Airlines Flying to Dubai
We had a memorable Dubai Trip with family a couple of years back. We travelled to Dubai with Fly Dubai, a low-cost airline owned by the Dubai government. Since it’s a budget/no-frills airlines, the carry-on baggage allowance is only 7 kgs with no check-in baggage included in the ticket price.
We had to pay separately for the 20 kg/person check-in baggage and also on-board hot meals for the three of us. If either the carry-on or check-in baggage exceeds the allowed limit, Fly Dubai charges 55 Dirhams extra per kg as per the airline rules. Hence, in reality, the fare is on par or even more than full-service airlines if one considers these add-ons.
Other Kathmandu based full-service airlines, namely Himalaya Airlines and Nepal Airlines, also fly to Dubai regularly. Nepal Airlines, particularly, had limited aircraft at the time resulting in delays and cancelled flights. With the acquisition of bigger aircraft, Airbus A330–200s, their service should improve going forward. I’d surely give them a try in the future.
The Five Best Budget Hotels in Dubai, 2020
We stayed at ROVE Hotels in downtown Dubai. It’s just 10 minutes’ walk from the Dubai Mall. If you love shopping or just even Window shopping, this is the perfect place to stay for an enjoyable Dubai Trip with family.
We enjoyed the breakfast at the hotel with plenty of choices to suit almost every taste bud. The hotel features a rooftop swimming pool and a gym. It also has a small deli, but the prices are on the higher side.
Thus, it is advisable to stock up on snacks and bottled water on your excursions to the Dubai Mall or the City Centre. There are no small grocery stores nearby due to the hotel’s location.
The hotel is nearly an hour’s drive from the airports in the city, Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.
Activities for Dubai Trip With Family
The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping complex with a huge indoor aquarium and multitude of Branded stores and food courts. One could spend the whole day wandering the place.
Of course, Burj Khalifa is a must-visit. It is the tallest building in the world at present. We went up to the 124th level whizzed on a super-fast lift that makes your ears pop. There are higher levels above this, but if you don’t want to spend extra for a somewhat similar experience, especially during the night, this is the ideal point.
There is a fountain show in the Burj Khalifa complex as well. We enjoyed the superbly choreographed show, after the Burj Khalifa tour.

Dubai Trip with Family – Itinerary

I highly recommend visiting the Dubai Gold Souk if you are interested in the glittery stuff. This traditional market offers hundreds of stores, selling primarily gold jewellery, and also silver and precious stone jewellery in intricate Arab and Indian designs.
One needs to be careful while using an International Credit Card in the shops here since the Bank service charge can be insanely high, as I found out the hard way.
Other activities for Dubai Trip with family is a Desert Safari, where one can get into a 4×4 Land Cruiser for dune drive with a highly experienced safari guide/driver. I highly recommend this activity if you are keen on a Roller Coaster experience in the middle of the desert and don’t mind jumping around on your seat the whole time.
It is, however, quite safe in my opinion since they use properly kitted 4×4 with a built-in roll-over cage and experienced drivers. The guide/driver picked us up from our hotel since the activity was inclusive in our tour package. It usually includes a camel ride (sort of) and a Belly dance performance as part of Desert Safari package.
Locations to Visit While in Dubai
Other locations one should visit while in Dubai are Dubai Palm Jumeirah Island, Atlantis, Dubai Marina & Burj Al Arab. One can get a monorail ride that goes from one end to the other of the Palm Jumeirah Island, offering a spectacular bird’s eye view.
Dubai being a desert and a hot place, these are the few outdoor activities one can expect. Dubai essentially has a ‘Mall culture’ with even an Ice Skating Ring inside Dubai mall. Thus, to enjoy Dubai properly, one should be prepared to “break the bank” quite a bit.
This YouTube video aptly summarises the “Must see places for your Dubai Trip with family”. Bon Voyage.
Author: Anup Narsingh Amatya