Budget Trip to Dubai

Dubai is a dream destination for many not just for Indians, but even for the people across the world and it is the 4th most visited country in the world. 

 Dubai is an important city among the 7 cities United Arab Emirates namely Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Dubai and Umm Al Quwain. As we know Islam is the official religion and Arabic being the local language. But still you can find people talking Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam as the country is more populated with Indians.

I recently visited my dream destination Dubai and stayed for about 14 days. So in this article, I am going to share my personal experience and I believe that it would help people, who are planning for a short budget trip to Dubai. I started my trip from Chennai International Airport, I booked my return tickets to Dubai in last minute, hence it took me around INR 38000. When planning a trip to Dubai, if the tickets are booked 3months prior, you can even get return tickets(India/Dubai) for just around INR 16000 with Emirates, the best premium Air carrier to Dubai,which will save a major portion of your budget.

Emirates also offers free wheelchair service for senior citizens, so an executive will accompany once checking is done until we board the flight. So if you are taking senior citizen along with opt for this service, while booking tickets or request them during check-in at the airport. Food offered during the flight was exceptionally good. As I landed at the Dubai International Airport, I was able to witness the amazing view of Dubai’s busiest airport, it was flooded with Airbus A380’s and flights continuously departing and arriving every 10 minutes. Despite the Covid protocols, the airport’s hospitality and the arrangements for covid test at the venue was properly organized and it was hassle free and they instructed us to home quarantine for 24 hrs by then, we would receive our test reports.

Budget friendly places to visit in Dubai

Day-1

As you are out of the airport, you can use the metro(you require a NOL Card, which can be obtained from the nearest metro or bus station) or plenty of taxis and luxury cars are available, I hired a Benz car and moved to my accommodation as I have my relatives, So I got my accommodation there, which is located at AL-Nadha its basically located between the border of Dubai and Sharjah. Sharjah was just at a walkable distance. Many cheap accommodations are available in Dubai. I advise you to opt for an accommodation near metro station. So that you can easily access metro and bus commutating, the public transport charge ranges from 3-5 AED, which I felt reasonable for an Air-conditioned transport, even the metro and bus stations are completely air-conditioned. In areas like Burjman and ADCB you can find cheap accommodation in Dubai. You can also get cheap bed spaces in Dubai

You can start from your accommodation around 10am in the morning and get to the nearest metro station and take a train to reach union station and from there you can reach Gold Souq in 10 minutes by walk, it’s a must visit place,

where you can witness a large collection of gold jewellery and next you could visit Meena Bazaar in old Dubai and do some shopping, to visit this place you had to take a Abra(a small boat) which just costs you 3 AED and next you can visit the museum and get to know the cultural and historic heritage of the emirates, followed by which in the evening you could again get to the Union metro station to reach ADCB station and involve yourself on some pocket friendly shopping like chocolates and then move to Electronic Bazaar, if you like to do electronic shopping and late in the evening you could again get back to Gold Souq and experience the open boat dinner buffet(optional if your dinner permits) then return to the accommodation.

Day -2

You could visit the below mentioned place, which are easily accessible through metro.

 

Dubai Frame

The Dubai Frame stands at an height of 150 meters. Inside you can see the pictures of Dubai’s cultural heritage and its transformation over the years and it has a sky deck, where you can enjoy the amazing panoramic view of the old and new Dubai and at night it offers an eye treat by changing colours.

Reach the Nearest station ADCB Metro station and from there it’s walkable or you can hire a taxi, entrance fee is around AED 50 for adults, AED 20 for children from 3-12 years and the most interesting thing for senior citizens and for people accompanying them up to 2 years the entry fee is free.

Dubai Marina

It’s a lovely 8km stretch with lovely beach, luxury hotels and plenty of shopping malls, entertainment and looks beautiful in night. Marina beach is an amazing beach and one of the most visited beaches in Dubai, which is clean and makes you come here during the day time to take a sunbath and to gasp for some fresh air.

Desert Safari

Desert safari is another important and must do thing in Dubai and its budget friendly either, it’s a one-day safari, where you will be picked and dropped at your location itself and the package includes, free drinks, jeep desert safari, lunch and unlimited buffet. This package would generally come around AED 45.
 

Jumeriah Mosque

Jumeriah mosque is open to muslim and Non-Muslims as well, this mosque was influenced by the Fatimid style construction, which orginagted from Syia and Egypt. It is one of the best mosques in Dubai and a must visit place in Dubai.

Finally, when it comes to the budget part I have mentioned few things to consider and it will be purely based on you as I had almost mentioned the cost involved and made some breakdown. The visa would take around 4000rs, local transportations will take around 2000rs, food and accommodation would take around INR10000, covid testing INR8000 +(India and at Dubai and same while returning) and other activities will averagely take INR5000, considering this it would take INR50000. To make value for our time and money, less than that will not be advisable.