What To Wear on a Vacation to UAE

If you are traveling or willing to travel to UAE, I put together a guide that includes everything you need to know about what to wear on a vacation to UAE.

I know how overwhelming it is to pack your bags for a vacation and especially not to miss anything important, needless to say, to have the right clothes to match each occasion.

I’ve been recently on a vacation to UAE and I’ve been struggling to understand what to wear as the culture and religion there is different. Also, I feel every time you visit a culturally contrasting place, you need to respect the people around you and their values.

What to wear in Abu Dhabi

As this is a more conservative city compared to Dubai, I am treating it separately.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the biggest mosques in the world and one of the most important landmarks in UAE. As this is a sacred place, your outfit should cover you entirely. Also, nothing tight is allowed here.

Be aware that they do not provide abayas at the entrance so bring your own. They do sell them in the shops before the entrance but they are overpriced and not that fashionable. I bought mine for a small price from SHEIN.

While going to other places in Abu Dhabi, you can wear anything you want but keep in mind that public places like malls, palaces, etc. require you to have your knees and shoulders covered.

For example, this is an outfit with a long sleeveless dress where the shoulders are covered with a scarf.

For a more elegant look, you can adopt an office chic style as it is not too much for the area.

What to Wear in Dubai

Knowing what to wear on a vacation to UAE is essential, especially if you are going to Dubai and looking for that picture-perfect moment. You will definitely have a lot of Instagrammable moments to capture.

Even though Dubai is a permissive city and you can wear anything you want, respecting the culture and covering shoulders and knees is always appreciated.

Here, I opted for a red dress as it was Christmas day. Even though the dress has a deep crack on the leg it is still a very good option.

Dubai Marina is one of the posh areas. Here you can see a lot of foreigners nicely dressed but not covered at all. There are a lot of girls jogging, wearing gym outfits with bustiers and shorts. By the water, there are a lot of bars and restaurants full of foreigners where you can chill and have a nice drink.

Of course, there is no trip to UAE without going on a dune-bashing safari trip. Who doesn’t like this kind of adventure? Here you can wear anything that feels comfortable for you. Depending on the kind of trip you book, you may ride an ATV or do some sandboarding. I would suggest booking it via Tripadvisor.

What about this kind of photo on the dunes? If you want to feel like a goddess, you can bring your own dress and change it easily in the car for this perfect memory.

Most of the hotels in UAE also have gyms. If you were thinking of working out during your vacation is it perfectly fine to wear your normal gym clothes for doing your workout.

Key Takeaways

While UAE may seem a conservative country, if you respect some basic rules, you won’t feel restricted at all. I know it may seem overwhelming to respect a guide sometimes, but now you really know what to wear on a vacation to UAE to feel comfortable.

On the same topic, the article “Best Things to See in Abu Dhabi” might be interesting for you also.