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About Dubai |
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Located on the pristine blue
waters of the Arabian Gulf,
Dubai is a city of contrasts
that has been exposed to
innumerable cultures but has
nonetheless succeeded in
retaining its own rich heritage.
This unique harmony between East
and West has made Dubai a unique
cosmopolitan city and the Middle
East’s premier destination for
business and leisure alike.
One of the seven emirates that
make up the United Arab
Emirates, Dubai offers
year-round sunshine and
five-star luxury, spectacular
beaches, lavish resorts, first
class service and hospitality,
and a paramount of world class
duty free shopping experience.
 Known in the region as 'the city
of merchants', Dubai has
welcomed surfers and traders to
its shores for generations.
Today this tradition hospitality
lives on; with expatriates
making up nearly 85% of Dubai’s
population. Streets are clean
and safe, and travelers are sure
to be charmed by the city's
warmth and friendliness.
Dubai has something for
everyone, from holidaymakers
seeking a relaxing break away
from clouds and crowds, to
active tourists looking for a
new exciting experience. Dubai
is also the perfect getaway for
sunshine and warmth. The period
between November and March
offers the best climate.
December daytime temperatures
average a very comfortable 77°-
61.0° F (26 - 16° C).
LOCAL FACTS AND & FIGURES
History: The seven independent
emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah,
Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah came
together to form the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) in the year 1971.
While Abu Dhabi is the capital
city of the UAE, Dubai remains
its commercial centre.
Location: Dubai is located on
the Eastern coast of the Arabian
Peninsula, in the South West
corner of the Arabian Gulf.
Economy: The UAE is one of the
world's wealthiest countries,
with a GDP of US $54 billion
(2000), and has the
third-largest proven oil
reserves in the world. While oil
and gas production form its
foundation, Dubai is
increasingly broadening its
economic activity to include:
real estate, tourism, trading
and manufacturing.
Weather: Dubai enjoys 365
days of warm sunshine, with
cooler evenings and occasional
showers in the months between
November to March. View a
5 day weather forecast for Dubai
courtesy of BBC Weather.
The UAE has a sub-tropical, arid
climate with infrequent and
irregular rainfall, amounting to
less than 13 centimetres a year.
Temperatures range from a low of
10 degrees (Celsius) to a high
of 48 degrees. The average daily
maximum is 24 degrees in
January, rising to 42 degrees in
July.
Time zone: The UAE is 4 hours
ahead of GMT (+4 GMT)
Population: Dubai is home to a
little less than 1 million
residents with 79% of the
population employed.
Cultural mix: Owing to the
resources and foreign
enterprises located in Dubai,
more than 85% of the population
is expatriates from across the
globe and the city is home to
almost 200 nationalities.
Transport: Dubai offers a
variety of inexpensive and
efficient public transportation
and you can choose between
metered local taxis, intra-city
and inter-city buses, private
car hire services and abras
(local boats).
Currency and credit cards: The
official currency of the UAE is
the Arab Emirates Dirham (AED or
Dhs). Each Dirham is divided
into 100 fils and is held
constant against the US Dollar
at an average of 3.67. All banks
operate from 8.00am to 1.00pm,
Saturday through Wednesday and
8.00am to 12.00pm on Thursdays.
Currency exchange houses are
open until late in the evening.
All international credit and
debit cards are widely accepted.
Currency Converter
Dress code: Visitors are free to
dress according to their
personal choice. Dress sensibly,
although very revealing clothes
shouldn't be worn in public or
places of worship. Shorts and
skirts are acceptable for
ladies. Most Emirati men and
women still choose to wear the
traditional national dress.
Lightweight summer clothing can
be worn for most of the year,
but the temperature can drop
quite sharply at night during
the winter.
Electricity: The standard
electricity supply is 220/240
volts. American appliances may
need a transformer.
Hospitality: Dubai is extremely
well known for its warm
hospitality and rich cultural
heritage, and the Emirati people
are welcoming and generous in
their approach to visitors.
Languages: While Arabic is the
official language, English is
very widely spoken, especially
in business. Given the large
size of the expatriate
population, several other
languages are also used in
everyday life, headed by Hindi,
Urdu and Farsi.
Safety and security: Dubai is a
very safe city for visitors and
residents alike, with minimal
chances of untoward events.
However, locking your car and
minding your personal belongings
is always recommended.
Visa regulations: Travellers
holding passports with a right
of residence in the following
countries can get a visa on
arrival at Dubai International
Airport - a visit visa valid for
60 days is stamped directly in
your passport by immigration
officials:
Andorra, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Brunei, Canada,
Denmark, Finland, France, GCC
Countries, Germany, Great
Britain, Greece, Hong Kong,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Malaysia, Monaco, The
Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Portugal, San Marino,
Singapore, South Korea, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, USA,
Vatican City
Useful Links
Department of Tourism & Commerce
Marketing
Dubai Chamber of Commerce &
Industry
SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Dubai has a very eventful social
calendar. With international
sporting events, shopping and
entertainment festivals, music
and cultural programmes held at
various indoor and outdoor
venues all year around.
Varying from the world's richest
horse race - The Dubai World
Cup, and international jazz
festivals, to the home grown
Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai
also hosts regionally
significant exhibitions and
trade shows on a regular basis.
While the actual dates of many
important events are timed to
match the season, the Lunar
calendar and the holy month of
Ramadan change from year to
year. The chart below provides a
guideline to the city's many
events:
· January - The Dubai Marathon,
Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai
International Jazz Festival,
Emirates Cup Traditional Dhow
Sailing Race, Dubai
International Sailing Week
Regatta
· February - The Dubai Terry Fox
Run, Dubai Tennis Championships
· March - Dubai Desert Golf
Classic, Dubai World Cup, Dubai
International Kite Surfing
Challenge
· April - International Jewellery exhibition
· May - Local and international
events
· June - Dubai Summer Surprises, UAE National Sailing
Championship
· July - Dubai Summer Surprises
· August - Dubai Summer
Surprises
· September - Local and
international events (Dubai, the
City that Cares festival)
· October - Gulf IT Exhibition (GITEX),
UAE Desert Challenge
· November - Horse racing
season, Dubai Traditional Dhow
Sailing Race
· December - Rugby 7s, Dubai Air
Show, Dubai Grand Prix, National
Day celebrations
WhatsOnWhen
...what's on when in Dubai.
Search the city's events by
month, by interest or by
location.
TimeOut Dubai
...from the award winning series
of guides to the world's major
cities, Time Out's Dubai Guide
offers an exhaustive and lively
insight into the city.
PLACES OF INTEREST
The city of Dubai embraces its
namesake creek, dividing it into
two halves. The main sightseeing
circuit in Dubai is split
between Bur Dubai and Deira
which lie on opposite sides of
the water, and the gently
curving Dubai Creek is an
attraction in itself. You will
have plenty of opportunities for
some brilliant views of the city
from the water: gleaming
skyscrapers on one side, and old
trading dhows on the other.
Deira's many attractions include
the historic quarter of Bastakia,
as well as old souks and covered
marketplaces. Wandering along
the alleys, you can explore the
Spice Souk and the Gold Souk.
The Dubai Museum is housed
within the beautifully restored
Al Fahidi Fort, and is a
must-see for first time visitors
to Dubai. Built in 1799 to
defend the city against
invasion, it has served as both
palace and prison and the
museum's collection includes
life-size figures and galleries
depicting Arab houses, mosques,
date gardens, desert and marine
life.
On the Bur Dubai side, Heritage
Village, located in the
Shindagah area, is a family
destination where you can watch
potters, weavers and artisans at
their crafts. The adjoining
Diving Village offers a cultural
microcosm of pearl diving and
fishing. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum
House, a museum restored from
the house of Dubai's former
ruler and dating back to the
late 1800s, is within the same
complex. With its unusual
layered rooms and authentic wind
towers, Sheikh Saeed's House
showcases regional architecture
at its best.
If you drive west from the city
centre, you will reach the
popular suburb of Jumeira, home
to some of Dubai's finest luxury
hotels and resorts, unspoilt
stretches of sunny beaches and
water sports complexes. In
Jumeirah is the Grand Mosque,
re-built in 1998, with the
city's tallest minaret, nine
large domes and 45 small domes -
a distinguished landmark and an
important place of worship.
About 115 kms south east of
Dubai, in the heart of the rocky
Hatta Mountains, is the 3000
year old Hatta Village, an
important historical site for
the region. The two towers
overlooking the village used to
be defence fortresses against
hostile invaders, and during a
relaxed day at the Village, you
can visit the Houses of
Traditional Handicrafts and Palm
Products, The Castle Centre, and
the 200 year old Sharia Mosque.
In contrast to the traditional
attractions of Dubai and the
surrounding areas, the city
boasts world-class business and
leisure facilities.
Ski Dubai
Dubai is home to Ski Dubai - the
first indoor ski resort in the
Middle East. This unique resort
spans 22,500 square metres,
which is temperature controlled
at -1° to -2°, and covered with
real snow throughout the year.
The theme of Ski Dubai is that
of a mountain resort - with
qualified instructors to guide
you through the intricacies of
learning to ski or snowboard.
Inside the resort, a retail
shop, themed restaurants and the
world's largest Snow Park, offer
something for everyone.
BEST BUYS & BARGAINS
Dubai is a veritable shopper's
paradise! Whether it is for
gold, electronics, carpets,
spices, textiles or more.
The city is one of the largest
retail gold markets in the
world, selling everything from
ingots to intricately hand
crafted jewellery, and
bargaining is welcomed almost
everywhere. The Gold Souk area
in Deira has glittering
street-front stores and hides
dozens of alleys housing smaller
shops. The newly built Gold and
Diamond Park on Sheikh Zayed
Road is an attraction for
serious jewellery shoppers.
The city is also home to some of
the Middle East region's most
prestigious shopping malls,
boutiques and department stores
that house retailers of haute
couture, hi-tech electronics,
home furnishings and accessories
or traditional Arabic crafts.
Dubai is famous for offering top
international brands at
unbelievably reasonable prices.
The larger shopping mall
complexes also house cinema
theatres, food courts,
entertainment centres and play
areas for children, allowing for
complete family shopping
experiences.
Choose to browse through the
older markets and the narrow
walkways located in the Meena
Bazaar, Karama and Naif areas,
dedicated to inexpensive leather
goods and textiles; computer and
electrical accessories and
Arabic perfumes. This is an
excellent opportunity for
bargain hunting outside the
glitz and shine of Dubai's
more well known shopping arenas.
Most shopping venues and
cultural destinations sell a
range of gifts and souvenirs
representing Dubai: The Seven
Sands of the UAE, traditional
Bedouin jewellery, sand art,
packaged dates and date
products, Arabic sweets, wooden
crafts and palm leaf
handicrafts.
REST & RECREATION
Dubai is an exciting year round
destination that offers
unlimited opportunities for rest
and recreation, be it a walk
through a lush green family
park, an adventurous day in the
waters of the Arabian Gulf, or a
pampering session at one of the
many health spas.
Beaches: Some of Dubai's beaches
are attached to private hotels,
where, for a small fee, you can
spend the day on the sand and in
the waters of the Arabian Gulf.
Other beaches and waterfronts -
the Corniche and the Creek - are
free for public access, and
feature a range of water sports
offered by several operators.
Desert safaris: One of Dubai's
most popular tourist attractions
is the desert safari: a unique
experience that combines an
adventurous 4WD car ride over
sand dunes with camels, belly
dancers, henna designers,
falconers, and a barbecue dinner
by starlight. Other attractions
include sand skiing, sand
boarding, sand karting and 4WD
desert driving
Fishing: The warmth and shelter
of the Gulf attract a large
variety of fish, and several
local companies provide full and
half day trips to the best
fishing waters about 12 kms
offshore from the mainland.
Golf: Dubai has the unique
distinction of being the only
golfing centre in the world to
host major international
tournaments on both the European
and Asian PGA circuits. Visiting
golfers can choose from various
clubs and courses, each of
championship quality and
presenting a different type of
challenge.
Treatments and therapies: Dubai
is home to an extraordinary
number of spas and wellness
clinics, ranging from
internationally renowned brands
to ancient Chinese and Indian
holistic treatments |
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