By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 6 min read
How many days do you need in Dubai?
Three days covers the headline sights. Five days adds the coast and Abu Dhabi. Seven days gives you a mountain or coast day and a rest day. Dubai is spread along one long coastal road, so the main cost of any plan is travel time between stops, not the stops themselves.
All distances below are road distances from Downtown Dubai, free-flow, from OpenStreetMap routing. Add time for traffic, which is heaviest on weekday mornings and evenings.
| Days | Covers | Day trips |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Old Dubai, Downtown, desert evening | None |
| 5 | Adds Marina and Palm Jumeirah | Abu Dhabi, 139 km |
| 7 | Adds Hatta or Ras Al Khaimah, a rest day | Abu Dhabi, plus Hatta (109 km) or Ras Al Khaimah (109 km) |
If you have not chosen your dates yet, our best time to visit Dubai guide has the month-by-month temperatures. For a wider overview, start with the Dubai travel guide.
The 3-day Dubai itinerary
Day 1: old Dubai and the creek
Start early, before the heat. Walk the wind-tower lanes of Al Fahidi Historical District, then cross Dubai Creek by abra, the small wooden boat, between Bur Dubai and Deira. The gold and spice souks in Deira sit a short walk from the Deira abra station.
Finish with lunch indoors. Old Dubai is best before 11 am and after 4 pm. If you want a guide for the day, our Dubai city tour strings these stops together by car.
Day 2: Downtown, the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall
Spend the morning at Dubai Mall, which has the aquarium and the ice rink under one roof. Book the Burj Khalifa observation deck for a timed slot, and check the current hours and ticket options on burjkhalifa.ae, because slots change by season.
Stay for the Dubai Fountain after dark. It sits on the lake between the mall and the tower, and it is free to watch from the promenade. The Dubai Metro’s Red Line stops at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station, linked to the mall by a walkway. Confirm opening times on rta.ae.
Day 3: a desert safari evening
Keep the morning free. A typical safari collects you mid-afternoon, drives to the dunes (the Lahbab area is about 48 km from Downtown), and returns after dinner. Sunset is the point, so slot the pick-up around the sunset time for your month.
You can choose a private vehicle or a shared group. Our desert safari tours page lists the options, and the private versus shared tours guide explains the trade-offs.
The 5-day Dubai itinerary
Days 1 to 3 stay the same. Add two more.
Day 4: Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah
Both are about 21 km from Downtown and about 20 minutes apart without traffic. Spend the morning on a beach, the afternoon on the Marina Walk, and the evening on the Palm’s Atlantis end. Beaches are best before 10 am in warm months.
Day 5: a day in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is 139 km from Downtown Dubai, about 1 hour 30 minutes each way in free-flowing traffic. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the anchor, and dress rules apply, which our Dubai dress code guide covers. Qasr Al Watan and Yas Island fit into the same day. Our Abu Dhabi city tour is a ready-made version.
Do not book a late desert evening on the same day. The round trip is about 280 km.
The 7-day Dubai itinerary
Add two more days, and let one of them be slow.
Day 6: Hatta or Ras Al Khaimah
Hatta is 109 km from Downtown, about 1 hour 25 minutes, with the dam, the mountain roads and kayaking. Ras Al Khaimah is also 109 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes, and it adds the Jebel Jais road, though the mountain itself is 154 km from Downtown and a little over 2 hours. Carry ID for Hatta, because the road passes close to the Oman border area. See the day trips from Dubai guide to compare them.
Day 7: a beach day, or a cruise
Keep the last day light. Choose a beach, a dhow or yacht cruise at the Marina, or the shops you skipped. If you need to be at the airport the same evening, plan your last stop within about 45 minutes of Dubai International, which is 18 km from Downtown. Our Dubai DXB airport transfer page explains the pickup and drop-off.
Getting around: metro, taxis or a private driver
The metro is useful along the Downtown, Marina and creek corridor, and it avoids road traffic. Taxis are easy for short hops. Neither suits a day that mixes the desert, Abu Dhabi and Hatta.
A private chauffeur by the day makes sense when:
- you are travelling with children, luggage or older relatives
- the day has three or more stops in different districts
- you are doing a day trip over 100 km
- you have a fixed flight time
Our car with driver service is booked hourly, half day or full day. Our Dubai attractions by car guide shows which stops pair well on the same drive.
Best months and what to do in summer heat
November to March is the comfortable window, with average highs at Dubai International of about 26 to 32°C. June to September averages 41 to 43°C by day, based on NOAA station data for 2016 to 2025.
In summer, reverse the day. Go outdoors at 7 to 10 am and after 5 pm, and take museums, malls, the aquarium and lunch between 11 am and 4 pm. Desert safaris still run in summer, usually with an evening start.
Dress, etiquette and Ramadan
Beachwear belongs on the beach. Malls and the old souks expect covered shoulders and knees, and mosques ask for more. Our Dubai dress code guide has the details.
During Ramadan, daytime opening hours shift and eating in public view is discouraged. Check Ramadan in Dubai for visitors before you finalise dates, because the date moves each year.
Which tours to book ahead, and which to leave open
Book ahead:
- the Burj Khalifa observation deck, for a timed slot
- the desert safari, in the cool season
- any Abu Dhabi day that includes a pre-booked mosque or museum slot
Leave open:
- the creek and souks
- beach and pool time
- the marina walk
Looking at several tours at once? See the full list under tours, or ask about a combined tour package and tourism services. If you are on a stopover instead, our Dubai layover guide shortens this plan to a few hours.
Turn this plan into a trip
Send your dates, the number of travellers, your arrival flight and your hotel area to Assure on WhatsApp at +971 56 684 8148. We answer 24/7 on WhatsApp and phone, and we will tell you which days suit a chauffeur, which tours need booking first, and how to order the stops. For more ideas, see places to visit in Dubai and Dubai with kids.
Photos in this guide
The Dubai skyline with Burj Khalifa, seen from the air above the low-rise neighbourhoodsTim Reckmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
A traditional wind tower above the houses of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood in Bur DubaiWadimaktoob / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The towers of Dubai Marina across the water at duskNorlando Pobre / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The domes and minarets of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in silhouette at sunset, seen across the water in Abu DhabiPotatoWitch / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The green water of Hatta Dam between the bare peaks of the Hajar Mountains, with pedal boats moored on the rightSrivath / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
