When I told friends I was taking three kids under ten to Dubai, half of them said I was brave and the other half said I was mad. Five days later I can report it was one of the easiest family holidays we've done — Dubai is built for children. Here's the honest version, including the things I'd do differently.

Getting there was the easy part

We flew Karachi to Dubai, which is barely two hours — short enough that even my youngest didn't melt down. I booked return tickets a couple of months ahead through the flight search and saved a fair bit by avoiding the weekend peak. Sorting the kids' UAE visas through the airline alongside the tickets was straightforward; just budget a couple of weeks for it.

Where we stayed and why

I chose a family room in Bur Dubai, near a Metro station. It wasn't fancy, but it was clean, walkable to desi restaurants, and a fraction of Marina prices — around PKR 14,000 a night. Being on the Metro line meant I never had to wrestle three kids into a taxi for the big attractions. If you have small children, proximity to a Metro station matters more than a fancy lobby.

The attractions that were worth every rupee

• The Dubai Aquarium & the mall: hours of entertainment, and the free Dubai Fountain show outside was the kids' favourite thing of the whole trip — they asked to watch it twice.
• Global Village: honestly the best value for families. Food, rides, and country pavilions all in one place for a low entry fee. We spent a whole evening there.
• Kite Beach: free, clean, and the children played in the sand for hours while I drank coffee. Mornings only, before the heat.

What I'd skip with little ones

I'd booked a full desert safari thinking it would be a highlight, but the dune bashing was too intense for my youngest and the timing clashed with bedtime. Older kids would love it; with toddlers, consider a gentler "desert evening" without the heavy off-roading. I also overpaid for one mall play area when the free fountain and beach delighted them more.

The heat lesson

My biggest mistake was scheduling outdoor stuff at midday on day one. Even in winter the sun is strong. We learned fast: outdoors in the morning and after sunset, malls and indoor parks in the middle of the day.

Feeding three kids without going broke

This was the easy bit. Bur Dubai and Deira are full of Pakistani restaurants where a family meal costs about what it would at home — roughly PKR 1,200–2,000 a head. The food is halal everywhere, so I never had to interrogate a menu. We saved the mall food courts for treats.

Would I go again?

In a heartbeat. Five days, flights aside, came to roughly PKR 110,000 per adult including a child-friendly room, food and attractions. Plan around the heat, stay on the Metro line, lean on the free stuff (fountain, beaches), and Dubai with kids is a joy rather than a job. Look at family-friendly Dubai hotels before you go.