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
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