We visited on opening day, and these are the handy tips to know before your next trip. From navigation to queues and money matters…

Global Village Dubai is officially open for a new season, and if you can’t wait to visit, have a read through these handy tips below to help make your visit a little easier.

Global Village quick tip box

Carry some physical cash (ATM machines available at the site)

Carry sanitiser and some tissues

If you can, carry a shawl or an old bedsheet

Go with a fully charged phone and a power bank

Wear flats and breathable attire

Don’t forget your nol card if travelling by bus (can be topped up at Global Village)

The Global Village map is your best friend

Make multiple visits to make the most of it

Here are 6 helpful tips if you’re visiting Global Village Dubai

Carry some dirhams

Yes, we mean physical cash.

During our visit to Global Village, a number of vendors only accepted cash, so be sure to carry some notes with you. We can’t confirm if the vendors will soon incorporate a credit card machine to help make payment easier, but for the time being, save yourself some grief and carry some money with you – the good old-fashioned way.

If this slipped your mind, don’t worry; there are ATM machines available around Global Village Dubai.

Have a game plan for the queues

Patience is key at Global Village. Not only are you going to be navigating crowds (families with children and strollers, slow walkers and more), but at some point during your visit, you’re going to be in a queue – especially at those viral foodie stands.

Take a deep breath and wait. But here’s a tip: if you’re at Global Village with a group, split up to beat several queues and save on time. This way you can indulge in more dishes in one sitting.

Bonus: If you’re lucky, you’ll have one additional person to go and try and scout a table or a spot to dine. Tables are hard to track down; however, if you’re keen to sit down on the grass, carrying a shawl or a bedsheet to sit on will ensure you don’t get your clothes messy.

PS. Sanitiser is your best friend, so carry one with you to Global Village.

Wear comfortable shoes and breathable attire

This goes without saying, but if you want to save yourself the ache the day following your Global Village trip, wear comfortable shoes. If you just can’t live without that snap without your heels in front of Gardens of the World or the Gate of the World – carry a pair of flats. Trust us. Your feet will thank you.

This also goes for your choice of attire. Yes, the weather is getting better, but you are still guaranteed to sweat a little at Global Village. Cotton is the way to go.

PS. If you have one, carry a fan – electronic or handheld. It will come in handy to cool you down.

Transportation

If you don’t have one of those fancy VIP parking stickers, finding a spot to park your car in Global Village may be a bit of a task. If you want to spare yourself the hassle, you can always get on a bus to Global Village from a Dubai Metro station. Details can be found here.

The closest gate to the bus station is Gate of the World.

If you realise your nol card balance is running low, don’t stress. There are machines outside the Global Village gates so you can top-up your card.

PS. If you are driving, take a photo of your car parking spot to avoid the treasure hunt after you exit Global Village.

The Global Village map is your best friend

Global Village is around 17,200,000 square feet. That’s a really big space to navigate, especially if you get easily distracted by the number of food and clothing options all around you.

To help you stay on track, this is the handy Global Village map you can use when you visit: globalvillage.ae

The top landmarks which helped us personally included Carnaval Avenue, Dragon Lake, Floating Market, Fiesta Street and the Main Stage.

Don’t try to do it all in one visit

This seems like an obvious one, but it is impossible to try and do everything in Global Village all in one day. Thankfully the outdoor attraction will be open until May, giving you more than enough time to make multiple visits and work through your to-do list.