Flight lands in Dubai late at night
Replies: 14 - Last Post: Jan 20, 2013 6:35 PM Last Post By: matt45
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Flight lands in Dubai late at night
Hello :)I'm landing in Dubai for a couple of days between 27th and 29th of July. My flight in to Dubai arrives at 00:35am. I'm not quite sure what to do. I was hoping to stay in Al Sharq due to the budget accommodation. Is it safe to travel at that time in Dubai?
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Hi,As long as you have booked your accommodation in advance, I would say it's OK to travel in Dubai at that time. Just take a taxi from the airport. All of the taxis from the aiport are licenced and run on meters; there are no unofficial ones. If you are concerned, just write down the taxi's registration number as you get in, letting the driver see you do it.
About where to stay, Al Sharq might not be the best choice. I think it is actually in Sharjah, not Dubai. There is not much to do in Sharjah and you will spend time/money getting from there to Dubai each day. I suggest looking for somewhere to stay in Dubai, preferably near a Metro station.
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Yes it's safe.I found al-Sharq nice enough when I stayed a few years ago, but depending on the time of day you will be heading to Dubai the traffic from Sharjah can be murder. Other times it's very easy. If you want something closer to the airport, there is the Dubai hostel, which has fair rates (and pool) and is not far from the airport. It's easy to get cabs from the hostel as there is a shopping center a short walk up the road, and I understand it's close to the metro too.
6
I'll try again, obliquely. I have stayed at the establishment you mention, which is fine but in the neighboring emirate as #1 mentions--depending on time of day you may hit traffic.There is also a place in the city you will be spending time in, close to air transport, cabs and, I believe, the new rapid transit rail system also. This place is pronounced by some people to sound like "hostile" and is readily searchable on the net.
Let's see if that works.
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Hi emf3 - about the only real problem you will have about staying in Dubai in July is the heat - expect daytime temperatures over 45C. Fortunately just about everything (including the bus stops) are airconditioned. I do not know the hotel you are thinking of staying in but agree that if you are there for only 2-3 days then try to find something in the heart of DXB - maybe near the Creek. If you are travelling Emirates (EK) they have a hotel booking service - some of the prices are over the top, some are reasonable. Enjoy.9
Dubai is very safe and almost definitely has a lower crime rate than wherever you are coming from. The problem in summer is not so much the heat, it's the horribly high humidity. But it's still worth visiting at that time of year if you get the chance. Just be aware that stepping out of air-con into the street is like having a hot, wet blanket thrown over your head. And it's like that at night too.I'd also say to stay in Dubai rather than Sharjah if you can.
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Thank you so much to everybody for your replies! I've had a look at accommodation in Dubai and i've found a premier inn reasonably close to the airport so i'll be contacting them to make sure they can check me in at such a time! I'm only in Dubai for a couple of days so i'm hoping I can put up with the humidity for that long .. i'll probably appreciate it when I touchdown in, no doubt rainy, England! I was thinking of visiting the Dubai Aquarium; I see you're able to dive in the tank which would be great! I was also thinking of a desert tour and trying my hand at sand skiing! I'm not really one for shopping! Can anybody else recommend a must-do whilst there? :D Thank you once again!11
The Premier Inn should be fine. I think they provide a shuttle bus to/from Airport Terminals 1 and 3. There are also Metro stations at Terminals 1 and 3, so you could use the shuttle bus to connect with the Metro, in order to get around the city. Or you could just use taxis to get around.In terms of other things to do while you're there, just next to Dubai Mall (where Dubai Aquarium is) there is the Burj Khalifa. You could go up to the observation deck to get a good view of Dubai. If you do that though it's best to buy the tickets in advance. If you buy in advance the price is 100 Dirhams, compared to 400 Dirhams if you just turn up and buy the tickets on the spot. Also next to Dubai Mall is the Dubai Fountain, which is worth seeing in the evenings.
I think it's also good to take look around the old part of the city close to the Creek. Wander around the souqs and take an abra across the Creek between Bur Dubai and Deira. It's an interesting way to see the city.
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Dubai fountain at night is fantastic, it's worth planning your aquarium trip for the afternoon so you end up in that area in the evening to eat dinner and see the fountain. If you plan to go to the observation deck in Burj Khalifa for sunset then book your tickets online in advance as it's the most popular time. Tickets go on sale 30 days in advance.Desert safaris are great fun, I like Desert Rangers for the standard safari, Platinum Heritage if you want something more authentic and can push the boat out on price.
Taking an abra (water taxi) across Dubai Creek is lovely and only costs 1 dirham. Local uses the abras to commute back and forth from Bur Dubai to Deira, both sides have souks.
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Thank you for the information all! I wasn't really that excited about visiting Dubai before, now it seems like my couple of days isn't enough!! :D
