The Dubai private-travel journal

14 June 20268 min read

Abu Dhabi Day Trip from Dubai: How to See the Capital in One Private Day

The capital sits about ninety minutes from Dubai. With a private guide and a quiet route, one day is enough to feel it properly rather than tick boxes.

13 June 20269 min read

The Emirates Beyond Dubai: Which One to Visit, and Who Each Suits

Five quieter emirates sit within easy reach of Dubai, each with its own character. Here is how to choose between culture, heritage, nature and mountains.

13 June 20267 min read

Al Ain Day Trip: The UAE's Green Garden City and UNESCO Oasis

Inland and unhurried, Al Ain offers shaded oases, a famous mountain road and old forts. It is the UAE at its calmest, and a fine private day from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

13 June 20266 min read

Qasr Al Watan: A Visitor's Guide to Abu Dhabi's Presidential Palace

Qasr Al Watan is a working seat of government that opens part of itself to visitors. Here is what it is like inside, and how it fits a private Abu Dhabi day.

13 June 20267 min read

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: A Visitor's Guide

What to know before visiting Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, from the dress code and etiquette to how it fits into a private day from Dubai.

13 June 20266 min read

Dubai at Night: What to Do After Dark

When the heat drops and the lights come up, Dubai becomes a different city. A guide to the best things to do in Dubai at night.

12 June 20267 min read

Sharjah: A Guide to the UAE's Cultural Capital, From Souqs to the Mleiha Desert

Sharjah trades spectacle for substance: restored heritage quarters, serious museums, old souqs and, inland, the dunes and fossils of Mleiha. A rewarding private day.

Comparison

12 June 20267 min read

Dubai or Abu Dhabi: Which Should You Choose?

An honest look at the two emirates' very different characters, and how a private day trip lets you have one, the other, or both.

12 June 20269 min read

What to See in Dubai in One Day

A realistic one-day Dubai itinerary that pairs the gleaming new city with the quiet lanes and waterways of the old, shaped around your own pace.

11 June 20267 min read

Hatta Day Trip from Dubai: Turquoise Dam, Mountains and Cooler Air

An hour and a half from the city, Hatta is Dubai's mountain escape: a turquoise dam, kayaks, heritage and cooler air. A relaxed, scenic private day from Dubai.

11 June 20267 min read

Ras Al Khaimah: Jebel Jais, Mountains and a Private RAK Day Trip

Ras Al Khaimah is the UAE's nature emirate, crowned by Jebel Jais. Here is how to spend a private day among mountains, forts, hot springs and pearling heritage.

11 June 20268 min read

Private Tours in Dubai with a Russian-Speaking Guide

Why a private tour in Dubai, led by a guide who speaks your language, turns a busy city into a day shaped entirely around you.