If you are planning a trip to Dubai on your own, then you need to know a few nuances that will help you save on flights, choosing housing, and living prices.
Let's find out how to travel to the UAE on our own, how to make insurance and what is required to apply for a visa, how to get to the city center or hotel from the airport, and consider beach options where you can stay near the sea and entertainment. At the end of the material, we will give some practical tips that will help you arrange your life economically.
Dubai is called a fabulous city, a ghost city, a dream city. Until recently, it was not easy to come to this place. But times are changing and now you can get to the UAE on a tourist voucher or even get to Dubai on your own.
How to travel to Dubai on your own?
Prices for travel to the UAE may change depending on the season. They will consist of the cost of the flight, payment for the hotel and insurance. Additionally, you will need to pay for food and transfer along the route. In Dubai, payment is made in dirhams: 1 AED ~ 18 rubles.
Prices for air tickets to the UAE from Moscow
The best way to get to Dubai is by plane. All other options are quite adventurous and time-consuming, as they involve crossing the borders of several turbulent countries. It is better to book tickets in advance several months in advance, the following nuances will help to find a profitable flight: the holiday season, flights on weekdays, we also do not consider holiday weekends, the beginning of the month is also worth skipping.
Where to find plane tickets to the UAE? We recommend using the proven Aviasales service, it searches among all airlines, even affecting low-cost airlines.
Several airlines can fly to Dubai: FlyDubai, Aeroflot, Emirates, SWISS. It is more comfortable to fly with Emirates (from 23 thousand rubles), cheaper - from 19.072 rubles for a round-trip flight with FlyDubai. A direct flight takes 5 hours or more.
- Search tickets:
How to get to the city center?
We will assume that you have arrived in Dubai. The first question is how to get to the center of Dubai or the hotel on your own? It is more convenient to rent a car right away. Especially if you are traveling in a group or arriving at night. Metro and buses are not the cheapest transportation in Dubai.
Some areas can only be reached by taxi or car. But the prices for car rental and fuel will delight you. Moreover, a new or almost new car is given out for rent. The cost of renting a car in Dubai is from 1100 rubles per day.
Important, to rent you will need an international driving license.
As for taxis, we recommend booking a car on Kiwitaxi online, they will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign of your name, which is very convenient. Especially the service will help you out when flying with tired children or large luggage, when you want to get to the hotel faster.
Other means of transport to travel to the city center:
- Taxi. Taxi cost from 132 dirham. Travel time is minimum 10, maximum 45 minutes.
- Bus. Buses to downtown Dubai and other routes operate 24/7 on schedule. At night - in 20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from the driver. The fare is from AED 7, depending on the distance to your hotel. The bus will run to the city center for 1 hour and 20 minutes. All buses are equipped with air conditioning and soft seats.
- Metro. The center can be reached by metro in 50 minutes and 5.5 dirham. It can take much more time and money to get to the hotel. Trains run more often than buses.
How to get from Sharjah to Dubai on your own?
- Taxi. Most convenient. The cost of an economy class taxi is 202 dirhams. A minibus for 7 passengers will cost 353 dirhams. The journey takes only 25 minutes. Advantage, you will be taken directly to the hotel.
- Bus. Bus number 111 takes an hour from Sharjah Airport to DubaiRashidiya Metro Station. The fare is 10 dirhams. Or get to the central bus station of Sharjah. Then take bus # 306 to the central bus station of Dubai.
Important... Sharjah is a more conservative emirate than Dubai. It is strictly forbidden here: loud fun, revealing clothes (shorts, mini skirts, bikinis) and alcohol, otherwise you will be fined.
Areas of Dubai, where is it better for a tourist to live?
Where is it better to stay in Dubai for one day, a week or longer, directly depends on your financial capabilities. And it doesn't matter if you decide to arrange a beach vacation or are traveling with children, the cost of housing fluctuates at a decent amount of payment depending on the area.
The city has a 7-star hotel (5 **) - this is "Burj Al Arab". The hotel amazes guests of the city with both service and prices. The cost of living in it is from 85,000 rubles. At the same time, there are almost no free rooms in the hotel.
- Area Dubai Marina most preferred. Most of the hotels located in this area are close to the sea. Many shopping centers (malls), cafes, restaurants and sights of the city are within walking distance. The cost of rooms in hotels on the first line is from 10 thousand rubles. If you are unsure of where to stay in Dubai for a beach holiday, then the area is the perfect place to be.
- Slightly cheaper hotels in the area Al Barsha... So a room in a 3-star hotel with good conditions will cost 2-3 thousand rubles. Most of the hotels have a swimming pool, gym, spa services and Wi-Fi.
- It is even cheaper to live in other emirates, for example, in Sharjah... But a transfer to Dubai is not cheap, and Sharjah itself is a very conservative place.
- And of course an inexpensive area Deira, tourists from Russia mainly come here to live for a long time, there are many shops at reasonable prices, as for things, the quality leaves much to be desired. As for food in a cafe, there are public catering.
Best Dubai hotels for vacation:
- Hotel "Burj Al Arab Jumeirah" 7 stars.
The cost of living is from 84,536 rubles for a suite for two. The famous Parus Hotel is located on the island. Part of the building, including individual rooms, is underwater. All rooms with sea views. The hotel has 9 restaurants, 2 swimming pools, Spa - center, 32 gazebos on the terrace. The hotel has a helicopter landing pad.
It is possible to order a transfer or travel by helicopter or a Rolls-Royce car with drivers. The Villa Beach restaurant is located directly on the beach, and the Sky View bar is at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level. The Talise Spa uses the world's most luxurious cosmetics.
Separate recreation areas and water procedures for women and men with a view of the Persian Gulf have been thought out. Summersalt Beach Club services are for hotel guests only, as is Jumeirah Beach's new private beach. Hotel guests have free admission to the nearby Wild Wadi Waterpark.
Madinat Jumeirah Market is just 15 minutes on foot. The luxurious rooms are decorated with natural gold and precious stones. Huge aquariums are built into the walls, and musical fountains are in the halls. But any service in a hotel is not cheap. So a massage session will cost at least 8,600 rubles.
- Modern villa "Dream Inn Dubai", Palm Jumeirah.
The area is 600 meters. The cost of accommodation is from 54,179 rubles for a villa with accommodation for up to 8 people with a continental breakfast (1068 rubles for a fee). Accommodation is allowed up to 12 people. For guests: swimming pool and private beach area on one of the palm tree petals. Covered secure parking and internet are available free of charge.
The villa is located 3 km from the Walk and Dubai Marina Mall. Exclusive design in light colors. The kitchen is equipped with everything you need, including a dishwasher and an oven. You can relax on the terrace or rent a car. Guests enjoy the excellent location and friendly staff.
Important: upon arrival, a refundable deposit of 62,620 rubles is paid.
- Hotel "Mayfair Dubai" 3 stars in the center, Deira.
Room rates - from 2,160 rubles for a double room with a continental breakfast. The hotel has an outdoor pool, rooftop pool, gym, hairdresser and sauna. There are several restaurants and a nightclub (chargeable). Free private parking and internet. The rooms are modernly furnished, equipped with a safe and soundproofed. Near metro, Al Ghurair Mall and Dubai Creek Golf Course.
A visa to the UAE on your own for Russians, what documents are needed?
Since 2017, the UAE visa for Russians has been canceled. Russian citizens are allowed to visit the UAE for up to 30 days for tourist purposes. Upon arrival, a stamp is put in the passport without any fees. If you plan to stay longer, a one-time visa extension of 30 days is possible. In other cases, you need a visa.
It is obligatory to have a foreign passport. If you are traveling with a child, then he must also have a foreign passport.
If your passport contains stamps of your stay in Israel, this is not an obstacle to visiting the UAE. Only Israeli citizens are prohibited from entering the UAE.
Insurance in the UAE for Russians, where to buy?
If you go to the UAE for 2 weeks on your own, the minimum insurance will cost 1964 rubles per person. It includes medical care for 35,000 euros and emergency dental care up to 200 euros. If your trip includes outdoor activities, then it is wiser to take out Standard Insurance at a cost of 2540 rubles. It provides for an increased amount of the insured amount and additional options: flight delay insurance (500 euros), legal assistance, third party visits and early return.
We recommend taking out insurance on the Tripinsurance.ru website, we use this service constantly on every trip. In the same place, if you do not understand everything, then you can consult on insurance issues.
As for the cost of living in Dubai on your own, some materials will tell you completely about the prices of food, meals, things and other nuances:
- food and meal prices,
- prices for travel, entertainment.
Travel tips for Dubai
What does a tourist who first decided to plan a trip to the UAE need to know?
- When to look for airline tickets? We recommend that you do your search six months before departure. If you decide to celebrate the New Year in Dubai with the whole family, then we begin to select flights in July. The closer to the deadline, the more expensive the flight. Choose plane tickets →
- Be sure to install applications on your smartphone that will greatly facilitate the life of a tourist and guide you on the spot.
- Where to shop? Each street has its own small markets overcrowded with Chinese goods. We recommend going to the shops, the most popular is the Dubai Mall, where you can find everything from a souvenir to a collection of bags from famous brands! One aquarium is worth something.
- Where to swim in Dubai? We go to the Jumeirah beach, the landmark is the Burj Al Arab hotel, which was mentioned above.
- Where to change money? In any exchange office, the rate is almost the same everywhere, it is unprofitable to change more than the amount in hotels. We are not afraid to use cashless payments, in any store with a good bank you do not lose when converting to another currency.
- Of the sights: you should definitely take a trip on the tourist bus, which travels around the city all day. You can get into it after learning the information (see the route map) at any hotel where you are staying. Next, we go to the Burj Khalifa observation deck (you can buy a ticket at www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/index.aspx), we advise you to book tickets for the evening (we exchange the printout from the website 20 minutes at the reception before the appointed time). In the evening we visit the fountains. Be sure to take a Safari excursion with an overnight stay in a Bedouin village, you will not regret it!
