Organised sightseeing tours in Dubai come in three shapes, and what decides the choice is how much freedom you need, not the price. A group coach runs four to six hours, picks up from hotel lobbies from about eight, carries up to twenty people and is guided in English; German and Russian run on set days only. A private guide with a car starts at four hours, lets the order of stops change mid-route and costs about three times as much. Hop-on hop-off buses use a 24- or 48-hour ticket on two or three lines, with commentary in ten languages.

The route barely changes between them: the Al Fahidi quarter of nineteenth-century coral stone, the one-dirham abra hop across the creek, the gold and spice markets of Deira, Jumeirah Mosque, Burj Al Arab from the outside only, Palm Jumeirah and the fountain stop below Burj Khalifa. The ride up to the observation floors is almost never bundled in — that ticket is bought separately, and sunset slots disappear weeks ahead.

For the mosque, shoulders and knees stay covered and a headscarf is handed out at the door. Coach air conditioning is set hard, so a light layer earns its place even at 40°C outside. From June to September departures shift to early morning and evening; November to March brings the best weather and the longest queues. On Fridays some offices and shops keep shortened hours, so check timings if markets are included. At booking, ask which languages the guide speaks on your date and which entry fees are covered.