Beachside Shacks in Goa

Travel makes you a storyteller. Every time you travel, you keep getting a premise to build a story on. Being in the tourism industry, I am fortunate to have travelled to a few places. Every time, each trip has given me memories to tell stories. In August of 2019, my friends, my sister and I decided to go to Singapore to take a break from our daily routine.

We started the planning to book our Singapore Tour Package. It was very shaky, uncertain. It came to a point where our trip almost didn't happen. But, determined and persistent, we kept planning. The plan was finally on. For some, it was the first-ever flight, whereas, for others, it was their first international flight. Personally, it was my second time travelling to Singapore. To say we were excited would have been an understatement.

The visa documentation, the bookings and reservations were all happening enthusiastically. The tour was for 5 Nights and 6 Days. We booked the flight tickets, accommodations, tickets for selective sightseeing in Singapore and did the visa procedure from Veena World. And the team gave us the best help. We were going to manage the internal travelling and the remaining sightseeing on our own on arrival in Singapore. And just like that, on August 21st 2019, we were on our way to the 'Lion City'.

Once we landed at the Singapore Changi airport, we went to the travel help desk to understand how things work and things to do in Singapore. They suggested we take the Singapore Tourist Pass, also known as the STP. The STP enabled us to use all public transport systems, including the bus and the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT). MRT is their underground train tube line that connects every corner of Singapore through a network.

While visiting Dubai last fall I took notes everyday which led to this post, Dubai Travel Guide for First Time Visitors! I don’t know about you but one of the most frustrating things to me when preparing for a trip is researching items all over the internet. I review so many articles to gather enough information to make sure I am prepared for that city or country.

Because let’s face it, how many of us have time to read an entire Lonely Planet book? (Although I do still occasionally download them ???? Therefore, I will continue to write travel guides for my readers. My first post about Dubai included my favorite pictures and was on overview of how I spent 5 days there. That post will help you build your Dubai itinerary. This post is a long list of Dubai travel tips that will cover almost everything else you need to know. So here is my Dubai Travel Guide!

Do You Need a Visa to Go to Dubai?
No—with a US passport, you do not need a visa to go to Dubai (or Abu Dhabi), which is a part of The United Arab Emirates.

How to Travel to Dubai
We took Emirates airlines directly from NYC to Dubai. They had a 2 for 1 deal airfare which was great! Emirates airlines has deals often and they fly from several cities across America so I do suggest signing up on their website. They also offer free layovers in Dubai. We met several people who were taking advantage of traveling to other countries on Emirates but stopped in Dubai on the way.

You can also fly on Etihad Airways into Abu Dhabi and take a shuttle bus or taxi one hour to Dubai. Qatar Airways is another option. They make a stop in Doha before continuing on to Dubai. Of course you can use US based airlines as well.

The Best Times to Visit
Dubai is HOT! I know-Duh. During the “winter months”, which correlate to ours, the temperatures are cooler with highs in the 80s to lows in the 60s. This is from November to March. Based on these temperatures, this is tourist season in Dubai, so expect it to be more crowded and prices to be a bit higher if you plan your Dubai trip for this time period. However, in the summer months from June to August, temperatures average a high of 105!

The Best Places to Stay
There is no shortage of hotels in Dubai, especially luxury hotels. You can also check rental sites such as Airbnb. In terms of the best location, you should first think of Dubai as a long strip. I compare it to Las Vegas or Cancun if you have been to either. We kept driving back and forth, up and down the same main road.

The most central location, and hence the most crowded, is around the Dubai mall which is where Burj Khalifa is located. At the other end is the Dubai Marina with Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab close by. On the complete opposite end of this “strip” is the Dubai airport and Old Dubai with the souks. Along most of this strip is Jumeirah Beach filled with beach resorts, shops and restaurants. Based on your interests, you may prefer to stay closer to one of these landmarks.

Getting Around Dubai
Just like any major city and tourist area, there is a lot of traffic in Dubai. There is also rush hour traffic. You should be aware that the work week in Dubai is Sunday through Thursday. Their weekend days are Friday and Saturday. This affects the time it takes by car/taxi getting from one location to the next. Traffic is much lighter on the weekends.

Taxis
For the best prices use the regular taxi cabs and not the fancy Lexus taxis. Check to see if there is a meter in the taxi and you can also ask what the price will be from one location to the next. For example, we were unaware of an automatic surcharge leaving from the Metro station on Palm Jumeirah to the Dubai Mall.

Metro
Dubai has a very clean and easy to use Metro system. During the week and rush hour this may be your best bet based on the traffic. However, the day we used it we found it be crowded (no seats available), we had to change trains and wait for long stretches since it was a weekend day and the distance to the metro in the Dubai mall was a long walk! It took us over an hour to get to our location using the Metro so give yourself plenty of time if you have to change trains. During the week the trains run more often.

Hop On/Hop Off Buses
This is another way to see Dubai and there are two systems available. Both are located at the Dubai mall for pickup and have different routes that take you to all the main areas. Unfortunately, due to Thursday rush hour traffic we were not able to see as much as we would like on our bus. Therefore, if you decide to do this, start early in the morning, do it on a weekend or purchase a multi-day pass.

What to Wear in Dubai
This is a source of stress for many people traveling to the United Arab Emirates, especially those wondering about traveling to Dubai as a woman. I found this article prior to our trip that was very helpful. Basically, tourists and ex-pats wear regular clothes. The only time I wore a traditional hijab and abaya was visiting the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. I expect that would be the same when visiting any mosque.

While on the beach I was actually surprised just how skimpy people were dressed or not dressed ???? You are also expected to have on closed-toe shoes with pants or long skirts for ladies with your shoulders covered while dining in restaurants in Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab.

PDA in public
Before arriving in Dubai my husband read that we could get arrested for public displays of affection while in Dubai, so we refrained. I later read that holding hands and a peck on the cheek are fine.

How Much is a Trip to Dubai?
Money, Money, Money! Although I am sure there is a budget friendly way to do Dubai, I found it to be costly or at least comparable to the US. Their currency is called “dirham” or AED for Arab Emirate Dirham. You may see it abbreviated ads Dhs or DH. The dollar bill denominations conveniently have Arabic on one side and English on the other side. There are coins as well.