Who isn’t currently planning a little summer getaway? Well, allow us to help! We’ve rounded up the best places to escape to this summer, with all flights under Dhs2,000.
We gave ourselves a few rules, we wanted to get you there as quickly as possible, leaving from Dubai, UAE. All flights had to be under Dhs2,000 and over the Eid al-Fitr weekend, which is expected to fall on June 24 and 25 this year.
All you have to do now is book and fly!
1. Zanzibar, Tanzania
How much: From Dhs1,662 with Kenya Airways (via Nairobi)
Flight time: 10h40
Best for: Getting away from it all on a totally tropical beach.
2. Milan, Italy
How much: From Dhs1,914 with Pegasus Airways (via Istanbul)
Flight time: 11h15
Best for: Shopping, eating, drinking Aperol Spritz(es) and escaping to the near by Lake Como – an hour and a half’s drive away.
.jpg "Milan, Italy")
3. Goa, India
How much: From Dhs1,786 with Oman Air (via Muscat)
Flight time: 5h35
Best for: Spending long, lazy days on the beach and partying the night away in Northern Goa’s clubs. Head to the south for a more chilled getaway.
4. Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
How much: From Dhs1,262 with Ethiopian Airlines (via Addis Ababa), or from Dhs1,785 with Emirates (direct)
Flight time: 10h30 (Ethiopian Airlines), or 5h25 (Emirates)
Best for: Lazy days by the stunning turquoise waters and island hopping.
5. Tbilisi, Georgia
How much: From Dhs1,228 with Azerbaijan Airlines (via Baku)
Flight time: 10h35
Best for: Exploring the wandering alley ways of the Old Town, and its many bars and restaurants.
6. Beirut, Lebannon
How much: From Dhs1,827 with Kuwait Airways (via Kuwait)
Flight time: 6h25
Best for: Parting the night away, until the wee small hours. Get out of town to explore the famous vineyards.
7. Kathmandu, Nepal
How much: From Dhs1,525 with FlyDubai (direct)
Flight time: 4h35
Best for: Visiting monasteries, temples and getting into the great outdoors. You’re surrounded by history and amazing architecture, with the backdrop of Mount Everest.
8. Bangkok, Thailand
How much: From Dhs1,434 with Oman Air (via Muscat)
Flight time: 8h55
Best for: Wild nights out, sensational street food, visiting stunning palaces and temples, and using it as a gateway to some of the country’s paradise islands.
9. Manila, Philippines
How much: From Dhs1,740 with Royal Brunei (via Bandar Seri Begawan)
Flight time: 11h15
Best for: Making the most of a slightly less frantic major Asian city. Learn about the country’s rich history at the many museums.
10. Johannesburg , South Africa
How much: From 1,575 with Ethiopian Airlines (via Addis Ababa)
Flight time: 13h05
Best for: Visit hipster neighbourhoods for great food and lively bars, and learn about the country’s recent past at the many sobering museums.
11. Salalah, Oman
How much: From Dhs823 with Oman Air (via Muscat), or from Dhs1,056 with FlyDubai (direct)
Flight time: 4h40 (Ethiopian Airlines), or 2h05 (FlyDubai)
Best for: If you can believe it, thanks to the Indian Ocean’s cooler monsoon climate, Salalah can be up to 20ºC cooler than the UAE in the summer months. The hills are lush and green and the sea is wild, it’s an ideal close-by retreat from the UAE’s heat.
.jpg "Salalah, Oman")
12. Zurich, Switzerland
How much: From 1,643 with Oman Air (via Muscat)
Flight time: 9h55
Best for: Enjoy a weekend on the waterfront, whether that’s on the side of the Limmat River or Lake Zurich. Make sure to take in the sights and sounds of the Altstadt Old Town.
13. Nairobi, Kenya
How much: From Dhs932 with Ethiopian Airlines (via Addis Ababa), or from Dhs1,736 with Emirates (direct)
Flight time: 8h50 (Ethiopian Airlines), or 5h10 (Emirates)
Best for: The gateway to a safari adventure on the Masai Mara. From Nairobi airport it’s a five or six hour drive, or 50 minute flight to the stunning wilderness in southwestern Kenya.
14. Muscat, Oman
How much: From Dhs591 with Swiss (direct)
Flight time: 1h05
Best for: A stone’s throw from the UAE. Spend your days lazing on the pool or by the beach, exploring the famous Mutrah Souq, out at sea trying to spot pods of dolphins or enjoying the great outdoors at Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams.
15. Colombo, Sri Lanka
How much: From Dhs1,144 with Jet Airways (via Mumbai)
Flight time: 6h50
Best for: Be sure to stop off at Columbo’s Ministry of Crab for an unforgettable seafood meal, but also explore the rest of the country! Head in land to the lush green hills and tea districts, south of Columbo for surfer-packed beaches or to the North West’s Willpatu National Park and South East’s Yala National Park for wildlife spotting.
16. London, England
How much: From Dhs1,912 with Pegasus Airlines (via Istanbul)
Flight time: 10h20
Best for: London is at its best when the sun is shining. Hit the shops, spend lazy days in the many parks and enjoy a few drinks alfresco during the long, light evenings.
17. Baku, Azerbaijan
How much: From Dhs1,589 with FlyDubai (direct)
Flight time: 3h
Best for: Explore the medieval walled city, contrasted against the thriving commercial heart of the city.
18. Singapore
How much: From Dhs1,703 with Jet Airways (via Mumbai)
Flight time: 10h20
Best for: Head to China Town for a sensational meal, to the waterfront for a lively night out and to the island resort of Sentosa, to get away from it all.
19. Amman, Jordan
How much: From Dhs1,814 with FlyDubai (direct)
Flight time: 3h10
Best for: No visit to Amman is complete without a trip to the iconic archaeological site of Petra and a dip in the therapeutic Dead Sea.
Note: All flight prices are approximate, and based on skyscanner.ae‘s prices from June 22 until 26, leaving from Dubai (DXB)
