Dubai Diaries: A Week of Adventures and Stunning Sights

Hello, readers! Today, I’m sharing something non-bookish– Dubai Diaries -a glimpse of my recent trip to Dubai in the first week of December. It was a Week of Adventures and Stunning Sights. For those following me on Instagram, you might have seen some of the moments in my stories, but for those who missed it, here’s a detailed look at the itinerary, my thoughts about Dubai, and my favorite places.

Please note – I have compressed photos to load it faster and also save space on my blog so quality in’t as good as original pics in my phone.

Day 1: Arrival & Yacht Ride

We had a late-night flight at 2 a.m. on December 3rd, so we left home by 10 p.m. on 2nd December. After a quick check-in and immigration process, we boarded our flight and landed in Dubai at 5 a.m. Our hotel in Bur Dubai had a check-in time of 12 p.m., so we made the most of the waiting hours. Some of us explored the nearby Gold Souk—an iconic market famous for its world’s largest gold ring and stunning jewelry displays. It was mesmerizing!

By the time we explored whole of market, we were pretty tired and hungry. We didn’t have rooms ready yet, so we had lunch at 1 p.m. and returned by 2 p.m., finally getting our rooms. After a quick bath and an hour’s nap (barely enough after 34 sleepless hours since 7 a.m. on the 2nd), we left for a yacht ride at 4:30 p.m. at Dubai Marina. The city came alive in the evening lights, especially with the added sparkle for UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad). It was magical to see Dubai’s skyline glowing against the night.

Day 2: City Tour & Burj Khalifa

We kicked off our day with a city tour that included a quick stop at the Dubai Frame and a ride on the Palm Monorail to capture the stunning aerial view of Palm Jumeirah. From there, we headed to the highlight of the day—Burj Khalifa.

We arrived at Dubai Mall by 1 p.m., as advised, to avoid long queues for Burj Khalifa. It took us 30 minutes to navigate through the massive mall and reach the entry line. Despite some initial confusion about our 2:30 p.m. time slot, we learned we could go up early and explore at our own pace. We enjoyed the breathtaking views from floors 124 and 125 and returned to the mall by 3 p.m.

After lunch, we visited the aquarium and underwater zoo, which my kid and I loved the most. We spent nearly 2 hours there before heading out by 5:45 p.m. to secure a good spot by the lake for the Burj Khalifa lighting and fountain show. The 5-minute synchronized water and music display, with Burj Khalifa’s lights illuminating briefly, was magical and truly unmissable.

Dubai Mall is massive, and despite all the walking, we barely scratched the surface, skipping shopping altogether. Exhausted, we ended the day with dinner and fell asleep the moment we reached the hotel.

Day 3: Miracle Garden & Global Village

We had a relaxed start to the day as nothing was planned until 1:30 p.m. After breakfast, we walked to the Day to Day store, just 1.5 km from our hotel, where we bought souvenirs and gifts for relatives at great prices.

By 1:30, we were ready and left for Miracle Garden, reaching around 2:30 p.m. The afternoon was sunny yet pleasant, though we needed plenty of sunscreen, caps, and scarves to protect ourselves. The garden was a riot of colors with blooming flowers arranged into shapes like horses, elephants, houses, clocks, and even an Emirates plane. It was vast, and we couldn’t explore every corner as we had to leave for Global Village at 4:30 p.m.

Global Village was even larger, spanning 17.2 million square feet compared to Miracle Garden’s 72,000 square meters. We had only 2.5 hours, which was far from enough to explore the pavilions representing various countries. Each pavilion featured shops, cultural performances, and food stalls, with a central stage hosting shows. Despite rushing, we couldn’t cover all the countries, and the sheer scale of 35,000+ shops would easily require a full day.

Our van was parked about a kilometer from the entrance, and the day involved constant walking. Though we thought Day 2 was tiring, today surpassed it. By the end, we were utterly exhausted.

Day 4: Desert Safari

We felt well-rested as the cars were scheduled to arrive at 2:30 p.m., giving us plenty of time after breakfast. We explored another nearby market before heading for the desert safari in two 4×4 cars to Sharjah, where the camp and activities were located.

The dune bashing was thrilling but disappointingly short (around 10–15 minutes). Quad biking was an amazing experience, though quite expensive. While worth it for a one-time thrill, I wouldn’t pay for it again.

The camp, about 30 minutes from the activity zone, hosted a belly dance show and dinner from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The food was average, but the show was fantastic. We skipped the camel ride since we had already done it in India. Later, I checked online safari packages and realized how overpriced they can be—our overall package seemed quite reasonable in comparison.

With no extensive walking, today was a fun and relaxing day.

Day 5: Museum of the Future & AYA Universe

Today was dedicated to the Museum of the Future and AYA Universe, both of which were worth every penny. We all, including my kid, enjoyed the day as both places had kid-friendly zones. For adults, the futuristic exhibits and technologies were fascinating.

AYA Universe was a unique experience unlike anything I’ve seen before. It featured 12 brilliantly designed rooms, each offering a different combination of sound, light, and colors. Highlights included a mysterious garden, an infinity room, a gravity-defying waterfall, and the ultimate favorite—a ball pit room where everyone turned into kids again, playing and jumping around.

We had plenty of time to explore both places at a leisurely pace and still returned to the hotel early. With some time to spare, we headed out again to explore nearby malls and shops we had missed the previous day.

Day 6: Shopping Day

It was our shopping day. Having explored the markets earlier, we knew the prices and could bargain better. In the morning, my mom and the other women in the group bought gold rings, earrings, and chains. I skipped buying gold as I didn’t find any designs I liked within my budget.

Next, we shopped for dates, date chocolates for ourselves and as gifts, and finally, perfumes and Arabic perfume oils—a must-have on my list. We got them at a good deal, though I feel we could have bargained even more.

Day 7: Abu Dhabi Tour & Departure

It was check-out day. We left our luggage at the hotel by 12:30, to be picked up later by another van, and took only the essentials for our trip to Abu Dhabi, which took 2 hours. Our first stop was the Swaminarayan Temple, but it was closed on Monday, and security didn’t allow photos. However, no one regretted it, as the temple in my hometown is larger and better, and the Abu Dhabi one is still under construction.

Next, we visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the highlight of the trip after the Burj Khalifa. The exquisite domes, minarets, floral designs, and the 35-ton carpet in the prayer hall left us in awe.

We then toured the richest street in Abu Dhabi, admiring the Etihad Towers, Rixos Marina arches, and the palace in the golden sunset light. We made quick photo stops at Ferrari World and Yas Island Mall.

Qasr Al Watan wasn’t on our itinerary, and exploring Qasr Al Watan, Ferrari World, and Warner Bros would have exceeded our budget and taken an extra 3 days.

It was a great day, and we returned to Abu Dhabi airport for our 1:30 a.m. flight, landing in hometown airport on Dec 10 at 5 a.m. We reached home by 7 a.m. and slept until evening.

My Top Favorite Places:

Museum of the Future
Burj Khalifa
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Global Village

Travel Tips:

We were told water is expensive in Dubai but in Bur Dubai market we could easily get 6 bottles of 1.5 liter in 3 Dirham. so when we converted that into rupees, it was around 10 Rupees for 1 liter which was much cheaper than 1 liter water bottle price in India.

Places like Dubai Mall and Global Village needs a full day. Dubai mall is super expensive so I advice to go for shopping in Bur Dubai for anything. Food is also cheaper in Bur Dubai compared to other places in Dubai.

Only after returning we got to know there is a rule for adding spices in food, that’s why even India restaurants food with Indian cooks wasn’t that tasty. But people from other countries used to milder taste bud will find the food perfectly delicious.

In Meena Bazaar that was near to our hotel in Bur Dubai, we could bargain for chocolates, dates, and perfumes like we do in India. Even in the Desert Safari camp we could bargain for VIP lounge but as we already had all inclusive tickets and better view than lounge we didn’t opt for it.

Overall, this trip was an unforgettable experience filled with adventure, relaxation, and family time. Dubai truly offers something for everyone, and I hope this little travel diary inspires your future trips!

Thank you for reading this long Dubai Diary post.

What do you think of this post?
Have you ever been to Dubai? I’d love to hear about your experience there!
Where did you go on your last trip?

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