Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Dubai Tourism – Some Last Great Tips For Tourists Part III
This is the last of my three part series on tips for Dubai tourism. So far I’ve covered everything from what you can bring with you to how to get there to what you can do once you’ve arrived…not to mention how easy it is to get around. In this article, we’ll touch on a few final things that I am sure you are going to want to know.
On thing we didn’t touch on in the first two articles is how to pay for stuff. Yes, you need money here. Good news on this front. There are many local and international banks in Dubai that offer the standard commercial banking services. Banking hours are a little odd though if you’re used to US banking. Banks are open from 8 AM to 1 PM Saturday to Wednesday. On Thursdays, they’re open from 8 until noon and that’s it. Hope you’re an early riser.
As for credit cards (who doesn’t have one?) most of the common ones are accepted including American Express, Diners Club, Visa and Mastercard. These cards are taken by most of the larger shops in the area, though you may have a problem using them in the smaller establishments. So it’s good to have some cash on you. The monetary unit in Dubai is the dirham. The exchange rate, at this point in time is one US dollar for Dh3.67.
Tipping in Dubai is pretty standard and actually less than the going rate in the US which, in many places is up to 20%. In Dubai, a 10% tip is considered acceptable. If you want to be a big spender, you can up it to 15% but it’s not required or expected. Here’s a tip. When treated to excellent service, tip accordingly. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself.
Business hours in Dubai are nothing like in the US. So if you’re planning on doing any business there at all, you need to know this. The Dubai weekend, traditionally, is Thursday afternoon and Friday. However, some places now close on Friday and Saturday. Office hours in the private sector are all over the map. Some places are open from 8 to noon, reopen at 1 until 3 or 4 and others are straight 9 to 5. Some shops stay open until 10 PM at night, so if you’re a late night shopper, these will do just fine.
Naturally, these three articles just scratch the surface. For a complete tourist guide that will give you everything you could possibly want, check out the resource below.
www.allthingsdubai.com
On thing we didn’t touch on in the first two articles is how to pay for stuff. Yes, you need money here. Good news on this front. There are many local and international banks in Dubai that offer the standard commercial banking services. Banking hours are a little odd though if you’re used to US banking. Banks are open from 8 AM to 1 PM Saturday to Wednesday. On Thursdays, they’re open from 8 until noon and that’s it. Hope you’re an early riser.
As for credit cards (who doesn’t have one?) most of the common ones are accepted including American Express, Diners Club, Visa and Mastercard. These cards are taken by most of the larger shops in the area, though you may have a problem using them in the smaller establishments. So it’s good to have some cash on you. The monetary unit in Dubai is the dirham. The exchange rate, at this point in time is one US dollar for Dh3.67.
Tipping in Dubai is pretty standard and actually less than the going rate in the US which, in many places is up to 20%. In Dubai, a 10% tip is considered acceptable. If you want to be a big spender, you can up it to 15% but it’s not required or expected. Here’s a tip. When treated to excellent service, tip accordingly. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself.
Business hours in Dubai are nothing like in the US. So if you’re planning on doing any business there at all, you need to know this. The Dubai weekend, traditionally, is Thursday afternoon and Friday. However, some places now close on Friday and Saturday. Office hours in the private sector are all over the map. Some places are open from 8 to noon, reopen at 1 until 3 or 4 and others are straight 9 to 5. Some shops stay open until 10 PM at night, so if you’re a late night shopper, these will do just fine.
Naturally, these three articles just scratch the surface. For a complete tourist guide that will give you everything you could possibly want, check out the resource below.
www.allthingsdubai.com
Dubai Tourism – Some More Great Tips For Tourists Part II
In part 1, I covered a few things that you probably would like to know about Dubai before planning a trip to the area. Of course I really just scratched the surface. So in this article, I’m going to give you some more great tips for your journey so that your experience in Dubai is as pleasant as it can possibly be. Keep reading to find out more.
Let’s start off with language concerns. A lot of people worry about going to a foreign land because they don’t speak the language and wonder if they’re going to be able to communicate. Well, this should put your mind at ease. While the official language is Arabic, English is widely spoken and understood by most of the people there. So you should have very little trouble communicating while there. Bring an Arabic/English dictionary just to be on the safe side.
Okay, I know a lot of people like to drink, so let’s get this issue out of the way so that you don’t get into any sort of trouble. You can get alcohol in any hotel club, restaurant or bar. However, restaurants outside the hotel are NOT allowed to serve alcoholic beverages nor are you allowed to bring any inside. These laws are STRICTLY enforced, so be cool.
Photographs are a big thing with tourists. Who doesn’t bring a camera with them when they go and visit a foreign land? Well, here’s what you need to know about taking pictures. It is normal and acceptable to take common tourist photos of the area with these exceptions. It is considered offensive to photograph Muslim women. Don’t do it. Also, if you’re going to photograph men from the area, ask permission first. Photographs of government buildings and military installations are a big no-no.
What about getting around in the area? This is no problem. You have a choice of a number of transportation modes including taxis, car rentals and even water taxis. This is a great way to travel between Dubai and Deira. Water taxis will take you right across the creek from one place to the other. There are also fully air conditioned water buses.
In the last article in this series, I’ll go over some more great tips. In the meantime, check out the resource below for all your Dubai tourism needs.
www.allthingsdubai.com
Let’s start off with language concerns. A lot of people worry about going to a foreign land because they don’t speak the language and wonder if they’re going to be able to communicate. Well, this should put your mind at ease. While the official language is Arabic, English is widely spoken and understood by most of the people there. So you should have very little trouble communicating while there. Bring an Arabic/English dictionary just to be on the safe side.
Okay, I know a lot of people like to drink, so let’s get this issue out of the way so that you don’t get into any sort of trouble. You can get alcohol in any hotel club, restaurant or bar. However, restaurants outside the hotel are NOT allowed to serve alcoholic beverages nor are you allowed to bring any inside. These laws are STRICTLY enforced, so be cool.
Photographs are a big thing with tourists. Who doesn’t bring a camera with them when they go and visit a foreign land? Well, here’s what you need to know about taking pictures. It is normal and acceptable to take common tourist photos of the area with these exceptions. It is considered offensive to photograph Muslim women. Don’t do it. Also, if you’re going to photograph men from the area, ask permission first. Photographs of government buildings and military installations are a big no-no.
What about getting around in the area? This is no problem. You have a choice of a number of transportation modes including taxis, car rentals and even water taxis. This is a great way to travel between Dubai and Deira. Water taxis will take you right across the creek from one place to the other. There are also fully air conditioned water buses.
In the last article in this series, I’ll go over some more great tips. In the meantime, check out the resource below for all your Dubai tourism needs.
www.allthingsdubai.com
Monday, October 19, 2009
Thinking Of Going To Dubai? Part I
If you ask the average person on the street where Dubai is and have them point to it on a map, you’ll probably have them scratching their head and looking for the nearest exit out of the building.
Either that, or searching for a chart of our solar system.
And yet, Dubai tourism is BIG. And if you’re thinking of going there, you might want to read this article first. It contains a few tips for tourists that will definitely make your stay a lot more enjoyable.
For starters, and I know this isn’t a glamorous subject, but it is important that you are aware:
Certain medicines that are NOT permitted into Dubai.
And I’m not talking about just a few. A PDF that is supplied by the Ministry Of Health Drug Control Department is 49 pages long with over 200 controlled substances that are not allowed in Dubai. It is important that you carefully go through this document BEFORE planning your trip.
As for the weather, you can’t want for a better place.
The climate of Dubai is sub-tropical. Most of the year you will find nothing but clear blue skies and lots of sun. There is very little rain throughout the year as well.
Temperatures can get a little on the hot side however, peaking around 118 degrees. The good news is that it rarely drops below 50. So don’t even think about packing anything more than a light jacket.
If you’re worried about what airline is going to get you to Dubai, get it out of your mind. There are over 80 airlines that fly directly into the area. Major cities such as London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong are only six to eight hours away.
So we’re not talking about a very long flight, relatively speaking that is. And if you are handicapped or have any kind of physical disability at all, Dubai airport is equipped to handle all your needs.
There is a lot more to cover, which I’ll be doing in a followup article. In the meantime, if you really want to know how to get the most out of your Dubai experience, check out the link below. It will provide you with everything that you need so that your trip to Dubai is the best that it possibly can be.
www.allthingsdubai.com
Either that, or searching for a chart of our solar system.
And yet, Dubai tourism is BIG. And if you’re thinking of going there, you might want to read this article first. It contains a few tips for tourists that will definitely make your stay a lot more enjoyable.
For starters, and I know this isn’t a glamorous subject, but it is important that you are aware:
Certain medicines that are NOT permitted into Dubai.
And I’m not talking about just a few. A PDF that is supplied by the Ministry Of Health Drug Control Department is 49 pages long with over 200 controlled substances that are not allowed in Dubai. It is important that you carefully go through this document BEFORE planning your trip.
As for the weather, you can’t want for a better place.
The climate of Dubai is sub-tropical. Most of the year you will find nothing but clear blue skies and lots of sun. There is very little rain throughout the year as well.
Temperatures can get a little on the hot side however, peaking around 118 degrees. The good news is that it rarely drops below 50. So don’t even think about packing anything more than a light jacket.
If you’re worried about what airline is going to get you to Dubai, get it out of your mind. There are over 80 airlines that fly directly into the area. Major cities such as London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong are only six to eight hours away.
So we’re not talking about a very long flight, relatively speaking that is. And if you are handicapped or have any kind of physical disability at all, Dubai airport is equipped to handle all your needs.
There is a lot more to cover, which I’ll be doing in a followup article. In the meantime, if you really want to know how to get the most out of your Dubai experience, check out the link below. It will provide you with everything that you need so that your trip to Dubai is the best that it possibly can be.
www.allthingsdubai.com
Thinking about Dubai?
Review Of All Things
If you are reading this, you’re probably interested in visiting
The author answers a lot of common questions that people usually have about
- Where is
- How does UAE compare to other Arab and/or Islamic nations?
- Is there a dress code in
- What are the sports and entertainment facilities?
- How about United Arab Emirates culture people and society?
- What is the nightlife scene?
- Is life safe for a
But this book goes way beyond just answering simple questions. He goes into more detail for people who might be interested in actually living there and answering many of these questions:
- Am I going to be financially better off in
- What are full expat packages?
- May I do two jobs?
- What is a free zone?
- What are the standard terms of employment and contract?
- What is contained in the UAE labor contract?
- Where is
- Are jobs transferable?
- What is the business culture in UAE?
- How can one find an office in
- How do I get to recruitment
- What are the career opportunities UAE presents?
- What rewards and benefits can aspirants for
- How do I access employment agencies
Is the current scenario good for IT jobs in UAE ,
What about jobs for women in UAE?
He then covers a lot of odds and ends such as:
- Are there international schools in
- Are there internationally affiliated colleges in UAE?
- Are there parks for dogs to run about in?
- How do I organize a desert dune dinner in Dubai UAE?
- What is the real scene of tourism
- Is it true that electronic items are cheaper in
- Is my driving license transferable?
- What items are banned in UAE? Is this for tourist
- Where is
- Can I buy freehold property or only leasehold?
- Where can I find a
- Is there an official source for
He also includes several USEFUL bonuses, unlike the many products that just throw any old garbage at you.
One of them is a tips guide that can save you hundreds of dollars on your visit. These tips alone are probably worth the price of the book.
And there is more…lots more. I’d be here forever going into detail. So instead of my boring the heck out of you, why not just go to his site and see what he’s offering. If you’re really interested in visiting or even relocating to
Here is the site:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)