Dubai: 5-day family trip

Destination Dubai for the trip of Lucky Sophie, her daughter and her husband for a 5-day trip, leaving the little ones to enjoy some peace.

Can you introduce, give us the age of the children during this family trip and the year of the trip to Dubai and its duration?

I am Sophie, mother of 3 children and editor of the Lucky Sophie blog , on which I share my happiness, hardships and tips from parents.

My husband, my 7 and a half year old daughter and I went to Dubai for 5 days at the end of 2012 . Here are some memories and tips from this unforgettable trip!

I spent a lot of time on the internet to discover the destination, especially on the definitely dubai official website . I also borrowed all the guides from the library (that is to say not a lot!) and I bought this guide which I found very well done, updated (because in Dubai everything changes quickly!) and practical to use on the spot: Dubaï Mode d’emploi published by Gallimard.

We traveled with the Emirates company and the stay was organized by a tour operator Kurban Tours , which provided us with a vehicle with a driver-guide.

Where did you sleep in Dubai? Do not hesitate to share your good addresses with us?

We slept in a brand new hotel , opened only a family trip few months earlier in Dubai Marina, which suddenly offered very attractive launch rates.

And how is the food for the children? Does it suit their taste?

In classic tourist outings, meals are generally in the form of varied buffets which always allow you to find something suitable for children (raw vegetables, pasta, grilled meats, breaded fish and even gratin dauphinois!). Shopping centers are full of very western restaurants and if you are on a tight budget, there are even fast food chains!

The best meal we had was at the restaurant of a beautiful hotel, the KGrill du Kampinski , the lunch menus are available.

We also liked the Basta Art Café in the historic Bastakiya district, and recommended in all the guides; it offers large mixed salads and freshly squeezed fruit juices at very reasonable prices in a calm and pleasant garden.

What weather did you have in Dubai?

We were hot ! From 28°C in the morning to 35°C during the day , and yet it was the cool season! At this time of year (November), the sun sets early around 5 p.m. and it cools down quickly.

In terms of clothing, it is therefore necessary to provide light outfits for the day , which cover the shoulders and up to the knee, as requested in shopping centers, to respect the traditions of a Muslim country (although very open to the West). ). It is good to always have a very light sweater in your bag to put on in air-conditioned places because the temperature differences outside / inside can be formidable!

Of course, you need a swimsuit to enjoy the beach, hotel swimming pools or water parks and pants if you are going to spend an evening in the desert.

Did you use travel accessories or special equipment for the youngest? (stroller, carrying backpack, others…)

Not considering the age of our daughter, on the other hand we saw quantities of strollers in the shopping centers.

What did you visit during this trip to Dubai?

Our program was very busy and that’s why we only left with our big daughter, we couldn’t have done the same with the 2 youngest or we would have had to stay much longer! We left in the morning around 8:30-9am depending on the day and we finished in the evening around 9-10pm. We alternated visits (Burj Khalifa, city tour, visit to the souk…) and family entertainment (Dubai aquarium, water parks, skiing…)

What is your best memory of this family trip to Dubai?

The best ? It’s really hard, there were a lot of very nice ones! Perhaps the most emblematic: the Burj Khalifa At the top visit. We all 3 really enjoyed this visit explaining in a very simple and colorful way the construction of the tallest tower in the world and we stayed a long time up there on the 12th floor to admire the spectacle of the city at our feet… 466 m more down !

To explain Arab culture to my daughter (sense of reading, writing, religion, geography, etc.), I bought a nice book: the Arab world of children, from 7 years old and co-published with the Institute of the Arab world. It is not specific to Dubai, there is just a page on the destination but it has made it possible to prepare all the discoveries on site!

How did you occupy the children during the journeys? What kind of toy did they take on this trip?

On the plane, the individual TV was enough for a cartoon (with the meal and a little nap, the 6 hour flight went by quickly).  On site, we never had time to get bored, either we looked at the photos we had taken, or we talked about the upcoming schedule!