A land of Deserts,Beaches & Shopping Malls- Dubai

Hey,Hello & Salaam-Valeikum!
Dear friends as always let me take you to another exotic destination.... to a place of desert safaris, parks, museums, beaches, palm trees, shopping malls, lovely people, warm climate, & lots of exciting places to visit.... Yes you guessed it right.... Dubai... This is the place that i like to visit & im sure you will love it too...

Dubai has managed to achieve what other Arab cities have failed to do, create the right balance western influence and eastern tradition. Its culture is rooted in Islamic traditions that penetrate the Arabian peninsula and beyond, but the city’s visionary development is proof of an open-minded and liberal outlook.

What’s This? Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the Persian Gulf. Its the emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai City" to distinguish it from the emirate.

Located Where? Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast in the northwest of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the capital of the emirate. Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast.

How do we Reach There?
Air: Dubai 's international airline is Emirates.Daily number of flights take off and land on Dubai International Airport and flights from Dubai to North America, South America, East Asia, Southwest Asia, South Asia, Australasia, and Africa from operates here. Dubai International Airport is the hub for Emirates Airline, services the city of Dubai and other emirates in the country.Dubai International Airport is 4 kms to city centre. Distance from Dubai International Airpor to other emirates:

Abu Dhabi:170 kms

Sharjah: 15 kms

Ajman: 30 kms

Umm Al Quwain: 55 kms

Ras Al Khaimah: 100 kms

Fujairah: 130 kms

Best time to visit : Average temperature:Mininum - January between 14 and 24degrees C.Maximum - August between 29 and 41 degrees C.

Climate : Dubai has a sub-tropical, arid climate. Rainfall is infrequent and irregular. Between November and March, Dubai weather is warm and sunny without being unbearably hot. Winter temperatures are around 23 degrees C in the daytime, while nights are cooler.

Major Attractions :

Dubai Creek: is considered to be one of the most significant and safe harbor for all the ships. It has a very beautiful, calm and serene atmosphere. Abras are serving as water-taxis for crossing from Deira side to Bur Side.

Dubai Museum: The building of Al Fahidi Fort was built against foreign invasion. This splendid fort is now Dubai Museum. Dubai Museum offers a unique trip to desert life, traditional Arabian homes, mosques, fishing, pearl diving and trade. Major highlights of Dubai Museum are artefacts from excavated graves, musical instruments. Deadly weapons also form the major part of Dubai Museum, such as swords, spears, bows, arrows, shields, pistols and axes.

Al Boom Tourist Village:
Adjacent to Creekside Park, the village consists of a 2,000 seat banquet hall, a coffee shop, restaurant, amusement park, ornamental lake and a marina with five cruise boats. Its traditional architecture forms a stately city landmark. Located next to Wonderland Family Fun Park. It is open 7 days. Timings: 9 am - 1 am. Entertainment includes evening boat cruises with dinner served.


Desert Safaris:
A trip to the desert should be compulsory on everybody’s itinerary as the breath-taking beauty of the desert will remain a vivid memory for many years to come.

Bedouin Village:
For those who are adventurous by nature, trip to Bedouin Village would be quite exciting! Experience the traditional way of living in a desert! Enjoy the camel riding lessons from the inhabitants of Bedouin Village. Looking for more excitement? Then plan for accommodation at Al Maha! It is one of the most popular and unique luxury resorts and is spread over 3,300 acres of sun kissed dunes. Staying here would enable you to experience the thrill of desert safari.

Deira Covered Souk (District):
The Deira Covered Souq has more of an Indian feel than an Arabic one, with folks hawking textiles, spices, kitchen wares, clothes and henna. The aromas, the sights and the flavours of this place is quite intoxicating.


Gold Souk:
Dubai boasts one of the largest retail gold markets in the world, selling everything from ingots to intricately worked jewellery at bargain prices. The street-front stores hide alleys of smaller shops with glittering show windows.


Grand Mosque:
Situated on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek near the Ruler's Court, Grand Mosque was re-built in 1998 and now has, at 70 metres, the city's tallest minaret. It has 45 small domes in addition to nine large ones boasting stained glass panels, making it a distinguished landmark and important place of worship.

Hatta:
In the foothills of the majestic Hajjar mountains, Hatta is a comfortable resort, ideal for a weekend getaway. The historic Hatta fort overlooks the town. The area is a much frequented picnic spot, and is about one hour drive from Dubai.


Heritage and Diving Village:
A traditional heritage village, located in the Shindagah area has been created where potters and weavers display their crafts. The Diving village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire area into a cultural microcosm, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by. Located near the mouth of the creek, this area is also popular in the evenings as a venue for its open-air cafeterias and live entertainment. Several shops also sell handicrafts. No entrance fees.


Jumeirah Mosque:
Located on Al Jumeira Road this mosque, one of the most beautiful of all, and a fine example of modern Islamic architecture. The beauty of the mosque, the city's largest, is seen at its very best particularly when floodlit after sundown, when the subtle lighting throws its artistry into relief. The mosque is one of the most visited and photographed sights. Tours are at 10am every Sunday and Thursday mornings. For tour information, contact the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, which is open 8am - 3pm, Sat-Wed.

Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House (Museum, Port Rashid, Dubai):
Shaikh Saeed was the grandfather of the present ruler and his house has been restored as a museum.Sheikh Saeed's House was built in a commanding position near the sea so the Ruler could observe shipping activity from its balconies. With its wind-towers and layers of rooms built around a central courtyard, it is a fine example of regional architecture. An ambitious restoration project has returned the house to its former glory and makes it a showcase for the history and development of Dubai.
Sheikh Saeed's house can be visited as part of the Big Bus Company's tour of Dubai. The ticket price of Dhs 75 includes the entrance to Sheikh Saeed's House and Dubai museum as well.

Spice Souk:
The narrow lanes of the spice souk are redolent with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, incense, dried fruit and nuts. Imported from all over the Middle East, they are sold straight out of open sacks that surround the shop keepers.

Other attractions include:


Dubai Dolphinarium- the first fully air conditioned indoor (temp 21-25c) Dolphinarium in the Middle East.The aim is to provide solid family entertainment and education about Dolphins, Seals, and other marine life.


Wild Wadi: Located next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Wild Wadi offers thrill-seekers and families hours of fun at one of the world's most advanced water theme parks. Featuring the tallest and fastest water speed rides outside North America, other attractions include Log River, Ring Ride, Flood River, Wave Pool, Flow Rides, Lazy River and much more. You can check opening timings and discounted 'sundowner' rates as these vary from month to month.

Dhow Dinner Cruise & Wild Wadi SpecialCruise along Dubai Creek: You can dine on board and enjoy the music. During the Cruise you can enjoy the spectacular modern architecture and the fascinating old city on a modern boat or a traditional wodden vessel to enjoy the cruise on the warm waters of the historic creek. Dinner will be served on board as you take in evening sights and sounds.


Desert Safari: Safari drivers will take you through the magnificient sand dunes to experience the thrill of dune bashing. Take a camel ride on the golden sands, relax by the bonfire. For the ladies Famous Henna designer is on call to exibit her talents. The evenings enterainment begins with session of belly dancing followed by a delicious barbeque dinner served under the stars accompained by authentic Arabic music.


Beaches in Dubai:
Palm Beach:Dubai has a number of beautiful beaches like famous Palm Beach in Dubai and beach parks offering a wide range of recreational and entertainment facilities in resorts to its visitors. The year round sunshine and excellent soft sandy beaches along the coast are ideal for relaxing, lazing or sun bathing. For the more active, there are water sports to be enjoyed in the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf.


Jumeirah Beach: is the most famous and popular beach in Dubai. Actually, it is a long stretch of beach on the Arabian Gulf flanked by hotels and private clubs, interspaced by a few public access marine beaches. The Jumeirah beaches have soft white sand that slip into the shallow warm turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf


Al Mamzar Park: There is also a public beach at Al Mamzar Park on the Deira side of the Creek. The public facilities include playgrounds, barbecue sites, food kiosks, and picnic areas for families at Palm beach.


Clothes to be taken: Lightweight summer clothing is ideal with a wrap, sweater or jacket for cooler winter nights and air-conditioned premises. Although the dress code in the UAE is generally casual, guests in the larger hotels do tend to dress more formally in the evening. Since you are visiting a Muslim country, bikinis, swimsuits, shorts and revealing tops should be confined to beach resorts.
Women are usually advised not to wear short skirts and to keep their shoulders covered. Note that in Sharjah women are prohibited from wearing swimsuits on public beaches.

Precautions :
PERSONAL SAFETY: The UAE is one of the safest places in the world to visit. In fact, it has been designated the world's safest holiday destination by the international travel industry.


General Info / Tips :
Visa Requirements:Every nationality entering the UAE needs a visa except citizens of GCC countries (Gulf Cooperation Council: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) expatriate residents of the GCC (certain nationalities and professions) and British citizens with the right of abode in the UK. The following citizens of Europe also receive visas on arrival citizens of : Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea and the Vatican. Please note that Israelis and travelers whose Passports bear Israeli stamps will be denied a visa.


TOURIST VISA:
This visa is issued through tourist companies and it is valid for 30 days. It You cannot renew it or extend it. If the Visa holder of the tourist visa stays more than the 30 days, that person has to pay a fine per day plus some charges are for an out pass.

VISIT VISA:
Visa is issued through DNRD. It is stamped for 30 days validity but it is valid for 60 days and can be extended for 30 more days by paying some amount. The extension needs to be done before the 60th day. If the visitor stay more than 60 days or more than 90 days (after the extension) they will have to pay a fine per day plus some charges for an out pass.
Certain passport holders can enter the UAE without obtaining a visit visa prior to arrival and stay up to 30 days.

Documents required:
1) Photocopy of the visitor's passport
2) Visit Visa Application form, completed and signed by the sponsoring company.
3) Photocopy of the trade license of the company
4) A Guarantee letter from the company stating its responsibility of the visitor during his visit.

WORK VISA:
These visas are issued for people want whether to work or do business in UAE. It is valid for 60 days only, during this the work residence visa has to be processed. If the person delays in stamping the residence he will pay 25 AED fine for each day. (Please see Residence Section for further details about how to stamp the residence).
There are different types of Work visas:
Private companies or Establishments employees (Issued from labor Office)
1) Servants
2) Partners
3) Investors
4) Governmental institutions and Ministries (Issued from DNRD) and the person can only work in governmental institutions.


Currency:Dhs = UAE dirhams. 100 fils = 1 dh
Notes: Dhs 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 & 5
Coins: Dhs 1, fils 50, 25, 10


Local time:
Dubai Time is + 4 Hours GMT. The UAE is four hours ahead of GMT. The time does not change during the summer. This means that there is a three hour difference between UK and UAE local times in summer and a four hour difference in winter.


VACCINATIONS:
No special immunizations are required, however it would be wise to check beforehand if you are traveling from a health-risk area. Tetanus inoculations are usually recommended if you are considering a long trip. Polio has been virtually eradicated in the UAE and hepatitis is very rare and can be avoided by taking precautions. Hepatitis A is transmitted by contaminated food and water, Hepatitis B, C, D through sexual contact, the use of unsterilized needles and blood transfusions.Certificate required for cholera and yellow fever if arriving from affected area.


Languages Spoken: The official language is Arabic, Arabic and English are commonly used in business and commerce. Hindi and Urdu are also widely used.


Shopping: The Famous Dubai Shopping Malls are: Deira City Center, Burjam Center, Mercato Mall, Wafi City Mall, Al Ghurair City, Lamcy Plaza Al Mulla Plaza, Al Bustan Center, Al Mamzar Shopping Center, Al Manal Center, Bin Sougat Center, Hamarain Center, Karama Center, Mazaya Centre, Oasis Center, Palm Strip Shopping Mall, Town Center, Twin Towers, Ibn Battuta Mall,




Dubai Shopping Festival: held in the months of January/February/March every year, is a celebration time for both the shopkeepers. Almost 30 million bulbs illuminate the streets and by lanes of Dubai in electronic patterns during Dubai Shopping Festival. Goods are cheaper by 25 % to 50 % than in their country of origin at Dubai Shopping Festival. Discounted rates are not the only attraction, as you will be drowned with fabulous free gifts, bargain offers and raffle tickets. Dubai is the 'international shopping Mecca' of the world. During Dubai Shopping Festival,malls-shops offer deep discounts on their merchandise, daily car raffles are drawn, and fireworks light Dubai's night sky.


EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Ambulance 998 or 999
Fire 997
Police 999
Coastguard 04 3450520
East Coast Coastguard 09 2380380


Hours of work: Government - 7:30 am - 14:30 pm. Closed- Thursdays and Fridays.


Nightlife in Dubai is vibrant whether its coffee culture, bar-hopping or night clubbing, the city has something to offer to everyone. The cosmopolitan nature of Dubai is well documented in its night life. Regional visitors tend to congregate in the city’s main coffee shops while westerners are generally drawn towards the city’s sophisticated wine bars, relaxed pubs and night clubs.

Bon Voyage