24 Hours in Dubai in August
I recently rounded up my 2-week Caucasus trip with a one-day stopover in Dubai.
Two days in Dubai was what I had in mind initially. But FlyDubai cancelled my flight out from Baku, Azerbaijan one week before. I could only settle for an evening flight to Dubai.
Time for a reshuffling of activities.
What should I do with just 24 hours under the summer desert heat of August?
Getting to the Host’s Place via Metro and Bus
Enter Ahmed.
Ahmed is a helpful Egyptian who has been living in Dubai for more than five years.
He decided to sacrifice his weekend for us.
We landed at almost 9 PM in Dubai Terminal 2.
Terminal 2 served FlyDubai Airlines exclusively and was the most inconvenient of all their terminals. No metro lines or buses link the city to this terminal and the only way out was, as suggested by the customer service counter, an expensive taxi ride.
The wifi was intermittent.
But where there is a will, there is a way.
After some time searching with patience, we found a bus stop outside Terminal 2 that connects to the green metro, Al Nahda Metro Station, and from there, to the rest of Dubai.
Rejoice!
Accumulate your savings by purchasing an NOL card for metro and bus services. A convenience stall located in the departure hall of Terminal 2 sells NOL cards. It costs 25 AED for a charged NOL card.
A Day of Random Sightseeing
Our day ended late last night – past midnight – so we naturally began the next day late at 10 AM.
The first agenda on the list was to have brunch.
Food
Food can be expensive in Dubai.
If you’re eating in malls, a simple chicken wrap in the food court could cost USD 10.
Ahmed drove us to one of his favourite haunts for affordable Egyptian grub. A hearty bowl of wholesomeness that costs USD 5 and took me quite a while to polish off.
I have never been to Egypt yet and have never eaten any traditional Egyptian food. The restaurant served only one dish – their national dish Koshari.
Koshari is a mix of rice, macaroni, lentils and garbanzo beans with lots of fried shallots. The latter reminded me of the similar condiment I used to add to plain porridge. There was also a saucer of tomato sauce to douse into your mix, which reminded me of Bibimbap except the latter uses Korean hot sauce, not zesty tomato sauce. Seeing fried shallots made me think of Teochew porridge when I should be eating Koshari.
We dug into the carb-laden brunch after a complimentary hot tea that tasted more like savoury tomato soup.
The Malls
I am not a fan of malls but it was suffocating to be outside of any air-conditioned places for too long in Dubai.
August air in Dubai was warm, heavy and wet. As though you’re breathing in steam while steaming your face for facial cleansing.
Ahmed dropped his car in one of the carparks and took the metro to the Creek. He said it would be difficult to locate a parking spot in those areas and that the traffic is disastrous.
My travel buddy forgot his NOL card and had to pay in cash throughout the day.
Lesson learnt: It is expensive and inconvenient not to have an NOL card around.
The Dubai Creek
There is a lot to absorb and take in along the creek from both the Bur Dubai and the Deira sides.
We started from the Al Souq Al Kabeer area at Bur Dubai, which was quite empty because of the afternoon sun. As we were out visiting on a Saturday, most of the museums were, unfortunately, closed.
I can’t remember the exact location of the souk we went to. Unlike similar markets in Istanbul, this souk was rather empty – blame it on the weather!
Taking the Abra
The highlight of the day was taking the abra!
Yes, no kidding.
It was nice to lull under the shade and let the rhythm of the boat rock us sleepy. Taking the traditional wooden abra is a cheap thrill. It costs 1 AED per person!
The abra carried us down the creek lined up with other abras of various sizes carrying different items.
Across the Dubai Creek at the Deira side were the gold and spice souks. Having spent much of the day out in the heat, we left not long after via the nearest metro to air-conditioned bliss.
The Fountain Show
It was crazy to see how – despite the heat – people still congregate by the fountain outside the Dubai Mall.
Photographers who have their equipment set up. Lovers in an eternal embrace by the railings. And me standing on a small stone bench with five other adults.
Most visitors rank the fountain show as one of the must-see attractions.
But for someone who has seen a dozen fountain shows in her travels, it was not especially memorable.
Yet, the sight of Mandarin wording lighting up on the Burj did take me by surprise. There must have been lots of Chinese tourists!
Our 24-hour in Dubai ended with the closure of the fountain show.
After all, it is a working day for Ahmed the next day (Sunday), and I have an early morning flight to catch.
If a day is all you have, let it go and wander around this incredible desert city.
Here are some other pointers which may be useful for you if you have more than a day to twirl away~
Accommodation
Travellers Stay for the budget solo travellers if Couchsurfing isn’t an option. Otherwise, there are affordable hotels with good reviews for budget couples. Instances include Premier Inn, Holiday Inn and Gateway Hotel.
Transport
Travelling in Dubai can be expensive, relative to travelling in the Caucasus. Taxis are way above my budget. If you’re like me, you could get an NOL card and top it up at any metro station. The card gives you great savings when travelling around Dubai.
Other Attractions
Apart from the activities mentioned, here are some other places to visit if you have more time in Dubai.
1) A day trip to Abu Dhabi for Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center
To get to Abu Dhabi, you would have to board a bus from either of the two bus stations in Dubai. Al Ghubaiba Bus Station or Ibn Battuta Metro Station. The journey would cost AED 25 and 2 hours. Pay using the NOL card. Once there, there are public buses to bring you to the mosque within 30 minutes.
2) Half-day desert safari and dune bashing
This was on my list, but the August heat proved too overwhelming to attempt it. A Syrian couple I met while touring Sheki, Azerbaijan discouraged this insanity. They have lived in Dubai for some years and suggested other seasons. If possible, pick the furthest desert from Dubai to get the best experience. Even better if you could choose an overnight beneath the stars.
3) Visiting the top level of Burj Khalifa
The Burj was the tallest building in the world as of 2019.
Two months back while I was planning our itinerary, there was a sunrise package for Saturdays. But this option was no longer available near my date of travel. The sunrise option was the most affordable of all the packages. It also includes breakfast. The catch is to be at the building by 5 AM.
There are lots of activities to do in Dubai and you’re limited only by your time and budget. I hope I’ve written a good recount for those stuck in Dubai with only a day or two like me.
Enjoy!
