Dubai's skyline and malls, Abu Dhabi's mosques and museums, and desert adventures within an hour of both.
🛂 Visa for Indian passport holders
Visa needed in advance (visa on arrival if you hold certain visas)
Most Indian passport holders arrange a tourist visa before travel through their airline, hotel or the UAE's official portal. If you hold a valid US visa or green card, a UK/EU visa or residence permit, or residency in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or Singapore, you can get a 14-day visa on arrival (extendable once).
Checked 27 Sep 2026. Official source: UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship (ICP) ↗
🗓️ When to go
November to March is warm and pleasant; June to September regularly passes 40 °C.
🚕 Getting around
Dubai Metro with a Nol card, Careem and Uber for taxis, and intercity buses between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
💡 Local tips
- Get a Nol card at any metro station — it works on metro, buses, trams and water buses.
- The weekend is Saturday–Sunday; Friday afternoons are quieter for government offices.
- Dress modestly when visiting mosques; the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque lends abayas at the entrance.
😅 What we wish we'd known
- Old Dubai's souks and abra rides are far cheaper and more memorable than most mall attractions.
- Summer daytime heat makes outdoor sightseeing impractical — plan mornings and evenings.
Places worth the detour
- Dubai — The Burj Khalifa, old-Dubai souks across the creek by abra, and dune drives into the desert at sunset.
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