

Where to stay8 min read

Where to Stay in Dubai: Best Areas and Hotels for Every Trip (2026)

Which Dubai area fits your trip – Downtown, Dubai Marina and JBR, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach, Business Bay or Old Dubai – with one verified hotel pick for each decision and real July and November prices.Read the guide

Dubai guide6 min read

What to Wear in Dubai: Dress Code, Month-by-Month Packing and Where It Matters (2026)

What to wear in Dubai, from the UK Foreign Office and Visit Dubai's own guidance: the dress code for malls, beaches and mosques, what women and men should pack, a month-by-month clothing table built on 11 years of weather data, and Ramadan.Read the guide

Trip timing8 min read

Best Time to Visit Dubai: Month-by-Month Weather, Prices and Crowds (2026–27)

When to go to Dubai, built on our own data: a month-by-month climate table from 11 years of Open-Meteo records, a hotel-price snapshot by month, what closes in summer, and the best months for the beach, for kids and from the US or UK.Read the guide

Things to do6 min read

Abu Dhabi Day Trip from Dubai: Costs, Mosque Rules and What to See (2026)

What an Abu Dhabi day trip from Dubai really costs, the Grand Mosque's new entry fee and dress code, whether Ferrari World is included, and what the new Etihad Rail train costs from Dubai.Read the guide

Where to stay5 min read

Best Hotels in Business Bay, DIFC and Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai (2026)

Nine hotels in Dubai's central business corridor compared – from The Lana and Taj Dubai in Business Bay to Four Seasons and Waldorf Astoria in DIFC – plus the Business Bay or Downtown question.Read the guide

Where to stay5 min read

Best Hotels in Dubai Marina and JBR: Where to Stay by the Water (2026)

Seven Dubai Marina and JBR hotels compared – marina-view five-stars, beachfront rooms on JBR and two budget picks – with sampled nightly prices for July and November.Read the guide

Where to stay6 min read

Best Hotels on Jumeirah Beach, Dubai: Madinat, Umm Suqeim and the Burj Al Arab Coast (2026)

Seven resorts on Dubai's Jumeirah Beach coast compared – from Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Madinat Jumeirah to Bvlgari's private island – plus free beaches, day passes and the JBR mix-up.Read the guide

Where to stay5 min read

Best Hotels on Palm Jumeirah: Atlantis, All-Inclusive and Beach Resorts (2026)

Seven Palm Jumeirah resorts compared – both Atlantis hotels, the island's dedicated all-inclusive, and the best picks for families and couples – with sampled nightly prices.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Burj Khalifa Tickets: At the Top vs Sky Explained (2026)

Which Burj Khalifa ticket to book – the standard Levels 124 & 125 deck or the pricier Level 148 SKY upgrade – plus the real gate prices behind the AED 65 'offers' you'll see online.Read the guide

Things to do5 min read

Dubai Desert Safari: Prices, Best Time and Is It Worth It (2026)

Evening tours from ~US$30 include dune bashing, a BBQ camp and a show; morning tours are quieter and cheaper on comfort. Here's what actually changes the price, and whether the dune bashing lives up to the hype.Read the guide

Things to do5 min read

Best Yacht Tours in Dubai: 6 Picks by Price and Occasion (2026)

Six Dubai yacht tours compared – from a ~AED 77 shared sunset cruise to a private 50-foot yacht for up to 12 – plus when paying per boat beats paying per person, the alcohol rule, and yacht vs speedboat.Read the guide

Things to do3 min read

Dubai Fountain Lake Ride: Price, Show Times and Is It Worth It (2026)

The fountain show is free to watch – the Lake Ride (or Burj Khalifa Lake Ride) is a paid 30-minute abra trip on Burj Lake. Current show times, prices, the cheaper Boardwalk, and an honest take on whether the boat is worth it.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Helicopter Tour Dubai: The Palm or Police Academy, Prices and Flight Times (2026)

Dubai helicopter tours fly from two helipads – Atlantis, The Palm and the Dubai Police Academy – for 12 to 40 minutes. Shared and private prices, what each length covers, the couples and proposal option, and the age and weight rules.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

La Perle by Dragone Tickets: Seating, Prices and What to Know (2026)

What La Perle by Dragone actually is – a 90-minute water-and-aerial show in its own theatre at Al Habtoor City – plus which seating tier to book, the dress code, current offers, and how it compares with Cirque du Soleil.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Old Dubai Tour: Al Fahidi, the Creek and the Souks – Guided or Self-Guided (2026)

What Old Dubai actually covers – Al Fahidi (Bastakiya), Al Seef and the Deira souks – how to cross the creek by abra for AED 1, whether a guided tour is worth it, and why Dubai Museum isn't on the list right now.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Museum of the Future Tickets: Closed Until 2027 – What to Know (Dubai)

Dubai's Museum of the Future shut its exhibitions in September 2026 and reopens in the first quarter of 2027. What that means for tickets, what you can still see, and what's coming.Read the guide

Things to do5 min read

Skydive Dubai: Prices, Requirements and Palm vs Desert (2026)

What a tandem jump with Skydive Dubai costs at each dropzone, the exact age, weight and medical rules, what happens on the day, and an honest look at its safety record.Read the guide

Things to do4 min read

Jet Ski to the Burj Al Arab: Price, Route, Age Limits and Licence Rules (2026)

Where the Burj Al Arab jet ski tour really starts, what 30 minutes gets you (and why Atlantis needs longer), prices, age limits and whether you need a licence.Read the guide