Dubai

Less than most people fear. As a visitor you can still eat and drink — just do it discreetly indoors during daylight, not openly on the street, out of respect for those fasting. Many restaurants stay open behind screens, malls run shorter daytime hours, and the whole city comes alive after sunset, when the iftar feasts and night markets are wonderful — arguably the best time to experience Emirati hospitality. Attractions and theme parks operate as normal. If anything, the evenings are more atmospheric, so we simply build your sightseeing around the cooler, livelier night rhythm.

Dubai is relaxed for a Gulf city, but a few lines matter. In malls, souks and mosques, dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered, especially for women; swimwear is only for the pool and the beach. Public drunkenness is taken seriously, and alcohol is served only in licensed hotels and bars, not bought casually. Keep public affection to a minimum — holding hands is fine, more than that is not. Stay polite, avoid rude gestures in traffic, and you will have zero trouble. Honestly, ordinary Indian family decorum is exactly the right register here.

Not at all — four or five days suits Dubai nicely, and the malls are only a sliver of it. There is the desert with its dunes and sunset camps, the old city around Dubai Creek where you cross by wooden abra and wander the gold and spice souks, the beaches, and a superb day trip to Abu Dhabi for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Ferrari World. Add Burj Khalifa, the fountains and a dhow dinner cruise and the days fill easily. We balance the glossy modern side with the older, more soulful Dubai people often miss.

The standard desert safari centres on dune-bashing — a deliberately jerky, roller-coaster drive over the dunes — and that part is not suitable for a pregnant traveller, anyone with a bad back or heart condition, or very young children. But you need not skip the desert. We book a gentler version that skips or softens the dune-bashing and takes you straight to the camp for the sunset, camel rides, henna, the barbecue dinner and the cultural show. Everyone gets the magic of the desert evening without the stomach-churning drive. Just tell us who is coming and we arrange accordingly.

We will be straight with you: from May to September Dubai is brutal — regularly 45°C and above, with humidity that makes even a short walk outdoors draining. Everything indoors is fiercely air-conditioned, which is exactly why summer fares and hotels are cheapest. If you go then, it becomes an indoor, early-morning and after-dark trip. For comfortable sightseeing — desert evenings, beach days, walking the old town — aim for November to March, when the weather is gorgeous. That is peak season and pricier, but for a first visit it is worth timing right.