Dubai on a Budget!

You are thinking about backpacking for Dubai. Well, it's a great idea! Even if you're on a tight budget, there're glorious things to do in the shadows of Burj Lake fountains.

More importantly, Dubai preaches freedom and tolerance, making it the most secure place in the region.

Sheikh Mohamed's vision 2021 has led to the ease of travel and dressing code across Dubai. If you don’t want to look alien in the sandy Arab realm, here are few tips to efficiently plan your expedition.

Travel in cooler months

Sun-drenched Dubai attracts minimum foreigners in the summertime. It gets extremely hot for six months and remains pleasant for the latter half.

The best time of year to visit Dubai is the winter season. It usually spans from November to March. However, you can visit anytime other than July and August.

Stay in budget hotels

Dubai is all about luxury and glory. Staying downtown will put a strain on your pocket. Luckily, there are a lot of first-rated inns located in a Western-friendly neighbourhood.  

Budget friendly villas that exist next to the beaches are worth visiting are Hotel Al Nasr and Grand heights hotel offering apartments with convenient services. 

Stay downtown for less in Rove Downtown or XVA Art Hotel. Both offer modern chic feels.

if you are looking for more hostel vibes then DXB backpackers will be your choice.

Quick cheap eats'

Take a seat in any restaurant and leave after seeing the menu only £££. The hotels catering for travellers offer an expensive meal. Our suggestion is to avoid eating a feast with your beloved wine. Alcohol is worth a diamond in Dubai.

The best options you have are grab-and-go food courts. The stalls in the outskirts of malls deliver food at an average of 4 British Pounds. Also, they have diverse and delicious dishes.

Budget Brunch & Drinks

If boozin' and brunching is your kind of thing (my type of girl!) then you will want to try out one of these joints to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to drinking in Dubai.

Perry & Blackwelder's - A rock and roll brunch with unlimited wings, potato skins and more. Dhs199 approx £40 (soft drinks), Dhs299 approx £60 (house beverages). Fri noon-6pm (three-hour package within this time).

The Bungalow - Head to La Mer for this late starting brunch and enjoy a massive surfboard of bites and live DJ sets from Megatronic, Nnamdi, Parvané and more.
Dhs149 (food only), Dhs199 £40 (food platter with soft drinks), Dhs249 £50 (food platter with house beverages). Fri 5pm-8pm.

Free drinks on ladies night are unfortunately a thing of the past. In it's place are bottomless ladies night deals.

Check out timeoutdubai.com for what nights have the hottest deals and events!

https://www.timeoutdubai.com/ladies-night-dubai

Visit Public beaches

Think of a sunny spot, sandy mass, and surfing on the lip of waves. Yes – A beach! Dubai is home to the world's best beaches. Many of them are private properties which you'll find expatriates there. Since they are affiliated with hotels, the members are not restricted to dress in a certain way.

Men roam in shorts and women in bikinis. After all, that's what the beach is for!

However, public beaches don’t demand entry fees, making them a priority for budget backpackers. You’ll find locals there, and adhering to local sentiments becomes your moral obligation.

It doesn’t imply that you’ll be roaming in full clothes. Cultural diversity is explicit and encouraged by the Dubai government. Two-piece swimwear and tank tops are pretty usual on Dubai beaches. Still, it would be best to avoid topless bathing and best leave your cheeky bikinis to the private beaches.
Bargain Entertainment

If there’re a thousand entertainment spots in Dubai, hardly anyone of them would be free to visit. Lucky you! This Emirati attraction has more festivals and state-of-the-art sites than you can count. We’ve shortlisted few freebies to enhance your experience.

• Take a breath-taking ferry ride in Arba. You'll experience the entire Dubai creek till Deira in just 1 AED.
• Visit a spectacular horse race in Meydan. The racecourse remains closed in the off-season.
• Go to Dubai Museum in Bastakiya. In exchange for 3 AED, you'll interact with rich Arab history. From a barren desert to the most luxurious tourist attraction – it's an admirable journey.
• Watch the Dubai fountain dance to music and lights from 6pm daily every 30 mins.
• Don't forget to check out the Marina. 
• Visit Jumeirah Mosque, Hindu temples, and government buildings. It shows an influx of European architecture and Islamic geometry. Be sure to cover up in any of these religious places.

FYI Boo: The minimum drinking age is 21 and there are areas where photography is prohibited. Keep your eyes peeled.

Get Dubai ready in your very own Salty Swim HERE!