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I’ll be honest – Dubai was not at the top of my solo travel list. It felt too polished, too planned, a bit like someone had taken a city and laminated it. But a traveller friend who had been three times told me I was wrong, and she was right. Dubai solo travel is genuinely good: the city is safe, easy to navigate, and absolutely packed with things that will make you feel things you did not expect to feel.
I went for ten days with no fixed itinerary beyond a rough list of things I wanted to try. Some of those things were adventurous, some were indulgent, and one was, frankly, ridiculous in the best possible way. Here are the five experiences that made the trip.
1. Desert Safari at Sunrise – Best for Solitude and Perspective
Set your alarm for 4am. I know. Stay with me.
Sunrise in the Dubai desert is one of those things that earns its cliche. The light comes up slowly over the dunes, turning the sand from grey to amber to gold in about twenty minutes, and for a good stretch of that you will be the only person in your immediate sight line. No crowd, no noise. Just the dunes and the colour.
I booked a small-group sunrise safari that included dune bashing (a 4×4 driven over sand dunes at angles that should not be possible), a camel ride, and a traditional breakfast in a Bedouin camp. The whole thing ran from about 5am to 9am, and I was back at my hotel in time to sleep for two hours before the day properly started.
Solo-friendly note: sunrise safaris attract a good mix of solo travellers. I ended up having breakfast with a woman travelling alone from Canada and a couple from Japan. The small-group format means you are never sitting awkwardly on your own waiting for the group photo.
Tip: book through your hotel concierge or a well-reviewed operator on Viator or GetYourGuide. Look specifically for small-group sunrise tours rather than the larger evening ones – they are quieter, cooler, and frankly more beautiful.
2. Street Food Tour in Old Dubai – Best for Culture and Authentic Flavour
If you only see one part of Dubai beyond the marina and the malls, make it Deira. This is old Dubai – the part of the city that predates the towers, where the Creek runs between the souks and the air smells of frankincense and fish and something frying nearby.
I spent an afternoon wandering between the spice souk, the gold souk, and the textile market, pausing at a small shawarma stall that had a queue of twelve people despite being the size of a wardrobe. That shawarma was one of the better things I ate in Dubai, and it cost about 80p. The contrast with the AED 180 brunch I had on The Palm a few days later is something I think about.
The food tour circuit in Deira is genuinely easy to do solo. Stalls are used to solo customers, the food is mostly eat-as-you-walk, and the souk layout – dense, slightly labyrinthine, full of side streets – rewards wandering slowly. I ate my way through chili prawns, luqaimat (fried dough balls drenched in date syrup), and a cup of karak chai that I drank standing up next to a spice merchant’s stall while a cat sat on a sack of dried rose petals and judged me.
The abra crossing over Dubai Creek is free, takes five minutes, and puts you on the Bur Dubai side, which has its own covered souk and several good Indian restaurants if you want to round off the afternoon with a proper meal.
Tip: go on a weekday afternoon rather than a Friday evening when it gets very busy. Dress modestly in the souk areas – long trousers or a skirt, shoulders covered. It is genuinely not a big deal and locals appreciate the effort.
3. Driving a Rolls-Royce Along the Coast – Best for Pure Indulgence
I never thought I would write the sentence “I drove a Rolls-Royce alone around Dubai” but here we are.
This was the sponsored part of my trip, and I want to be upfront about that – Octane Rent gave me the car in exchange for this post. But I also want to be clear that I would not write it up if the experience had not genuinely been one of the highlights of my ten days. So let me tell you exactly how it went.
I spent a couple of days with a Rolls-Royce Ghost, booked through Octane.Rent. The Ghost is the saloon version – four doors, long wheelbase, seats four, looks like a cloud decided to become a car. For solo driving it is, in practical terms, far too much car. The rear cabin is enormous. But that is precisely part of the appeal.
Booking and Logistics
Octane Rent is a Dubai-based company with 10 years on the market, 10,000+ customers served, and a Google rating of 4.8 from over 1,500 reviews. They were named World Luxury Travel Awards 2025 Winner for the MENA region. Their fleet runs to 350+ cars, including the full Rolls-Royce range.
| Model | Type | Best For | From AED/day | Seats |
| Cullinan | SUV | Families, day trips, off-road | 2,500 | 5 |
| Ghost | Sedan | Solo travel, business, transfers | 2,390 | 4 |
| Dawn | Convertible | Coastal drives, events, photos | 2,490 | 4 |
| Wraith | Coupe | Sport touring, night drives | 2,450 | 4 |
* No deposit on all models. Prices include delivery and insurance.
The thing that made me choose them over other options was the no deposit policy. Most luxury car hire in Dubai comes with a security deposit of several thousand dirhams held on your card. Octane does not do that – your card is verified but nothing is held. For a solo traveller managing a trip budget, that is a meaningful difference.
Booking online took about fifteen minutes. I picked the Ghost, confirmed dates via WhatsApp, sent over my UK driving licence and passport, and got confirmation the same day. The car was delivered to my hotel in Downtown Dubai the next morning – within the hour I requested, clean, full of petrol, checked against a 60-point list before handover. Insurance was included in the price. So was the delivery. No extras added at checkout.
The Drive
I drove from Downtown along Sheikh Zayed Road to the Palm, around the Palm frond roads, back along JBR, and out to Dubai Marina for lunch. Then the following day I drove up the coast toward Sharjah before turning back. Both days I was out for four or five hours and came back feeling genuinely relaxed, which is not something I usually say about driving in cities.
The Ghost is extraordinarily quiet at speed. The suspension absorbs the road so completely that at 110 km/h on the motorway the whole car feels like it is barely moving. You notice the speed only when a normal car overtakes you and suddenly seems to be working very hard by comparison. The silence is not passive – it feels deliberate, almost sculptural.
For solo female travellers specifically: I felt completely comfortable driving alone in Dubai. The city is safe, the roads are well-signposted, and having a car that looks like a Rolls-Royce actually reduces a particular kind of hassle – nobody assumes you need assistance or that you are lost. You are simply a person in a very good car, going somewhere, doing fine.
Practical tips for renting a Rolls-Royce in Dubai:
- UK licences are accepted in the UAE for tourists. Most European licences too. Check before you travel if you are coming from elsewhere.
- Insurance is included in Octane’s rental price – confirm this in writing with any company you book through.
- Best photo stops: Palm Jumeirah fronds, JBR beach road at golden hour, vista point near Hatta if you do the mountain drive.
- Minimum rental age is typically 21. Most companies require 25 for premium vehicles – confirm when you book.
Full details and the car lineup are at octane.rent/rolls-royce-rental-dubai/ if you want to see what is available and what it costs.
4. Kayaking Through Dubai Marina – Best for Adventure and Scale
After two days in a Rolls-Royce, I went kayaking. This felt like a reasonable way to restore some sense of proportion.
Dubai Marina at water level is a completely different experience to walking along the promenade above. The towers rise sixty, seventy, eighty storeys on both sides, and from a kayak they look genuinely overwhelming – like paddling through a canyon that decided to have a light show. The water is calm, the route is well-marked, and the reflections on the water in the early morning are quite extraordinary.
I booked a guided two-hour kayaking session through a local operator. Solo-friendly, mixed group, equipment provided, no experience necessary. We went out at 8am before the heat built up – by 11am the marina gets warm and the morning light on the towers is better anyway.
This was one of my favourite few hours in Dubai. It costs a fraction of most of the other experiences on this list, it is genuinely active, and it gives you a perspective on the city that most visitors never see.
Tip: bring a waterproof phone case. The shot of the Burj Khalifa from the kayak at dawn is worth it.
5. Rooftop Drinks at Sunset – Best for the Perfect Dubai Ending
Dubai does rooftop bars extremely well. This is the city’s most reliable form of magic: find a high enough building, order a drink, and watch the light change over the Gulf for forty-five minutes until the towers start to glow.
I went to three different rooftops during the trip. The one on the Palm looked back toward the Marina skyline. The one in DIFC was more about the financial district lights. The one in Downtown had the Burj Khalifa close enough that you could watch the light show from your seat without craning your neck.
Solo at rooftop bars in Dubai is entirely normal. The dress code is generally smart casual – no trainers, nothing too casual. Reservations are worth making for the popular ones, especially Thursday and Friday evenings.
My recommendation: go to one on your first evening to orient yourself visually, then pick a second one later in the trip when you know the city better and can appreciate which direction everything is.
Tip: Thursday evening is the start of the UAE weekend, so rooftops are busier and more energetic. If you prefer it quieter, go on a Sunday or Monday evening.
FAQ: Dubai Solo Travel and Renting a Luxury Car
Is Dubai safe for solo female travellers?
Yes. Dubai is consistently ranked among the safest cities in the world for solo female travellers. Violent crime is extremely rare. The public transport system is clean and reliable, and women-only carriages are available on the metro. Walking alone at night in tourist areas like JBR and Downtown is entirely normal.
Can I rent a luxury car in Dubai without a deposit?
Yes, with Octane Rent. Unlike most Dubai luxury car companies that hold AED 10,000-20,000 on your card, Octane operates with no security deposit. Your card is verified but nothing is charged or held during the rental period. This applies to all models including Rolls-Royce.
What documents do I need to rent a car in Dubai as a tourist?
A valid driving licence from your home country and a passport. UK, EU, US, Australian, and GCC licences are all accepted directly. If your country is not on the UAE approved list, you will need an International Driving Permit arranged before travel. Emirates ID is required for residents instead of a passport.
Which Rolls-Royce is best for solo travel in Dubai?
The Ghost (from AED 2,390/day) is the most practical for solo city driving – comfortable, quiet, and easier to park than the Cullinan. The Dawn convertible (from AED 2,490/day) is the most memorable for coastal routes and photographs. If you want the most dramatic experience, the Wraith (from AED 2,450/day) with its 624 hp V12 is the driver’s choice.
What is the best time of year to visit Dubai solo?
October to April is the best window. Temperatures are 20-30 degrees Celsius and outdoor activities are pleasant. Summer months (June-September) reach 40+ degrees, which makes the desert and outdoor experiences uncomfortable. The Dubai Shopping Festival (January-February) and Art Week (March) add cultural depth to any visit.
How does Rolls-Royce delivery work in Dubai?
Octane Rent delivers to your hotel, DXB Airport, or any Dubai address within one hour of the requested time at no extra charge. The car arrives clean, full of fuel, and pre-inspected against a 60-point checklist. You provide your delivery address when booking and the team confirms the timing in advance.
Final Thoughts
Dubai surprised me at every level. The things I expected to like – the architecture, the food – were good. The things I did not expect – the quiet of the desert, the chaos and warmth of Deira, the strange serenity of a very expensive car on a very fast road – were better.
If you are planning a solo trip and any of the above appeals, go. Dubai solo travel is easier than you think, safer than its reputation suggests, and considerably more varied than a quick Google search implies. And if you end up booking a Rolls-Royce for a day – which I appreciate is not everyone’s idea of a budget decision – I promise it will not feel as absurd as it sounds.
