A complete guide to planning a trip to Dubai

Planning a trip to Dubai?

Dubai is a cosmopolitan that provides both old and new world charms to it’s visitors, has tons of adventure activities as well as lots of fun things to do. As a result, it is emerging as a very popular tourist destination. And while earlier tourists used to visit Dubai only during the peak winter months. But now the travel season spans across almost half the year. So, if you are also thinking to plan a trip to Dubai or have Dubai in your travel bucket list. This complete guide to Dubai trip planning will help you plan your own trip to Dubai without any hassle.

So, let’s get started on planning a trip to Dubai by understanding all the basic information that will be required for you to plan your trip to Dubai.

About Dubai

Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located in the centre of the world, a region best known as “the middle east”, Dubai has fast emerged as a tourist hub. Located very near to the Sahara Desert – the biggest hot sand desert of the world, and dotted with several beautiful beaches and arid hills, Dubai has a lot to offer for nature enthusiasts. However, as of now, it is best known for it’s fantastic manmade structures. Like the largest mall of the world, the highest tower of the world, the biggest waterpark of the world which is in making as we speak, several fun things to do for kids, numerous adventure parks, gardens and restaurants that provide world class experience.

Luxury knows no bound in Dubai. Take for example the Burj Al Arab, a luxury hotel shaped like a sail, an experience of living under water in top class hotel and what not! It has also emerged as a safe heaven for adventure sports, particularly with respect to dune bashing, parasailing, bungee jumping, snorkling etc. It is also one of the best shopping destinations in the world. Particularly if you are looking for electronics, gold, other precious metals, camel milk products, dried fruits and dates etc.

Dubai has very friendly VISA policies and it is promoting tourism big time. It is one of the safest places in the world for all types of travellers. Law and order is very strict in Dubai and everyone follows it. Crime rates are extremely low. Also, Dubai is a central hub for connecting the eastern, western and northern world through both air and sea routes. So, one can easily visit Dubai even in transit.

Do I really need to tell you why it is that many are planning a trip to Dubai as we speak?

What is the best time to visit Dubai?

Winter months of December and January are the best months to visit Dubai as the temperature is really pleasant. Shoulder seasons of October – November and March – April are increasingly becoming popular. As, the heat is still bearable during the day at this time of the year.

However, post April, the temperature starts rising. And even crosses 50 degrees C in the peak summer months of June and July. So, this month is best avoided if you are heading to Dubai and want to include outdoor activities in your itinerary. The only places you will be able to visit during this time are the indoor places like malls, palaces etc. But places like waterparks, beaches, legoland etc can’t be visited during this time of the year. So, do keep the weather in mind when planning a trip to Dubai.

 

Do I require a VISA to enter Dubai?

VISA plays an important role when planning a trip to Dubai. As depending on your nationality, you mind need one, and an appropriate one, for your trip to Dubai.

US VISA holders and US citizen don’t require a VISA to enter Dubai. Citizen of EU, GCC, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Japan also enjoy VISA free entry to Dubai for tourism purpose.

Indian citizen require a tourist VISA to Dubai. Here’s my complete guide on how to obtain tourist VISA for Dubai from India. Luckily, the VISA obtaining is fairly straightforward and the complete process is online. Given all your documents are in order. It only takes a few days to obtain this VISA and doesn’t require a pre-planned detailed trip itinerary.

What currency works in Dubai?

Another most important thing you should know before planning a trip to Dubai is about the currency.

AED is the official currency of Dubai.

At the time of this writing, 1 AED is equivalent to INR 22.50 or USD 0.30.

If you are traveling from India to Dubai, you can get the currency exchange done in advance. Most of the travel agency and currency exchange firms in India provide AED. And in Dubai, you can get currency exchange done at the malls and authorised shops. However, it might be easy to get USD exchanged in Dubai, but INR might not get exchanged.

We got our currency exchange done before leaving India through a currency exchange firm located near our place of residence.

Chances are high that you will get high value AED notes on exchange, those valued at AED 1000 and AED 500. Once in Dubai, you can get them exchanged for lower denominations when you purchase grocery, eat at restaurants etc. Basically, it is not very difficult to obtain change for bigger currency notes.

Moreover, cards are accepted almost everywhere in Dubai at malls, shops and food outlets. And even in taxis.  So, if you have enabled international transactions on your credit card, you can easily make payments with the same. In fact, what we realised is that the international transaction rate that our card levied on our transactions turned out to be less than the currency exchange rate that was offered to us on cash 🙂

How long is a flight to Dubai?

The good news is that Dubai almost lies in the centre of the globe. And as such, it is a major air – route hub. With flights operating from almost all corners of the world to Dubai. As such, there are direct flights from Dubai to the other middle east countries, Africa, India, USA, European countries, South East Asia and all others. A flight from India to Dubai takes a mere 3.5 hrs. And a flight from Dubai to East Coast of USA (like New York) takes around 14-16 hrs.

A lot of direct flights have started operation between India and Dubai. And many of these are economical as well. In fact, I found the flight cost for India to Dubai flight only marginally higher than what it was costing to fly to some of the domestic destinations in India. Like Amritsar, or Port Blair ( the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Lakshadweep or Chandigarh !!

Mobile and Internet connection in Dubai

When you arrive in Dubai, you will be given a free tourist sim card during immigration check. You can active it for usage. Or, you could obtain an e-sim from a provider like hubbingecom. Also, you could get international roaming activated on one phone. Which will help you use your OTP and make online transactions if required. We took one sim and enabled international roaming on one.

You will easily get wifi in most of the accommodations, malls, restaurants and cafes in Dubai. Dubai International Airport has it’s own free wifi for travellers. And the speed is decent. However, it will be good to explicitly check with your accommodation that they provide wifi in the rooms, not just in the common areas, which is sometimes the case.

What to pack for a trip to Dubai?

It’s very important to understand the rules and regulations in Dubai on carrying certain items to Dubai. So, when planning a trip to Dubai, do keep this in mind. When it comes to packing for Dubai, it can be slightly tricky. As, it is a hot destination but the locals appreciate conservative dressing. As such you can pack cloths based on this information –

• For general daily wear – carry modest light breezy cloths. Avoid skinny cloths, sleeveless, shorts etc in general. With that, you will get sun-protection apart from respecting the local tradition. Western outfits are welcome, as long as they are loose, sleeved and modest. Like full, half or quarter sleeve blouses, maxi dresses, long skirts, loose trousers, formal shirts, t-shirts etc. Indian and Pakistani salwar – kurta, pathan suits, and sarees are welcome.
• To visit mosques and places of worship, carry a scarf to cover your head. Also, plan to wear full sleeve dresses covering your full legs and ankles as well.
• On beaches, swimming pool areas of hotels, swimwear is allowed. But, it is best to restrict swimwear to these areas only.
• Don’t forget your hats and sunglasses. Now a days it rains also in Dubai. So, carrying an umbrella will be a good idea.

Other items to carry to Dubai

Apart from cloths, you should definitely pack ton of sunscreen lotion of your favourite brand, general medication, and toiletries. When it comes to medicines, food and toiletries, Dubai has very strict rules. And one must adhere to the same when flying into Dubai –

• There is restriction on the maximum amount of food items you can carry to Dubai, and it must be for personal consumption only.
• When carrying baby food (formula, liquid food), you must declare the same in advance and get approval.
• You must not carry any inflammable items in any quantity on the flight. This includes ghee or oil for personal consumption. You can buy them easily in Dubai.
• Don’t carry unsealed liquid or cooked food. Even if it’s homemade or from a restaurant.
• If you are carrying raw food items like groceries then they must be sealed in original packs.
• All medicines should be over the counter, and should not be in the list of restricted drugs released by the government of Dubai. Narcotics, certain control drugs and any kind of eatable containing poppy seeds are strictly banned. As such, if you are planning to carry medicines like cough syrups etc. you must check for their constituency and ensure they are ok to carry.
• Don’t carry any medication in quantity more than 6 months of consumption in any case
• Do travel with a doctors prescription if carrying medication. You can be asked at customs or at any other point to produce the same. And medicines without valid prescription can be considered illegal.

Do remember that Dubai and UAE emirates are very strict on their rules. And breaking any of the above rules can not just ruin your trip but you can even end up in custody.

What I packed for my Dubai Trip

When planning a trip to Dubai, what to pack is another important thing to consider. As for clothing, I packed a few loose and modest western trousers and tops / tshirts, along with some Indian salwar – kurta pairs.

For my kids and ourselves we carried some general over the counter medicines like paracetamol, cough medicine etc. And a lot of Oral Rehydration Solution pouches for my kids so that they could cope with the heat if it was more hot on some days. (And I did end up using the same).

Apart from this, I was particularly paranoid about feeding my younger one who mostly likes Indian home cooked meals only. So, I carried basic grocery for her. And bought milk, ghee, butter etc. there. Only to realise that I didn’t need to carry the groceries, I could have easily got them in Dubai in any supermarket.

Also, I carried a portable electric cooker with me, just in case. But the studio apartment in my apart hotel was fully equipped with a small kitchenette with all basic amenities to cook. So, I never unpacked my electric cooker actually 🙂

Apart from these I carried small travel size toiletries, sunscreen lotion, basic makeup and my electronic items and their chargers and an appropriate adpator the electric ports in Dubai. That’s it!!

 

 

Which are the best areas to stay in Dubai for tourists?

When planning a trip to Dubai its very important to research where to stay.

Depending on whether you are up for luxury and splendour or looking to stay at economical locations. Whether you plan to walk around and take public transport or prefer your own private transfers. And the activities you want to do, you can choose from a wide range of areas to stay in Dubai. While downtown has attractions at walkable distance, it is very costly. And old Dubai has some of the most economical hotels and restaurants, it might be slightly far from the famous attractions. I have captured the whole research in a separate post. Head here to read the best area to stay in Dubai for tourists , along with hotel recommendation in each area.

Is Dubai costly? What does a Dubai trip cost look like?

One of the most important factors to consider when planning a trip to Dubai is cost. As, Dubai is definitely one of the costliest places in the world if you want to splurge as a tourist. It is well known as the shopping capital of the world. If you decided to shop in Dubai, you are going to get the best brands. Similarly, there is no dearth of luxury accommodations, fine dine restaurants, luxury cruises or anything else that you could think of as a luxury for travellers. And even the activities in Dubai are not economical.

But, there are ways to save if you want to keep your budget limited. And some of the ways to do it would be –

Tips to save money on your Dubai Trip

• Book your hotels in advance, and book economical hotels in Bur or Deira area. Alternatively, book hostels, airbnbs or apartments that are cheaper.
• Opt for economical flights to Dubai. Also, booking flights in advance will help.
• Cook at least one meal a day while in Dubai. As, food is costly in Dubai. Our apart-hotel package included breakfast. And I cooked a couple of dinner meals. When I cooked at my room, the cost came to as low as AED 5 per person!! You can easily get basic grocery, fruits, egg, milk, bread etc. at affordable price and save a lot now and then.
• If you are in Dubai as an Indian Tourist and want Indian food then your best bet is to stay in Bur Dubai. There are very economical Indian restaurants in this region. When I did my research, most of the people suggested that an average meal for one person in Dubai can cost AED 50 – AED 100 (~INR 1250 – INR 2300 OR USD 13.5 – 27). And it was actually true when eating in malls, restaurants and tourist places. But, when in Bur Dubai near our hotel, we often ate in an Indian restaurant called “Aashi’s”. And it cost us only AED 15-16 per person (INR 360 or USD 4.3).
• Do your own laundry or, save the laundry for when you are back home. Because laundry service is costly in Dubai
• If tap water is not directly drinkable in the area you are staying, prefer buying water bottles from nearby supermarkets or grocery stores than ordering them from your hotel. As that will be much more cost effective. We bought 6 1.5l bottles of water for 8 AED at nearby supermarket. (INR 183 or USD 2.8)
• Book collective tickets / combo tickets to attractions which come cheaper than booking individual tickets
• Use public transport – metros and buses and walk a bit. Instead of taking taxis.
• Go for group tours instead of private transfers.
• Look for free things to do in Dubai. Although to be honest with you, there are not many. Still you can pack your own picnic basket and head to a public beach, or, window shop in the malls, visit places like Dubai Heritage Village, Old Town area, Traditional souks which are free to enter. Watch Dubai Fountain but not take a boat ride, walk along the Dubai Marina etc.

How much our Dubai Trip cost us

We did a near budget trip to Dubai. In the sense that we didn’t follow all the budget trip tricks that I shared above. For instance, we opted for private transfers instead of group tours because we were traveling with a small kid at a slow pace. And we didn’t want it to spoil the experience of fellow travelers.

However, we did opt to fly economically from India to Dubai. Stay in an apart-hotel in Bur Dubai wherein I could cook basic meals and do my own laundry. Also, we found an economical restaurant nearby where we had most of our dinners when not cooking at our studio. And then we refrained from doing much shopping in Dubai apart from some souvenirs like magnets and some camel milk chocolates. Also, some days when we had free time at hand, we opted to head to public beaches than doing a paid activity.

Overall, with all meals, activities, accommodation, transport and flight included, it cost nearly INR 350000 for our family of four for a 6 days trip to Dubai which comes to INR 15000 (AED 660 or USD 180) per person per day. Which is not the most economical and also not extravagant. Hope it gives you an idea about how much it costs to visit Dubai as a tourist.

PS: Many hotels in Dubai take a refundable security deposit at the time of check-in. Ours took 300AED which was returned when we checked-out.

 

 

Food and Cuisines of Dubai

Food is one thing you need not worry about when planning a trip to Dubai. As, Dubai is a true cosmopolitan and a popular tourist hub. Tourists from across the globe visit here. As such, you will find all kind of cuisines in Dubai. You can find plenty of popular American fast food chains like MacD, KFC, Subway and many more in the streets as well the food courts in malls. Apart from this you will see a lot of Chinese, Indian, Thai and Continental food options apart from the local food. So, food wise, there’s nothing to worry.

It’s more about the cost of the food 🙂 You can get economical restaurants in old Dubai area where you can eat a meal for as low as AED 15-16 per person (about INR 350 or USD 4.5). Or, you could splurge in a fine dine luxury restaurant which could cost you AED 300 per head (INR 7000 or USD 82). In malls and mid range restaurants, a meal would typically cost AED 75 (INR 1700 or USD 17).

There are some meals which come as a part of your tour package. The most popular ones are buffet dinner with a cruise across the Dubai Marina. And a barbeque dinner along with Safari in the desert. However, if you are a vegetarian, let me give you a heads up. Bbq dinners usually don’t have very many options for vegetarians.

Indian food options in Dubai

If you are an Indian, you will find plenty of Indian restaurants everywhere you go. We found one right opposite where we stayed. Called “Aashi’s”. It was very economical and had delicious meals from parathas to chaats. In Dubai Mall, we found one Indian restaurant at both the food courts – at lower ground floor as well as second floor. And when doing a trip to Legoland Dubai, we had our meal in their main cafeteria. Where veg biryani was available!! Even when doing a day trip to Abu Dhabi, we were able to find an Indian Restaurant in the visitor center at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Places to see and things to do in Dubai and around

There are a ton of places to see and things to do in Dubai. And for all age groups. It becomes really tricky to choose when planning a trip to Dubai. Here’s a crisp summary to give you an idea on what all you can choose from –

• Nature lovers can rejoice on the crystal clear fine white sand beaches of Dubai with turquoise blue clear waters idle for swimming. Some of the beaches also have a lot of adventure activities. We visited Jumeirah beach and Kite beach. And we were blown away by the serene surrounding and the beauty of the beach. Apart from enjoying the beaches, one can also go on a desert safari in the biggest golden sand desert of the world – the Sahara desert. You can combine the desert safari experience with a bbq dinner and enjoying dance and musical shows at the desert camp. Apart from these, there are several trekking paths along the hills surrounding Dubai or paragliding across the sea.

• Kids can enjoy a plethora of activities in Dubai. Including the Dubai Aquarium and underwater zoo at Dubai Mall along with ice skating, kid-Zania, Motiongate and Legoland theme parks at Dubai Parks and Resorts, waterparks like Atlantis and Wild Wadi, Animal Safari Park, Butterfly Garden, Miracle Garden, Dolphinarium and many others.

• Visit some of the most remarkable manmade buildings of the world in Dubai – the tallest tower at Burj Khalifa, the biggest mall of the world – Dubai Mall, a residential area developed on top of the sea in the shape of palm leaves at Jumeirah, the world’s largest frame at the Dubai Frame, the highest fountain show at Dubai Fountains, the beautiful and lively Dubai Marina, The Museum of the future and what not.

• Stay in some of the most luxurious hotels of the world if you decide to splurge a bit
• Dine or stay in under sea restaurant, surrounded by fishes
• Do a day trip to Abu Dhabi
• Consider a trip to Al-Ain, the most calm and laid back of the emirates
• Visit some of the old souks or traditional markets of Dubai selling fine quality gold and gold jewellery, spices, camel milk products, particularly the camel milk chocolate
• Also visit Dubai Heritage Village to understand the heritage and culture of this area better. The place is simply picture perfect, dotted with old world houses with traditional furniture, shops seeing traditional items, cute restaurants and beautiful streets.
• You can try cuisines from all over the world while in Dubai!!

What is the idle time to spend in Dubai as a tourist?

In my opinion, 6-10 days would be idle to spend in Dubai as a tourist. Less than that, and you will have to miss on some main attractions or activities that Dubai has to offer. And more than that, you might end up doing duplicate or repetitive activities like visiting multiple malls, water parks  or beaches etc.

We spent a total of 6 days in Dubai with kids in which we were able to accommodate one mall, Burj Khalifa, a half day city tour visiting major iconic places, a couple of best beaches, a desert safari along with dinner, a visit to Legoland, Marina and a day trip to Abu Dhabi. Couple of more things that I would have loved to include in my itinerary had I planned to stay longer would be –

1. Dubai Miracle Gardens and Butterfly park
2. Dubai Animal Safari Park 
3. One waterpark – Wild Wadi Waterpark or Atlantis waterpark.
4. More time at Legoland Dubai, along with Motiongate with perhaps an overnight stay at Dubai Parks and Resorts

A 10 days itinerary can easily cover all of the above. Also, I would highly recommend to split your time between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. What I mean is, if you are primarily visiting Dubai, then instead of doing a day trip to Abu Dhabi, maybe you can spend a couple of days in Abu Dhabi so that you are able to cover more attractions here at a more leisurely pace.

Dos and Don’t when visiting Dubai

Dubai is welcoming tourists with open arms from around the world. As such you will see most of the places filled with people of all culture and ethnicity. But there are certain things in Dubai driven as per the native culture. And visitors are expected to respect the local culture, dress accordingly, eat at times as per the expectation and overall conduct themselves in a manner which is respectful to the locals. Also rules are strictly followed in Dubai and one must be mindful of the same. Penalties are heavy and can lead upto imprisonment. For instance, someone who has self-driven in south east Asia or India might assume that traffic laws are as lenient in Dubai, but they are far from lenient. So, lets understand some dos and don’ts that all of us should remember while visiting Dubai –

• Both men and women should wear cloths modestly. Preferably sleeved upper-body cloth and loose trousers / pants / pyjamas.
• Wear swimwear only at beaches and inside premises of hotels and resorts near swimming pool.
• When visiting Mosques, use a scarf or dupatta to cover your head.
• During Ramadan month, don’t eat or drink publicly. Although you can eat at restaurants and hotels that are open during this month. Kids are allowed to eat and drink any time anywhere.
• Don’t carry drugs and narcotics in Dubai. They have very strict laws prohibiting the same and punishment can be as harsh as life imprisonment.
• Please check the section “what to pack for Dubai” to understand the dos and don’t of flying into Dubai
• Most people don’t self-drive in Dubai because in case you end up breaking a traffic rule, the penalties are very high.
• Before using tap water check if its drinkable in the area you are staying. As in some areas it is, while in others it is not.
• Carry all your medical prescriptions with you which can come handy.
• Keep your passport safe and secure, carry a physical copy and a scanned copy as well. Mostly to roam around during the day you won’t need to carry your passport with you.