Quick answer
Pack light, breathable clothes that cover shoulders and knees for malls, souks and the Grand Mosque, plus a light layer for chilly air-conditioning and winter desert evenings. Carry a Type G adapter, printed visa and hotel bookings, and prescriptions for every medicine. Leave khus khus (poppy seeds) at home, and check medicines containing tramadol, codeine or pregabalin against UAE rules before you fly.
Documents & money
- Passport with six months' validity
- UAE visa printout — If you're using visa on arrival through a US visa or UK or EU residence, carry that document too.
- Return ticket and hotel voucher — Immigration can ask for both.
- Dirhams and a forex card — RBI caps foreign currency notes at USD 3,000 per trip; the UAE requires you to declare cash and valuables above AED 60,000.
- Indian rupees, up to ₹25,000 — The RBI limit for carrying rupee notes out of India.
- Travel insurance
- Attraction e-tickets — Burj Khalifa slots and desert safari vouchers on your phone.
- Indian licence and International Driving Permit (if renting a car)
Clothing
- Breathable cotton and linen tops
- Long trousers, maxi skirts or dresses
- Light cardigan or shawl — Malls, the metro and cinemas are chilled to about 20°C.
- Light jacket (November–February) — Desert camps feel cold after sunset.
- Swimwear — Fine at pools and beaches; cover up when you walk into a lobby or mall.
- Full-length outfit and headscarf (women) for the Grand Mosque — Dress is checked at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque entrance in Abu Dhabi.
- Smart outfit for dinners and brunches
- Comfortable walking shoes and sandals
- Scarf for desert safaris — Keeps sand out of your face during dune drives.
Health & medicines
- Prescription medicines in original packs, with prescriptions — Personal quantities only.
- UAE approval for controlled medicines, if needed — Medicines with codeine, tramadol, pregabalin and some sleeping pills need approval before you fly.
- Paracetamol and antacids
- ORS and electrolyte sachets — Summer heat dehydrates you quickly outdoors.
- Motion-sickness tablets — Dune bashing unsettles many stomachs.
- Plasters and hand sanitiser
- Spare spectacles
Electronics
- Universal adapter — The UAE uses UK-style Type G sockets; many hotels have universal sockets, but don't count on it.
- Indian multi-socket strip
- Power bank, under 100 Wh — Cabin baggage only.
- Roaming pack or eSIM — WhatsApp voice and video calls are restricted in the UAE; use regular calls or permitted apps.
- Portable fan (May–September)
- Camera
- Earphones
Toiletries & sun
- Sunscreen, SPF 50
- Lip balm with SPF
- Moisturiser — Constant air-conditioning dries skin.
- Deodorant
- Travel-size liquids — 100 ml each in the cabin.
- Cap or sun hat and sunglasses
Food & customs
- Packaged snacks and ready-to-eat meals — Fine in personal quantities.
- Pickles and masalas — Seal and double-bag them in checked baggage.
- Leave behind: khus khus (poppy seeds) — Banned in the UAE, including in some spice mixes.
- Leave behind: gutka and similar chewing tobacco — Prohibited in the UAE.
- Gold jewellery bought in Dubai — Can attract customs duty in India; keep invoices and declare it.
- Duty-free alcohol on the way home — Indian customs allows 2 litres duty-free at the time of review.
What should you wear in Dubai's heat and cold?
From November to March, days are 24–30°C and nights 15–19°C, and desert camps feel colder after sunset. From May to September, afternoons pass 40°C with high humidity. Either way, malls, the metro and cinemas are chilled to about 20°C, so a light cardigan or shawl earns its place. Pack loose cottons and linens rather than synthetics.
Modest dress, simply explained
Swimwear is fine at hotel pools and public beaches. In malls, souks and the old town, clothes that cover shoulders and knees avoid awkward moments. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi checks dress at the entrance: full-length clothes for everyone and a headscarf for women.
Medicines and banned items
Carry every medicine in original packaging with a prescription, in personal quantities. Medicines containing codeine, tramadol, pregabalin and some sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs are controlled in the UAE; check the Ministry of Health and Prevention's list and apply for approval before you fly. Leave khus khus (poppy seeds) at home, including spice mixes that contain them, along with gutka-type chewing tobacco.
Baggage and shopping
Economy fares from India to Dubai include roughly 20–30 kg of checked baggage depending on airline and fare, plus 7 kg in the cabin; check your ticket. If you plan to shop, prepay extra baggage online, which costs less than paying at the airport. Gold jewellery bought in Dubai can attract customs duty in India, so keep invoices and declare it.
What to buy on arrival
Sunscreen, sunglasses and a Nol card for the metro are easy to pick up once you land.
Check the UAE visa guide and Dubai's weather by month, add travel insurance, and see our other packing lists.
Frequently asked questions
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Can I carry my regular medicines to Dubai?
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How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.