Dubai works well for a family holiday by car: parks, water parks, beaches, zoos and malls are scattered across the city with no single transport line connecting them. With a pushchair, swimming kit and tired children in forty-degree heat, a car is worth more than any metro. But the rules for carrying children in the UAE are strict, the fines are real, and you should know them before collecting the car.

The rules

  • Children under 4 must travel in a car seat appropriate to their weight and height. The fine is AED 400 and 4 black points for the driver.
  • Children under 10 or shorter than 145 cm must sit in the back. The front seat is not allowed, even in a child seat.
  • Seat belts are mandatory for all passengers including children in the rear. AED 400 per unbelted person.
  • Leaving a child alone in a car is prohibited by law. Beyond the fine, in summer it is lethal: the cabin reaches 60 to 70 degrees within ten minutes even in shade.
  • Smoking in a car with a child under 12 is prohibited, AED 500 fine.

Police enforce these at checkpoints and by camera: new cameras detect an unfastened belt and a child in the front seat from a photo of the cabin through the windscreen.

Child seats

We offer three types. A group 0+ infant carrier for babies up to a year and 13 kg, installed rear-facing. A group 1 seat for children 1 to 4 years and 9 to 18 kg. A group 2–3 booster for children 4 to 10 years and 15 to 36 kg. The price is AED 25 a day for any of them, or AED 300 for a monthly rental. We install them at delivery, check the fitting together with you and show you how to release it.

You may bring your own seat; airlines usually carry it free as excess baggage for children. Bear in mind, though, that ISOFIX mounts are not present in all our cars, particularly in base economy trims. If your seat is ISOFIX-only with no seat-belt routing option, mention it when booking and we will select a suitable car.

Which car to take

One child. Any sedan or compact crossover. A Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos beats a sedan for three reasons: higher seating so you do not bend down to place the child, a wider door opening, and a bigger boot for the pushchair.

Two children. A mid-size crossover: Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5. Two seats in the rear row with space for an adult between them, which matters if one parent rides in the back. A 500 to 600 litre boot takes a pushchair and three suitcases.

Three children, or grandparents along. Seven-seaters: Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, Mitsubishi Outlander. Or the Kia Carnival minivan, whose sliding doors save you from door dings in tight mall car parks and let children get out unaided.

A large family. The 8-seat Nissan Patrol or 11-seat Hyundai Staria, where three rows and the luggage fit at the same time.

What else matters in the car

Rear air conditioning vents: without them the back seat runs 5 to 8 degrees warmer than the front in summer, which children tolerate badly. All our cars from mid-size up have them; economy models do not always, so ask. Rear window tint up to 50 percent is legal in the UAE and most of our fleet has it, but suction-cup sunshades are worth buying at any supermarket for AED 20. USB sockets in the rear for a tablet on the Abu Dhabi run. Tray tables on the front seatbacks come with minivans and seven-seat crossovers.

Where to go with children

  • Water parks: Wild Wadi by the Burj Al Arab and Aquaventure on the Palm, free parking, entry from AED 300.
  • Dubai Parks and Resorts with Motiongate, Legoland and Riverland on the Abu Dhabi highway, 40 minutes from the Marina, with a huge free car park.
  • Dubai Safari Park in Al Warqa, animals in open enclosures, best in the morning.
  • Kite Beach with playgrounds, toilets and showers; roadside parking at AED 2 an hour.
  • La Mer and Al Mamzar Beach Park with free or cheap parking and shade.
  • Al Ain with its zoo and hot springs for a full day, ninety minutes away.
  • Global Village in winter with rides and country pavilions, free parking, open evenings from October to April.
  • Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates, snow and penguins while it is 45 degrees outside.

Every one of these is 20 to 60 minutes away, and that is the real point of a car with children: you are not tied to a timetable, you do not wait for a taxi in the heat, and you can leave the moment a child has had enough.

Heat and safety

Park in underground and covered car parks wherever possible; after two hours the cabin temperature difference reaches 25 degrees. Before putting children in, open all the doors for a minute and run the air conditioning at maximum; most cars from mid-size up have remote start from the key or an app. Never strap a child into a hot seat: metal belt buckles and child seat clasps heat to burn temperature in the sun, so check them with your hand first.

Keep water in the car, at least a litre per person, and store it out of direct sun. Apply sunscreen before leaving the car rather than on the beach.

Booking in practice

Seven-seaters and minivans sell out first during school holidays: December, February and April. Book two to three weeks ahead. When booking, tell us the ages and weights of your children and we will prepare the right seats. If you are coming straight from the airport, the seats will already be installed when we meet you, so you will not be wrestling with fittings after a flight with children.

The first day with children: a practical plan

Arriving in Dubai with children almost always happens at night or early morning, because that is how the flight schedules work. Here is the sequence that works best.

Car seats are installed in advance, before we meet you at the airport, so you do not wrestle with fittings after a flight. The driver helps move children from the pushchair into the seats and loads the luggage. The pushchair goes in the boot, which is why we ask about its type when booking: umbrella folds fit any boot, while carrycots and large strollers need a crossover.

Do not plan anything demanding on day one: the drive to the hotel, sleep, and in the evening the nearest beach or promenade. The time difference from Europe is only two or three hours, but flying with children is more draining than it looks.

What to keep in the car for children

  • Water in spill-proof bottles, at least a litre per child.
  • Wet wipes and paper towels, since sand and ice cream are inevitable.
  • Sick bags, particularly for the mountain roads to Hatta and Jebel Hafeet.
  • Sunshades for the rear windows, sold in any supermarket for AED 20.
  • A tablet or books: the run to Abu Dhabi takes ninety minutes.
  • A light blanket: car and mall air conditioning runs hard and children get cold.
  • A first aid kit with fever medicine and something for sunburn.

Healthcare and safety

Healthcare in the UAE is excellent but private. Travel insurance is essential; check that it covers children and includes outpatient treatment rather than emergency hospitalisation only. Round-the-clock clinics operate in every district, including Mediclinic, Aster and NMC, with a paediatric consultation costing AED 300 to 600.

The ambulance number is 999 and it is free in life-threatening cases. Pharmacies open around the clock and many medicines are sold without prescription, but some drugs familiar elsewhere are banned in the UAE, including anything containing codeine. If a child takes regular medication, bring it with a prescription and translation.

Heatstroke is the main risk and develops faster in children. Signs: lethargy, refusing food, hot dry skin and headache. If suspected, move to shade, give water and a cool shower, and see a doctor if it worsens.