Women Travellers
The UAE is extremely safe for women travellers, nevertheless women travelling alone are a novelty and you may find yourself at the focus of unwanted attention. You will probably have a more relaxed visit if you stay in one of the four or five star hotels, especially if you can use the hotel's private beach facilities. Women in the UAE have a much more liberal lifestyle than many of their Gulf counterparts (i.e. women are permitted to drive, work etc) however, women travelers should be aware that they are visiting a society which has strong traditional roots.
If you wish to avoid hassle or risk causing offence, do not wear tight or revealing clothes away from the beach clubs and resorts. You will also find that clothing suitable for the more cosmopolitan cities may not be comfortable or convenient for independent travel in rural areas. Loose trousers and a long sleeved cotton shirt will suit a wide range of situations.
When socializing in local company wait until a hand is offered to you for a handshake, some devout Muslims prefer not to shake hands with a woman.
Remember that one advantage of being a woman in the UAE is that women are normally served first at banks and post offices, police stations and other government offices frequently have separate queues for women.
Travelling with Children
The UAE is a family-oriented environment and small children are welcome and appreciated everywhere. The larger hotels have a good selection of kids' meals, especially in room service. Very small children do not normally eat out at night, but are often welcome. Phone ahead to check. In any case baby-sitting services are available in the main hotels. There are lots of activities for children, both in and around the five-star hotels, special amusement parks and many green areas. Children under 12 usually qualify for discounts on admission fees to most museums, amusement parks, swimming pools and entertainment centres.
Disabled Travellers
Several five-star hotels have specially-adapted rooms and other facilities for handicapped people.
The airport and major shopping malls have good access and facilities, as well as Dubai's Transport Taxis are fitted to accommodate wheelchairs.
There are also designated disabled parking spaces in nearly all of the city’s car parks, though you will need a disabled window badge in order to use them.
The UAE is extremely safe for women travellers, nevertheless women travelling alone are a novelty and you may find yourself at the focus of unwanted attention. You will probably have a more relaxed visit if you stay in one of the four or five star hotels, especially if you can use the hotel's private beach facilities. Women in the UAE have a much more liberal lifestyle than many of their Gulf counterparts (i.e. women are permitted to drive, work etc) however, women travelers should be aware that they are visiting a society which has strong traditional roots.
If you wish to avoid hassle or risk causing offence, do not wear tight or revealing clothes away from the beach clubs and resorts. You will also find that clothing suitable for the more cosmopolitan cities may not be comfortable or convenient for independent travel in rural areas. Loose trousers and a long sleeved cotton shirt will suit a wide range of situations.
When socializing in local company wait until a hand is offered to you for a handshake, some devout Muslims prefer not to shake hands with a woman.
Remember that one advantage of being a woman in the UAE is that women are normally served first at banks and post offices, police stations and other government offices frequently have separate queues for women.
Travelling with Children
The UAE is a family-oriented environment and small children are welcome and appreciated everywhere. The larger hotels have a good selection of kids' meals, especially in room service. Very small children do not normally eat out at night, but are often welcome. Phone ahead to check. In any case baby-sitting services are available in the main hotels. There are lots of activities for children, both in and around the five-star hotels, special amusement parks and many green areas. Children under 12 usually qualify for discounts on admission fees to most museums, amusement parks, swimming pools and entertainment centres.
Disabled Travellers
Several five-star hotels have specially-adapted rooms and other facilities for handicapped people.
The airport and major shopping malls have good access and facilities, as well as Dubai's Transport Taxis are fitted to accommodate wheelchairs.
There are also designated disabled parking spaces in nearly all of the city’s car parks, though you will need a disabled window badge in order to use them.
About VISA
If you’re a British citizen, you can get a 30 day visa on arrival. You can extend this for a further 30 days by visiting an immigration office in the UAE and paying an extension fee. Don’t outstay your visa or you will be fined. If you hold any other type of British nationality (e.g British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas)) you will need to get a visa from the UAE Consulate before you arrive in the UAE.
Living and working in the UAE
If you have entered Dubai on a visit visa and you wish to work then you should get a probationary work permit, valid for up to 3 months, from the Ministry of Labour. If you don’t get this permit and are caught working while on a visit visa, then you risk being jailed or fined and deported.
For further information, including on how to stay in the UAE for longer than 60 days, visit the websites of the UAE Consulate in London, the Naturalisation and Residency Department – Dubai or the UAE Federal E-Government Portal.
If you apply for a residence visa, you will have to take a blood test. Those testing positive for HIV or hepatitis are detained and then deported. There is no appeal process.
UAE employers may ask foreign employees to deposit their passports with the company as part of the terms and conditions of employment. While this is not an unusual practice, it is illegal under UAE labour law.
You should cancel your work visa before leaving the country permanently. If you don’t do this, you risk being reported as an absconder and could be arrested if you return to the UAE, even if you are in transit to another country.
Failure to repay debts or resolve any outstanding cases against you may also result in your arrest on return to the UAE.
Passport validity - Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into the UAE. If you hold a residence permit, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months in order to travel into and out of the country.
UK Emergency Travel Documents- UK Emergency Travel Documents are not valid for entry into the United Arab Emirates. However, ETDs are accepted for airside transit and exit from the United Arab Emirates.
Note: Anyone travelling to UAE will need to apply for a visa.
HEALTH & SAFETY MEASURES
Remarkably, the UAE has no reported cases of holiday illnesses recorded in a survey by the leading British consumer magazine, this is a tribute to the success of government immunization programs, the provision of adequate clean water and high standards of cleanliness in hotels and restaurants.
VACCINATIONS - No special immunizations are required, however it would be wise to check beforehand if you are traveling from a health-risk area.
MALARIA- There are very few mosquitoes in the towns and cities and, since it is not considered to be a risk, malaria tablets are rarely prescribed for travelers in the UAE. However, mosquitoes will find you if you are camping near the mountains or exploring wadis or date groves in the evening, so cover up and use a suitable insect repellent as it is always safer to avoid being bitten.
Beach Safety- Rip currents can occur at any beach, and can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Always comply with warning signs, especially red flags, and only swim from approved beaches.
Local laws and customs- Be aware of your actions to ensure that they don’t offend, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
In 2016, the holy month of Ramadan started on 6 June and ends on 5 July. See Travelling during Ramadan
Dress code -Women should dress modestly when in public areas like shopping malls. Clothes should cover the tops of the arms and legs, and underwear should not be visible. Swimming attire should be worn only on beaches or at swimming pools.
Offensive behavior- Public displays of affection are frowned upon, and there have been several arrests for kissing in public.
Etiquette- Travelers should take into account a number of local rules of etiquette. When you enter a house or mosque do not forget to take your shoes off. Sending and receiving money, food and other items must be done with your right hand only.
Relationships outside marriage- All sex outside marriage is illegal, Same-sex marriages are not recognised and all homosexual sex is illegal. If the UAE authorities become aware that you’re conducting a sexual relationship outside marriage (as recognised by them), you run the risk of prosecution, imprisonment and/or a fine and deportation. It’s against the law to live together, or to share the same hotel room, with someone of the opposite sex to whom you aren’t married or closely related.
Hotels- It is normal for hotels to take a photocopy of your passport or other ID.
You can’t stay in a hotel if you’re under 18 years old and not accompanied by an adult.
Photography -Photography of certain government buildings and military installations is not allowed. Don’t photograph people without their permission. Men have been arrested for photographing women on beaches. Hobbies like bird watching and plane spotting, may be misunderstood - particularly near military sites, government buildings and airports.
Technical equipment- Equipment like satellite phones, listening or recording devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras or binoculars, may require a licence for use in the UAE.
Accepted Currency
The currency in Dubai is the UAE dirham (Dhs or AED), which is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of Dhs3.675 to US$1. There are 100 fils in a dirham. The notes in circulation are Dhs 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000. Be warned that the brown Dhs1,000 note looks a lot like Dhs200.
Generally, it’s good to carry Dhs100 notes and lower values for day-to-day transactions. The most common coins are the silver Dhs1, 50 fils and 25 fils.
Banks are generally open Saturday–Thursday 8am–1pm, closed on Fridays.
Almost all major shopping centers and restaurants accept payments with credit cards of international standard. However, travellers who hope to get a discount when purchasing a product are recommended to get sufficient amount of cash. Some markets and shops may accept U.S. dollars, but the exchange rate will be significantly undervalued.
Hints- The best way to make phone calls to other cities and countries is to use special public phones that can be found close to all major shopping and entertainment centers. These pay phones are operated by plastic cards, which can be purchased at newsstands or in grocery stores. Calls from hotels are usually the most expensive ones.
Power supply voltage ranges from 220 to 240V. Majority hotels are equipped with standard English type sockets. Tourists can easily purchase electrical adapters in any supermarket or request the hotel.