Dubai/Abu Dhabi Planning May 15

Hello

my first visit to the UAE single female traveller.

I arrive in Dubai on 16/5/15. which i will see the shops as we are still on the cruise so will get feed by them :-) will see fountain show at the shops. hopeful i can get bus to and from the shops.

17/5/15 at some stage get kicked off the ship. Will get public bus to Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi 17-20/5.

18/5/15 mosque, falcons, mangroves

- can you get public bus to the falcon hospital. having trouble working the bus website.

- is it worth while to do the hop on off bus or cheaper by foot and bus

tour 19/5/15

Al Alin

deciding between EA tours and Arabian Adventures. EA sounds better as it is more described on their page. Still awaiting Arabian to answer their email. any body done this tour? was it good?

20/5/15

either foot/bus or hop hop off bus for the sites of Abu Dhabi

public bus to Dubai

21/5/15

thinking of doing Grand Canyon tour by Arabian Adventures. anybody done this, was it good? i want views not shopping!

22/5/15

hop on hop off bus with free trip to Sharjah

23/5/15

might go to Atlantis.

is this good?

anybody did the stingray feeding?

can you get a bus to Atlantis

24/5/15

depending on money get hop on off hop off

or look at the shops

25/5/15 fly home

note i was thinking of doing the dinner/sand bash thing. but my back is bad and i hate crowds! was going to do it with the old jeep company but have run out of money :-(

many thanks for your replies, thoughts and hints.

:-)

Short answer:

forget about taking buses in the UAE.

Perhaps the exception is the inter city bus between Abu dhabi and Dubai.

Efinately taxi for almost everything else you mention. Cheap, safe and clean.

FORGET about buses. You mention you do not like crowds. Buses tend to be for the (I know it sounds nasty) lower class labourers. You will get stared on as a western woman by herself.

Dubai DOES have a new, clean, cheap and reliable Metro / Monorail network. Still quite some walking to do from some stations, as it is not meant to be a tourist transport.

The Dubai HoHo bus shows most sights, but is not too frequent and very expensive for what you get, compared to their London or Paris tours for example.

Arabian Adventures is a reputable company. Haven't heard anything bad about them.

Don't expect too much of an answer to a random email. Companies here in this part tend to be extremely slack sometime. Other than to receiving a straight forward booking request, they are often not esponding. If you are worried, wait until you are here and then book from the hotel front desk. This can be done just a day in advance. You may pay a bit extra, because of the hotel commission.

Be aware that walking is often not a good option in Dubai. Not because you are getting robbed, but because of the highway systems. It is very often quite impossible to safely cross roads. Just because it looks close on Google maps, it does not necessarily mean you can safely walk there. Ask the hotel staff for advise

Thank you for your reply.

will re think the taxi situation. i might have to give up the sting rays. just thought buses cheaper and also in a herd. where as in a taxi i am by myself. i wont have a mobile/cell phone, due to the costs. it will be in my suitcase off. so i feel that i dont have a safety net when in a strange mans car in a place i am not used to. so for all i know he could be taking me somwhere strange. yes the odds are dramtically low but i do like my telly shows like criminal minds! in a bus they have a route to follow and people.

my brother is insiting when in singapore to go to a market and buy a cheap gold coloured ring for my wedding finger. i then must wear it in the UAE and if get hassled pretend hubby is near by.

yes finding tours companies in Asia to be slack compared to here in Australia! but it is hard to pick a tour when

company a states we go to a b c d e f

company b states we go here and see the sites. that is not useful!! my idea of the sites could be a b c your idea is drive by my wish list and then take me shopping!

i do live in a beautiful country town but we have to be careful due to some social issues we have. so i am pretty used to be alert for odd behaviour and try not to go out at night. when i do travel to work at the hospital radio is off and doors locked so i remain alert.

once again thank you for your reply :-)

In the UAE taxis are definately the safer option. No waiting at bus stops, where you will be stared at and honked / whistled at by passing cars.

Taxi drivers are way too afraid to try anything. Penalties are harsh.

If you want, there are also special "ladies taxis" with female drivers. They cost the same, as far as I know. A bit difficult to flag down, but any hotel will call for one. Just the wait for these cars may be longer.

Most hotels will also try to get you to use the Hotel Car / Limo. They are more expensive than taxis but nearly always available on the spot. Still ALOT cheaper than the taxis back in OZ.

If you want to see sting rays, the Dubai Mall has a huge aquarium with a massive tank that you can see without going inside. There are rays in it and nice big sharks too.

Been to UAE four times as a solo female. Taxis are safe, relaible, plentiful, government monitored and incredibly cheap. Never had a single worry. People are very respectful in UAE. Almost no crime. It is safer than at home, but if you're really worried then get a taxi with a pink roof. These are taxis driven by women and only available to women or families.

Metro is fine for connecting between malls and stuff like that. I agree forget the bus except perhaps intercity. Price the taxi fare for that though (see trip advisor) you'd be amazed at how little it costs.

Will they take other currencies, or just UAE currency?

Thanks,

Wes

Thanks for the information about taxis. Will they take other currencies, or just AED? Sorry for the double posting.

Thanks again,

Wes

Thanks for the information about taxis. Will they take other currencies, or just AED? Sorry for the double posting.

 

Thanks again,

Wes

Just AED and no credit cards.

Hello

thank you for your replies.

my holiday is coming close, yay!

having trouble with my two day tours fingers crossed i get on.

still waiting to find out if i can wear prescription glasses in the shark activity at the Atlantis Dubai.

but reading and booking my tour to the falcons at Abu Dhabi. i read the reviews at expedia and some people mentioned a sulaki centre. but all the links dont actually get to a website. apparently it is close to the falcons. would anybody have a working website or have they closed down?

this is a blurb from lonely planet site

You'll probably hear them before you see them as a howl goes up when a visitor approaches this hound pound. A visit here involves entering the kennels, meeting the affectionate and well-looked-after residents, picking up a puppy or two and perhaps watching bath-time. Prized for their hunting skills and speed over distance, salukis have for centuries been man's best friend to the Bedu, and after a visit to this breeding and training centre it's easy to see why. It's in the Falcon Hospital Complex; prebook an appointment.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/sights/other/arabian-saluki-centre#ixzz3Xq1gie2e

many thanks for any help

:-)

Just adding my support and encouragement for the OP!

I'm also a solo female heading to Dubai, and I look forward to hearing how you faired on your trip, but it probably won't be posted in time for me to read before my trip - I'll be there for 2 days post-cruise at the end of May!

I'm having difficulty finding affordable shared tour groups - there was the possibility of a desert dune bashing trip but I have the same feelings as the OP - a sore back and getting car-sick is not my idea of a good vacation activity!! As I'm only there for the 2 days many shared tours just aren't running on those particular days, and some tours stop running from mid-May due to the heat.

Have you looked at the Centre for Cultural Understanding in Dubai? (http://www.cultures.ae/). They do tours and brunch/lunch (for a reasonable price) and you don't have to be part of a larger group to sign up. I haven't signed up yet, but probably will.

Good luck and happy travels!

Just adding my support and encouragement for the OP!

Have you looked at the Centre for Cultural Understanding in Dubai? (http://www.cultures.ae/). They do tours and brunch/lunch (for a reasonable price) and you don't have to be part of a larger group to sign up. I haven't signed up yet, but probably will.

The MBR Center for Cultural Understanding is a good choice. You can sign up on your own but will also have interaction with other visitors and your Emirati hosts. If you choose one of the options that include a walk you will also get an overview of the creek area. When you are done, you can wander around the souks. Be sure to ride an abra across the creek from one side to the other and it only costs one dirham!:) Enjoy your visit

My pre-cruise visit to Dubai will not be for 13 months, but I'm still excitedly thinking about how to get the most out of my day-and-a-half.

My ship departs on Day 2 of the itinerary, giving me the first day to check out Dubai. But flights from my part of the world generally arrive in the evening. So I figured I'd fly in on the night before Day 1 of my cruise and get the cheapest hotel I can find, just for that night. Then the next day, rent a car for the day. Spend that day checking out the city (taking some time to check into my solo cabin on the boat), and possibly driving to Abu Dhabi because I really want to try out that World's Fastest Rollercoaster over at Ferrari World.

My limited searching suggests that renting a car for a day in Dubai is a reasonable budget item - anyone have any experience doing that there? (Also, which side of the road do they drive on?)

My limited searching suggests that renting a car for a day in Dubai is a reasonable budget item - anyone have any experience doing that there? (Also, which side of the road do they drive on?)

We like renting from Thrifty which is located in Dubai Mall. That would probably also be convenient if you were going to visit Burj Khalifa and the Dubai fountains. Driving is on the right side of the road. The highway to Abu Dhabi is excellent and signed in both English and Arabic.

http://www.thedubaimall.com/en/shop/Services/thrifty-car-rental.aspx

Just AED and no credit cards.

I know this is an old thread, i hope someone can help answer this - does the cruise ship terminal in Dubai have an ATM? Is there a surcharge in Dubai for ATM use (in addition to my bank fees) like in the US, or is it like the EU with no fee? Otherwise I need to start planning where to buy currency in advance, thanks.

I know this is an old thread, i hope someone can help answer this - does the cruise ship terminal in Dubai have an ATM? Is there a surcharge in Dubai for ATM use (in addition to my bank fees) like in the US, or is it like the EU with no fee? Otherwise I need to start planning where to buy currency in advance, thanks.

Yes, there is an ATM at the cruise terminal and there should be no additional fee, similar to the EU.

Yes, there is an ATM at the cruise terminal and there should be no additional fee, similar to the EU.

Thanks!