In 2024, I had the chance to visit Dubai for the very first time. It was technically a work trip, but since I had never been to the UAE or anywhere in the Middle East apart from Egypt, I was excited to see what all the hype was about. Dubai is one of those cities you hear so much about, whether it is the glittering skyscrapers, the over-the-top malls, or the legendary brunches. I went in curious and left with plenty of impressions.
Arrival in Downtown Dubai
I flew from London on a Thursday, spending most of the day in transit before landing late at night. The heat hit me as soon as I stepped outside, thick and heavy, more like walking into a sauna than a city. My hotel was in downtown Dubai, just a ten-minute walk from the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.
When I got to my room, I opened the curtains to see a skyline of glass towers lit up against the night sky. It was a striking first impression, futuristic and almost unreal. For a moment, it felt exactly like the Dubai I had imagined from photos and stories.
A Conference on a Cruise Ship
Friday was all about work. The conference I was attending took place on the Queen Elizabeth 2, which is permanently docked in Dubai as a floating hotel. It is a huge ship with 13 decks, once a legend of ocean travel, now repurposed as a venue. Spending the day on board felt a little surreal. We had sessions in meeting rooms overlooking the sea and wandered through hallways that still carried echoes of its past life.
After a long day of talks and workshops, the evening was reserved for a party on the ship. The setting was unusual and memorable, and by the time I got back to my hotel, it was nearly 3 in the morning.
Brunch and the Beach
Unsurprisingly, Saturday started slowly. I managed to pull myself together in time to join colleagues for brunch at Tasca. In Dubai, brunch is not just a casual late breakfast; it is a full-blown experience. At Tasca, the brunch is a 13-course tasting menu that takes you through Portuguese flavours in style.
We started with a round of petiscos, including cherry gazpacho, wagyu tartare served in a crisp cone, tempura codcake, beetroot salad, octopus salad, garlic prawns, chouriço assado, and of course, garlic bread. Each plate was small but packed with flavour. The mains were roasted seabass and wagyu picanha, both rich and satisfying. And for dessert, there was leite creme, olive oil pudding, and the inevitable pastel de nata, served with a side of ginjinha. It was an indulgent feast that felt perfectly suited to Dubai’s love for doing everything big.
Afterwards, I joined a colleague and their family for a calmer afternoon. We spent time by the pool, walked along the beachfront, and ended the day with an easy pizza dinner. After the excess of brunch, the simplicity of that evening felt like the right balance.
A Free Day in the Heat
Sunday was my only proper free day. Dubai in August is brutally hot, and stepping outside even for a few minutes felt like a challenge. Still, I wanted to make the most of it.
I started my day with breakfast at Apricot, a modern café located near my hotel. I ordered overnight oats, but could not resist also getting the bread basket with jams. Bread is always my weakness, and this was no exception. Sitting there in the quiet of the morning, watching the city slowly come to life, gave me one of the few unhurried moments of the trip.
Later in the morning, I went to the Dubai Mall. You cannot really visit the city without seeing it, and I quickly understood why. It is not just a shopping mall, it is an entire world under one roof. Outside, there is a lake with spectacular views of the Burj Khalifa. Even though I am not much of a mall person, I had to admit it was impressive.
By mid-afternoon, the heat was unbearable, so I went back to the hotel pool to read and relax. That seems to be a big part of life in Dubai, finding ways to live around the climate through malls, pools, and air-conditioned cafés.
In the evening, I headed back to the mall area for dinner at Asma, a restaurant owned by three Emirati sisters. Their menu reimagines traditional dishes with a modern twist. The challenge of eating there alone was that everything is designed as small plates to share, so of course, I ended up over-ordering. I had dips like hummus and labneh with zaatar, warm tandoor lafa bread, honey halloumi, a refreshing watermelon salad, and falafel. It was far too much food, but every bite was delicious.
After dinner, I watched the Burj Khalifa light show, which lit up the night in dazzling patterns and colours. I also took a walk through the Time Out Market just to see the atmosphere, and ended the evening with a fruit-topped ice cream sundae.
Living vs Visiting
By Monday, it was back to work, and the rest of the week blurred into meetings and laptop time. Still, those few days left me with a lot to think about.
On the positive side, Dubai is impressive in its ambition. The skyline is like nowhere else I have been, and the food scene is genuinely exciting. The pools and beaches give the city a permanent holiday feel, even if you are there for business.
On the other hand, I found the city difficult to connect with. Walking is not really possible, both because of the heat and the way the city is designed, and I missed the spontaneity of exploring on foot the way I would in London or elsewhere in Europe. I also struggled to find much sense of local culture. The city feels built for expats, and while that makes it comfortable, it also makes it feel like a bubble.
I realise my perspective is limited, and that my short visit only scratched the surface. For many people, Dubai is a vibrant, safe, multicultural hub full of opportunity. At the same time, it is impossible to ignore the system it operates within. According to Freedom House, the UAE scores 18 out of 100 on the Global Freedom Index and 30 out of 100 on Internet Freedom, both rated “Not Free.” Civil liberties are tightly controlled, and politics is dominated by hereditary rulers. That knowledge coloured my experience, even if subtly.
It is also important to place the UAE in a regional context. Compared with its neighbours, the UAE is one of the more progressive countries in the Middle East. It has a highly diversified, non-oil-dependent economy, rapid advances in technology, and a relatively liberal, multicultural society that attracts foreign talent and tourism. Many of the qualities that make Dubai feel like a bubble for a visitor are the same qualities that make it appealing for the millions who live and work here.
At the same time, I have to remind myself that low Freedom House scores do not automatically make a country unenjoyable or oppressive to visit. For example, Vietnam ranks low as well — 20 out of 100 for Global Freedom and 22 out of 100 for Internet Freedom — yet I have loved my time there. Scores provide context, but personal experience and cultural richness matter just as much.
There is also a deeper, more unsettling side to Dubai. The city runs on the labour of immigrants from South and Southeast Asia, yet their presence is almost invisible. Even small moments, like someone rushing to open my car door, left me feeling uncomfortable, as though I was part of an elite hierarchy I did not choose. I know many would argue this is not the whole picture, and I respect that. Still, it was part of what I noticed as a first-time visitor.
Final Reflections
Dubai is sleek, ambitious, and full of energy. It is also puzzling, and at times disorienting. I can see why people love living there. The lifestyle is cushioned, convenient, and often glamorous. But as a visitor, I left feeling like I had only skimmed the surface, without really touching the heart of the place.
I know my reflections are subjective, based on just a few days. Others will have different experiences, and perhaps if I return, I will see the city through a different lens. For now, it struck me as a place more designed for living than for visiting. And maybe that is what makes it unique.
Have you been to Dubai? What were your first impressions?
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