Dubai is a spectacular city among the seven Emirates in the UAE that is known for its glitzy, grandeur, and splendid offerings. There are so many things to uncover especially during the winter months. Dubai in December for instance has a host of things to offer from gorgeous beaches to vibrant nightclubs, hillside escapes to desert adventures. And to ensure you get all the most exciting indulgences in Dubai, we have bought you the best solo traveling tips for females in Dubai.
Solo Travelling To Dubai
Dubai is among the best global destinations for solo travelers, especially females. But don’t be surprised by the occasional stare or glare you may receive during your wonderful exploration journey. You may end up falling in love with Dubai as there are so many exciting and thrilling indulgences to encounter. You would feel safe as well, especially when you are traveling solo. Having a great Arabian influence with some inspiration from western influences, Dubai’s culture makes it easy for global solo tourists, particularly from Europe and the USA. Let’s take you on the best solo traveling tips for females in Dubai for an amazing holiday experience.
Absolute Safety
Dubai is a safe city with almost zero crime rates and much safer than other global cities. However, as a solo female traveler, we recommend you to leave the Dubai Deira region as it does get a bit eerie post-sunset. The area is beautiful to explore, but just try to avoid any form of indulgence late at night. You may receive an occasional stare that can be a bit annoying, but it is relatively safe to walk during the day, and some wonderful indulgences and attractions will help you uncover a lot about Dubai culture and traditions.
An Occasional Stare is Very Common
No matter how modest your dressing sense is, you may receive an occasional stare in the Dubai streets. They are not for harassing you but more of an anomaly. Solo traveling is a familiar concept in the western world, which is still going through the transition in the Dubai Emirate. People may take time to accept this concept over time. The occasional stare you may receive would be mostly out of curiosity about traveling solo. It may look different to the locals out there. Many men who stare will look away immediately if you return their gaze. You need to be cautious if someone still tries to maintain eye contact. It is important to maintain your composure, calmness, and courtesy at the same time while trusting your gut feeling.
Attire In Dubai
There is no specific dress at most places; specific places like religious places and museums have a defined dress code. All females must cover their heads and legs while entering the above destinations. All shorts, bikinis, and tops are fine at the beach. However, people are very particular about the rules being defined for them. So, even if you are wearing skirts and tops, make sure you have your stomach well covered. Carry your k with you as you can easily wrap it around if you are uncomfortable with the stares.
Follow The Traffic Rules
Dubai follows a strict traffic regime irrespective of whether you are a pedestrian crossing the road or driving. You may have a habit of crossing the busy road irrespective of the traffic signal in your home country. But in Dubai, it would be treated as a punishable offense. Disobeying traffic rules in Dubai is not taken lightly in any manner. Follow the traffic guidelines so that your actions may maintain your overall travel experience.
Indulge In Offbeat Experiences
Traveling solo has its benefits at times. You can easily indulge in offbeat experiences like the Desert Safari in Dubai and the Dhow Cruise. Both experiences are very popular with the tourist population. The Desert Safari Dubai and the Dhow Cruise give a magnificent view of Dubai through a different lens. Dubai Desert Safari has several indulgences clubbed to form a great package. You may also end up making some cool friends during your desert adventures.
Make Use of the Free Wi-Fi
Many attractions and landmarks within Dubai offer free Wi-Fi services for their guests and visitors. Your mobile data on your local SIM could be limited, hampering your holiday experience. Use free Wi-Fi to consume less mobile data. You can easily browse through google maps to navigate your routes, browse the internet for some reference, search for something useful, or make internet calls with only Skype. Video applications like Google Duo, Facebook messenger, facetime, WeChat, Whatsapp, and Hangout will be blocked.
Keep Emergency Numbers Handy
You should keep emergency numbers like police, ambulance, tourist helpline, your hotel, and your emergency contact number handy with you. Always be proactive rather than reactive. It will not harm your wonderful solo exploration journey.
Keep Useful Mobile Applications Handy With You
The modern age comes with technology apps that help you provide essential services to ease your holiday experience without confusion and hassles. The RTA App helps you plan your journey across various public modes like buses, taxis, marine transport, and the metro. The Dubai Metro will surely help you navigate and understand the red and yellow lines and their respective routes. The Dubai Mall App and Carem are other useful apps to help ease your holiday experience. Some exclusive experiences like the View at the Palm available on the phone help you get a local experience while exploring Dubai.
Respect The Local Culture And Religion
Whether traveling solo or within a group, this is an important tip. You must respect the local culture and religion to get the best out of your fabulous solo holiday experience. Of course, it will not harm you if you follow the regulations and guidelines at certain attractions or landmarks. People are very sentimental about their culture and religion, and you would not want to hurt them through your actions or words.
Traveling In Dubai
Renting a taxi is not very expensive here as compared to other global cities and is also a very safe option if you want to get to your place of accommodation or hotel. You can choose to use dedicated women-only compartments in the Dubai metro if you prefer them over the regular mixed compartments. The public transport within Dubai is very safe no matter what time you travel there. The hop-on-hop-off sightseeing buses run through the day that helps you browse through major landmarks and attractions in Dubai.
Stay Connected With Your Loved Ones Using a local SIM.
While you can easily use your international SIM card on international roaming, using a local SIM card is always recommended as not only will it cost you less, but you may also get a lot of benefits that the locals receive, like free limited mobile data and much more. A local SIM may not cost you more than 50-80 AED, which may form a very small portion of your overall budget. If you use your international roaming, your budget may soar, and you may lose out on other experiences while trying to save money.
