ALCOHOL
Alcohol is freely available in hotels, clubs, restaurants and bars. However, many restaurants outside hotels are not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages.
BANKS
Many international banks are represented by branches in Dubai. Bank hours vary but in general are 0800 to 1400, Sunday to Thursday and 0800-1200, Saturday.
BARGAINING
Bargaining is expected in the souk and is quite usual elsewhere. Vendors will usually drop the price and often quite substantially, particularly for a cash sale.
BUSINESS HOURS
Business: 0800-1300 and 1600-1930, Sunday to Thursday. Most of the multinational companies work from 0900-1800 with a one hour lunch break.
Government offices: 0730-1430, Sunday to Thursday.
Exchange houses: 1000-2200.
Shopping malls: 1000-2200, Sunday to Wednesday and 1000-0000, Thursday and Friday.
CLIMATE
The UAE has a sub-tropical, arid climate. May to September is summer, when temperatures range between 40C and 48C. However, during the winter months, temperatures range from 10C to 30C. Rainfall is predominantly in winter and amounts to some 13cm annually.
CLOTHING
Summer clothing may be worn for most of the year but the temperature can drop during the winter. At the pool or on the private beaches, swimwear is quite acceptable, but when in the city and public areas, care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothing that may be considered revealing.
COMMUNICATIONS
The international dialling code for in-coming calls is +9714. Calls to and from land-lines within Dubai are free of charge and direct dialling is possible to more than 170 countries. GPRS and WAP services are also available. A GSM international roaming service for mobile phones is available for more than 60 countries. If your country isn’t one of them then a service known as “Wasel” is available. Bring your phone or buy it here and purchase a SIM card (available at most supermarkets, petrol stations and hotels) which enables you to make and receive calls from the UAE. Internet services are also available for nonsubscribers from regular phone lines.
CREDIT CARDS
American Express, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard, etc are generally accepted in hotels and shops.
CURRENCY
The monetary unit is the Dirham (AED), which is divided into 100 fils. It is fixed to the US dollar at a current rate of US$1 = Dhs3.675.
ELECTRICITY
The electricity supply in Dubai is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles. Standard, British square three-pin plugs are the norm in most hotels. US-made appliances may need a transformer.
LANGUAGE
The official language is Arabic but English is widely spoken and understood throughout the country.
LOCAL TIME
Gulf Standard Time: + 4 hours GMT
MEDIA
There are three English language newspapers published in Dubai. International newspapers, magazines and journals can be bought at bookshops and supermarkets. Dubai has both Arabic and English commercial radio and television stations, as well as access to international satellite TV programming.
MEDICAL
Medical services in Dubai are of an international standard.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Normal tourist photography is acceptable but like anywhere in the world, it is courteous to ask permission before photographing people, especially local women.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Islamic holidays are based on the Hijri calendar which is controlled by the sighting of the moon. As a result the dates of holidays are often confirmed less than 24 hours in advance. Some of these are Eid Al Fitr (three days), Eid Al Adha (four days), Al Hejra (one day), Mawlid Al Nabi (one day) and Al Isra Wal Miraj (one day). Fixed dates on the calendar are New Year’s Day (Jan 1) and UAE National Day (Dec 2). The Holy Month of Ramadan falls from mid August through to mid-September in 2010, and moves backward approximately 10 days every year.
Full calendar
TIPPING AND GRATUITIES
Tipping practices are similar to most other parts of the world. Most restaurants include a 10 per cent service charge, but tipping in general is at the customer’s discretion.
TRANSPORTATION
Taxis are easily obtainable in Dubai in every area. Dubai Municipality operates numerous bus routes throughout the emirate, serving the main residential and commercial areas, as well as some destinations outside the city. Many hotels provide regular shuttle buses that follow set routes around Dubai. The newly opened Dubai Metro connects Dubai International Airport to the convention centre, hotels, malls and other major attractions.
Car rental companies require a passport copy and a valid international driving licence for all renters coming from: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and USA. Driving is on the right hand side of the road.
WATER
The tap water in Dubai is safe to drink. But locally bottled mineral water is generally served in hotels and restaurants.
