Dubai
Everything you need for your Dubai trip: where to stay, landmarks, weather, currency, and a ready-to-follow daily plan.
TerhalDubai
https://trhal.app/en/dubai.html
Quick facts
CurrencyUAE Dirham (د.إ)
Best monthsNovember, December, January, February, March
Suggested trip length4-6 days
Quick conversion
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Convert from SAR
Power plug
Type Type G
Coming from Saudi Arabia: No adapter needed
Airports & getting there
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
The main and most-used airport, only about 5km from the city center; 3 terminals (T1 and T3 are connected and served by the metro, T2 is not metro-served). Notice: there is a second airport (Al Maktoum International, DWC) south of the emirate serving some airlines; make sure your airport code is DXB, not DWC, before booking transport.
The Red Line metro from T1 or T3 goes directly to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station — about AED 5-7.5 with a Nol card, 25-35 minutes (T2 has no metro station)
An official RTA taxi from each terminal's rank — the meter starts around AED 25 + about AED 2.5/km, a trip to Downtown is roughly AED 50-70, 15-25 minutes off-peak
Uber or Careem from designated pickup points — a price close to a taxi, with a fixed fare shown in advance in the app
RTA buses (route 33 from T1, route 20 from T2, route C01 from T3) with a Nol card — the cheapest option (AED 3-8) but slower (40-60 minutes)
Transit & the Nol card
Nol CardA single card for the metro, tram, buses, and abra ferries; bought and topped up at metro stations and multiple outlets.
Dubai MetroTwo lines (Red and Green) covering most of the main tourist areas including the airport, Downtown, and the Marina; driverless, fully air-conditioned.
Tram and monorailThe Dubai Tram serves the Marina and JBR; a separate monorail (a ticket separate from Nol) reaches Palm Jumeirah.
Taxis and ride-hailing appsOfficial RTA taxis with a unified meter are widely available; Uber and Careem are available with fixed fares shown in advance.
Abra and water ferriesA cheap traditional way to cross Dubai Creek between Deira and Bur Dubai, and a worthwhile tourist activity in its own right.
Connectivity & eSIM
⚠ Important notice
Voice and video calls through apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime are blocked on local UAE networks (Etisalat/du); text messages usually work, but voice/video calls need a VPN or an international number from some eSIM providers. Multiple reports also indicate that buying or activating a new international eSIM after arriving in the UAE may be restricted; buying and installing the plan before you travel is preferred. (This is based on multiple travel and eSIM service reports, not an official statement from the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, TDRA, reviewed directly.)
Airalo
Practical recommendation
Cheapest for a short tripAiralo — small plans starting around $4.50
Best for heavy dataLarge fixed plans (10-20GB) instead of relying on an undocumented daily-cap "Unlimited" label
Best for a family (hotspot)Needs individual confirmation from each provider at time of purchase — details aren't consistent between the sources checked
Activate before travelAll providers — buy and install the plan before you travel to avoid any activation restrictions inside the UAE
For those who need a local UAE numberAn actual local SIM from Etisalat or du from an airport kiosk or a city branch
Note on VoIP callsWhatsApp/FaceTime voice and video calls are blocked locally; anyone who genuinely needs them should check that a provider supports bypassing this (VPN or an extra international number) before relying on it
Recommendation by trip length
3-5 daysA small fixed plan (1-3GB) from Airalo or a similar provider — enough for maps and non-video-heavy messaging apps
7 daysA medium plan (5-10GB)
10-14 daysA larger plan (10-20GB), or consider a local SIM if you need a real UAE number
More than two weeksA local SIM from Etisalat or du is usually cheaper long-term, especially if you need voice/video calls without VoIP restrictions
A traditional local SIM
Local Etisalat/du SIMs are available at an airport kiosk (needs a passport and a valid visa) but at a much higher price than international eSIM providers (example: 14GB for about AED 239 at the airport versus much cheaper international offers for roughly the same amount); the better fit for those who need a real UAE number or a long stay.
Dubai weather month by month, and the best time to travel
January
High/Low24° / 15°
Rainy days3
WalkabilityVery high
CrowdsVery high
Seasonal price levelVery high
February
High/Low26° / 16°
Rainy days2
WalkabilityVery high
CrowdsHigh
Seasonal price levelHigh
March
High/Low29° / 19°
Rainy days3
WalkabilityHigh
CrowdsMedium to high
Seasonal price levelMedium to high
April
High/Low34° / 22°
Rainy days2
WalkabilityMedium
CrowdsMedium
Seasonal price levelMedium
May
High/Low38° / 26°
Rainy days0
WalkabilityLow (extreme heat at midday)
CrowdsLow
Seasonal price levelLow
June
High/Low40° / 29°
Rainy days0
WalkabilityVery low
CrowdsLow
Seasonal price levelVery low
July
High/Low42° / 31°
Rainy days0
WalkabilityVery low
CrowdsVery low
Seasonal price levelVery low
August
High/Low42° / 32°
Rainy days0
WalkabilityVery low
CrowdsVery low
Seasonal price levelThe lowest of the year
September
High/Low40° / 29°
Rainy days0
WalkabilityLow
CrowdsLow
Seasonal price levelLow
October
High/Low36° / 25°
Rainy days0
WalkabilityMedium to high
CrowdsMedium to high
Seasonal price levelMedium to high
November
High/Low31° / 21°
Rainy days1
WalkabilityVery high
CrowdsHigh
Seasonal price levelHigh
December
High/Low27° / 17°
Rainy days4
WalkabilityVery high
CrowdsVery high (year-end holidays)
Seasonal price levelThe highest of the year
Best months
For familiesDecember to March — mild weather allows long outdoor walks and waterparks without heat strain
For budgetJune to August — the cheapest hotels and fewest crowds of the year, but extreme heat confines activities to air-conditioned places
For the mildest weatherNovember and March — a good balance of heat, crowds, and price
Approximate daily budget
BudgetRoughly SAR 300-560/day per person — hostel, metro and Nol card, cheap local food, free or low-cost activities (about $80-150)
Mid-rangeRoughly SAR 940-1,310/day per person — 3-4 star hotel, mid-range restaurants, a mix of metro and taxi, paid landmarks (about $250-350)
LuxuryStarting from about SAR 2,060+/day per person — 5-star hotels, upscale restaurants, private tours (about $550+)
Religious landmarks
Markets & public places
Shopping
Restaurants & cafes
Other
Ready-made Dubai itineraries
Hotels in Dubai by area and budget
Palm Jumeirah
Atlantis The Royal — 5★Ultra-luxury ›
Downtown Dubai
Armani Hotel Dubai — 5★Ultra-luxury ›
Kempinski Central Avenue Dubai — 5★High ›
Ramada by Wyndham Downtown Dubai — 3★Budget ›
Business Bay
Grand Millennium Business Bay — 4★Mid-range ›
Zabeel Second
Rove Downtown — 3★Budget ›
Dubai Marina
Sheraton Dubai Marina — 4★High ›
Al Souk Al Kabir
Golden Sands Hotel & Residences — 4★Mid-range ›