We spend 5 glorious days in Dubai. 5 days were nearly not enough but we were able to see quite a bit of this city at our own pace. As a child, I used to visit my grandparents that lived in Dubai every summer. I had so many fond memories of this city and I couldn’t wait to take my family to this beautiful city. We visited the city during the holy month of Ramadan, and I wanted to share all about visiting during this time of the years. Here are some tips on a memorable vacation to Dubai.
A bit about Dubai
First, let me start this blog post on tips for traveling to Dubai by telling you all about Dubai. In a span of about 50 years, Dubai was transformed from a desert backwater into one of the most awe-inspiring cities in the world. When you visit this city, it leaves you wondering how mankind can build something so exceptional on a desert. You are surrounded by flowers and greenery, and you are greeted by some of the tallest buildings in the world.
The buildings are some of the coolest I have ever soon, and the Palm Jumeirah is even visible from space. The Atlantis waterpark is the biggest waterpark in the world. When I say Dubai is an awe-inspiring city, I am not over exaggerating.
The new Dubai
The one thing I remember from my own travels to Dubai as a child was how strict they are with their laws. Let me tell you, I was prepared for when I last saw Dubai some 15+ years ago. Once we got there, we quickly realized that Dubai has eased on their laws quite a bit. You can do a lot more now than you could 15 years ago.
I had taken a lot of halves to three fourth sleeves shirts to be mindful and respectful of the culture there. Even for the girls, I made sure to take more full pants. This is not needed anymore. As long as you do not dress inappropriately, their rules have mellowed down quite a bit. A lot of the locals were in dresses while I was wearing my jeans and full sleeves.
TIP: If you are planning to visit Abu Dhabi, make sure you DO NOT wear shorts and/or a top that would show your shoulders. In front of us, security approached a group of girls and asked them to leave and dress appropriately. They were even asked to delete all the photos they have taken from their phone and the guards checked to make sure the photos were deleted.
Tips on visiting Dubai during Ramadan
During the day, a lot but not all restaurants are closed. We did not have any trouble finding a place to pick up lunch from. Although the restaurants are open, most of them are take out only and they will not be open for lunch service. We used to pick up food and either eat in the car or drive back home and eat at home. Depending on the area you are in, it is okay to eat in the car. Again, be respectful and mindful of the culture there and act accordingly.
Shopping malls are an amazing place to be during Ramadan. They have some amazing deals going on and this is where you will find most of the crowds.
A lot of tourist attractions are closed during Ramadan. We were not able to visit Ain Dubai and a few other places we had on our list. They were either closed for Ramadan or for some construction.
Tips on a memorable vacation to Dubai – THE DON’Ts
- Do not kiss and cuddle in public
- Do not swear or use drugs in public
- Do not drink alcohol in areas you are not supposed to drink in
- Do not dress inappropriately
- Do not take photos of people or things where people are visible without taking permission first
Renting a car in Dubai
We rented a car and absolutely loved the freedom. The heat in Dubai can get quite intense and although we visited in April, we were glad we had our car. When the girls were tired, we packed them up in the car and let them nap. Dubai has an amazing metro system, and you can definitely get to places quicker but be prepared to wait for the metro or cabs or buses. If you are traveling with kids, be mindful of the time they are out in the heat.
Traveling to Dubai with kids
Dubai is one of the safest countries in the world. Like traveling to any country, a bit of common sense and being cautious is all it takes. The city is extremely kid friendly, and you will find tons of activities for kids. Make sure you keep the kids out of the sun and give them lots of breaks and downtime. We noticed that our girls were usually tired not because of what they did but because of the heat.
Dubai and Maldives?
Visiting Dubai from Canada means a long flight, a VERY long flight! Because we were already going to the middle east, we wanted to pair our holiday with another country and so, we decided to spend 6 days in Maldives. There are tons of vacation packages from Dubai to Maldives with Emirates Vacations and once a while you can find a great deal. To read more on how we managed to save quite a bit for our package to the Maldives, Click here.
Final thoughts
Dubai and Maldives was the perfect family vacation for us. There is so much more about Dubai that I want to share with you. Here you can find information on what we did, where we stayed, how we broke up our trip etc!
Hope you enjoyed reading our post and found our tips on traveling to Dubai helpful. Dubai is a beautiful city and I hope you get to visit this city and witness this beauty through your own eyes.
