Before our trip to Dubai, I tried to do a lot of research on the places we were going to visit, mainly through Google Maps to check distances. The funny part is, that I was too much afraid of the distances between the spots, and feared about traffic. I then asked a danish lady, who lives in Dubai to get some tips, and she actually recommended to go by taxi. This was also what we did the most, as it is very easy and cheap!
Except for the NYE, it was always easy to find a taxi. Then there was one, weird time, after visiting the Mall of the Emirates, where a taxi driver literally denied to give me ride because the distance was too short. Yes, TOO SHORT! Luckily another guy immediately gave me a lift back to the hotel. Otherwise it’s very easy to get a taxi 😉
There are several types of taxis, like special female taxis, Airport taxis, Luxury taxis and some more, but the cheapest is the RTA taxi (those socalled local taxis). Hotels offer taxis too, and these are Lexus cars and more expansive with fixed prices. For example we once went from Al Barsha 1 to Burj Khalifa in a Lexus for 60 dirhams. If you go with a local taxi the price is somewhere between 36-50 dirhams, more expensive in the busy hours and during New Year.
If you want to go to destinations in cheaper ways, there are of course buses too, and Dubai has got the longest metro too. We once tried the metro from Dubai Frame to our hotel, and it only costed 16 dirhams for 2 persons. Taking the metro is very easy by the way, but it is crowded.
Then you can go with boats, but I am not sure about how this works, but I guess this is a beautiful experience 😉 If you are tough and sporty, you can rent a bike too.
Note: Make sure to leave early to arrive on time. The traffic in Dubai is heavy during the morning hours 7-9 am, and again about 11am-1 pm, and 4-6 pm.
Traffic during NYE
The celebrations of NYE 2018 in Downtown Dubai was deifinitely one of those most unforgettable experiences. All those happy faces, the LED lighting show, the food and the atmosphere was like WOW! 🙂
Soon after the LED show, we got to eat the last 2 courses of our dinner at Karma Kafé, and hereafter went home. The time was approx. 1am I guess, and still the roads were closed – in Downtown Dubai – from 4 pm on the 31th of December to about 2am on the 1st of january. This meant we had to walk for many kilometres, and it was so tough to find a taxi. Be aware of this, if you are planning a new year celebration in Dubai. After spending some hours in searching for a taxi, a man offered us a lift. An expensive offer by the way, and we came home at about 3.45 am.
So; be prepared to leave for the celebrations at least 6-7 hours before 12am, and to walk several kilometres from Downtown to get a taxi, post celebration, unless you are staying at a hotel Downtown.
