Following up on my post "Dubai on a budget," here are a few photos to give you an idea of the atmosphere...

Mamzar Park

Kite Beach – Solemio section

Waterfront Market, fish side

Fruit and vegetable side







Bur Dubai... a peaceful stroll along the creek

Iranian mosque right in the city

Indian thali

Afghan bakery

It’s tough to pick what seems the most iconic, so I went with what reflects the tranquility... for a relaxing holiday, you know?!! Yes, Dubai isn’t just a crowded place with an influencer on every corner!!! Laurence

After the wide-open spaces of the American West, we're off to a new destination: Dubai. Not just for a layover, but for a real family vacation!! The question that kept coming up was "why Dubai?" (after why Colorado this summer, people are going to think we're really weird 😅). So, why Dubai? First, because skiing isn’t really our thing anymore—so in winter, we want sunshine 😎. But not just any sunshine—warm enough to swim, which narrows things down a bit 😅. The second constraint this year: Franck can’t take more than a week off (and it’s unpaid), so we’re ruling out destinations with 12-hour flights and jet lag that knocks you out when you get back 😅. The options are getting tighter… So, against all odds, it’s me who ends up suggesting Dubai (my husband’s been nagging me for years about Atlantis and its mega water park—ah, the kids! 😉).

Actually, Dubai only has 2 days of rain a year (you’d have to be *really* unlucky!!), temperatures around 30°C in winter, the sea (oh yeah, I forgot—the sea was something we missed this summer, so it was on our list 😅), a 6/7-hour flight, just 3 hours of jet lag, reasonable family prices, and tons of activities for all tastes. Starting my research with a pretty negative bias, I’m now looking forward to this trip with excitement and impatience… and without spoiling the ending, I won’t be disappointed—our whole family will come back enthusiastic and ready to go back!!

So, I’m taking you along for a week in Dubai at the beginning of March.

Hi there, we're considering driving from Toulouse to Dubai starting mid-December 2025 and heading back to France in early January 2026 (work constraints). We're planning to take the route through Iraq, which is currently the safest option. If anyone might be interested in joining us for the trip, feel free to get in touch!

Hi, I’m planning to pick up a camper van in Dubai and drive it back to France... is this even possible? What’s the best route? What are the main challenges? Are there secure parking areas along the way? Is diesel fuel available for the whole trip? ... So many questions... Thanks for your help! See you soon!

Thoughts for the cruisers currently in the UAE...

Apparently MSC has kept its ship docked in Dubai for now...

Hi there,

I’m trying to plan a trip to Dubai with my mom. I’ve seen that some of our medications require prior authorization (sleeping pills, codeine, anti-anxiety meds, etc.).

I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been in our situation. A friend of mine applied to bring her tramadol, but it was denied—though she needed high doses!

Has anyone here gone through this process? Do we *really* need a prescription in English?

Thanks

Hi there, We’re traveling from 12/23/2025 to 1/9/2025 in Oman. However, our flight lands in Dubai. So I’m looking for a car rental company that allows crossing the border into the Sultanate of Oman. Thanks for your recommendations!

I think I saw there’s also the option of vehicles with rooftop tents…

Hi, We’re heading to Asia this summer, and to avoid arriving in the middle of the night, we’ve decided to stop over in Dubai for a day and a half on the way there and back. Any ideas for activities during this super-hot period? Bonus points if they’re reasonably priced 🙂 Which neighborhood is best to stay in? Thanks in advance, and have a great day! Bruno

Hello, I’m traveling this May to France and have a layover in Dubai with a 4h45 connection. Could you let me know if I need to collect my luggage when I arrive at Terminal 3 to depart from the same terminal? My travel agency is telling me to pick it up, go through customs, and then check in again for my departure with my luggage. That seems odd to me. Could you confirm whether this is correct or not? Best regards.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your trip to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates without falling into tourist traps.

Just to clarify, my blog is strictly personal and not monetized in any way.

https://travels-of-a-life.com/visiter-dubai-emirats-arabes-unis/

Hi everyone, Next January, I’m heading to India. My outbound flight is with Emirates from Paris to Dubai, then another Emirates flight from Dubai to Calcutta. Could anyone tell me how the connection works? I’ve heard there’s a dedicated Emirates zone, but how does it actually work in practice—I’ve got a 2-hour layover. Thanks so much! Take care.

Hello,

We’re planning a cruise to the UAE/QATAR/OMAN starting from DUBAI, with flights departing from Paris CDG. Which airlines would you recommend for round-trip flights, with or without a layover? We need assistance for check-in and boarding/disembarking (my husband is a mobility-impaired traveler who uses a cane and/or a walker). We’ve done a cruise return from Dubai to Paris CDG before in 2016, with a layover in Istanbul, but we booked the transfer and return flight with COSTA. For our current plan, it would be with Celestyal, which doesn’t offer round-trip flights from Paris to Dubai. Should we book very far in advance, or is a few months before departure enough (4/6 months)? We’re thinking of arriving the day before the ship departs, so we’d need to stay overnight in Dubai—either on the way there or for the return flight, depending on the flight schedules. Could you recommend a hotel not too far from the airport, and how to get to the port from the airport?

Thanks so much for your advice. Have a great Sunday! Mum49

Hi everyone, so great to be back on this forum! 😊 I’d love to know if swimming is pleasant in Dubai in March—I really need some warmth and hot water! 🔥 Thanks for your replies

I booked a flight to Dubai on Expedia with my married name instead of my maiden name, with Emirates. I sent a form to Expedia to correct it, I called them several times, and they keep passing me around without fixing my name. On my passport, it shows my maiden name (ép. ...). Do you think it’ll be okay?

Hi there, We’re planning an MSC cruise departing from Dubai. On MSC’s website, it says we need to take out health insurance for Doha. The issue is that some insurers are asking if we’ve got a visa, but French citizens don’t need one. Has anyone had a layover in Doha? What’s the deal with this health insurance? Thanks so much!

Hi,

I swapped my first and last name when I made my reservation. I’d like to know if this could cause any issues for boarding or not? I have a layover in Istanbul on my way to Dubai.

Could you please point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance

I'm planning to drive to the UAE by road, going through Iraq. Has anyone done this and can give me some info? Specifically about the border crossings Turkey/Iraq and Iraq/Kuwait.