Seven reasons Dubai is great for families

Whether for a holiday or to live, the emirate has plenty to offer parents and children

The Museum of the Future, with its remarkable architecture, has quickly become a highlight for visitors to Dubai. Photo: DTCM

The Wild Wadi Waterpark in Jumeirah is one of the attractions that make Dubai a family-friendly destination. Photo: Wild Wadi

The shops, cafes, bars and restaurants along Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai are popular among tourists. Photo: Reuters

A jump at Skydive Dubai has become a must-do for daredevil visitors. Photo: Skydive Dubai

Admirers will say that the Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world at about 830 metres, is Dubai's most famous tourist attraction. Photo: Dar Al Arkan

Visitors can enjoy an almost immersive experience of water and light at the Dubai Fountain. Photo: Alamy

A visit to Dubai often involves a trip to Al Fahidi Fort, with its dhow installation to celebrate the Gulf's maritime history. Photo: Alamy

The ski lift at Ski Dubai inside the Mall of the Emirates. With its 22,500 square metres of skiiing, the centre is arguably one of the Gulf region's most eye-catching and unexpected attractions. Photo: AP

Bluewaters Island, where the Ain Dubai wheel is located. Photo: Reuters

One of the pods on the Ain Dubai that offer visitors sweeping views of the city and Arabian Gulf waters. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Ain Dubai lights up. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Lost Chambers Aquarium at Atlantis, The Palm. Photo: Atlantis, The Palm

In a city where superlatives are not uncommon, it's not surprising that Dubai tops many world-best lists.

This week, the emirate was named the world's number one destination for family holidays in a survey by travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip.

The data encompassed the quality of family hotels, attractions and beaches, general safety and even the strength of the ocean currents, and Dubai was given a rating of 7.42 out of 10, followed by Colombo, Turks & Caicos, Barbados and Corfu, Greece.

As a fairly well-travelled long-time resident and relatively new mum, I concur.

My data does not include strength of the sea's tides, but these are my reasons for believing Dubai is a veritable family playground.

A 'melting pot' of nationalities

The term "melting pot" is thrown around way too often, but if anywhere is a good example of such a cauldron of communities, it's Dubai.

Walk around any bustling public place and snippets of an enormous range of languages will reach your ears.

I grew up in Bahrain, which is similarly multicultural, albeit much smaller, and I truly appreciate what growing up around people of all different backgrounds did for my general world view.

For my daughter to experience the same on a much grander scale, is a real privilege.

Friendly, sprawling residential communities

We live in Dubai Hills Estate, where the majority of houses are taken up by families. Every week or so you'll spot a newborn being strolled around the foliage-paved pathways by new mothers and fathers enjoying their comparatively easy introduction to parenthood.

See inside the newly opened Dubai Hills Mall

Dubai Hills Mall is now open to the public. All photos by Katy Gillett / The National unless specified otherwise

Dubai Hills Mall is located in Dubai Hills Estate. Photo: Emaar Malls Management

Hundreds of people showed up within the first hour of opening day.

Children's play area Adventure Park is now open.

Adventure Park offers children plenty of entertainment and activities, from trampolines to slides.

Branded hoarding gave an indication of what is still to open at Dubai Hills Mall.

A FitnGlam ladies' gym will open soon.

The mall features a number of eye-catching design installations.

A number of stores where occupants have not yet moved in have Dubai Hills Mall branding.

Apple-shaped seats for children near Adventure Park.

The Tim Hortons team celebrates the opening.

Murals are painted on the external walls of Dubai Hills Mall.

The mall has two floors.

Ace Hardware will also open soon.

Shops are open from 10am at the mall. Photo: Emaar Malls Management

The trials and tribulations of having a new baby, giving birth in Dubai, the community you live in – these are all great icebreakers and make it very easy to strike up conversations with strangers (and potential friends), if you're so inclined.

The nationalities of these people, of course, will also span the planet.

Leave your doors unlocked

This is more figurative than literal, as I do still advise families to lock their doors at night, but if you don't it's unlikely you'll need to ring the police the next morning, as you undoubtedly would in other parts of the world.

Dubai, just as with much of the rest of the Gulf, is a safe place to live, and offers enviable security to resident and visiting families.

Scroll through the gallery below to see a Dh160,000 family villa in the 'happiest part of the emirate'

The main entrance to the Hurst family's lovely Jumeirah home. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

Felice and her three children have made this four-bedroom house a home, with personal touches and cosy decor throughout

The children have put their own stamp on their rooms

The family have a small yard plus access to the compound's central pool and park.

Mum Felice pictured with Scarlett, left, Liv, Hugo and Charlie the dog.

There are about 20 villas in the Al Sinyar Street compound, creating a village feel.

Felice says the rent has fluctuated from Dh180,000 to the Dh160,000 they pay now, which they say is a good deal for a large four-bedroom home

Villa compounds have become particularly popular since the coronavirus pandemic, with couples and families looking for office space and gardens

The compound's central pool.

Many families find a shared pool is much more practical and affordable than a private one

Although it is a rented villa, the family have very much made it their own

A map on the wall of Hugo's room

Felice is a managing partner in a recruitment consultancy

Charlie the dog in Felice's room

Attractions galore

This is perhaps the most obvious reason, but it deserves a mention all the same. There is just so much for families to do in Dubai.

From one of the world's largest waterparks – Aquaventure Atlantis – to child-friendly theme parks and myriad soft play centres, weekends are never dull. Expensive, maybe. Boring, never.

Everyone wants to visit

This can be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it, but I personally enjoy the fact that my family and friends back home are always up for a visit to Dubai (pandemic notwithstanding).

I've lived in countries where they'd rather not visit and so the burden was always on me to fly to England more frequently. Now I can invite people to stay with us and enjoy their company without having to take on the stress (and cost) of flights and home visits. And my daughter gets to spend more time with them, too.

It also gives us a good excuse to go into full tourist mode, visiting all the places we might not have the time – nor inclination – to head to on a regular occasion, from The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa to the many beaches.

Authentic culinary experiences

This is akin to it being a melting pot of nationalities, but the fact that in the city you can find restaurants serving most cuisines is a real plus point in my view, so I can introduce my daughter to all the flavours of the world.

From Indian and Filipino street food, to fine dining and all the best Middle Eastern spots, I love that she's going to grow up not turning her nose up at "unusual" dishes and will know what real hummus should taste like (not the shop-bought stuff in the UK).

A world of education at your fingertips

For most Dubai residents who have come from afar, if they were back home there would be one, maybe two or three, options in terms of your child's education.

In the emirate, and the rest of the UAE, there are all sorts of schools offering varying curriculums and classes, and it's not a case of one size fits all.

There are similar threads throughout, overseen by the city's Knowledge and Human Development Authority, such as inclusion, but in terms of general ethos or particular syllabuses, you have your pick.

From eco-friendly institutions to places that don't give homework or those that offer bilingual options, there's plenty to choose from (perhaps even too much, if you're anything like me and get overwhelmed by choice).