Dubai is well-known for its massive skyscrapers like Burj Khalifa (the tallest building globally, 828 meters or 2,717 ft.) and Marina 101 (residential tower with 425 meters or 1,394 ft.), its shopping malls, its diversified culture, and its commitment to tolerance.
I’m a Filipino ex-pat currently based in Dubai since 2016. and learned how to maximize our fun and learning experiences when traveling around Dubai’s metropolis. I’m excited to share this with you!
16 Things You Must Know to Skyrocket Your Dubai Travel Experience
1. Dress Up Modestly
You’ll find Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of the significant GCC countries in the Middle East. As an Arabic country, it has a strong loyalty and dedication to Islam. Part of the locals’ culture and traditions is to warrant their commitment to their Islamic or Shariah law. Hence men wear their Kandura while women wear their Abaya and hijab to encourage modesty, humility, and self-restraint. It is practical to observe and follow dress code guidelines as a sign of respect and cooperation to Shariah law.
It does not imply that you will need to wear Kandura, Abaya, or Hijab, but the point is to be more considerate and modest in your attire while in the UAE.
It is permissible to wear swimwear at pool or beach resorts. Furthermore, non-Muslim women and men may wear revealing clothing, but modest clothing is always preferred.
Helpful Read: 11 Myths about Islam and Muslims
2. Avoid PDA
In general, PDAs (public displays of affection) are not suggested in Dubai and the UAE. Even in other Islamic countries, PDA is prohibited. You will typically see signs upon entering malls or public areas to remind everyone. Muslims express their love for their husband or wife in private. In contrast, some sites in Dubai allow husband and wife to hold hands, especially when crossing roads and pedestrians. Kissing and caressing with your partner is appropriately done privately.
3. Ask permission before taking pictures
Be cautious when taking pictures or videos, especially in areas where cameras and camcorders are not authorized. These are typically government facilities, private properties, and terminals. When you’re not in a tourist area, it’s better to get permission before taking pictures to avoid potential offenses.
4. Follow national and local laws and guidelines
Dubai strictly enforces policies, guidelines, and regulations to maintain peace and order. All locals and non-locals are expected to observe and follow Dubai’s and UAE’s secular and Shariah laws. Here are some of Dubai’s standard public policies.
- Use of facemask in public nowadays due to pandemic crisis
- No jaywalking instead strictly uses of pedestrians
- Men are expected not to use the Women and Children sections in metro trains and buses
- Not chewing of gums or eating inside the metro trains or buses
- Following traffic regulations when driving
- No loitering or littering in public especially at night
- Avoid smoking in non-smoking areas
- Following the speed limits when driving
- Defaming or bullying someone online
5. Strictly follow Alcohol guidelines
Alcohol is only permitted to be consumed privately or in licensed public places. In addition, to drink legally in the UAE, a person must be at least 21 years old. There are also licensed supermarkets that sell non-halal food for non-Muslims, like pork. However, Muslims prefer halal food; hence alcohol and pork are strictly regulated.
Helpful Read: Can Christians Eat Halal Food?, 3 Shocking Revelations Not to Eat Pork
6. Always bring your ID
When traveling as a tourist in Dubai, keep your IDs (passport and visa copy) with you. These are your identification documents if authorities stop you. Do not be scared if the police check on you because this is standard procedure. They want to ensure the safety of both locals and visitors. Prevent potential troubles from causing harm to people. The police are extremely friendly and approachable. They even bring their beautiful service cars around the Burj Khalifa and other tourist areas so that the public can happily take pictures. Sometimes, they ride horses!
7. Many establishments accept card payments
Many establishments in Dubai accept card payments, both debit and credit cards, in addition to cash. I only carry a few dirhams when I travel and mostly use cards to make purchases. So I can say that digital transformation is one of the city’s perks for its residents.
8. All SIM cards are to be registered
When purchasing a SIM card, don’t be surprised if you’re asked to provide a copy of your passport and visa. The government requires that all SIM cards be registered before use. In an emergency, authorities want to ensure safety and easy contact tracing. In addition, the life of your SIM card is determined by the expiration date of your visa. As a result, you can renew your registration once your visa has been renewed. There are there telecoms – Etisalat, Du, and Virgin Mobile.
9. Keep a NOL card
NOL card is a lifesaver! It’s what you use to pay for your metro train, trams, and bus rides. NOL cards come in different colors and use. Here are the two major cards:
Silver NOL – it’s the typical card used by the public. It automatically calculates the cost of your trip and deducts it from your balance. You can get it at a low price and use it immediately. You may use it on all forms of transport, Dubai public parks, Etihad Museum, and 2000+ shops across Dubai.
Gold NOL – I called it a privilege card because it allows you to ride on a Gold Class cabin in Metro and tram. It is also valid on all transport modes, Dubai public parks, Etihad Museum, and 2000+ shops across Dubai.
You can visit the NOL card official site – HERE for more details.
10. Check the Islamic Holidays
It’s better to check the Islamic holidays before traveling to Dubai to fully know what to expect. For example, during Ramadan, there’s a strict regulation regarding eating between sunrise to sunset in public places. It’s because that’s the period when Muslims are fasting. Therefore, most food establishments are closed until 7 PM or are strictly regulated. In addition, drinking water in public during Ramadan may be considered rude except when in food courts.
11. Best to visit between October to March
I recommend visiting Dubai when seasonal theme parks are open between October and March. It is also the time of year when most big sales, various perks, and GITEX take place. Moreover, it’s the best time to travel because the weather is cooling down. Winter lasts from December to early March.
12. Weekends are Friday-Saturday-Sunday
Weekends used to be Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday is the start of business, and it ends on Thursday. However, the UAE government recently decided to change the law to improve global business strategies, promote work-life balance, and ensure the well-being of its people.
Friday half-day, Saturday, and Sunday would form the new weekend in the country beginning January 1, 2022, aligning it with global markets.
On Fridays, Muslim men usually walk with their prayer mats to the nearest community mosque to pray. You’ll hear the call of prayers siren around the neighborhood, and it’s so surreal, like hearing a beautiful orchestra playing. The good news since Sunday is now included as a weekend. It opens the door for other religions like Christianity to perform their religious services on Sunday.
After prayers and services, you’ll see families and friends gathering in parks, beaches, and shopping malls to spend quality time together. It’s an excellent way to wrap up the weekend and prepare for the upcoming weekdays.
13. Shops Limitless
Dubai is famous for its gigantic malls. Imagine a vast human-made aquarium inside a mall. Imagine an indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of indoor ski area inside a mall. Yes, they all have these kinds of unbelievably excellent indoor facilities. Endless shops you can choose from. The four best shopping malls in Dubai:
- Dubai Mall (DM) is the world’s largest and visited mall with a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet. There are taxis inside which you can ride when you’re tired of walking. 😁 It is the home of Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, a 270-degree walk-through tunnel for a beautiful, immersive experience of the deep sea. The mall has over 1200 retail stores, including Valentino, Gucci, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Alexander McQueen.
- Mall of the Emirates (MOE) – this mall has 2.4 million square feet of retail floor space. MOE has a complete array of Fashion Dome and Luxury Wing. Its shops include Centrepoint, DKNY, Boutique 1, Forever 21, Kate Spade New York, and Apple. MOE is the home of Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of the indoor ski area.
- BurJuman Mall – the mall includes high brands likes Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, H&M, Charles & Keith, and Burberry.
- Ibn Battuta Mall (Ibn) is one of my favorites because of its external and internal design. I call it the museum mall. The mall is segmented, and each segment has a name of some world’s famous countries—Architectured according to the country they represent. Countries include India, China, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Andalusia. It’s like touring around the world.
14. Learn Basic Words and Phrases
It’s cool to know helpful words and phrases that you can use to connect with locals as a tourist. Although Arabic, Urdu, and Hindi are the most widely spoken languages, most people are fluent in English. So here are some actual words and phrases for you to remember.
Arabic
- Maharba – Hello / Welcome
- Shukraan – Thank you
- Yalla – Let’s go
- Khalas – done / OK / alright / finish / enough / stop it
- Habibi – friend / love / dear
Urdu/Hindi
- Shukriya – Thank you
- Bhai – Brother
- Acha – Yes / OK
- Nahi – No
- Kya haal hai? – How are you?
Bonus: Tagalog / Filipino
Komusta – How are you?
Salamat – Thank you
Ate – Sister
Kuya – Brother
Kabayan – literally means countrymen but also Filipino people
Helpful Read: 15 Must-Know Words When in the Middle East
15. Install 2GIS (online / offline Map)
It’s helpful to have and use Google Maps to navigate Dubai, but it’s even better to have 2GIS installed on your phone. 2GIS is a map of Dubai that can be viewed online and offline. You will have full access to each building; details such as company names and contact information are available. In addition, you’ll see which roads have toll gates, distances, and route options from point A to B. Also, it will advise you on which public transportation to take, how much you may be charged, and so on. The best part is that it works even if you don’t have internet access.
16. Diversified Culture
What I like best about Dubai is its diverse culture. It encourages tolerance and allows its locals to live happily and freely. I met people of various nationalities, including Africans, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Indians, Filipinos, Chinese, Koreans, Americans, Australians, Italians, and more.
It’s fascinating to visit hypermarkets like Carrefour because you’ll see various nationalities of food and commodities. People are open-minded and freely exchanging ideas and thoughts. Some issues arose, but people can quickly resolve them due to their high discipline culture.
My Takeaway!
Dubai, in my opinion, is a free and democratic emirate because people are free to enjoy what it has to offer. You can freely explore Dubai as long as you follow the rules and don’t step on anybody. I hope I’ve shed some light on what to expect when visiting Dubai. There’s a lot more I can tell you about in my following blogs!
Traveling is an excellent teacher because it provides unique experiences. It teaches us to discover ourselves when outside our usual surroundings and comfort zone. The best part is that you will meet people from all walks of life who will inspire and motivate you to look on the bright side of life despite differences and difficulties. As I always say, life is difficult, but it is also beautiful. And it’s even more beautiful when you travel!
Note: This blog is NOT paid or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned on this blog. All information given is for general information, only intending to help travelers and tourists. In case wanting to have your brand removed or any correction is needed, please let us know, and we’ll do the necessary action. Our email address is 52stirslounge@gmail.com. Thank you.
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I love this post, very interesting.
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Great article! I find this helpful and a very interesting read.
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Thank you for good information about Dubai your post is great and helpful for Dubai tourists. you’re doing great job dear keep it up.
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glad i can help 😊
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well said – perfect points to note for any tourist!
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