I recently needed to apply for a visa to Afghanistan and Dubai happened to have one of the few functioning embassies. I incorporated a bit of extra time in case of delays, which gave me the perfect excuse to explore Dubai for a day.

Dubai is a large aviation hub for flights between Africa, Europe, and Asia, so many of us will pass through it at some point. If your layover is a day or more, this itinerary is for you!

Deira

Starting in Deira gives you a good base from which to explore Dubai. It is close to the airport and one of the cheaper areas in the city. However, there are very few tourist sites.

If you want to do it very cheap I suggest you stock up on food and water in one of the many Filipino and Indian supermarkets in the area. They are plentiful in Deira, but harder to find in other parts of the city.

From Deira, you take the red metro line all the way down to the Dubai Marina. Along the way you will pass through most of downtown Dubai, which allows you to be in awe with the shear number of skyscrapers.

Dubai Marina

The reason to go here in the morning is to avoid the afternoon heat. Most of the other sights are indoor with great air-conditioning, so not to worry.

Dubai Marina is a great place to spot fancy cars and luxurious yachts. Or to take a dip in the sea. It is a nice area to take a walk and admire some of Dubai’s luxury.

Mall of the Emirates

Towards the end of the morning as the temperature begins to rise take the metro to the Mall of the Emirates. This is one of Dubai’s giant malls and is famous for its indoor skiing slope.

Other than that there are plenty of stores and artworks to see throughout the mall.

Dubai mall

The next stop is the Dubai Mall. This is the largest mall I have ever seen in my life. I am not into shopping or malls, but walking around in this place is truly an impressive sight!

Inside there are many things to see and do. I would recommend checking out the Aquarium, and the skeleton of the dinosaur. Both of which can be seen free of charge.

By now you might be getting hungry, so I recommend heading to the food court to get some lunch. The food court is huge with many different options to pick from.

Burj Khalifa

A visit to Dubai is not complete without checking out the Burj Khalifa. It is located close to the Dubai Mall. If you want to go up in the Burj Khalifa the entrance is located in the skywalk from the metro station to the Dubai Mall.

However, I recommend checking it out from ground level. In Dubai Mall follow the signs towards the Dubai Fountain. Once outside you can get a good view of the Burj Khalifa.

Walk around the various ponds and I am sure you will find an epic spot for the Instagram photo!

Dubai Fountain

If you are still hanging around the fountain at 6 pm be sure to check out the show. Starting at 6 pm the fountain does its thing every 30 minutes. It only lasts a few minutes, but it is impressive and not to be missed.

Dubai old town

Again taking the metro back to Deira I recommend stopping off for an evening stroll in Dubai’s old town. Get off at Al Ghubaiba metro station. This is a more relaxing environment with a classic Middle Eastern vibe to it. It is also a good place to have dinner.

Lastly, if you still have some energy left take a boat to the other side of the river and check out the Gold Souq to see more of the wealth that Dubai has to offer.

After all that, it is time to head back to Deira knowing that you have seen the highlights of Dubai without spending a fortune😊