I Went To Dubai For The First Time And This Is Everything I Did

Dubai's motto? Bigger really is better.

When you look at Instagram, it feels like everyone and their gran has been to Dubai. I recently went on my first trip to the city, and it was an experience to say the least.

When travelling to any country, you should check out the local customs and laws that might affect your trip. Dubai has strict rules around drinking and dress which we recommend you read up on here.

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First things first, breakfast.

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I don't usually eat breakfast, but I do enjoy aesthetically pleasing locations. There are a few Arabica coffee shops in Dubai, but I spent my first morning at the Pointe Palme Jumeriah location which has a view over to the impressive Atlantis The Palm. As well as a pretty incredible view, Arabica's ethos is all about minimalism, and while I don't subscribe to that lifestyle myself, it was a pretty relaxing way to start my day while enjoying a much-needed caffeine hit.

Explore the waterways of Dubai on a Yellow Boat tour.

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I'm not usually one to do super touristy things, but the Yellow Boat is a great way to do a quick tour of the city and get your bearings. The boat whips you around the coast of Dubai with a guide who tells you all about the architectural marvels of the city. While the journey starts off peacefully enough, they like to ramp things up a bit with a Fast and Furious pace – if you're anything like me, you'll be screaming like a baby while the boat jumps all over the waves.

I would advise doing a neck warm-up beforehand, because honestly, the buildings are so tall in Dubai that I ended up with a strain!

Their Original Tour package is 299 AED per person.

Visit the seventh most Instagrammable café in the world.

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When I came to Dubai, I knew I couldn't leave without going to the seventh most Instagrammable cafe in the world.

Tania's Teahouse is adorable – everything from the interiors to the food presentation is done with an eye for aesthetics, and thanks to the content I captured there my Instagram account will have a millennial pink glow for the near future.

Take a wander through Dubai's renowned art district.

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You might not have heard about it, but Dubai has a pretty great art district. Always one to think with my stomach, I thought the best way I could enjoy this particular part of the city would be to go somewhere where I could also eat while checking out some cool pieces. IMHO calories do not exist on holiday.

Sketch Art Cafe is a super cute cafe where you can put your creativity to the test with some art supplies, whilst also snacking.

Full disclosure: my art was not amazing but God loves a trier.

Eat and drink at Tokyo Vibes.

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You might not typically think to grab sushi in the Middle East, but all I can say is that you're missing out on some bomb food if you don't take a trip to Tokyo Vibes.

Thanks to Dubai's huge coastline, the sushi is incredibly fresh. Like, just jumped out of the sea fresh. And I’m not exaggerating when I say their cocktails are some of the best I’ve ever had. I still think of The Blenheim to this day.

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Kickstart the day with a slow start at your hotel.

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Dubai can be a pretty expensive place to go to and stay – maximise your hotel spend by using all of the amenities where you're staying. Swim in the pool, sweat in the sauna or if you're feeling really fancy get a massage.

I stayed at The Meydan Hotel which overlooks the Downtown of Dubai skyline and the Meydan racecourse, so while I was munching on my breakfast muffin I could also watch the horses and their jockeys training.

Go up the tallest building in the world – the Burj Khalifa.

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Did you really go to Dubai if you didn't go up the Burj Khalifa? It is literally the tallest building in the world and let me tell you that building is TALL. The view from the top is pretty damn impressive – you really get to see the whole city, old and new. I found it super interesting to see that a lot of Dubai is still empty land, and that there is so much more room for development and change.

Disclaimer: the lift up to the top is pretty precarious if you've been drinking the night before.

Ticket prices range from 149-618 AED depending on which floor you visit. You can find out more information here.

...and while you're in the area do some shopping.

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What did I say? Dubai lives by the motto “bigger is better” and the shopping malls have 100% taken that onboard and run with it. The aptly named Dubai Mall has just about every designer and store you could ever need. There's even has a Missguided store in there! We don’t even have one in the UK and that’s our brand.

Chill out in a luscious garden in a desert.

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Dubai Miracle Garden is what would happen if Disney and Chelsea Flower Show had a baby. It has FIFTY MILLION flowers! It's probably the best smelling place I’ve ever been to. They've also got some pretty impressive flower sculptures, including a full-sized Emirates plane and a 12-metre high teddy bear.

Tickets for adults cost 55 AED each.

And finally, spend your last night partying the night away at Soho Garden.

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Soho Garden has everything you could ever want from brunch to dinner to clubbing all night long. You could literally spend 24 hours there and have everything you could ever need or want. You want fresh sushi? They have it! A wagyu steak? Got that too. Want to party the night away in an outdoor club with ridiculous energy? They have that too! You can't go to Dubai and not have the extreme club experience.

My night started with dinner while grooving to my R&B faves and turned into raving into the wee hours with Peggy Gou and Bedoin. And if you know me I'm obsessed with Peggy Gou. Soho Garden is a multi sensory experience. Phenomenal open air staging that you will not find anywhere else - trust me I party a lot! And a carefree vibe money cannot buy.

Top tip: As a tourist or visitor, you're able to buy and drink alcohol in licensed venues, but you should keep in mind that drinking or being drunk in public is illegal in the UAE. The drinking age in Dubai is 21.

And that's a awesome weekend in Dubai!

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