Five Nights in Dubai – My Epic Dubai Itinerary

Hello fellow solo travellers and would be travellers. Welcome to another adventure of mine. I hope you are doing well would love to hear about your travels or plans and bucket list. Let me entice you with my city break to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

One of the seven Emirates Dubai is known for its luxury shopping and lifestyle and bargain gold prices. The local currency here is the Dirham or AED. Of course got to mention the famous Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world standing at 830m! I had been to Dubai over 10 years ago when I visited family. This time around it was a totally solo trip and it was a spur of the moment splurge to celebrate my birthday. I wanted luxe feel, party vibes and cool scenes. Dubai certainly did not disappoint.

Arrival in Dubai Airport

I booked my holiday with Emirates, a package including flights and hotel. My hotel stay was at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Deira. Not to be confused with Hyatt Regency in Creek Heights. I had booked my taxi from the airport as I arrived at 00.45am! The airport was not busy and it was smooth sailing getting through customers and baggage claim. I was issued with a local SIM card to use while in Dubai at Immigration which I thought was very useful.

I had a meet and greet with the Emirates rep who directed me to my transport. My luggage was loaded in the car waiting for me and I was whizzed away. My driver told me that my hotel is a very good and well respected as one of the first major hotels in Dubai! I choose it as it was near the old town, home to the souks (or markets) as I didn’t have much interest in the Mall which is very impressive and a must see if you never been to Dubai, but not the vibe I was after.

The friendly hotel staff arranged for my luggage to be taken to my room, I didn’t even see it after it came off the taxi. My room key was ready and I was given the times for breakfast and other need to know. By the time I got to my room my luggage was already there! I was too tired to take in the surroundings as I just wanted to sleep after a 7 and 30min flight! The room was clean and spacious with a window view of the city in the distance. The time difference was 5 hours ahead of the UK. I always find it harder to adjust when I fly east.

First Morning in Dubai

I got down to breakfast with only 15 mins to spare before close at 11am! There was such a variety of foods including curries, soups and rice or noodle dishes! I stuck to the sausage, veal bacon and eggs which you can order freshly done. This morning I had my eggs scrambled. I had lime and mint juice, bowl of fruit and granola with yogurt. I also had some pastry with black coffee.

After a hearty breakfast I headed back to my room to unpack. I like to set everything out and even iron those things that may have crinkled on route. With a packed itinerary time is of the essence when darting in and out so prepping is key when I need to grab and go. I also hate living out of a suitcase.

Day 1: Gold, Spice and Everything Nice, Souk life

The gold, perfume and spice souks were all in walking distance of my hotel which is why I chose Hyatt Regency. Also Naif souk is the place to buy fabric and traditional Muslim dress called Abaya for women usually in black or Kandura for men usually in white. First day mission was to check out the gold and Naif souks.

As the golden sun dipped behind the skyscrapers, I stepped into the bustling souks of Dubai. I wore a modest, loose fitting short sleeved long playsuit as the souks are old part of Dubai and more conservative. The narrow alleys echoed with the cadence of merchants eager to share their wears. Amidst the chaos, I embarked on a quest for the famous gold ring in the Gold Souk, forging my way through touts and temptations. The night unfolded with a feast at Moe’s and a dance under the vibrant lights of Miss Lily’s I hear the caribbean food is great here, but I drank cocktails and danced to Caribbean rhythms well into the night.

Day 2: Spiritual Healing and Beach Vibes

I woke up to the call the prayer in the distance so calming. After breakfast I got ready to go to the spiritual heart of Dubai at Jumeirah mosque. Wrapped in a white and brown abaya, the mosque revealed its ancient tales through intricate architecture and a henna design on my right hand. The afternoon prayer ceremony was a moving experience, a connection to the traditions that have shaped this city.

Underneath the Arabian sun, Nikki Beach beckoned with promises of serenity and indulgence. Six cocktails for 150AED, pools reflecting the endless blue sky, and the gentle caress of the sea breeze created a haven of bliss. I danced on the shores, a modern Scheherazade weaving stories with every step, as the sun bid farewell to the Arabian day the sunset was breathtaking.

As the night fell, I found myself lost in the aromatic embrace of Urla Restaurant, savoring a lamb shank main dish, Laurent Perrier Champagne and dessert that left me uncomfortably full but content. Urla was awesome with the Burj view in your face with its light displays adding to the ambiance.

Day 3: Birthday Oasis and Dubai heights

Awakening on my birthday, room service delivered me breakfast in bed a smiling waiter at my door with a table with white cloth and shiny silver domes over white plates wheeled into my room. I arrived at my private beach cabana at Laguna, a sanctuary of luxury and solitude. I had sushi, a feta cheese salad, champayne and colourful cocktail and bottles of water from the attentive waiter. Then a cheesecake arrived with Happy birthday written in a raspberry couli it was touching and perfect.

I was approached while walking on the beach by a photographer who offered to take photos for ‘free’. I thought why not if i like them I got the memories. He took lots of photos and as I had the beach pretty much to myself I didn’t feel self conscious. I then noticed the time and had to quickly change in the hotel and get a taxi to the Dubai Mall. I was going to try and catch the sunset at the top of Burj Khalifa. But the traffic was too much and when I arrived I had missed it.

On Top of the World – in the Burj Khalifa

Image by Unsplash

I went to the Atmosphere Restaurant and Lounge, which I prebooked at the top of the Burj Khalifa and perched high above the city for my birthday celebration under the stars. The night view of the city was awesome. Dinner was amazing complete with a violin serenade and the most elaborate cotton candy dry ice desert display! The staff sang happy birthday and I was given perfume and a black and gold masquerade mask. Loved it! I was so touched I almost cried!

That wasn’t the end of the night full of energy I took a taxi to Kiza Restaurant and lounge the best African food and music night. Ladies had unlimited drinks for 99AED until midnight. The vibe was great the music was super and your girl danced her feet off till 3am!

Day 4: Desert Delights in Dubai

The desert was the star of the show today. Abit worse for wear with the party night i had to get up at 6am to be ready for my pick up at 7am for my desert flying dress photoshoot. I was TIRED! But not one to be deterred I had to make it work. I styled my hair and put on makeup fit for a queen.

Got the call that car was waiting and I headed down. I had a Lexus SUV with blacked out windows waiting. I hopped in and greeted an smiling Asian lady who would assist on the shoot the driver was also the photographer. We drove for an hour to the desert i nodded off a couple of times.

Flying Dress Photoshoot in Dubai – Desert and Downtown Palace

Once we arrived in this shack to get undressed and we went to the desert sand dunes my energy returned. I choose a red flying dress and was given gold jewellry for my hand and upper arm. We found the perfect spot and my dress was thrown to catch the wind. The sun was relentless even at 8.30am. After several poses and videos we headed to the Downtown Palace. We met another lady and this time I had a gold dress. I love this location with the Burj in shining in the distance beautiful.

After the shoot I was taken back to my hotel just enough time for a quick nap before my pick up at 2.30pm for the desert safari.

Desert Safari – Quad bikes, Camels and Dune Bashing with Arabian show

On arrival we were shown the shops and I got the iconic red and white scarf and I asked the ladies in the shop to ties in the traditional way. I did Quad biking through golden sand dunes, a camel ride beneath the vast expanse of the desert sky, and dune bashing in 4×4 SUV that left my heart pounding. As the night fell, a mesmerizing show came to life, featuring a fire-eater, a belly dancer, and a feast that mirrored the richness of the Arabian culture. The safari ended with a star gazing session all the lights came off and you can see the stars over head it was magical.

Day 5: Aura Skypool Bliss in Dubai

I slept so well I got down early to the spralling buffet breakfast with everything your heart desired. Including a morning curry if thats your thing! I had a mission to get the the highest infinity pool in the world, Aura Skypool. Having booked my lounger months ago and so glad I did! I got there 30mins late from my mid morning lounge traffic again! I got the best view of the Palm looking out to Atlantis. Beautiful!

The hazy morning sun over the city gave a nostalgic feel. High above the city’s glistening in the sunlight, the Skypool awaited—a sanctuary in the clouds. The view of the Palm and Atlantis, a symphony of heights and horizons.

Four hours that transcended time, wading through the pool that encircled the building. As I soaked in the serenity. I ordered a cocktail yes at 11am, and a chicken teriyaki salad at 1.30pm right after my head neck and shoulder massage! Absolute bliss. It was mayhem to leave so many people to get down via one small lift. I decided to cross the busy road to another nearby hotel to get a taxi to avoid the queues which worked out!

One last dash to the gold and perfume souks as I now had an idea what I wanted to buy and how much to spend after google research. I haggled and got some good deals on a dainty 22ct bracelet and found the exact perfume I wanted. Job well done! I rewarded myself with some ice cream, not before being frustrated with the cone tricks of the vendor! Very entertaining, though some of the kids didn’t find it funny!

Just One More Night in Dubai

To end the day I headed back for a little rest before leaving by taxi to Ting Irie in Downtown Dubai a Jamaican food restaurant and dancehall. The restaurant was packed, I was so glad I got there when I did around 8.30pm. The food was delicious, I had oxtail stew with rice and peas and a sorrel with rum drink. Superb! I danced with some new friends, then we headed to Enish which was beautiful decor in gorgeous hotel but not as busy as Ting Irie. Enish was more an African vibe the female DJ tore up those decks with tunes. I went back to my hotel content around 2am.

Reflecting on my trip and couldn’t fault it! Next time I may opt to stay downtown just because traffic made everything slow to get to, however, I loved my hotel. Car hire may be quicker and more cost effective to get around. The Dubai nightlife is off the charts and the service everywhere is impeccable second to none! I feel like I have been love bombed and I have fallen hard for Dubai.

This is my Dubai adventure—a tale of glamour, discovery, and the infectious spirit of a city that never sleeps. I shall certainly return soon. Check out the full vlog on my YouTube channel.

Some images in this blog are courtesy of Unsplash, thanks to the contributors.

0 Comments