Babymoon Bliss in Dubai: Pamper Yourself Before Parenthood

Searching for the right place for that special time before the arrival of a new baby can be challenging. It’s hard to find the right mix of weather, accommodation, things to do, and space and time to relax and connect while also accessing good healthcare should the need arise. Well, Dubai might have you covered for all of these, and some!

Whether it’s your first baby and this will be your last solo holiday as a couple, or perhaps this is a subsequent child and you are taking the last vacation, the three of you will enjoy it. We will find something you love about Dubai!

And babymoons don’t just need to be with your baby daddy!! Why not take your best girlfriend along or another baby mama-to-be and spoil yourselves together! After all life will never be quite the same again!

Why is Dubai an Excellent Location for a Babymoon?

With brilliant winter sunshine, top-class accommodation, and first-rate health care, Dubai is a great place for a memorable and relaxing babymoon.

The Weather

Whilst the high heat of summer isn’t recommended for expectant mothers from cooler climates, Dubai is a fantastic babymoon destination during the cooler months (October to March).

October can still be rather humid, but from November to February, Dubai experiences almost perfect weather with sunny skies and lower levels of humidity. Expect temperatures around 25-30°C (75 – 86°F) during the winter. March can be a bit hit and miss, as if it is going to rain in the UAE, it always seems to be in March!

Things start to heat up in April, so you need to think carefully about travelling in April or May and how good your heat tolerance is. June, July, August, and September are extremely hot, and for your comfort, we’d not recommend a Dubai babymoon over the summer.

The Accommodation

Dubai has some of the world’s best luxury resorts where you can mix beach time with a little pampering. Some of the city’s resorts feel like you’re a million miles away from it all, whilst you’re just a stone’s throw from all of the action. Many hotels have free shuttle buses taking you to Dubai’s major sites. Travelling by taxi is also cheap and easy in Dubai.

Air Conditioning

All indoor spaces in Dubai are air-conditioned, making it easy to cool down if you feel like you may be getting too warm. Places like Dubai Mall offer the chance to walk around and shop in a comfortable temperature. Public transport and taxis are also all air-conditioned.

Romantic Experiences

Dubai is full of romantic places to enjoy with your loved ones. Whether it’s a stroll through a park or garden or sundowners at an atmospheric bar by the beach, Dubai has plenty of places where you can feel the love. (Just be careful, though, as overt public displays of affection are not allowed. Anything more than hand-holding or a peck on the cheek in public could get you in big trouble – see Dubai’s do’s and don’ts)

A Less Boozy Culture

As much of the country is Muslim and does not drink, bartenders are talented in the mocktail department so that pregnant mamas won’t miss out on their fancy drinks!

Smoking in public places is not common in Dubai. Locals tend to favour shisha, but this can only be smoked on specially licensed premises, which pregnant women are forbidden to enter. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public spaces, parks, beaches, buses and on the metro. It is also illegal to smoke in an indoor private space or vehicle in the presence of children.

Food and Hygiene

Not only will you find some of your favourite Western chain restaurants (to satisfy all those cravings) in Dubai (Cheesecake Factory, IHOP, Wagamama, Pizza Express), but you’ll also find high food hygiene standards. If you’re sticking to a particular diet throughout pregnancy, you’ll be relieved to know that all menus are written in English and that you’ll be able to discuss any dietary requirements with ease, as everybody working in the food and beverage industry speaks English.

Excellent Healthcare

We all hope that a visit to the doctor shouldn’t be needed when away on holiday, but during pregnancy, doctor visits are a lot more likely! Should you need to visit a doctor in Dubai, rest assured that the UAE’s healthcare standard is second to none.

The great part of Babymooning in Dubai is that you can have ready access to Kids’ Clubs and babysitting services, if need be. Some of our favourites with superb family facilities allowing you the best of both worlds include:

Check out our complete guide to family friendly hotels and resorts in Dubai if you need a few more suggestions!

Things You Can Do on Your Babymoon in Dubai

Sightseeing tour

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t go sightseeing on your trip to Dubai. A visit to the air-conditioned Dubai Mall can also include visiting the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. The lift can be a little pushy and shoved, but you can ask for assistance if needed, and if you’re obviously pregnant, people are likely to be kind.

Another famous sight that you can enjoy after a trip to Dubai Mall is the mesmerising Dubai Mall Fountain show. This can be viewed from the promenade, or if you’d rather sit down, book a table at one of the nearby restaurants with fabulous fountain views, or for a little romantic touch, you can hire an abra and head out onto the water (don’t worry, very slow moving!)

Take a stroll

There are plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy in Dubai for a long stretch of your legs, as well as al fresco dining and outdoor entertainment. Some favourites to try on your Dubai Babymoon include:

Bask by the Pool or Beach

Even if your budget can’t afford a resort throughout your trip, why not spoil yourselves with a day pass to one of the luxury beach clubs or pools? Especially during the week, you can nab yourself a deal where your entrance will cover your F&B too.

Our recommendations for couples include:

Memorable Photo Shoot

A growing trend amongst expats in the UAE is to have a pregnancy photo shoot. These can be arranged in various places, including the desert, Miracle Garden and the Palm Jumeirah.

If you’re interested in a pregnancy photo shoot, a few recommendations we regularly see pop up in local groups include:

Have a Spa day

Whilst massages are not advised before 12 and after 32 weeks of pregnancy, in the 2nd and early 3rd trimesters, they can offer welcome respite from the strains of pregnancy. Spa staff are used to making adjustments for pregnant ladies, and most hotels offer special massages and other treatments for expecting ladies.

Some hotels with excellent spas offering pregnancy massages include:

You do not have to stay at a hotel to use its spa facilities. Another option outside of a hotel is Sensasia Spa, which offers a range of treatments for mums (and dads-to-be).

Retail Therapy

I bet you’re busting to get some gear for your new arrival, and you will find a HUGE range of baby products. Particularly if you are a fan of high-end labels – you name it – you can probably get it in Dubai.

For those on a lower budget, you’re well catered for too, with the likes of Mothercare, Centrepoint and Max.

Pop over and see our complete collection of Dubai itineraries depending on how long you’ve got for your Babymoon in Dubai. Most activities you can manage whilst pregnant, except where we’ve highlighted below.

Take a trip to Abu Dhabi

There’s lots to do and see in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, around a 1.5-hour drive from Dubai. Why not explore the beautiful Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the UAE’s presidential palace Qasr Al Watan, or delve into Abu Dhabi’s rich history at Qasr Al Hosn?

We recommend taking a tour or hiring a car when pregnant to take any stress out of the journey.

Whilst there are sometimes queues for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and some considerable walking (in underground air-conditioned corridors), special provisions are made for pregnant ladies. The same is true of the Qasr Al Watan.

For more ideas on what to do in Abu Dhabi, visit our sister site Abu Dhabi Travel Planner.

What not to do on a Dubai Babymoon

Whilst you may be keen to explore Dubai to the extreme, there are a few activities in Dubai we’d recommend against:

Water activities and extreme sports

Skip all the extreme water sports, and the speed boat too, If you re going to hit the waters, look for a gentle swim in the water (bearing in mind sea temperature in winter can actually be a little nippy)! Outdoor pools tend to be heated or cooled depending on the outdoor temperature and there are some hotels with indoor swimming pools too!

We’re sorry but you also wont be allowed on most theme park rides so it’s probably best to give places like Motiongate a miss. Whilst you could get away with the Legoland Water Park if you were on a family babymoon, it’s prudent to avoid the big parks as they are really are not suitable for pregnant ladies.

Desert Safari

Avoid desert safaris, too. Most involve an element of dune bashing to get to your camp. Pregnant women are strictly prohibited from participating in the dune bashing element for obvious reasons.

However, if you’d still like to enjoy dinner in the desert, speak to your tour operator. Often, they can arrange a different route for pregnant women and small children to enter the camp. Alternatively, try one of the operators in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. They can offer romantic dune dinners and luxury glamping, which is a far more sedate and serene way to experience the desert.

Our favourite pick, though, would be to spend a night at Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, where you can sit in your own beautiful infinity pool overlooking the desert (be warned, though, it’s at the pricier end of the budget scale!)

Emergency Help in Dubai for Pregnant Ladies

No one expects to go into labour during their babymoon, but should something happen, and you’d like to see an emergency gynaecologist, there are several choices, many of them open 24/7. You could try:

Always travel with good health insurance. Whilst you could pay cash to access emergency health care, no one wants their babymoon to end in disaster. Check you have appropriate coverage and no exclusions for location, activity or based on your delivery date.

We hope we’ve convinced you to come and try Dubai for your much anticipated Babymoon. You have the best of a beautiful beach paradise and a city with everything you need close to hand, no concerns about needing to take a boat or light aircraft to a tiny island and being miles from medical help (should you need it) – literally everything and anything that you could possibly need is on hand in Dubai!

To find out more about travelling while pregnant, check out this guide.