Everything You Need To Know: The First-Timers Guide To Dubai

The Gateway to the Middle East is more than just a city of sparkling skyscrapers.

The airport

The international airport is only five kilometres from the city centre.

Taxis

Taxis are affordable for groups, costing around $35 plus an airport charge of $7. The official cabs are cream coloured; those with a pink trim have female drivers.

Metro

The metro runs every 10 minutes from Terminals 1 and 3 (operating times depend on the day but are usually 5:50am to midnight; there is no service on Friday mornings).

The cost is 70c to $3 for a standard ticket.

Bus

Buses run from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 but you’ll need a NOL Card (a pre-paid card that allows you to travel on Dubai’s metro, buses, water buses and tram) as cash is not accepted onboard.

Out and about

By tube

The metro covers the length of the city along Sheik Zayed Road, from the airport to Jebel Ali.

By taxi

Taxis are usually waiting out the front of hotels and malls; they’re also easy to flag down. There’s a minimum charge of $3.50.

By car

You can hire a car with a driver for around $150 (for five hours) to take you wherever you want to go (in air-conditioned bliss!). Ask your hotel for information.

By water taxi

If you’re in the Dubai Creek area, you can cross over to the other side on an abra (a traditional water taxi). It costs less than $1 for a ride; the areas surrounding are great to explore on foot with alleyways and souqs.

There are four abra stations on the creek and it operates from 5am til midnight.

These small wooden boats, called abra, serve as public transport in Dubai

Helpful phrases

Hello Márhaba

Do you speak English? Btíhki inglízi?

Thank you Shúkran

Where is the bathroom? Ayna Al Hamam?

How much does it cost? Kam et-taklefa?

Sightseeing

We all know Burj Khalifa but have you heard of…

Al Bastakiya and the Old Fort

Located on the creek, Al Bastakiya is an area of authentic Arab mud brick houses that was once home to rich citizens. Surviving plans for demolition in the ’80s, the area is now a great place to pick up arts and crafts (multi-patterned woodwork, pottery, metal work).

The fort is also worth looking at, built in 1787, it now houses a museum of the history of Dubai.

Falconry in the desert

There’s more to do out here than camel safaris and Arabian sunsets – as incredible as they are – like a spot of falconry, perhaps?

Dating back to the 7th century BC, this is one of the UAE’s oldest traditions and an important part to the country’s cultural heritage, originally used for hunting but now purely for sport.

Learn about the history of this sport, the skills required to be a successful falconer and have a go yourself.

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

Situated between the world’s tallest building and a sprawling five-star hotel is a UNESCO-protected wildlife sanctuary and utopia for twitchers.

The Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is a 620-hectare site, home to 20,000 birds during the winter months, including the magnificent flamingo. You can’t go inside, but you can bird-watch from the designated shelters on the edges.

Shopping

Dubai is a shoppers’ heaven (or hell, depending on how you look at it) with an endless list of places to splash your cash.

Dubai Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall and Mall of Emirates

We simply can’t ignore these blissfully air-conditioned behemoths that roll shopping malls, ski fields, ice-skating rinks, hotels, art galleries, IMAX theatres, theme parks, aquariums and mosques all into one loooong shopping experience. With brands from Oscar de la Renta to Top Shop, they’ve got everyone covered.

Souqs/souks

There are so many to choose from including the Spice Souq in Deira (spices, incense, rugs, and decorative oil lamps and homewares), the Gold Souq in Deira (affordable yellow gold), the Perfume Souq on Sikkat al Khail Street (for Arabic scents sold in gorgeous ornamental bottles) and the Textile Souq in Bur Dubai (for all sorts of beautiful fabrics).
Haggle, haggle, haggle!

Dubai Flea Market

Set up at different locations on certain days, the Dubai Flea Markets offer shoppers everything from unique artwork to vintage furniture to pre-loved books to Arabic ceramics.

Boutiques

For one-of-a-kind pieces, check out these boutiques: Sophie’s Closet sells pretty designer jewellery (Single Business Tower, Sheik Zayed Rd), O’De Rose stocks Aladdin’s-cave-meets-New-York-loft-style homewares (999 Al Wasl Rd), find restored vintage homewares and furniture at The Odd Piece (Al Hadiqa Street, Al Wasl Square) and shop for pre-loved luxury fashion at Garderobe Vintage (Jumeirah Rd, Umm Suqeim).

Spices, nuts and beans at spice stall in spice souk in Dubai

Eat & drink

There’s a host of fabulous restaurants serving up top international cuisines, but for a little Emirati/Middle Eastern flavour, try:

The Arabian Teahouse

The Arabian Trahouse inhabits a courtyard in an old wind tower building in Bur Dubai (Bastakiya).

Sip exotic teas (Angel Dream Tea, Magic Apple, Rooibos Citrus and Ginger, Maté Wizard Flame) under shady trees and feast on the all-day breakfast, fresh salads, sandwiches and desserts.

Traiteur at Park Hyatt

Traiteur at Park Hyatt serves up a seriously chic Friday Brunch (a culinary institution in Dubai, as their working week runs from Sunday to Thursday).
You’ll feast on freshly shucked oysters, barbecued lobster, pork charcuterie, roasted lamb plus sweets like crème brulee, crêpes and waffles to soothing jazz sounds.

Other top Friday brunches in the city include Saffron at Atlantis, Al Qasr at Madinat Jumeirah, Nobu, Atlantis at the Palm, Toro Toro and Grosvenor House.

Omnia Gourmet

Omnia Gourmet is owned by British celebrity chef Silvena Rowe.

Located in Jumeirah Fishing Village, it’s like an exotic secret garden filled with wicker furniture, colourful inlaid tiles, leafy greenery and delicious and healthy food (gluten-free, raw, sugar-free, dairy-free, paleo and vegan too).

Al Fanar

Al Fanar caters to authentic Emirati cuisine in a nostalgic setting of 1960s Dubai.

Despite the theme park-style set-up (scenes of fake camels, goats and local people), it’s popular with the locals and has a lovely canal setting.

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Where to stay

in Bur Dubai

XVA Gallery

A laidback boutique hotel in the Al Fahidi district (the oldest in Dubai) with 13 unique rooms, shaded courtyards, an acclaimed art gallery and café.

From $260 a night.

in Deira

Hyatt Regency

Within walking distance to the gold and spice souks, the Dubai Museum and the Al Fahidi Historic Area, the Hyatt Regency has 421 rooms, 11 dining options (including a revolving restaurant), a pool, spa, tennis court, ice-skating and golf park.

From $192 a night.

in Downtown`

Vida Downtown Dubai

Shoppers – this hotel is dangerously close to Dubai Mall! It has contemporary rooms, four restaurants including Toko (the Dubai outpost of the famous Sydney restaurant) and a small pool with luxurious cabanas.

From $356 a night

in Dubai Marina

JA Ocean View

Located on the city’s famous seaside promenade, Jumeirah Beach Residence (or JBR), all rooms and suites have sea views, as does the swimming pool.

There’s a spa, six restaurants and the public beach is just a short walk away.

From $180 a night

in Jumeirah

Atlantis The Palm

With views of the Arabian Sea, the beach and the iconic Palm Island, Atlantis The Palm is like a world in itself.

There are 23 restaurants, bars and lounges, a spa, shopping, pools, tennis courts, a kid’s club, and the Aquaventure Waterpark, aquarium and Dolphin Bay.

From $660 a night

in the desert

Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa
Live out your Arabian nights fantasies at this striking resort just 50 minutes from the city in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

Located amongst rolling dunes are 42 opulent suites, a spa, two restaurants, with a choice of wildlife drives, desert safaris, camel trekking, archery and falconry.

From $1013 a night

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.