Dubai Holiday Tips

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Shellyb1

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Travelling to Dubai for a few days, doing Lego land with the kids.

Dubai seems to be frequented by many South Africans - are there any tips for visitors to Dubai and things that will help with the trip?

Internet
Cellphone networks - which are the good network operators and how easy is it to get a sim card and data - is 5 gig costly for the 7 days i will be there?

Travel
Is the metro convenient enough to get around with and what does it cost? Is it efficient and cost effective to get around and do they run 24/7?
Uber seems to be running there (I think), so may use that the odd occasion.

Tours
Are there any recommended tours? Keen to do a desert tour but are there any others to consider and are there any good operators that you may have experience with?

Shopping
They introduced VAT this year (5%) on some products. Where is a good place to go shopping for electronics and clothing - mall of the emirates and dubai seem highly recommended. Are they not tourist traps or am I likely to pickup good deals?

Kids Entertainment
Going to Lego Land and the Waterpark, also want to do Motiongate. Global Village looks cool and also the job shadowing thing at one of the malls is highly recommended. Anything else?

Would appreciate any other tips. Going in March - the weather averages 28 deg but likely to have some scorchers.

TIA
 
Went about 4 years ago.



Sim card was easy to get at the airport with data which lasted my whole trip, 4 days.



Only used a taxi once, from the airport to the hotel. The metro is very convenient and made use if it every day. There was a station a few hundred metres from where i stayed in the old City. Took the metro to the malls, waterpark and even to the airport when i left. When i was there the metro did not run 24/7. Not sure if this has changed. It worked out cheaper talking the metro than hiring a car or taking the meter taxi.
 
signates said:
Went about 4 years ago.



Sim card was easy to get at the airport with data which lasted my whole trip, 4 days.



Only used a taxi once, from the airport to the hotel. The metro is very convenient and made use if it every day. There was a station a few hundred metres from where i stayed in the old City. Took the metro to the malls, waterpark and even to the airport when i left. When i was there the metro did not run 24/7. Not sure if this has changed. It worked out cheaper talking the metro than hiring a car or taking the meter taxi.
Click to expand...

TA, what time of year did you go?
You do tours or shopping
 
Two highlights from our trip:

1. Dessert ride in Land Cruiser. Make sure you go with a reputable person. The way they manoeuvre the vehicle in and out of the dunes is amazing. Dunes are around 10 meters high / deep and they circle inside the "basin" to build momentum to get up and over the ridge. Amazing experience. Drove around for about an hour. Other vehicles around, feels like a monster truck derby type day.

2. The same company assisted us to do sandboarding (like snowboarding on the sand).

3. Not a highlight, but worthwhile: Night picnic at one of the large campsites in the dessert. We went for dinner and came back - some places offered sleepovers in the dessert with breakfast the next day.
 
dont zap anyone. dont litter. respect ramadan and dont eat or smoke outside. prepared to be deported at a moment's notice (if you're lucky) or at least be prepared for jail for some arb "law" you broke. be vigilant. use sunblock. don't talk to strangers. don't expect any arabs to be friendly. don't drink alcohol. leash your kids. never pet burning dogs.
 
Shellyb1 said:
TA, what time of year did you go?
You do tours or shopping
Click to expand...

I was there in July. We didn't have a planned itinerary fro Dubai as our main holiday was in Turkey for 10 days with a 4 day stay in Dubai. We visited the malls, Wild Wadi waterpark and did some shopping in the old city close to Dubai Creek.
 
Watch what you post on social media ...
Don't call out scam artists on Whatsapp ...
Don't watch other people brawl in bars ...
Don't touch men on their hips (accidentally or otherwise) ...
Don't do weed in your own country before you go ...
 
Slootvreter said:
Can one get lekker dronk there, without drinking skelm?
Click to expand...

I got so slaughtered one night in Abu Dhabi the taxi driver had to stop twice to let me puke on the pavement. Before he dropped me off at home he stopped and bought me bottle of water. Bless his soul.
 
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