Top 7 things to know before traveling to Dubai
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Dubai dazzled over
14 million visitors last year with its glittering skyline, man-made
islands, massive shopping malls, and luxury hotels. While there are many
reasons why you should choose Dubai for your next vacation (like
ascending the Burj Khalifa, sky diving over the Palm Jumeriah, and
indulging in Friday brunch, just to name a few), there are also some
things that you should know before you visit. Here, we've rounded up
eight of them.
1. Expatriates comprise about 92 percent of Dubai's population.
Kamran Jebreili/AP
That's right—only 8
percent of Dubai's residents hold an Emirati passport. And, in addition
to that, the median age is 27 years old, which means there's a global
millennial population that keeps the many restaurants, bars, and beach
clubs in business.
2. There's only one temperature—hot.
If you come from a place
where there are usually four seasons in one year, adjusting to Dubai's
climate can be challenging. That's because the desert climate of Dubai
remains more or less the same. It only rains a few days per year, and
the temperature swings from hot to hotter. During the winter months, it
averages about 77 degrees, and in the summer, it's known to soar past
113 degrees.
3. You can have almost anything you need delivered to your door (and it's awesome).
We're not sure if it's
because of the extreme heat, the stiff competition of international
brands, or the fact that many people in Dubai don't own a car, but
amazingly, most restaurants, stores, and even services in Dubai deliver
or come right to you. Long before companies like Task Rabbit or Seamless
were created, businesses in Dubai have been catering to those who
prefer not to leave the comfort of their own air-conditioning. Instead,
with one simple phone call or a click of a mouse, you can have almost
anything delivered to your door. We're talking practical things like
freshly laundered clothing, medicine from the pharmacy, or groceries
from the super market, as well as such goodies as a birthday cake from
Cold Stone Creamery and even a single Starbucks Frappuccino.
4. You can be arrested for PDA.
Whenever traveling the
world, it's important to respect the local culture. And as Dubai is a
Muslim city, kissing, cuddling, and even holding hands in public are not
only frowned upon by many, but actually illegal. All too often, naive
foreigners are arrested for committing indecent acts. This is just one
example of actions that might be legal in your own country, but aren't
in Dubai. Others include drinking alcohol in public (except at licensed
establishments) and giving someone the middle finger (or even using the
emoji!). Committing any of these offenses may see you fined, stripped of
your passport, and thrown in jail.
5. Weekends are from Thursday to Saturday, not Friday to Sunday.
Therefore Sunday, not Monday, is the dreaded first day of the work week.
6. Expect a different city during Ramadan.
If you visit Dubai
during the Islamic festival of Ramadan, you'll experience the calmer
side of the city. As Muslims are required to fast during the day, many
restaurants will be closed, and the ones that remain open often put
screens in the window to prevent passersby from seeing inside.
Similarly, the nightlife will be toned down, and visitors can expect
some of the major tourist destinations, like the malls and the Burj
Khalifa, to be significantly less crowded (which is one great reason to
visit during this time). Do plan to dress more conservatively during the
holiday, as is custom.
Immediately following
Ramadan, however, is the Eid al-Fitr festival, which breaks the fast.
Dubai comes back to life in grand fashion with many extravagant parties,
so visitors will see rates rise dramatically and rooms fill up quickly.
If you're looking to celebrate here, be sure to book your hotel well in
advance, otherwise you might be shut out.
7. Dubai is home to many of the biggest things in the world.
In downtown Dubai, you
can find the world's tallest building (the Burj Khalifa, of course), the
largest shopping mall by land area (Dubai Mall), and world's largest
choreographed fountain show (at the Dubai Fountain). But those aren't
the only things that Dubai does bigger and better than anywhere else.
The city is also home to the world's largest man-made islands, the Palm
Islands, and has publicly announced plans to build the world's largest
airport, the world's largest entertainment complex, and the world's
largest ferris wheel over the course of the next ten years.