6 Days in the UAE
Six days is where the UAE stops being two cities. Three nights in Dubai for the old town, Downtown, the Marina and the desert; a full day crossing to the Gulf of Oman at Fujairah and Khorfakkan, where the Hajar mountains come down to a green sea; then two nights in Abu Dhabi for the mosque, the palace, the Louvre and Yas Island.
6 days in UAE at a glance
| Day | Based in | What you do | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai | Old Dubai and the souks | — |
| 2 | Dubai | Downtown, the tower and the fountain | — |
| 3 | Dubai | The Marina, the Palm and the desert | — |
| 4 | Dubai | Across the country to the Gulf of Oman | — |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi | The mosque, the palace and the Corniche | — |
| 6 | Abu Dhabi | Saadiyat, Yas, or the water | — |
At six days you can afford a day that is not in either city, and the one worth taking crosses the country to the other coast. The Hajar mountains rise out of the gravel plains, the road climbs through them, and on the far side is the Gulf of Oman — green water, no skyline, and mountains that surprise people who came expecting only sand. It is the half of the Emirates almost no visitor sees.
Second visits, and first visits by anyone who wants more than the two skylines.
Old Dubai and the souks
Al Fahidi, the abra, the gold and spice souks, lunch in Deira, and the Dubai Frame in the afternoon.
Downtown, the tower and the fountain
Aquarium and mall in the morning, Burj Khalifa before sunset, fountain from the lake afterwards.
The Marina, the Palm and the desert
Morning on the water, afternoon at the beach, desert safari from mid-afternoon with dinner at the camp.
Across the country to the Gulf of Oman
A long day and the best one. The road crosses the gravel plains and climbs into the Hajar mountains, and on the far side the Sheikh Zayed Mosque at Fujairah — a smaller, quieter sister to the famous one — and the Fujairah Museum with Bronze Age finds from this coast. Then the mountain road to Khorfakkan, an amphitheatre and waterfall built into the hillside above a curved beach.
The water on this coast is calm and clear in a way the Dubai side is not, so bring something to swim in. If snorkelling appeals, the Dibba boats go out onto reefs with rays and turtles.
The mosque, the palace and the Corniche
Drive down and check in. Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan timed for the evening lighting, and dinner along the Corniche.
Saadiyat, Yas, or the water
The Louvre and a kayak around it, or a Yas Island park, or — the option most visitors never consider — the mangroves and Reem Central Park's waterways, which run through the middle of the city and are almost silent once you are paddling.
Abu Dhabi has more accessible water than Dubai and far fewer people using it, and after five days of buildings it is a good last morning.
Planning this trip
Getting around
Dubai runs about seventy kilometres along the coast and the two areas you most want — Downtown with the Burj Khalifa, and the Marina with the Palm — are half an hour apart on a good day. Plan each day around one end of the city rather than crossing repeatedly. The metro's Red Line follows Sheikh Zayed Road and connects the airport, Downtown, the Marina and Expo City; it is faster than a car at rush hour and needs a Nol card, sold at every station. Taxis are metered, plentiful and cheap by European standards, and Careem is the local ride app. For anything outside the city — the desert, Abu Dhabi, the east coast — book a vehicle with a driver rather than metering a taxi.
Abu Dhabi from Dubai
Ninety minutes each way by road. That is three hours of a day gone, which leaves about seven for the city — enough for three major sites, not five. If Abu Dhabi is genuinely the reason for the trip, stay there rather than day-tripping: the mosque at sunrise and the palace lit at night are the versions worth having, and no day trip reaches either.
Two closures that ruin plans
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque does not admit visitors on Friday mornings. Louvre Abu Dhabi is closed all day Monday. Between them these catch out an extraordinary number of visitors, because a day trip has no second chance. Qasr Al Watan adds a third, less predictable risk — it shuts at short notice for state functions, and that is not published in advance. Give us your dates and we check all three with the operator before you pay.
What to wear
In malls, souks and public areas, shoulders and knees covered is the norm and swimwear stays at the beach or pool. At the Grand Mosque the code is enforced on everyone including men: no shorts, nothing tight or sheer, and hair covered for women — an abaya is provided free at the door. Shoes come off inside prayer halls and the marble outside gets painfully hot by midday, so carry socks.
Heat, and how it shapes a trip
November to March is the season. Between June and September the temperature reaches the mid-forties with humidity off the Gulf, and anything outdoors between ten in the morning and five in the evening becomes an endurance test. The city is built for it — three of the four Yas Island parks, the aquarium, the Green Planet and every mall are fully air-conditioned — but a summer plan has to be front-loaded before nine and restarted at dusk.
Alcohol, Ramadan and the working week
Alcohol is served in licensed hotels, bars and restaurants and is not sold in ordinary supermarkets. Drinking in public is an offence. During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public during daylight is restricted, though hotels serve guests throughout the day and visitors are not expected to fast; iftar at sunset is the most sociable hour of the year and worth planning for rather than around. The working week is Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday the weekend, so attractions are busiest at weekends exactly as they are elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dubai or Abu Dhabi the better base?
Dubai, for a first visit. It has more to do, better transport and a wider choice of hotels, and Abu Dhabi is a comfortable day trip from it. Base yourself in Abu Dhabi if the museums and the Grand Mosque are the actual reason for the trip, or if you are here for the Grand Prix.
How many days do I need in the UAE?
Three days covers Dubai's essentials. Five gets you Dubai properly plus a full Abu Dhabi day. Seven adds the east coast or a second Abu Dhabi day and is about the point of comfortable saturation — beyond that most visitors are better off adding Oman than staying put.
Do I need a visa?
Many nationalities receive a visa on arrival; others must apply in advance. Rules vary considerably by passport, so check the official UAE government guidance for yours rather than a summary. Passports generally need six months of validity remaining.
Is the UAE expensive?
It can be either. Hotels and alcohol are expensive; taxis, the metro, food outside the tourist strips and most attractions are reasonable. Eating where residents eat — Deira and Karama in Dubai, the older parts of Abu Dhabi — costs a fraction of a Downtown restaurant for better food.
Is the east coast worth a whole day?
If you have six days or more, yes. It is three to four hours of driving in total, and what you get is mountains, a green sea and a coastline with no towers on it — the opposite of everything else on the trip. With five days or fewer, spend the day in Abu Dhabi instead.
Book the guided parts of this trip
Every tour above runs with a verified local operator.
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