5-Day Dubai and Abu Dhabi Itinerary

Dubai and Abu Dhabi sit 140km apart — close enough to combine in a single trip, far enough that splitting nights between them makes sense. This itinerary puts three nights in Dubai, then two in Abu Dhabi, covering the major sites at a pace that leaves room for heat breaks and unexpected diversions.

Budget Tiers (Per Day, Per Person)

Tier	Accommodation	Food	Activities & Transport	Daily Total
Budget	AED 250–320	AED 80–150	AED 150–300	AED 480–770
Mid-range	AED 450–650	AED 200–350	AED 300–500	AED 950–1,500
Luxury	AED 2,000–5,000	AED 500–1,000	AED 500–1,200	AED 3,000–7,200

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Dubai Accommodation (Nights 1–3)

Budget — Premier Inn Dubai Airport (approximately AED 280/night): Metro-connected, reliable, clean. No frills, but the Red Line puts you 20–25 minutes from most sites.

Mid-range — Rove Downtown (approximately AED 450/night): Best value in the central district. Five minutes on foot from Dubai Mall, well-reviewed service, and a café that does a decent breakfast included in some rates.

Luxury — Address Downtown (approximately AED 3,200/night): Directly above the Dubai Mall entrance, with views of the Burj Khalifa and fountain from upper floors. The pool terrace is one of the better hotel pools in the city.

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Abu Dhabi Accommodation (Nights 4–5)

Budget — Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate (approximately AED 220/night): Functional, near the airport corridor, 20 minutes from the Corniche by taxi. Reasonable for the price.

Mid-range — Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi (approximately AED 480/night): Central location on Hamdan Street, walking distance to the Corniche, well-maintained rooms, and a rooftop pool.

Luxury — Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental (approximately AED 3,800/night): The landmark Abu Dhabi property — a palace-scale hotel on its own beachfront. Worth a meal or a coffee even if you’re not staying; the scale of the lobby is extraordinary.

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Day 1 — Old Dubai: Creek, Souks, Al Fahidi

Arrive and head straight to the historic north — Deira and Bur Dubai. The heat is most manageable in the morning, and Old Dubai rewards an early start before tour groups fill the lanes.

Gold Souk and Spice Souk (Deira): The Gold Souk opens from around 9am. Walk the covered lanes — prices are set by the day’s gold rate per gram, with a negotiable making charge. The adjacent Spice Souk sells frankincense, saffron, and dried lemon. Allow 45–60 minutes total.

Creek crossing by Abra: Traditional wooden water taxis cross Dubai Creek from Deira to Bur Dubai for approximately AED 1 (cash). The 5-minute crossing gives good views of the historic waterfront.

Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood: The preserved merchant quarter dates to the 1890s. Dubai Museum inside Al Fahidi Fort charges approximately AED 3. The wind-tower architecture is the most direct evidence of pre-oil Dubai.

Lunch: Ravi Restaurant in Satwa (Pakistani, approximately AED 30–60 per person) is the city’s most famous budget lunch spot — queues at prime hours, extremely good dal and curries.

Evening: Walk the Al Seef waterfront promenade at dusk. The restored warehouses along the Creek are lit at night and make for good walking.

Dinner: Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi — courtyard setting, mezze and grills, approximately AED 80–150 per person.

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Day 2 — Downtown: Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Fountain

Morning (early): Burj Khalifa At the Top. Book in advance — online prices from approximately AED 149 (Level 124) to AED 500+ (Level 148). Opens 8am. Go early for the clearest air and thinnest crowds.

Midday: Dubai Mall. Allow 2 hours minimum. The Dubai Aquarium inside the mall (approximately AED 150–220) is worth it for families; the aquarium tank face is visible free from the ground floor. The indoor ice rink and the dinosaur skeleton in the atrium are both free to view.

Lunch: The Noodle House in Dubai Mall (approximately AED 80–130 per person) — fast, consistent pan-Asian dishes. Or walk 10 minutes to Comptoir 102 in DIFC for a health-focused menu at approximately AED 100–180 per person.

Late afternoon: Rest at hotel or visit the Dubai Fountain boardwalk for the 6pm show — the first evening show often draws smaller crowds than later ones.

Dinner: Zuma Dubai (DIFC) — Japanese-inspired robatayaki, approximately AED 300–500 per person including drinks. Book ahead.

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Day 3 — Desert Safari and Dubai Marina

Afternoon: Desert safari. Standard half-day safaris depart from hotels around 3pm, returning by 9–10pm. Cost:

• Budget group: approximately AED 150–200 per person
• Mid-range private: approximately AED 350–600 per person
• Luxury (Platinum Heritage vintage Land Rovers): approximately AED 900–1,400 per person

Alternatively, do a morning safari (8am–1pm) if you prefer cooler conditions and better photography light.

Evening: Dubai Marina. After the desert or instead of the late safari return, walk the Marina promenade. Pier 7 offers seven floors of restaurants in Dubai Marina Mall — approximately AED 120–250 per person depending on the restaurant floor. Barasti Beach is the most relaxed outdoor option (approximately AED 50–120 with drinks).

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Day 4 — Travel to Abu Dhabi + Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Morning: Travel to Abu Dhabi.

• Bus (E102 from Ibn Battuta Mall or Al Ghubaiba station): Approximately AED 25, journey 1.5–2 hours. Buy Nol card or pay cash.
• Taxi: Approximately AED 250–300, journey 1.5 hours depending on traffic.
• Rideshare (Uber/Careem): Similar to taxi cost, sometimes slightly cheaper.

Check into Abu Dhabi hotel and leave bags. The Abu Dhabi city centre is much smaller and more navigable than Dubai — taxis are the main transport option (no Metro).

Afternoon: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

The Grand Mosque is one of the largest in the world and one of the most architecturally impressive buildings in the Gulf. Entry is free. Opening hours for non-prayer visitors: generally 9am–10pm (closed Friday morning). Dress code strictly enforced — abayas provided free at the entrance for women. The main prayer hall carpet is the largest in the world; the chandeliers use Swarovski crystals. Allow at least 90 minutes.

Best light for photography: the late afternoon hour before sunset when the marble turns amber-gold.

Dinner: Al Mezza restaurant in the Emirates Palace complex — traditional Emirati and Lebanese dishes, approximately AED 180–320 per person. Or Byblos Sur Mer for Lebanese seafood at approximately AED 200–350 per person.

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Day 5 — Louvre Abu Dhabi, Corniche, Yas Island

Morning: Louvre Abu Dhabi.

On Saadiyat Island, 10 minutes by taxi from the city centre. Entry approximately AED 63 (adults), free for under-13s. The building — a Jean Nouvel design with a perforated dome — is as interesting as the collection. The permanent collection spans 23 galleries from prehistoric artefacts to modern art, with an explicit focus on connections across civilisations rather than western art history alone. Allow 2–3 hours.

Lunch: Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi in the Louvre complex — French café in an extraordinary setting, approximately AED 150–280 per person. Or take a taxi to the Corniche for more casual options.

Afternoon: Abu Dhabi Corniche.

The 8km waterfront promenade runs from the Marina Mall to the eastern end of the city. Rent a bike (approximately AED 30–50 per hour) or walk the shaded pathway. The beach section (Corniche Beach) charges approximately AED 10–20 entry and has clean facilities.

Optional: Yas Island.

If time allows, Yas Island (30 minutes by taxi from central Abu Dhabi) has Ferrari World (approximately AED 335 adults), Yas Waterworld (approximately AED 295), and the Yas Marina Circuit. Worth it for Formula One fans or families; skippable for a purely cultural trip.

Dinner on your last evening: The St. Regis Abu Dhabi’s Terrace on the Corniche — mezze and grills on an outdoor terrace overlooking the Gulf, approximately AED 200–350 per person. A strong final-night setting.

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Transport Summary

Route	Method	Cost	Time
Dubai Airport → Downtown	Metro Red Line	AED 8–12	45 min
Within Dubai	Metro / Taxi	AED 3–60	Varies
Dubai → Abu Dhabi	E102 Bus	AED 25	1.5–2 hrs
Dubai → Abu Dhabi	Taxi / Uber	AED 250–300	1.5 hrs
Within Abu Dhabi	Taxi	AED 15–50	Varies

Practical Notes

The UAE entry is visa-free for citizens of approximately 90 countries including the UK, EU, US, Australia, and Canada — standard 30-day entry on arrival, extendable to 60 days. Check your passport’s eligibility before travel. UAE dirham is pegged to the USD at approximately 3.67 AED to 1 USD; rates have been stable for decades.

Alcohol is served in hotel bars and licensed restaurants in both cities. Ramadan brings restricted hours for eating and drinking in public — check dates before travel if relevant.