United Arab Emirates
Dubai
A stopover that outgrew the stopover. Three nights on the way to Asia, or a full week — it works as both, and the difference is mostly about which side of the creek you stay on.
The short version
Old Dubai is the half people miss
Almost everyone stays on the Marina or Palm and never crosses the water. Deira and Bur Dubai — the gold and spice souks, the abra boats, the Al Fahidi lanes — are the oldest and most interesting part of the city, and they cost nothing. Build in half a day for it.
Where to stay
Downtown, Marina or the Palm
Downtown puts you next to the Burj and the Mall and is best for a short stay. The Marina is a walkable strip of restaurants with a decent beach nearby. The Palm is where the big resorts are, and it's quiet — which is either the point or the problem, depending on what you want. For three nights we'd say Downtown; for seven with children, the Palm.
45 minutes out
The desert is closer than you think
The dunes start half an hour from the last roundabout. An evening desert trip is the single best thing most people do in Dubai, and the difference between a good one and a coach-party one is entirely about group size. Ask for a small-group or private camp — it costs a little more and it's a completely different evening.
Pick your base
Four very different Dubais
Big resorts, private beaches, quiet evenings. Best for families and anyone who wants the hotel to be the holiday.
Beachfront, low-rise and closest to the old town. The most balanced base if you want both city and sand.
A walkable strip of restaurants, bars and towers, with JBR beach at the end. Liveliest of the four.
Next to the Burj Khalifa, the Mall and the fountain. Best for a short stay when you don't want to spend the trip in taxis.
When to go
Come in winter
Dubai is genuinely unbearable in high summer — 45°C and humid, with everyone indoors. November to March is warm, dry and perfect. April and October are the shoulder months worth targeting for the price.
Navy marks the peak season and peak pricing. Grey marks months when the beach is unusable by ten in the morning. April and October give you 32°C and a noticeably cheaper hotel.
Worth the early start
What we'd actually book
An hour in a buggy beats a passenger seat in a 4x4. Book the early-evening slot for the light.
Falconry, dinner and stars. Insist on a small camp — the big ones seat four hundred.
Free, every half hour from six. Watch from the lake bridge rather than the mall terrace.
Not for everyone — it's genuinely rough. Say so when booking and they'll take a gentler line.
Before you book
Three things worth knowing
Alcohol is hotel-licensed. You'll find it in hotel bars and licensed restaurants, not in supermarkets or on the street. Nothing to worry about — just don't expect to pick up wine on the way back.
Ramadan changes the day. The dates move each year. Daytime eating and drinking in public is restricted and some venues close, but hotels carry on and the evenings are wonderful. We'll tell you if your dates fall in it.
It pairs with almost anything. Dubai sits on the way to the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bali, and a stopover often costs less than flying straight through. If you're going that far east, ask us to price both.
Next step
Tell us your dates and we'll price it properly
We'll come back with live availability, a price from your airport, and the payment plan written out in full. If you're heading further east, we'll price the stopover version too.
Practical
UAE dirham, pegged to the US dollar so the rate barely moves. Cards accepted everywhere.
Free visa on arrival for UK passports, valid 30 days.
Served in licensed hotels and restaurants. Public drunkenness is taken seriously — it's not a technicality.
4 hours ahead of the UK.
Dubai packages
Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.
3 nights in Dubai
- Return flights and private transfers
- Bed & breakfast throughout
- Financial protection confirmed in writing before you pay
4 nights in Dubai
- Return flights and private transfers
- Bed & breakfast throughout
- The extra nights cost proportionally less — fixed costs don't change
7 nights in Dubai
- Return flights and private transfers
- Bed & breakfast throughout
- Best value per night, and worth it on a longer flight
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Packages that include Dubai
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
11 Night Dubai & Maldives
11 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,199pp
14 Night Dubai & Mauritius
14 nights · Apr–May, Sep–Nov · from £1,999pp
11 Night Abu Dhabi & Seychelles
11 nights · Apr–May, Oct–Nov · from £2,449pp
14 Night Dubai & Sri Lanka
14 nights · Dec–Mar · from £1,899pp
11 Night Doha & Zanzibar
11 nights · Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb · from £1,799pp
12 Night Dubai & Thailand
12 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,849pp
12 Night Serengeti & Zanzibar
12 nights · Jun–Oct, Jan–Feb · from £3,399pp
12 Night Masai Mara & Zanzibar
12 nights · Jul–Oct · from £3,099pp
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