In current technologically driven world, where all businesses and communication have become quite convenient. However, there can still be numerous urgencies that demand you to pack your back and travel amid the global situation.

This pandemic has altered the travel requirements once and for all. Many people are scared of getting infected, others are hesitant to step outside, and the rest might have already fallen victim to its severity.
But you don’t have to worry about anything because we are here with our travel guide to help you deal with it all and in the right manner to protect yourself and others.
We have been surviving on luggage (metaphorically, of course) mostly for the last couple of years. But our first proper travel vlog series was produced and published on our trip to the Maldives - just before the virus hit the world. We are so grateful to have enjoyed it fully before the course changed ultimately.
After almost nine months, we hit the planes to experience the journey all over again.
The lockdown, pandemic, quarantine, global economy, and the business crisis were nothing light to take. However, concluding it all we can say that Dubai Traveling Requirements have changed a lot!
Traveling to Dubai from Saudi Arabia
Back in 2019, before even covid-19 existed, we traveled to Dubai and enjoyed our visit to such a beautiful place. This time when Covid-19 had influenced our lives already, we decided to explore UAE a little differently.
However, the main intention was to get familiar with the world’s most commercialized city, Dubai Quarantine Rules and traveling requirements. This was explicitly most challenging for us, but it helped us answer traveler’s most wondered questions; how many things are safe for the travelers?
Why it was challenging?
Nothing unusual happened until the last when nature took its course and Sameen, co-founder and my beautiful wife, caught the virus herself and got to experience everything first hand – covid-19, Dubai’s quarantine system, and procedure for the covid positive individuals. Keep reading for that part. Trust us, it’s very surprising!
We are already aware of Saudi Arabia Quarantine Rules, we have shared our views and experiences in the state as well on our channel. So you can watch them too if you’re intending to travel to Saudi Arabia anytime soon. Covid-19 waves are continuously approaching, so it is always better to stay prepared for every situation.
Meanwhile, getting back to the first stage of our travel to Dubai from Saudi Arabia journey. Once we were on board with the idea, we booked our tickets from the flynas.
Each travel company hands you the list of their associated laboratories to get the covid test done.
The Covid-test must be done 4 days prior to the flight.
The rest of the travel requirements were almost similar – passport, visa, and a ticket. If you decide to book with flynas, it’ll cost you around 500-900 SAR/person excluding food. Whereas for the visa, you can visit the website musafir.com and get the package in just 400 SAR/person.
Tip: Take the converted currency with you.
The charges may vary slightly if you’re traveling to Dubai from Pakistan. As the distance would be different when traveling from Dubai to Pakistan. So make sure you check the packages on official sites and manage your budget accordingly.
The Flight Overview
Social distancing was taken quite seriously. As everyone was required to sit a seat away from each other. Sanitation was done properly, pre-departure, and the food was fine too. However, it seemed a bit dull journey as they had no arrangements for entertainment. Meanwhile, we would give it a good three stars, as entertainment is a basic factor bro!
Dubai Airport
The place was deserted! I have spent solid three years for educational purposes, and I had never seen Dubai airport like that before. Although, it is a positive sign that everyone was being careful and traveling on an urgent basis only. But we also missed the clamor it usually has.
The Covid-tests were also conducted after the flight at the Dubai airport, for free, unless you had a negative report of the test conducted within 96 hours or 4 days.
Once approved for travel, you can take the metro from the airport easily. It’s the cheapest and traditional means of transportation that saves you money while blessing you with awe-some sceneries and views on the way.
You can buy a metro card at any station.
There are two types of metro cards – golden and silver.
Metro charges vary as per the distance covered. They have divided areas into different zones, so if you are traveling within the same zone it’ll charge you around 2-3 AED per person, otherwise, it will cost you 8-10 AED max.
Bonus Point: The payment method was completely machine-based, eliminating all risks of human interaction. Plus, they had the cash change machine and the metro has a special place for luggage placement!
However, when it’s the best means for transportation, it is not active around the clock. The active hours are 5 am to 12 am. That’s the only thing for consideration. Otherwise, trains come after every five-minute interval and you can catch any without any hustle.
If you still would like to go by taxi, it could cost you approximately 50 AED, varying as per your distance requirement.
The Hotels, Food, and SOPs!
We stayed in two different hotels within the span of three days, first we enjoyed our stay at Grandeur Hotel, Al Barsha. The charges were 200 AED per night with a complimentary buffet breakfast.
Lucky us, as it was served in a fascinating Bollywood theme-based place. It was fascinatingly decorated with classic film posters, food smell, and sizzling music. In short, we loved the aura and the food!
For the safety sake, we were required to keep our mask under our chin when eating, and not allowed to take it off in any case. At each round, we were sanitized and food was served by the hotel staff while we maintained our recommended distance from the trays to maintain hygiene. Isn’t it cool and safe?
Meanwhile, as many of you already know, we are a couple who manage a digital marketing company and work as freelance designers as well. Therefore, we get to work on the go. Instead of staying confined to one place, we can carry our office with us wherever we go. But the catch to it is we can never get a day off. Destined to fate, we don’t actually take a day off even when we are on holiday. Sounds sad? Well, we enjoy that too.
After completing our work, we head out to take a bite. And that’s exactly what we did. The Hyderabadi restaurant was the only place we could find at such a late hour – it was quite economical with the cost of 20 AED per person. The food was great and the seating was decent as well.
After staying at the hotel for two nights, we wanted to change the place and shifted to a nearby 3-star hotel, Hampton by Hilton. The check-in process was simple, the lobby was exquisitely decorated, the room was pretty charming with complimentary breakfast – all in the package of 200 AED per night. However, amid covid and public gathering restrictions, the gym and pool had to be booked in advance.
As a part of the ritual we started last time, we had to enjoy Student Biryani this time too. Without any doubt, many things were atypical but the taste! The place was inaugurated in 1969, and now they have progressed to having multiple branches across numerous states, including Saudi Arabia and UAE! So if you are a biryani lover or just seeking a homely feel at a foreign place, we will definitely recommend you trying their biryani for once (in only 20-30 AED depending upon your selected items) and we are sure you will fall in love with it too!
Another place that we loved visiting was Best Bites, and they were generous enough to give us complimentary food! Those were indubitably some of the best bites we have had – certainly top-notch quality!
Dubai Malls, JBR, Marina Beach, and the Best Park on Budget!
Mall of Emirates was only a few miles away from our first hotel. So how could we have missed that? Of course, we visited it the next day we got there. With more than two food courts and almost the world’s every brand, it is one of the most picturesque malls. But it has another thing that makes the place more exciting and that is Ski Dubai – the place with a temperature below minus 4 with distinct rides and selfie spots! You can watch it from inside here – click here to watch our vlog from the previous visit.
Then it also had Magic Planet, a gaming area with exciting options to enjoy your time on an economical budget. You can take 5 games or rides in 50 AED which is quite good for such standard and fun. Meanwhile, we also invented an original game, Pac Sameen, which you can only find in our vlog :D
So click here and enjoy the vlog. To add more fun, enjoy our game too!
There was also a cinema where you could enjoy a fine movie in just 35 AED per person. So make sure you check the movie schedule ahead of visiting the mall, just to be on the safe side amid last-minute movie plans.
The food courts were quite expensive though, but as we said there were many of them and the ground-based food court can rescue your budget planning by saving you some dirhams – 30-40 AED for one meal, which is very decent for such a place.
Our next visit was to the Mall of Dubai, and the JBR is significantly the spot which one should never miss. It’s so peaceful, rich in culture, and diversity, all of which gives it a life of its own. Therefore, we abode by the rules and went there. Brands, buildings with vertical residence was just a perfect place to sit and relax. We also visited the Marina Beach that had fresh sand, clean water, with private bed cum seats that can be booked for a specific time in 100 AED. IF you’re looking for a place to chill and enjoy a good read, that’s your place!
To our surprise, we also spotted Careem's bike station at Marina. All you have to do is download the app and book your ride in 10-20 AED for 45 minutes ride and drop it at the next nearest station or the same station, as per your convenience. Meanwhile, there’s a prominent love for bike and cycling in London, but Careem was quick to adopt the trend.
You can watch the whole travel series on our Youtube channel, or simply click here!
Departure Requirements and The Test!
As the journey was nearing the end, we were required to take the test 48 hours before the test. If you are informed and scheduled enough, you can get your tests done for free from Dubai Health Authority, otherwise, you will have to get your tests done from private hospitals whose charges can go up to 15-20 AED per person.
We got our tests from Saudi German Hospital, as it was the only place that could provide our covid test reports within 24 hours, and we were even informed about our results through text messages! Sounds cool, right? Well, we thought the same but not for long because it turned out to become quite traumatic for us as Sameen tested positive for the Covid-19! She had to complete her quarantine in the government’s given place, we had to extend our flights, hotel bookings, budget, and basically, everything we had planned or anticipated was thrown upside down at the last moment.
But, thankfully, we were able to manage the days. Sameen stayed in the allocated hostel with a Pakistani roommate for fifteen days. While I (Shahab-ud-din) quarantined myself at a separate hotel at my expense. We have made a separate vlog series to share the overall experience more personally – you can watch in on our Youtube channel or directly by clicking here.
Meanwhile, she was provided with a reasonable size room, three-time very healthy meals, juices, water, sanitary and health care products, medicines, and a staff to serve it all to her doorstep. As they couldn’t enter the room for their own safety sake – quite understandable. Meanwhile, the experience was very blissful as their system made such an emotional situation much relieving with their facilities and such good cared system.
Honestly, very much appreciate their management team and government for developing such system. Their such efficiency and credibility to handle such matters proved that they are business hub for a reason.
With the blessings of God Almighty, we completed our quarantine requirement without any serious complications and hopped onto a plane as soon as Sameen’s report came out negative this time.
Post Corona Recovery Requirements for Travel
You have to conduct a test again for around 150 AED and have your Health Certificate prepared for around 70 AED, stating that you’re fit enough to travel.
Then, on the way back home, we were asked to sign papers as soon as the flight departed. It claimed that we were required to download two apps (Tetemman and Tawakkalna), enter our location in 8 hours upon arrival, quarantine for a week, and if we fail to uphold these demands, we could be fined 500,000 SAR and 2 years prison time.
In the meantime, it was a hell of a journey! We laughed, enjoyed, cried, and stayed apart for the first time after our marriage and it was evidently challenging for us. But we came out stronger, happier, and contended. We realized the significance of little moments, our loved ones, and what’s really important in our life. This visit was surely life-changing for us, and we learned a lot from it. We are also hoping that you learned something from it. Meanwhile, till our next visit, stay tuned and take care because many political leaders are proving to be right – the corona is here to stay :)In current technologically driven world, where all businesses and communication have become quite convenient. However, there can still be numerous urgencies that demand you to pack your back and travel amid the global situation.
This pandemic has altered the travel requirements once and for all. Many people are scared of getting infected, others are hesitant to step outside, and the rest might have already fallen victim to its severity.
But you don’t have to worry about anything because we are here with our travel guide to help you deal with it all and in the right manner to protect yourself and others.
We have been surviving on luggage (metaphorically, of course) mostly for the last couple of years. But our first proper travel vlog series was produced and published on our trip to the Maldives - just before the virus hit the world. We are so grateful to have enjoyed it fully before the course changed ultimately.
After almost nine months, we hit the planes to experience the journey all over again.
The lockdown, pandemic, quarantine, global economy, and the business crisis were nothing light to take. However, concluding it all we can say that Dubai Traveling Requirements have changed a lot!
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