# One day in Dubai: an itinerary in the best order > One day in Dubai is enough for both the new city and the old one. Start with the observation deck of Burj Khalifa on level 124 and the fountain at its foot. After lunch — The Dubai Mall with its aquarium and waterfall. Towards evening, cross Dubai Creek on an abra for 1–2 dirhams and walk the wind-tower lanes of Al Fahidi. The two areas are 30–40 minutes apart by metro or taxi. Web page: https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/in-1-day ## Plan 1. [Burj Khalifa](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/burj-khalifa.md) — YesGo score 79/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · from AED 189 ↓ 4 min on foot 2. [The Dubai Fountain](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dubai-fountain.md) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free; Boardwalk and abra ride paid Lunch break, about 1 h ↓ 8 min on foot 3. [The Dubai Mall](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dubai-mall.md) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Free entry ↓ 38 min by transport 4. [Dubai Creek and the abra crossing](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dubai-creek.md) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Abra AED 1–2, waterfronts free ↓ 12 min on foot 5. [Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood (Old Dubai)](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/al-fahidi.md) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free to walk Total with walks: 8 h 32 min ## What to do in Dubai in one day The route covers two areas. Downtown — Burj Khalifa, the fountain and The Dubai Mall are five minutes' walk apart. Old Dubai — Dubai Creek and Al Fahidi — is 15 km north, on the Red Line with a change to the Green Line, or by taxi. Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate. ## Visiting Burj Khalifa The observation decks are entered only from the Lower Ground floor of The Dubai Mall — there is no street entrance. Levels 124–125 start at 189 AED off-peak and cost more at sunset. Entry is by timed slot, and the next few hours often sell out, so book a day or two ahead. The view is clearer in the morning: haze often builds up by midday. ## Getting around Dubai Metro has two lines: the Red Line runs through Downtown (Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station) and the Green Line through the old city (Al Ghubaiba, Sharaf DG, Al Ras). You pay with a Nol card from any station ticket office. Taxis take cards and cash. ## What to do in the evening The fountain runs every half hour from 18:00 to 23:00, so if you saw one daytime show, come back for the lights. Dinner cruises on dhows leave from the creek after dark — from about 75 AED, boarding around 19:30–20:00. ## Is one day in Dubai enough? For the highlights, yes. If you have spare time, add the [Dubai Frame](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dubai-frame), open until 21:00, or the [Gold Souk](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dubai-gold-souk) and [Spice Souk](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dubai-spice-souk), five minutes from the abra landing in Deira. Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab are in the 2-day itinerary. ## Tips - Book Burj Khalifa online for a specific slot — the ticket desk often has nothing for the next few hours. - Buy a Nol card at the first metro station: you need it for the metro and the tram. - The UAE uses the dirham (AED). Cards work almost everywhere; keep some cash for abras, souks and small museums. Dubai's metro needs a Nol card. - Metro trains have women-only and Gold Class carriages — a standard ticket is not valid there. - In summer, go straight from the street into the metro and malls: walks in the sun are harder than they look. ## Questions ### What can you do in Dubai in one day? Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain, The Dubai Mall with its aquarium, an abra across Dubai Creek and the Al Fahidi historical quarter. ### Can you see Dubai without a tour? Yes. The metro links the main areas, Downtown is walkable, and the abra across the creek costs 1–2 AED. ### How much is Burj Khalifa? Levels 124–125 from 189 AED, level 148 from 399 AED. Sunset slots cost more. ### What time is the Dubai Fountain show? Daytime at 13:00 and 13:30 (Fridays 14:00 and 14:30); evenings every 30 minutes from 18:00 to 23:00. ### How much does this day cost? Only Burj Khalifa, the abra and the metro cost money. The fountain, the mall, Al Fahidi and the aquarium window are free. ### How do I get from Downtown to old Dubai? Red Line to Union or BurJuman, then Green Line to Al Ghubaiba or Sharaf DG. A taxi takes 20–30 minutes. ### Can you go inside the Burj Al Arab? No — the hotel has been closed for restoration since April 2026. You can see it from Umm Suqeim beach for free. ### Is this itinerary good with kids? Yes: children like the aquarium, the fountain and the abra. There is also a separate Dubai with kids itinerary. ### When is the best time to visit? November to March. From May to September, walk only in the morning and evening. ### What currency is used in Dubai? The UAE uses the dirham (AED). Cards work almost everywhere; keep some cash for abras, souks and small museums. Dubai's metro needs a Nol card. --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.