Location Information

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Language: Arabic
Currency: Dirham (AED)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a Middle Eastern federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf. The United Arab Emirates is bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates was formed from the group of tribally organized Arabian Peninsula sheikhdoms along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Oman. The area accepted Islam in the 7th century; it was famous for being home to many companions of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

The UAE lies in the arid tropical zone extending across Asia and North Africa. Climatic conditions in the area are strongly influenced by the Indian Ocean, since the country borders both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This explains why high temperatures in summer are always accompanied by high humidity along the coast. From November to March daytime temperatures average a very pleasant 24° C (75° F). Night-time temperatures are slightly cooler, averaging 13° C (56° F). Summer temperatures are high, and can be as high as 48° C (118° F) inland, but it is lower by few degrees in coastal.

Abu Dhabi is frequently called a shopper's paradise for its range of products at often unbeatable prices, whether skipping through designer boutiques or at the many local souks (Arab markets).

Al Nasr Leisureland located in Bur Dubai, is this modern leisure park offering a variety of sports facilities including an ice rink, a bowling alley and swimming pools, as well as a children's amusement park. Open daily from 0900 hrs to 2200 hrs.

The racecourse at the fringe of the city plays a winter host to the popular local sport of camel racing held on Thursdays and Fridays. Races held on the National Day and the Eid are particularly popular events.

Dubai Creek winding its way through the heart of Dubai and dividing the city into Deira on the east and Bur Dubai (Dubai side) to the west, this natural deep- water inlet is still plied by the traditional wooden dhows offering colourful vistas of Dubai's trading heritage. Both day and night cruises on small water taxis, known locally as abras are available. The Khor Dubai wildlife sanctuary, a large shallow lagoon at the creek's head, has become a haven for migratory birds including the graceful greater flamingos.

Visitors from many parts of the world along with a multi-ethnic resident community have ensured that a sophisticated and innovative food culture has developed in the UAE. Almost any type of food is available, from classic European to Pacific Rim. You can eat Mexican, Polynesian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Persian, Italian and French cooking, and more, at some of the finest restaurants in the Middle East.

If you cannot find anything to suit in that list, small ethnic cafés and corner stalls are ubiquitous. Shisha cafés offer an opportunity to smoke a shisha (hubble-bubble pipe) and serve food, coffee; tea and fruit juices and corner stalls serve sharwarmas and other sandwiches.

Dubai can either refer to one of the seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the eastern Arabian Peninsula, or that emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate.

Very little is known about pre-Islamic culture in the south-east Arabian Peninsula, except that many ancient towns in the area were trading centres between the Eastern and Western worlds. The remnants of an ancient mangrove swamp, dated at 7,000 years, were discovered during the construction of the Sheikh Zayed Road.

Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at sea level. The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast.

Dubai has a hot and, at times, humid climate with many months recording temperatures of over 40°C (104°F) (refer to accompanying table for recorded mean minimum and maximum temperatures during the year). Rainfall is generally light, with a mean of about 100 mm per year; precipitation is usually centered around January, February and March.

Dubai, has an excellent nightlife scene with a large choice of bars and nightclubs for you to be able to enjoy whilst there. You will need to know that most of the bars that can serve alcohol are only in hotels, there are though a few exceptions. Dubai also has some interesting laws regarding clubs; they all must close at 3 am, you must be 21 to drink alcohol, 25 to enter a nightclub.

Medical Precautions:

Valid smallpox vaccination certifcate.