Understand
A relatively new tourist destination, Dubai has gained in popularity in the recent years. It is essentially a desert city with superb infrastructure, liberal policies and excellent tourist amenities. Just 5 hrs from Europe and 3 hrs from most parts of Asia, Dubai makes a great short break for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining, sporting events, and even a few sinful pleasures. It is a city of superlatives: for the fastest, biggest, tallest, largest and highest, Dubai is the destination.
The weekly day off is on Friday. Government departments are off on Friday and Saturday while a lot of multi-nationals are off on Friday and Saturday. Most local companies work a half day on Thursday. Note that, Since September 2006, a harmonised weekend of Friday and Saturday adopted for the public sector and schools. It is not yet certain how
Climate
The city of Dubai is situated on a coastal strip bordered by desert and gets very hot and humid in the summer. Cooler, more pleasant weather lasts from the end of September to begining of May. In May, June, July, August and September the sun is intense and temperatures can touch 50 degree Celsius in the city and even higher in the desert!
The heat coupled with humidity of 80-90% near the coast effectively precludes most activity outdoors for the daylight hours during summer.
January and February generally produce the highest precipitation.
Get in
By plane
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the largest hub in the Middle East and the home base of the Dubai's flag carrier Emirates. The airport is famous for its duty-free shopping. Alcohol is also available at an inbound duty free store situated in the baggage reclaim area. The allowance is 4 bottles (or four 6 packs) per person.
Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) is located in the emirate of Sharjah. It is only half an hour by road from Dubai and is taking an increasing number of international flights as Dubai airport struggles to keep up with demand. A taxi ride to Dubai will typically cost Dhs 50. The airport is fairly basic but is being expanded.
Dubai World City(JXB) recently announced to be ready for 2010.
Frequent visitors from countries granted automatic visa on entry may wish to purchase an e-gate card to speed up immigration formalities and save passport pages. The e-gate card office is situated in the upstairs foodcourt area of the departures concourse. The card will cost AED 150. Note: If you intend to buy an e-gate card in Dubai, you must have entered UAE via Dubai airport and not Sharjah.
By car
Dubai's only international road border is with Oman at Al Wajajah. Expatriate residents of Oman will require an official permit to exit Oman by road. Visitors do not require the permit. There is an OMR 3.000 charge per vehicle to exit Oman and, if returning, retain the charge receipt as it will be required to reenter. Ensure that insurance is valid for the UAE (preferably before commencing the journey). Temporary UAE insurance can be purchased at the border for a premium price. Exiting Oman is fairly orderly but several kilometres down the road, entry into the UAE is totally disorganised; so, be prepared for a wait.
There are also road borders between the neighboring Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Oman at the Al Burami Oasis which divides the sister cites of Al Ain, UAE and Al Burami, Oman. Some people have experienced problems entering Oman at the Al Wajajah post and reentering the UAE at Al Burami Oasis.
By boat
Dubai is a trading hub for dhows from around the Indian Ocean. Travellers wanting to arrive in the city this way will probably need to make their own arrangements with the captain of the vessel.
Get around
By bus
Dubai has a good bus service with buses at intervals of about 20 min in general. However the bus service is not recommended for tourists as it is not as comprehensive as in other major global cities. The main bus stations are Gold Souq Market (in Deira) and Al Ghubaiba bus station (in Bur Dubai). Bus services are also available to other emirates (Al Ghubaiba). Ramadan timings differ.
Use the Dubai Public transport as a cheaper means of traveling within the several districts in Dubai. The fare comes up to an easy 1.50 AED, affordable for those who prefer a cheaper mode of transport. There's a bus stand on almost every road in Dubai and with all the friendly people in Dubai, you won't find it difficult to get help at any point of time. Self-explanatory maps and route marks and their bus numbers are placed inside every bus stand. At any time, if in doubt, simply ask the bus driver for help!
For a good, hop on - hop off, type tour try the Big Bus Company .
By taxi
Taxis are reasonably priced and easily found on all main roads in built-up areas, 24 hours. The official taxis (cream color) are a lot cheaper than people approaching you at the airport saying "you want taxi?". They are metered thus saving a haggle over prices. From the airport, there is a standing charge of AED 20; all other pick ups attract a standing charge of AED 3.00 . You can waive for a taxi at any place. When driving the rate is AED 1.60 per km . There is nothing to choose in rates between the 5 players: Dubai Transport, National, Cars, Metro, and Arabian; so, take the first one that comes along. Driving standard in Dubai ranges from poor to wild - taxis are some of the worst on the roads.
By car
There are a countless number of Rent-A-Cars that will provide a mode of transportation for very cheap rates and very little paperwork. An International Driving Permit is now being asked for. In the past this was only needed for travel outside of Dubai.
Some agencies will hire out cars complete with drivers. Visitors taking advantage of this option will need to make certain that their driver knows his way around, as many do not.
When driving on the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed road, the junction numbers are not in logical order! Junction 13 is just after 18 and are rarely as shown on the maps. Road names can also be very confusing with slight differences in spelling (due to transliteration from Arabic) being very important. The construction work that is taking place throughout and around Dubai can make finding your destination a challenge. Temporary road layouts change with alarming regularity and temporary signs can be misleading or non existent.
Driving during morning and afternoon peak hours is not recommended, as traffic slows to a standstill and even a simple trip across a bridge can take up to 45 minutes. There is also a scarcity of parking spaces in many parts of the city.
With such a mixture of nationalities residing in the city, driving styles are mixed to say the least. Dangerous driving will be witnessed, or experienced, on a frequent basis; and, bear in mind that Dubai has one of the highest per capita road death rates in the world. There is zero tolerance for alcohol and driving with stiff penalties meted out, including jail and deportation.
By boat
An easier way of crossing the Dubai Creek is by abra, essentially a small ferry. Abra stations are located along the Creek on both the Bur Dubai and Deira sides, and the system of filling the boats is remarkably efficient. The cross-river trip costs 1 Dirham (AED 1) per passenger, payable to the driver after the boat has left the station, and affords a very picturesque view of the city (not to be missed). Abras set off very regularly, and the service is available round-the-clock.
Abras can also be hired for a private tour (for a price negotiable with the driver but usually very cheap). This is quite a popular activity at sunset on a clear day, particularly if the driver is able to enliven the tour with stories about the structures on either side of the Creek. Just make sure that the purpose of one's abra hire is made clear at the outset - otherwise you'll be in for a very expensive cross-river trip or a crowded private tour.
The Creek is also the home of many boats offering more comfortable (and correspondingly more expensive) tours, often in boats designed to resemble dhows. Prices tend to the higher end of the scale, particularly for dinner cruises with on-board entertainment.
By metro
Dubai Municipality has embarked on an ambitious project to introduce a Metro Rail system. According to the official site Dubai Metro construction has already commenced and the first phase is expected to be complete by 2009.
See
Do
Learn
Dubai has set up a free-zone Knowledge Village to house institutes and universities, providing both on-line and in-class training. The city also has the American University in Dubai .
Work
Dubai presents an affluent image to the visitor. What is not so obvious to the regular visitor are the people that actually make it work. Unfortunately, the people working in the service industries are underpaid, often have very poor working conditions and no employment rights. For example, a hotel waitress in one of the top hotels could expect $400 per month and to work very long hours. It is common for people to come from Asia and CIS countries, attracted by the Dubai image, but many return home disillusioned.
Buy
Dubai is practically synonymous with shopping. The huge amounts of cargo passing through its port and the low tariffs ensure that practically anything is available at competitive rates.
Remember to haggle in the souks, as discounts are almost always available and even in situations where the item will not become much cheaper, the customer is always expected to "play the game" of haggling. A simple question of "what's your best price?" will often result in a shop-keeper going to extraordinary lengths to sell his stock.
Prices in the malls and other Western shops tend not to be negotiable. Far from being a bad thing, this allows the canny visitor to work out comparative prices for common souvenirs - an invaluable aid when a shop-keeper in a souk is asking for a higher price.
Malls
TIP: Several malls have a large Carrefour, or similar, hypermarket where you'll find the lowest cost electronics.
Eat
Consult the weekly listings magazine, Time Out Dubai, for restaurant reviews and offers. It is available on line at www.timeoutdubai.com.
Most of the American fast food chains have set up shop in Dubai, including KFC, Chillis, Starbucks, McDonalds. The beauty of the food in Dubai is that you will probably find cuisine for every taste.
Snacks
Shwarma is the most available (and cheap!) food in Dubai. It is meat that has been cooked on a skewer and then cut into thin strips and placed into a pita bread with vegetables and dressing. It costs about AED 3 (80c) for the plain-jane variety and up to AED 5 ($1.30) for the more exotic Lebanese and Iranian varities. Fala-Fil (Felafel, falafel) is also available at about the same costs as the shawarma.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
The top hotels in the city all have at least one restaurant serving (most commonly) some form of international cuisine - Italian, Japanese, Indian and so on. Quality tends to be high, along with price, but non-guests are able to reserve tables as well, thus allowing the rest of us to experience a bit of these hotels.
Drink
Dubai has several laws regarding alcohol which tourists should be aware of before visiting:
Bars
Sleep
Due to very heavy demand for hotel rooms in Dubai it necessary that you book your hotel at least 2 weeks in advance to get a decent rate, especially from September to May.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
The international code for UAE is +971, for Dubai, add a 4 afterwards for land lines. Mobile phone numbers will start +971 50 xxx yyyy for Etisalat or +971 55 xxx yyyy for Du. The single service provider presently is Etisalat although a new Telecom company - Du will soon start its operations across the emirates.
GSM Those with GSM phones can expect auto roaming from their home countries. You can also buy a prepaid GSM card. For Etisalat, you will need a local address, which can be a hotel. A visitor's package, Ahlan, can be purchased at the airport from the Etisalat counter in the exit corridor after clearing customs.
Phone Booths Phone booths are located on most streets. Phone cards can be purchased from hotels and tourist shops. Some phones accept coins & credit cards
Internet Internet Cafes are hard to find. There is one at Computer Plaza next to Ramada Hotel in Bur Dubai. Also, the French Connection, Al Wafa Tower on Sheikh Zayed road (opposite side of road from the Dusit Hotel) has wifi access and nice cakes/pastries. Surprisingly the malls do not have Internet Cafes. Most hotel business centres are equipped with Internet Cafes, but expensive.
Etisalat , UAE's telecom operator, offers a roaming, post paid WiFi internet connection known as iZone . Most coffee shops and malls across Dubai provide this service. Prices are available on their website.
Stay safe
Eating or drinking publicly during daylight hours is an offence during Ramadan except in hotels and private beach areas.
Drivers are not always as fond of the road rules in Dubai as in other cities or countries. Particularly during the morning and afternoon rush-hours, most drivers will take quite astonishing risks in heavy traffic. Taking a taxi, bus or abra is often a better bet than crossing busy roads, as even pedestrian crossings are not always observed.
Gay and lesbian travelers should be particularly careful, as the official penalty for homosexuality in the United Arab Emirates is death. The level to which this law is enforced is not well known.
Cope
Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, is a non-profit community service organization that has been set up to bring down barriers between people of different nationalities, and to help understand the traditions, customs and religion of the UAE.The SMCCU, under the banner, Open Doors Open Minds organizes educational and social events, that allows its clients to exchange ideas, pursue learning and share ways to reach understanding for their companies, their families, their countries and the world.SMCCU
Some of the activities that are offered at the center include:
Get out
Dubai (in Arabic: دبيّ, Dubayy, in English) can either refer to one of the seven emirates that constitute United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the eastern Arabian Peninsula, or that emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate.
The modern emirate of Dubai was created with the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. However, written accounts documenting the existence of the city have existed at least 150 years prior to the formation of the UAE. Dubai shares within a federal framework, legal, political, military and economic functions, with the other emirates, although each emirate has jurisdiction over some functions such as civic law enforcement and provision and upkeep of local facilities. Dubai has the largest population and is the second largest emirate by area, after Abu Dhabi and, with Abu Dhabi, is one of only two emirates to possess veto power over critical matters of national importance in the UAE. Dubai has been ruled by the Al Maktoum dynasty since 1833. The city's current ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
Revenues from petroleum and natural gas contribute to less than 3% of Dubai's US$ 46 billion economy (2006). A majority of the emirate's revenues are from the Jebel Ali free zone (JAFZ) and, increasingly, from tourism and other service businesses. Dubai has attracted world-wide attention through innovative real estate projects and sports events. However, this increased attention, coinciding with its emergence as a world business hub, has also highlighted human rights issues concerning its largely foreign workforce.
History
Very little is known about pre-Islamic culture in the south-east Arabian peninsula, except that many ancient towns in the area were trading centers between the Eastern and Western worlds. The remnants of an ancient mangrove swamp, dated at 7,000 years, were discovered during the construction of the Sheikh Zayed Road. The area had been covered with sand about 5,000 years ago as the coastline retreated inland, becoming a part of the city's present coastline. Prior to Islam, the people in this region were idol worshippers, who worshiped Bajar (or Bajir) The Byzantine and Sassanian empires constituted the great powers of the period, with the Sassanians controlling much of the region. After the spread of Islam in the region, the Umayyad Caliph, of the eastern Islamic world, invaded the south-east Arabia and drove out the Sassanians. Excavations undertaken by the Dubai Museum in the region of Al-Jumayra (Jumeirah) indicate the existence of several artifacts from the Umayyad period. The earliest recorded mention of Dubai is in 1095 CE, in the "Book of Geography" by the Spanish-Arab geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri. The Venetian pearl merchant Gaspero Balbi visited the area in 1580 CE and mentioned Dubai (Dibei) for its pearling industry.
In the early 18th century, the Al Abu Falasa clan of Bani Yas clan established Dubai, which remained a dependent of Abu Dhabi until 1833. On 8 January 1820, the sheikh of Dubai and other sheikhs in the region signed the "General Maritime Peace Treaty" with the British government. However, the town's geographical location continued to attract traders and merchants from around the region. The emir of Dubai was keen to attract foreign traders and lowered trade tax brackets, which lured traders away from Sharjah and , which were the region's main trade hubs at the time. Arbitration by the British and the creation of a buffer frontier running south eastwards from the coast at Ras Hasian resulted in a temporary cessation of hostilities. However, border disputes between the emirates continued even after the formation of the UAE; it was only in 1979 that a formal compromise was reached that ended hostilities and border disputes between the two states. Electricity, telephone services and an airport were established in Dubai in the 1950s, when the British moved their local administrative offices from Sharjah to Dubai. The town joined the newly independent country of Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the Qatar/Dubai Riyal, after the deflation of the Gulf rupee. In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a single, uniform currency: the UAE dirham. In the 1970s, Dubai continued to grow from revenues generated from oil and trade even as the city saw an influx of Lebanese immigrants fleeing the civil war in Lebanon. The Jebel Ali Free Zone, comprising the Jebel Ali port (reputedly the world's largest man made port) was established in 1979, which provided foreign companies unrestricted import of labour and export capital.
The Persian Gulf War of 1990 had a huge impact on the city. Economically, Dubai banks experienced a massive withdrawal of funds due to uncertain political conditions in the region. During the course of the 1990s, however, many foreign trading communities — first from Kuwait, during the Persian Gulf War, and later from Bahrain, during the Shia unrest, moved their businesses to Dubai. The success of the Jebel Ali free zone allowed the city to replicate its model to develop clusters of new free zones, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Maritime City. The construction of Burj Al Arab, the world's tallest freestanding hotel, as well as the creation of new residential developments, were used to market Dubai for purposes of tourism. Since 2002, the city has seen an increase in private real estate investment in recreating Dubai's skyline
Geography
} and covers an area of 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²)
Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert. However, the topology of Dubai is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE in that much of Dubai's landscape is highlighted by sandy desert patterns, while gravel deserts dominate much of the southern region of the country. The sand consists mostly of crushed shell and coral and is fine, clean and white. East of the city, the salt-crusted coastal plans, known as sabkha, give way to a north-south running line of dunes. Further east, the dunes grow larger and are tinged red with iron oxide. Experts also predict that the possibility of a tsunami in the region is also minimal because the Persian Gulf waters are not deep enough to trigger a tsunami The mean humidity in Dubai is about 60%
Demographics
According to the census conducted by Statical Center of Dubai, the population of the emirate was 1,422,000 as of 2006, which included 1,073,000 males and 349,000 females. As of 1998, 17% of the population of the emirate was made up of UAE nationals. Approximately 85% of the expatriate population (and 71% of the emirate's total population) was Asian, chiefly Indian (51%), Pakistani (16%), Bangladeshi (9%) and Filipino (3%). About 3% of the total population of Dubai was categorized as "Western". In addition, 16% of the population (or 288,000 persons) lived in collective labour accommodation were not identified by ethnicity or nationality, but were thought to be primarily Asian. The median age in the emirate was about 27 years. The crude birth rate, as of 2005, was 13.6%, while the crude death rate was about 1%.
Although Arabic is the official language of Dubai, Malayalam, Tamil, English, Hindi, Urdu,Bengali and Tagalog are widely spoken. Article 7 of the UAE's Provisional Constitution declares Islam the official state religion of the UAE. The government subsidizes almost 95 percent of Sunni mosques and employs all Sunni imams; approximately 5 percent of Sunni mosques are entirely private, and several large mosques have large private endowments.
Dubai has large expatriate Hindu, Sikh, and Christian communities. Non-Muslim groups can own their own houses of worship, where they can practice their religion freely, by requesting a land grant and permission to build a compound. Groups that do not have their own buildings must use the facilities of other religious organizations or worship in private homes. Non-Muslim religious groups are permitted to openly advertise group functions; however, proselytizing or distributing religious literature is strictly prohibited under penalty of criminal prosecution, imprisonment, and deportation for engaging in behaviour offensive to Islam.
Historically, Dubai and its twin across the Dubai creek, Deira (independent at that time), became important ports of call for Western manufacturers. Most of the new city's banking and financial centres were headquartered in the port area. Dubai maintained its importance as a trade route through the 1970s and 1980s. The city of Dubai has a free trade in gold and until the 1990s was the hub of a "brisk smuggling trade" of gold ingots to India, where gold import was restricted.
Dubai is an important tourist destination and its port, Jebel Ali, constructed in the 1970s, has the largest man-made harbour in the world. Dubai is also increasingly developing as a hub for service industries such as IT and finance, with the establishment of a new Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The government has set up industry-specific free zones throughout the city. Dubai Internet City, combined with Dubai Media City as part of TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority) is one such enclave whose members include IT firms such as EMC Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Microsoft, and IBM, and media organisations such as MBC, CNN, Reuters and AP.
The government's decision to diversify from a trade-based but oil-reliant economy to one that is service and tourism-oriented has made real estate more valuable, resulting in the property appreciation from 2004–2006. Large scale real estate development projects, undertaken by firms such as Emaar Properties, have led to the construction of many skyscrapers such as the Emirates Towers and the world's tallest hotel, the Burj al-Arab. Burj Dubai, also being constructed by Emaar Properties, is expected to become the world's tallest structure.
The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was established in March 2000 as a secondary market for trading securities and bonds, both local and foreign. As of Q4 2006, its trading volume stood at about 400 billion shares worth US$ 95 billion. The DFM had a market capitalization of about US$ 87 billion. have often been criticized. NPR reports that workers "typically live eight to a room, sending home a portion of their salary to their families, whom they don't see for years at a time." The BBC has reported that "local newspapers often carry stories of construction workers allegedly not being paid for months on end. They are not allowed to move jobs and if they leave the country to go home they will almost certainly lose the money they say they are owed. . In September 2005, the Minister of Labour ordered one company to pay unpaid salaries within 24 hours after workers protested, and published the name of the offending company. . In December 2005, the Indian consulate in Dubai submitted a report to the Government of India detailing labor problems faced by Indian expatriates in the emirate. The report highlighted delayed payment of wages, substitution of employment contracts, premature termination of services and excessive working hours as being some of the challenges faced by Indian workers in the city. On 21 March 2006, workers at the construction site of Burj Dubai, upset over bus timings and working conditions, rioted damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction tools .
Prostitution, though illegal by law, is conspicuously present in the emirate because of an economy that is largely based on tourism and trade. Research conducted by the American Center for International Policy Studies (AMCIPS) found that Russian and Ethiopian women are the most common prostitutes, some African countries as well, while Indian prostitutes are part of a well organized trans-Oceanic prostitution network .
Transport
The Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB), the hub for Emirates Airlines, services the city of Dubai and other emirates in the country. The airport served a total of over 28 million passengers and over 230,000 flights in 2006. The Dubai International Airport ranks 17th among international airports for total cargo traffic in 2006. A third terminal is currently under construction and is due to open in 2007. The new terminal will be dedicated to Emirates Airline and will fully support the new Airbus A380. The development of the Dubai World Central International Airport, currently under construction, was announced in 2004. The first part is expected to be completed by 2008.
Dubai has a large bus system that services 69 routes and transported over about 90 million people in 2006. The (RTA) announced in 2006 that an additional 620 new buses will be added to its fleet of 170 double decker buses. Dubai also has an extensive taxi system, by far the most frequently used means of public transport within the emirate. Taxicabs are both government and private owned.
A $3.89 billion Dubai Metro project is under construction for the emirate. The Metro system is expected to be partially operational by 2009 and fully operational by 2012. The metro will comprise two lines: the Green Line from Rashidiya to the main city center and the Red Line from the airport to Jebel Ali. The Dubai Metro (Green and Blue Lines) will have 70 kilometers of track and 43 stations, 33 above ground and ten underground. One of the more traditional methods of getting across Bur Dubai to Deira is through abras, small boats that ferry passengers across the Dubai creek, between abra stations in Bastakiya and Bani Yas road.
Education
The school system in Dubai does not differ from that of the United Arab Emirates. As of 2006, there are 88 public schools run by the Ministry of Education that serve Emaratis and expatriate Arabs as well as 132 private schools.
Approximately 10% of the population has university or postgraduate degrees. Many expatriates tend to send their children back to their home country or to Western countries for university education. However, a sizable number of foreign accredited universities have been set up in the city over the last ten years. Some of these universities include the American University in Dubai (AUD), The American College of Dubai, SP Jain Center Of Management,University of Wollongong in Dubai and Institute of Management Technology, Dubai. In 2004, the Dubai School of Government in collaboration with Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Medical School Dubai Center (HMSDC) were established in Dubai.
Media
Dubai has a well established network of print, radio, television and electronic media to cater to
the needs of the city. Dubai has courted many media and technology companies which has allowed the city to become a major media hub. The city has over half a million telephone and fascimile subscribers. There are about 180,000 internet subscribers in the city.
See also
External links
