This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at ICU (Japan) chapter.
Before college I lived in Dubai and spent four years exploring the city with my family and friends. Here are my tried and tested suggestions for the perfect itinerary for a trip to Dubai with your friends. Before I begin, here’s some quick information about the country. Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, created in 1971 following independence from Great Britain. If you plan to visit Dubai for around five to seven days, this is a perfect plan for you!
Day 1. Old Dubai, Gold & Spice Souk, Sharjah
Original photo by Ayaka Kuroki
Morning: Sharjah – Blue Souk
Sharjah is one of the emirates next to Dubai, where you can get up close and personal with the real UAE. If you’re getting souvenirs for your friends, I suggest you buy them in Sharjah because it’s ten times cheaper than Dubai. The Blue Souk is the central shopping hub and one of the most impressive landmarks of Sharjah.
Afternoon: Old Dubai, Gold Souk & Spice Souk
Old Town Dubai is definitely a lot more authentic than the rest of the city. For lunch, you can experience some Middle Eastern food at Al Bastakiya (my recommendation is Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Cafe – Al Fahidi). After lunch, the next stop is Gold Souk, a broad covered shopping street full of gold and jewelry stores. You can then take an abra (little boat) at the creek to cross over to the Spice Souk, where trade and fishing started in Dubai. You can feel the Arabic market atmosphere as you explore the streets with friends!
Original photo by Ayaka Kuroki
Morning: Dubai Frame, The Dubai Mall
Dubai Frame is a giant picture frame-like building. The highlight of this spot is its sky deck with views over both Old and New Dubai. After that, you can take a taxi to go to The Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai. The mall is the largest shopping mall in the world. In fact, you wouldn’t be able to see the entire area in one day.
Afternoon-Evening: Desert Safari
In Dubai, the famous Desert Safari packs together fun, adventure, culture, food, and entertainment all in a few hours; it’s an exciting activity to experience with friends! Desert Safari SUVs pick you up around 3 pm at wherever you’re staying. The tour starts with Dune Bashing, where vehicles drive up and down the sand dunes. It is the most enjoyable bumpy ride you’ll ever take! The rides end at a traditional Arabic-style camp in the middle of the desert where you can experience camel rides, Shisha, and Henna painting. And you can enjoy a delicious spread of Lebanese cuisine while watching belly dancing and Turkish dancing performances. As the night falls, the car will drive you back to your place around 10 pm.
Day 3. Abu Dhabi, Dinner at Dubai Fountain
Original photo by Ayaka Kuroki
Morning: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and a 1.5 to 2-hour drive away from Dubai. The first stop in Abu Dhabi is the famous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest Mosque in the UAE. It is stunning from the outside with a pure white fascade, and on the inside, especially the beautiful crystal chandeliers and the world’s largest Persian carpet. To enter the Mosque, you need to wear an abaya and hijab, but you can rent them for free before entering the Mosque.
Back in Dubai, have a fantastic dinner in front of the Dubai Fountain. When you are in Dubai, you can’t miss the beautiful Dubai Fountain Water Performance in front of the Dubai Mall. Restaurants at Souk Al Bahar have the best view for watching the fountain show. My recommended restaurant is Abd El Wahab, a spot with authentic Lebanese cuisine. The performance takes place every half hour in the evening and is so breathtaking and beautiful to see.
Day 4. The Palm Jumeirah, Global Village
Original photo by Ayaka Kuroki
Morning: Modern Arabic Makeup
In the morning, my friends and I went to one of the universities in Dubai for an event. We experienced modern Arabic makeup done by Emirati students. When you travel, it’s important and exciting to learn about the country’s culture and share moments with locals.
Afternoon: The Internet City, The Palm Jumeirah
The Palm Jumeirah is one of the three artificial islands—the Palm Islands—along with Deira Island and Palm Jebel Ali. To see the Palm Jumeirah from above, the best option is to go to the Observatory of the Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites and have lunch at the Observatory Bar & Grill. I don’t recommend just going to the island itself because you don’t really get a feeling of its shape of the palm.
Evening: Global Village
Whether you’re coming for the fun games, the thrilling rides, the food, the nightly cultural entertainment, or the authentic shopping, Global Village has everything you need to have fun.
The part theme park, part market, Global Village features 78 cultures in 26 pavilions with 3,500 displays from countries. You can pick up traditional handicrafts and snacks from over 200 food stands. You can have so much fun, and this was where I would often hang out with my friends when I was in high school.
Day 5. Kite Beach, La Mer, Burj Khalifa
Original photo by Ayaka Kuroki
Morning: Kite Beach
Even though it’s not very popular for visitors, Kite Beach is one of Dubai’s best beaches–perfect for running with a 14 km track and perfect for sun-seekers. Also, you’ll have great views of the majestic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah to admire. UAE National Day is on December 2nd, and every year during this time, Kite Beach transforms into a gigantic flag garden. You’ll be able to see the 4,500-flag creation, which depicts the leaders of the UAE.
Afternoon: La Mer Dubai
Our second beach of the day, La Mer Dubai, is one of my favorite beaches and shopping malls in Dubai. The beachfront street is lovely and beautiful. It is fun to walk around modern architecture between steel and wood. It is perfect for walks, swimming, and just chilling by the beach.
Evening: Burj Khalifa
And last but not least, the final stop is the most known place in Dubai, Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure and building in the world with a total height of 829.8 m. If you are lucky and the sky gets very clear, you can see everything in Dubai from At The Top. My mom’s friend lived in the Burj Khalifa, so we went to the residence’s lounge and had a tea time. I’ll never get tired of the incredible view, no matter how many times I go. I personally love to go to At The Top at sunset because you get to see the city from above during the day and all the sparkling lights turn on below as night falls.
That’s it for a five day trip in Dubai. I hope we can travel around soon after the Covid-19, and explore more of the world!
Hi! I am Ayaka and am currently a senior at International Christian University, majoring in sociology. I was born in Japan, grew up in Singapore, Taiwan, and UAE-Dubai. I simply love nature, traveling, eating, and singing.
