8 Popular Tips For Indians Visiting Dubai For The First Time

6 min readFeb 14, 2020

1. You Can Dress However You Want

When I left for Dubai I kept asking myself what to pack. I’d heard stories about how the Emiratis dress up, how the country is super-rich, and how the nines are always dressed. I heaved a sigh of relief as I hit Dubai! The city is like a regional melting pot full of Indians, Pakistanis, Africans, Europeans, Asians and of course the local Emiratis. Everybody dresses up in what is most convenient.

So you’ll see Indians in salwar kameez, Europeans in jeans, tank tops and no makeup, Asians in shorts, Emiratis in their typical outfit, the Lebanese in trendy clothes and make-up dressed to the hilt. In Dubai there is no proper way to dress up. And definitely, there is no wrong way to dress up.

2. Way More Indians & Pakistanis Than You Expect

The cab driver who picked us up from the airport told us that more than 60% of Dubai’s population were Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. It’s almost like entering India’s city, except for its cleaner way, people don’t spit on the roads, and they are actually obeying traffic laws. So when you visit Dubai, you’re definitely going to be talking a lot of Hindi.

Nearly all hotel managers are Indian while nearly all taxi drivers are Pakistani. Stand up comedian, Russell Peters once said that you are bound to find Indians everywhere because India is the world’s second-most populous country. Dubai couldn’t be truer.

3. There Is NO Free Drinking Water, So Carry Your Water

Never take free potable water for granted! In Dubai there is no free drinking water, not even in the homes! The tap water from Dubai is unsafe for people to drink and you have to buy water. The perfect trick is buying drinking water from and taking it with you from a local supermarket. Most of the restaurants will let you drink from your own bottle, saving you money. You can also order drinking water at restaurants (which comes in BTW bottles) but you’ll be at the mercy of the restaurant quality.

4. Dubai Food Is Amazing — There’s Plenty Of Veg & Non-Veg Options

Travelling abroad and making your food worried? If you’re non-experimental and like a shuddh desi meal then Dubai offers plenty of choices. There’s something for everyone, from veg biryani to doses to dal, butter chicken and even thalis. Kid-you's going to love Dubai for the non-vegetarians! In Dubai meat standard is SUPERIOR.

You have to try Madhbee and Madfoon, or eat kababs in an Afghani location. My personal favorites were Al Hallab for a fine Turkish dine, Afghan Korsan for Afghani Kebabs & Afghani pulao and Mutton Madhbee Zam Zam. Another fun fact about meals in Dubai is that they all serve free soup, vegetable salad and sometimes even hummus.

Suggested Blog: Why you should Plan Dubai trip with family?

5. Get Ready To Walk In Dubai

No, I don’t walk around and save money. You just end up doing a lot of walking while visiting locations in Dubai. I went to Burj Khalifa on 1st day.

The entrance is through the Mall of Dubai. I’d already walked 4Kms from the mall entrance to the final spot at the viewing gallery, at the top of the Burj! Just 4 kms to get to the location.

I went to the aquarium after that, and had a lunch at Dubai Mall’s Food Court. I’d walked a grand total of 11kms by the end of the day–all this within a store! So my point is to wear screw style and comfortable shoes, because you have to walk a bit!

6. Ubers Are Expensive In Dubai. It’s Better To Self Drive

If you have a valid driving license overseas then driving yourself is preferable. Most websites have great deals with cars and if you’re looking to explore a lot of Dubai then you’re definitely opting for a self drive. There is free parking in many shopping malls & parking lots. The only downside to this is that you have to be a good driver, because Dubai’s driving law is very strict. It’s also a left-hand drive so it may take some time to get used to it. The penalty can range from 500 Dirhams to more than 1000 Dirhams if you get caught. PS: It also sets a minimum speed limit of 100 km.

There’s plenty of Ubers available but they can get really expensive. Our total 3-day Uber bill came to over 11,000 rs. You can’t borrow the car from a friend and drive around in Dubai too. If you need to drive yourself, you can just do it from a rental service.

7. Dubai Is Full Of Man-Made Wonders. Choose Your Attractions Wisely

Dubai is really the biggest, highest, tallest & totally craziest city and it’s all built on a desert to think of! Wow…… wow. There’s a fairly crazy number of sights around Dubai to see and some are worth the hype. Some might get missed. You have to do the Burj Khalifa, the Safari desert and the Atlantis. Can you miss The Frame? The Dubai Miracle Garden is also fairly cool. If you are travelling when the Global Village is on, I would strongly recommend that you visit it.

8. Affordable Shopping Places In Dubai For Indians

Guys, you know how everybody in Dubai talks about shopping! It’s not quite as cheap as they make it up to be. The Emirates Mall and the Dubai Mall are both fairly expensive. If you’re Indian, go to Burjuman Mall looking for some great finds. It’s much more affordable and full of great marks. Check out Carrefour if you are buying chips and dates and other fun stuff. It’s a department store and has sales going almost always.

I hope you got very valuable information through this blog so please comment and share this blog with your friends and family who planned for Dubai. you can book your Dubai tour with wizfair Vacation. I have a lovely experience with this brand.