One-Day Layover in Dubai

Today I want to share my travel itinerary for a one-day layover in Dubai with you. This is a great place for a long layover in the UAE, and there’s a lot you can do and see in Dubai in a day.

As sad as I was to leave Australia, my trip back to London was sweetened by the fact that Emirates, the sponsor of my trip, booked me a one-day layover in Dubai.

Given it’s a hub for the airline, it was only natural to stop there on my way home. And despite the short stay, I managed to accomplish a lot.

My flight from Melbourne landed in Dubai at 5:30 in the morning. It wasn’t as bad as it sounded, though.

I’d flown in the beautiful business class cabin on the A380, and my internal clock still was still on Aussie time after spending nearly a week enjoying the Adelaide Festival and Melbourne.

When I got to the passport control area, there was a representative from Emirates waiting to escort me through the line and take me to a small lounge where I could wait for my driver. It was a nice way to start my one-day layover in Dubai.

Where to Stay in Dubai

A few minutes later, I was in the car. About 30 seconds after that, I arrived at my hotel, Le Meridien Dubai.

I hadn’t realized how close it would be to the airport, but it was nice to stay somewhere convenient given I only had a one-day layover in Dubai.

I was escorted to the check-in desk at Le Meridien Dubai when I arrived, and I soon discovered Emirates had put me up in a spacious room overlooking a green lawn.

Things to Do on a One-Day Layover in Dubai

Not long later, a car from Arabian Adventures arrived to take me to the Dubai Mall.

Shopping is part of the culture in the UAE, and I knew from my last trip to Dubai that no visit would be complete without a stop at one of the emirate’s famous mega-malls.

I’m not much of a shopper, but there was still plenty to see. The Dubai Mall had everything from an ice skating rink to an aquarium with the world’s largest single acrylic panel showing off some of the biggest fish I’ve ever seen.

It also had a traditional souq area, a luxury avenue, a gorgeous fountain, and a huge pool outside.

In front of said pool and next to the Dubai Mall was the Burj Khalifa, which is also known as the tallest building in the world.

Emirates offered me a chance to go to the top, but my deathly fear of heights meant I opted to admire its towers from the safety of the ground. Nonetheless, it was impressive.

Leaving the mall, my one-day layover in Dubai continued as my driver took me back to Le Meridien for lunch. It was at Mahec, one of the many restaurants in a little courtyard on one side of the property.

I had to walk all the way around the grounds to access it, but my lunch of samosas and chicken curry was excellent. It gave me sustenance for the next leg of my trip.

This came in the form of a desert safari in Dubai. It was the one thing I didn’t get to do on my last trip, and I couldn’t wait to go.

Latif, a guide for Arabian Adventures, picked me up in my own private 4×4 and drove me out to the dunes.

It was a quick trip, and my one-day layover in Dubai continued at an open-air pavilion where I had my photo taken with a camel.

There was also an informative live falconry show there. It was great and I wished it had been longer.

Afterwards we got back in the car and went dune bashing, which is what they call driving up and over the desert sand dunes in Dubai. It was a lot of fun, and even after a big curry lunch I managed to not get motion sick.

At one point we stopped to take a sneak peek at a beautiful tent that had been set up for a private dinner in the desert, and at another point we got out to explore a tented campground in the sunset.

The final stop on my one-day layover in Dubai was a huge desert oasis set up with camel rides, a buffet dinner, shisha smoking, and a belly dancing show.

I sat with fellow travelers from Mexico, Germany, and Austria, and we enjoyed an entertaining evening under the stars.

The next morning I was up early to have breakfast and sit by the pool for a few last rays of sun before heading to the airport.

Flight from Dubai

I spent a couple hours in the spacious, sunny Emirates lounge, enjoying some food and WiFi before boarding my flight directly from a private gate within its walls.

Back on the A380, I waved good-bye to the Middle East and settled into my seat for seven hours of movies, mini bar, and meals.