Little City Trips

What to pack for Dubai

Here we help you prepare what to pack for Dubai based on our insider knowledge of the city.

Although a cosmopolitan city with plenty of indoor and air conditioned spaces, there are plenty of outdoor activities too that can be enjoyed in all but the hottest parts of summer.

Whatever time of year you visit, your clothing choices are likely to include somewhat more conservative choices than you may normally pack for a hot, beachy holiday.  Light cotton is your best bet year-round.  If you are unsure of the dress code in the UAE, pop over to our Insider Guide for Dubai & Abu Dhabi that takes you through the do’s and don’ts in detail.

Family packing list Dubai

Year-round, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses are packing essentials for all the family – it is almost always blue skies and sunshine!

Some of our favourite travel essentials for your Dubai packing list are highlighted below. We have included links to Amazon to make your pre-travel shopping super easy and have all your travel essentials delivered to your door.

Summer Packing List items | Little City Trips Packing Lists

You can download a full printable packing list at the bottom of the page, with checkboxes to tick items off as you put them in your suitcase.

Travel accessories for Dubai

Baby Carrier

If you are visiting Dubai with a baby or small toddler you will likely find a baby carrier more useful.  You will spend much of your time moving from one air-conditioned building to the next with taxis – or from your Dubai hotel to your sun lounger!  With the hot weather, we suggest something lightweight and with breathable fabric.

Plan on visiting the beach or one of the waterparks? We recommend a waterproof wrap.

Stroller

If you are visiting during the cooler winter months, you will likely spend a lot of your time visiting Dubai’s numerous outdoor spaces (you can see our guide to city favourite activities here).  A compact stroller that you can easily fold into taxies or travel around the airport with is your best option.  We always look for a storller that has good storage space and folds easily, as well as being able to recline for naps.

Portable booster seat

You will no doubt at some point need a taxi to get around in Dubai. They are readily available at hotels, malls and popular attractions, relatively cheap and importantly air conditioned! (You can see more on how best to get around Dubai here).   A portable booster seat is a great investment to keep your little ones safe and is high on our list of things to bring to Dubai if you are travelling with younger kids.


Daypack

Having a daypack is always a good idea for city trips with kids, so that you can carry all the wet wipes, snacks, tissues, sun cream etc and still keep your hands free to keep hold of the kids. Look for a lightweight backpack that can be easily packed in your suitcase when not needed.

Collapsible water bottle

Do your bit to save the environment and bring your own refillable water bottles with you instead of relying on buying plastic bottles of water every day. We love a collapsible water bottle that can easily be packed in the suitcase when not needed.

Travel gadgets

Multiple charger

When you are traveling as a family, it is inevitable that you will end up with multiple accessories needing charged: phones, tablets, cameras, kindles etc. Don’t ruin the holiday by fighting over the charger; opt for a multiple charging station instead.

Travel adaptor

The standard electrical voltage in Dubai is 220V and most electrical sockets take the standard UK style 3-prong plugs. If you are traveling from a country with different style plugs, make sure you bring a travel adapter.


Portable Charger Power Bank

Have you ever been caught out sightseeing with a low-battery phone and not been able to take photos? Or found your child’s iPad has run out of battery halfway through a long haul flight? Don’t let it happen again! Go prepared with a portable charger power bank, a great tool to have in your travel arsenal.

Waterproof/shockproof camera

Of course, you have to record all your happy holiday memories, and having an easy-to-use waterproof and shockproof camera means everybody in the family can share in the photo taking, without having to worry about the camera getting damaged.

Toiletries

Bug Spray

If you are enjoying a mild evening outside, chances are you will be joined by mosquitos too, especially if you are near water they can be prevelant. prevalentome bug spray and even mosquito patches for the kids is a wise idea.

Hand Sanitizer

It’s always good to have some hand sanitizer in your bag when you are travelling, for times when you can’t wash your hands before having a snack, or have been traveling on public transport.


Sun Cream

You should always include suncream on your Dubai packing list. Even in the winter you can experience sunny days when the sun can be stronger than you realize.

Tangle Teezer

Between getting out on the water, trekking in the desert or simply dealing with late summer humidity, long hair can, unfortunately, suffer in Dubai. Pack and Tangle Teazer to make everybody’s life a little more pleasant.

Books and Games

Dubai Travel Guide Book

No matter how much research you do online before you travel, it can still be handy to have a travel guidebook in your bag. A combined guidebook with Abu Dhabi is handy if you will also be visiting the sister city.

  • We recommend: Lonely Planet  and .

Kids books for Dubai

With many amazing buildings and record-breaking structures and attractions, kids will love playing along while you travel with this colourful and entertaining book.

  • We recommend:


It’s always handy to have a few activity books in your bag for your kids, for airports, flights, or when they just need some downtime after a hard day of sightseeing.

Travel Games

The family that plays together stays together! Pack a few fun travel games for fun family evenings, rainy days or airport layovers.

Clothes for Dubai in summer

Remember summers are incredibly hot but your dress needs to remain conservative.  Focus on packing lightweight, natural materials and light clothing, such as t-shirts, cotton trousers and sundresses. Although there are plenty of beaches and resorts, do remember during the day and around the city the dress standard is different.  You should always think about covering knees and shoulders at a minimum, avoiding outfits that are too clingy.

We recommend including the following for your Dubai outfit:

  • Cotton t-shirts (not tank tops or strappy vests)
  • Cotton overshirt
  • Cotton trousers
  • Long sundresses
  • Scarf or a shawl/pashmina
  • Flip-flops or sandals
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Nicer clothes/shoes for more upmarket restaurants
  • Sunhat
  • Sunglasses
  • Swimming costume


Clothes for Dubai in winter

Dressing for  Dubai in the winter is fairly similar to summer.  Although mild day times are expected around 20-25 degrees celsius, rarely does it get cold enough to need your woollies! It can be cool in the evenings though and air conditioning is known to be fierce. The desert can be cold overnight but generally not extreme. One extra layer over your normal clothing should suffice.

We recommend including the following for your Dubai winter outfit:

  • Jeans
  • Sweater or hoodie
  • Lightweight scarf
  • Lightweight jacket
  • Sunglasses
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Nicer clothes/shoes for more upmarket restaurants


Travel accessories for the plane

Multiple Passport Holder

A multiple passport holder is invaluable for keeping all the family’s passports together in one place. Look for one that makes it easy to remove the passports, and that has space to store luggage tags, frequent flier cards etc.

Travel Pillow (neck support)

We all know how uncomfortable it is trying to sleep on the plane. While we can’t promise you a good sleep, we can recommend using a travel neck pillow to help ease your aches and pains once you get to your destination.


Travel Pillow (leg support)

Travel leg rest pillows have been a bit of a game changer for long-haul flights with small kids. These inflatable pillows allow you to fill the leg gap between the seats, allowing small children to stretch out or even lie down flat. Note that some airlines have banned the use of these travel leg rest pillows. Check with your airline before you go to the airport.

Headphones

We highly recommend headphones for everyone in the family. Noise cancelling headphones for mums and dads are great for cutting out the ambient sound of the plane, while kid-sized headphones with volume limits will ensure kids can watch their iPads without disturbing others, and without damaging their eardrums.

Packing Accessories

Suitcase

If you’re looking for a new suitcase for your Dubai trip, we love the foldable luggage from Biaggi – these can be folded down into a small pouch for easy storage and saves you from having to step over your suitcases in your hotel room. We love the easy-glide spinner wheels on them too.

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are so useful when you are traveling with kids. There is nothing worse than spending every morning rummaging through your suitcase looking for a matching outfit. Packing cubes allow you to segregate clothes into their own cubes, making it easy to find what you need. Look for cubes with a peekaboo window so you can easily see what is inside.


Electronics Organiser

How many times have you found yourself rummaging around in your suitcase looking for a phone charger? An electronics organizer can save you plenty of time and frustration by keeping all your chargers, cables, memory cards, headphones and adapters in one handy pack.

Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags are a parent’s secret weapon when traveling. You can use them to store snacks, dirty clothes, nappy changing kits, puzzle pieces, small toys, crayons and leaky shampoo bottles. Be sure to add a few to your case!

Read our Family Guide to Dubai for more Dubai tips!

FREE DOWNLOAD!

Be super organized for your next city trip. Download our fully comprehensive printable packing list, with checkboxes to ensure you don’t forget anything.

Click here to download the packing list

Travelling to Dubai? City travel experts Little City Trips talk you through all the most important items you need to pack for Dubai. Print off our Dubai packing list for your next city trip.

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