How to spend 5 days in Dubai on the shoestring?

Travel to Dubai to get the utmost of it without spending a fortune!

Dubai is known for its luxury. Its neck-aching high-risers, lavish boutiques, and swish hotels are paragons of opulence. Nevertheless, there are still things you can do if you travel to Dubai on the shoestring. Drink for free, sail on a traditional Arabic boat over the Creek for next-to-nothing, enjoy gob-smacking views, and the multicultural city’s mouth-watering food.

1- Travel to Dubai to enjoy its lush greenery

Dubai may first come across as a city of iron and steel, but it is as diverse as you can only imagine. One of the pleasant surprises on your trip to Dubai will be that it has many green areas to enjoy sunrise and commune with nature.

One of the main tourist attractions is Zabeel Park, located right past the World Trade Center roundabout. The meticulously landscaped park features barbecue areas, a bike track, picnic tables, a boating lake, and a mini-train for kids. The entry is AED5 Note ($1.36) that every Friday from 9 am-3 pm you can shop for delicious food and unique hand-wares at Ripe Food & Craft Market, held in the park.

2- Engage in sustainable tourism on your travel to Dubai

Dubai is getting greener by the day. It has launched a bike-sharing scheme which makes it easier to move around in a truly ecological way. You can embrace ecological tourism on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Blvd (surrounding Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall) or on Dubai Marina Promenade. At AED 15($4) for half an hour, you can rent comfy and stout bikes. Cycle your way to Dubai Marina to enjoy its neon lights, or marvel at the height of Burj Halifa. Don’t miss out on outdoor food and entertainment while on your ride.

3- Bask in the sun on Kite Beach for the best travel to Dubai

Dubai is known for its pristine beaches and white sand. But many of them have been fenced off by the luxurious hotel and are thus off bounds to a backpacker. But there is a place like no other where you can enjoy the white sand: Kite Beach. It is a paradisiac beach featuring a boardwalk, some amazing cafeterias, changing cells, a sunbed and umbrella rental, water sports, and even a lifeguard. It also allows you to meet locals who love hanging out here.

4- Enjoy your travel with one of the world’s best food scenes

Dubai is one of the most multi-cultural places on Earth. As a result, diasporas from Africa, Asia, and the West have all vied for culinary supremacy. It is the abundance and low prices of food in Dubai that make Dubai so appealing to tourists. One of the best places to eat on a budget is Al Satwa, where Ravi cooks huge bowls of curry a-la-Pakistani with whopper Naan breads. This truly sumptuous meal will set you back just AED 30-40 ($8-11). Other places to get a filling meal without forking out a fortune, are Zaroob and Zaatar W Zeit where you can tuck into yummy Levantine fare.

5- Make travel save on accommodation                       

One of the best ways to save up during travel in Dubai is to put up in hostels. The city has a great many of them with some of the cheapest located in Deira, a neighborhood that pre-dated most others.

6- Travel on the metro to visit all Dubai sites in time

One of the musts to travel in Dubai on a budget is to use the metro. It costs just under AED 7.50 ($2) but can take you around the town with comfort and speed. Note that since you are in Dubai you may feel a temptation to be extravagant. But stick to your budget and don’t go to the premium-class section where you can travel like a veritable sheikh, and enjoy a free Wi-Fi, at a small premium.

7- Travel across the Creek by boat

Probably the best value tourist attractions in Dubai is taking a boat ride across the Creek. If you travel to Dubai to enjoy all it has to offer, choose this experience. You will be taken across the waterway on an Abara, a traditional Arabic boat.

8- Unveil the heart of Dubai during your travel

Other tourist attractions that can make your travel in Dubai super memorable are visiting Jumeirah Mosque, where you can enter, if modestly dressed. Daily visits (bar Fridays) occur at 10 am; at AED 20 ($5.5) a tour, you will have expert Islam scholars answer your questions.

9- Travel is not only about the present but also history: visit the Dubai Museum

One of the best ways to discover the past of Dubai is to get a history lesson in the Dubai Museum. Discover what the past of Dubai was like when it was just a pearl village frequented mostly by the Bedouins and other Emiratis.

10- Drink for free during your travel to Dubai

One of the best things about Dubai is that here you can drink for free. Every week there are free drinks for women in some of the city’s best establishments, with gents’ nights rarer but still existent. To delight in Reggae tunes and tropical cocktails for free visit Tingie Irie on a Tuesday, or go to Ramusake for a girlie Wednesday night out.