How many cities to visit: I’d advise
two or three cities on a first trip, four at the very most. Distances are short, but summer heat, long metro-to-sight walks and heavy traffic on the main highways eat days faster than the map suggests. Fewer stops also means fewer check-ins, and you stop spending your mornings hauling a pack across town.
Which kind of city for which traveler: The country offers roughly three kinds of urban experience:
towering, high-spend mega-cities,
older Gulf coast and creek-side centers with souks, forts and cheaper guesthouses, and
inland or mountain-edge towns with oases, hiking and slower evenings. Budget travelers get the most from the older centers, because food, dorm beds and local transport cost noticeably less there. Photographers and first-timers usually want …
read more 👉 How many cities to visit: I’d advise two or three cities on a first trip, four at the very most. Distances are short, but summer heat, long metro-to-sight walks and heavy traffic on the main highways eat days faster than the map suggests. Fewer stops also means fewer check-ins, and you stop spending your mornings hauling a pack across town.
Which kind of city for which traveler: The country offers roughly three kinds of urban experience: towering, high-spend mega-cities, older Gulf coast and creek-side centers with souks, forts and cheaper guesthouses, and inland or mountain-edge towns with oases, hiking and slower evenings. Budget travelers get the most from the older centers, because food, dorm beds and local transport cost noticeably less there. Photographers and first-timers usually want one skyline city for the scale of it. Hikers and anyone chasing quiet should add one inland or east-coast base, where rental cars or intercity buses open up wadis and mountain roads. Pick one city of each kind rather than three of the same.
What it costs: Prices are in dirhams (AED), about 3.67 to the US dollar. A lean independent budget runs AED 250 to 400 (US$70 to 110) a day: a dorm bed at AED 80 to 160 (US$22 to 45), street-level meals at AED 15 to 35 (US$4 to 10) in South Asian and Arab cafeterias, and public transport. Add AED 300 to 600 (US$80 to 165) a night if you move to a private mid-range hotel.
Per visit, budget for entry fees: a skyscraper observation deck typically costs AED 150 to 250 (US$40 to 68) and costs less when booked online ahead for off-peak slots. Museums and heritage forts run AED 10 to 65 (US$3 to 18). Mosque visits are often free. A guided desert or old-quarter tour is AED 150 to 400 (US$40 to 110). City metros and buses cost AED 3 to 8 (US$1 to 2) a ride on a rechargeable Nol-type card, while intercity coaches run about AED 15 to 40 (US$4 to 11). Taxis are metered, so insist on the meter. Alcohol sits in a separate price bracket, with a beer often AED 35 to 60 (US$10 to 16) in licensed venues.
Safety and local rules: Violent and petty crime is very low, and walking at night is comfortable. Legal risk is the bigger issue. Drug laws are zero tolerance, including medications that are controlled here, so carry prescriptions and check the list before you fly. Public drunkenness is an offense, and alcohol is served only in licensed hotels and venues. Keep affection in public to a minimum, skip photos of strangers (especially women) and of government or military buildings, and register drones before you launch one, since flying without a permit is prohibited.
Dress modestly in malls, souks and neighborhoods outside the beach resorts: covered shoulders and knees are the safe default. Mosque visits require full coverage and removed shoes. During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking openly in daylight. Many restaurants use screens or open later, and evenings turn lively after sunset.
In summer, treat the heat as a real hazard. Walk between air-conditioned stops, carry a liter of water, and plan outdoor sights for before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. If you rent a car, ask about toll charges, because the road tolls are billed through the rental company, often with a service fee.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.