On our way to Jordan we spent 2 days in Dubai during a quick 36 hour stopover. Since it was our first time in Dubai we made sure to maximize our time while also enjoying as much delicious food as possible.
If you have a stopover in Dubai follow our 2 day itinerary below for the perfect combination of cultural experiences, local food and famous landmarks. If you are a foodie, this 2 day Dubai itinerary will be especially perfect for you!
2 Days in Dubai – Basics You Need to Know
Before we get started on what to see in Dubai on a layover, let’s talk about some basics you should know first.
How to get around Dubai
Dubai has a range of transportation options to easily get around. From the excellent metro system to the convenient taxis, you can get around fairly inexpensively.
During our 2 days in Dubai we got around mostly by using the metro and taxis, and once on a local abra boat.
By metro
The Dubai metro is cheap, fast and clean.
You can purchase a NOL card that you can load money onto but since you are only in Dubai for 2 days you can choose to just purchase a red ticket, which is what we did. You can learn about the different types of cards here.
By taxi
If you are coming from North America, taxis in Dubai will seem incredibly cheap! I’m talking 50 cents/km cheap. They can be flagged down in the street or pre-booked ahead of time.
You can calculate fares and book a taxi here. For getting around to places not serviced by the metro, taxis are a great option.
Car rental
Cheap car rentals are available but with only 2 days in Dubai, renting a car is not necessary unless you want to explore further out to neighboring cities. Also, with the way we observed people driving in Dubai, we preferred not having to drive ourselves.
By abra
The little abras bring passengers across the Dubai creek between Deira and Bur Dubai. It’s a nice, quick ride and only costs 1 AED (about 25 cents)!
What to wear in Dubai
Since Dubai is an Islamic state this is a very common question from visitors. If you are wondering what to wear in Dubai, just think “modest is best”. Of course with the desert heat the thought of covering up is probably making you sweat already. However, with the right clothes, you can still dress modestly and not overheat.
I felt most comfortable covering down to my knees and covering my shoulders and cleavage. I wore long, flowy skirts and tank tops with a light cardigan over top. When I did get too hot, I wore just a t-shirt and still felt comfortable in that and not like I was attracting too much unwanted attention.
For women, there’s no need to cover your hair, unless you are touring a mosque. Just bring a light scarf with you if that is the case.
As for Ryan, he wore light pants and short sleeved shirts. It is not common for local men to wear shorts.
Another thing to consider is your shoes. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes!! You will be doing a lot of walking, especially if you go to the mall. The first morning I wore comfortable flats and I quickly got bad blisters in the heat and my feet got all cut up. It was so bad I had to stop and buy band-aids. I then switched to comfy sneakers for the rest of the trip!
What not to wear in Dubai? High heels and short skirts, as pictured below (at least not while walking around the street or mall). Of course, we did see many tourists wearing short skirts, showing cleavage and shoulders, etc and didn’t witness anyone saying anything to them. It’s just a matter of comfort level and respecting the local customs.
What language to speak in Dubai
Sure, the official language of Dubai is Arabic. However, with the enormous amount of expats living in Dubai, English is actually the most widely understood language between all the different ethnic groups.
Hindi, Urdu, Tamil and Tagalog are some of the other largely spoken languages in Dubai. So, even if you are keen to learn a few basic Arabic phrases, you may not even encounter many Arabic speakers to use them with.
We found that everyone we encountered (taxi drivers, waiters, souk merchants, salespeople) spoke a decent amount of English.
Where to stay in Dubai
When you think of hotels in Dubai the fancy, futuristic hotels probably pop into your mind first: the 7 star Burj al Arab, the world’s first ever Armani Hotel, or the extravagant Arabian-themed Al Qasr. However Dubai actually has a decent range of options to choose from that don’t break the bank.
Area: Sheikh Zayed Road
With only 2 days in Dubai, a convenient location is key to maximize your limited time. We found that staying on the famous Sheikh Zayed Road, aka Skyscraper Row, was the perfect, central location for our Dubai stopover. You will find mostly upmarket hotels here but there are also affordable options available (as in under $100).
Hotel: Rose Rayhaan by Rotana
We recommend the Rose Rayhaan by Rotana. This hotel was once the tallest in the world when it opened in 2009, up until 2012 when it was surpassed by the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai and then again in 2018 by the nearby Gevora Hotel.
The Rose Rayhaan is conveniently located less than a block from the Financial Centre Metro Station, making it a quick, one-stop ride to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. It is also only a 15 minute drive from the airport.
The hotel is not ultra-luxurious, but it is very nice, clean, and comfortable, with nightly turn down service.
If you opt for a room on the upper floors you will have fantastic views over the city. And the cool thing about being so high up is sometimes when you look out the window, you will be above the clouds!
One thing to note, though, is this is a dry hotel, meaning no alcohol is served.
2 Days in Dubai – The perfect 36 hour Dubai stopover itinerary
Day 1
12 am – Arrival in Dubai
We arrived in Dubai late at night so we went straight to our hotel. Taxis were plentiful at the DXB airport and it was a quick, 15 minute ride to our hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road.
1am – Dinner at Ravi
Even after our long journey to Dubai, we were eager to get to one of the top foodie spots on our list: Ravi!
This famous restaurant is open til 3am, so if you get in on a late flight like we did, head here for some cheap, late night eats!
The restaurant is located in the Satwa neighbourhood, not far from Sheikh Zayed Road. We got a cab from our hotel and he knew exactly where to take us when we said we wanted to go to Ravi’s.
This famous, authentic Pakistani restaurant is popular among locals, expats and tourists alike. It is far from fancy – you will be dining on plastic tables and chairs next to the road, but we’ve found these types of establishments to always be the best places.
The food is crazy cheap and fantastically flavorful. If you are adventurous, we recommend trying the fried lamb brain – yes, you read that right.
You’ve also got to try the paratha bread! It is the best I’ve ever had.
9:30am – Jumeirah Mosque
After a short sleep (hey, you’ve only got 2 days in Dubai, explore now, sleep later 🙂 ), take a taxi over to the iconic Jumeirah Mosque.
The Jumeirah Mosque is one of only 2 mosques in Dubai that allow non-Muslims to enter. They offer educational tours as part of the Open Doors, Open Minds program through the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
Tours are offered at 10am and 2pm daily, except for Fridays when they are closed. Registration opens at 9:30 and there is no need to book in advance. The cost is 25 AED for the tour which lasts just over an hour.
After registration you can enjoy some light Emirati refreshments before the tour begins.
The tour is a great introduction to Islam and the presenters are open to all questions. The tour began with an explanation of “wudu” which is the process of washing before prayer. Ryan actually volunteered to be part of the demonstration.
Next, we went inside and learned more about the religion, customs and culture of local Emiratis.
Note: Modest dress is required, including a head scarf. If needed, you can borrow traditional attire during registration.
12pm – Lunch at Local House
Hop in a taxi and head to Old Dubai and it’s beautiful old quarter of Bastakiya. If you have ever wondered what camel meat tastes like and are feeling adventurous, the Local House Restaurant is a good place to try it!
The Local House Restaurant has all kinds of camel dishes to try. But if camel meat does not appeal to you, try a camel milkshake instead!
We ordered a camel meat dish, a camel burger and a camel date milkshake. The meat was actually pretty tasty and tender! It reminded us of lamb. The date milkshake was delicious!
1pm – Visit the Dubai Museum
After lunch, head down Al Fahidi Street, towards the Dubai Museum. The museum is located inside Al Fahidi Fort and is a great place to learn about the history and culture of Dubai.
The museum is open 8:30am-8:30pm Saturday-Thursday, and 2:30pm-8:30pm on Fridays. Admission is only 3 AED.
2:30pm – Wander through the Textile Souk
After the museum, continue on foot past the Grand Mosque and through the Textile Souk.
The souk is quite pretty but we didn’t spend too much time here. Haggling is not our thing and we found the merchants here were pretty pushy.
3:00pm – Take the abra to Old Dubai
At the end of the souk you will find the Bur Dubai Abra Station. From here, hop onto one of the antique little abra boats and head to the other side of the creek. Rides are only 1 AED and are a quick, fun experience.
3:15pm – Explore the souks in Deira
Deira is home to the famous Gold Souk, atmospheric Spice Souk, plus many more souks selling anything and everything!
Even if you are not interested in shopping, this is a great place to aimlessly wander around. If you do want to shop, the Gold Souk is known to have some of the best gold prices in the world. Want to bring home some spices? Pick some up at the fragrant spice souk.
6pm – Dinner at Bu Qtair
After shopping at the souks, hail a cab and head to the famous Bu Qtair fish shack! When traveling around the world we try to follow in Anthony Bourdain’s footsteps. Ever since we saw him eat here on his Dubai episode, we knew we had to as well.
Even with only 2 days in Dubai, make eating here a priority! Whenever we think back about our favorite meals we’ve ever had around the world, Bu Qtair is at the top of our list.
When we went, it was just a simple fish shack and we dined on plastic chairs outside on the dirt. But, as real foodies know, these are the best places – the hidden gems. Now, they’ve moved into a bigger, proper building just nearby.
All they serve at Bu Qtair is fried fish and prawns and it will be the best, most flavorful fish and prawns you’ve ever had! I personally don’t even really eat seafood, but I loved the food here.
If you ask your taxi driver to take you to Bu Qtair they may not know what you are talking about (ours did not) so be prepared with directions. We didn’t have data on our phones either so we asked him to just drop us off at the beach by the Burj al Arab (as that is what we could see in the background on Anthony Bourdain’s episode), and we walked in the general direction we thought it would be. After walking through a dark residential area we found this hidden gem packed with people in the know.
7pm – Head to Dubai Mall
After your amazing meal, walk over to the main street to flag down a cab to take you to the Dubai Mall.
This mall is outrageously huge and you could spend the whole day (or longer!) here. But with only 2 days in Dubai, spend your time here wisely and pick and choose what you most want to see.
From the indoor skating rink, to the massive Dubai Aquarium, sky high Burj Khalifa, spooky Hysteria experience, and spectacular Dubai Fountain – there is something for everyone.
Warning – be prepared to walk a few MILES at this mall. At 5.9 million sq. ft. of internal floor space and over 1300 shops, you will be walking a lot! Remember what I said earlier about wearing comfy shoes? You will definitely be thankful for them here.
9pm – Dubai Fountain show
Take a break from exploring the shops, and head outside to claim a spot in front of the Dubai Fountain. Shows run in the evenings every half hour from 6pm-11pm (you can check the full schedule here) and are completely free.
The Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest performing fountain and the show is absolutely spectacular, especially at night when it is illuminated by all the lights! The jets shoot water up to 150m high and are choreographed to a range of songs. It reminded us of the Bellagio fountain in Las Vegas, but on steroids!
If you are still up for more mall exploration, you have until midnight when the shops close for the night.
Day 2
9am – Check out of the hotel
Since this is your final day of your 2 days in Dubai, check out of the hotel and store your bags with the front desk. Then get ready for another day of exploration before heading off to the airport.
10am – Breakfast at SMCCU
Take the metro to Al Fahidi Station and head back to the Bastakiya quarter. The journey will take you about 30-40 minutes from the hotel.
Here you can sample a delicious traditional Emirati Breakfast at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
Note: This part of your itinerary will only work if you schedule your 2 days in Dubai to fall on a Monday or Wednesday as these are the only days the breakfast is offered.
Even though you are in the UAE you are unlikely to find yourself eating much Emirati food, if any, especially with only 2 days in Dubai. This cultural breakfast is the perfect opportunity to learn about traditional Emirati food, as well as some of the customs and culture.
We had a fantastic experience and thoroughly enjoyed the authentic food!
The experience lasts 1.5 hours and can be booked ahead of time online.
11:30am – Explore the Bastakiya area
After your breakfast, explore the surrounding area of Bastakiya. This old quarter is very photogenic and a great place to view the old-style traditional Gulf houses built with distinctive wind towers.
This quarter was originally home to Iranian merchants who settled here in the early 1900s. They were the ones who first introduced the wind towers, which are some of the oldest forms of air conditioning.
12:30pm – Head to the Burj Khalifa
Hop back onto the metro and head to the magnificent Burj Khalifa! This is the world’s tallest building, at over 828m, with over 160 stories.
1:30pm – At the Top Experience
Looking down at the world from the world’s tallest building is an experience not to miss! Lines can be long here and it is best to book your tickets online in advance.
There are a few different options to choose from with varying costs. The cheapest option is the At the Top Experience which takes you to level 124 and 125, starting from 149 AED.
The next option is the At the Top Experience Burj Khalifa SKY which takes you to level 148, starting from 378 AED. Here you will get to experience the world’s highest outdoor observation deck!
The highest option is to book a Lounge experience which takes you to levels 152-154, starting from 608 AED. This is the world’s highest lounge at 585m!
We went with the At the Top Experience on levels 124 and 125. Until you are at the top, you don’t really appreciate just how high this building really is. Once we looked DOWN at all the skyscrapers on Sheikh Zayed Road we realized just how super tall the Burj Khalifa stands!
3pm – Late lunch at Dubai Mall
Unless you decided on one of the dining packages at the Burj Khalifa, you will likely be hungry for some lunch by now.
With your 2 days in Dubai coming to a close, indulge in one last foodie experience at one of the 200+ options at the Dubai Mall. From famous chains such as Shake Shack, Tim Hortons, PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory, to international favorites Jollibee, Din Tai Fung, Eataly, to authentic Lebanese at Al Hallab, Persian at Hatam, and delicious desserts at Hummingbird Bakery and Laduree, there is something for every taste.
I know my friends who were living abroad in Europe loved getting the chance to eat at their favorite North American chains whenever they went to Dubai. So, if you’ve been traveling the world or living abroad and miss a taste of home, this is a great place to satisfy that craving.
5pm – Taxi back to the airport
Your 2 days in Dubai has come to an end and it is time to say farewell to this unparalleled city!
Depending how much time you have until your flight departure, you can explore more of Dubai Mall. Once you are ready to head off, take the metro back to the hotel to pick up your bags and then catch a cab back to the airport.
We hope you enjoy our take on the perfect 2 day itinerary for a stopover in Dubai! Let us know below if you have any questions or itinerary suggestions!
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Itinerary Map for 2 Days in Dubai
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