Things to Do in Dubai

The UAE enjoys an arid subtropical climate, with blue skies and sunshine all year round. The hottest months are between June and September, when temperatures can soar to 45° (celcius) and more during the day and humidity levels are very high. Even the sea temperature touches on 40° (celcius) during the summer months, and swimming pools at hotels are usually cooled to be refreshing. Temperatures are only slightly more moderate the rest of the year, the coolest time being between December and March. There is very little rainfall in the UAE, but when showers do fall it is mainly in the cooler months.

Mobile phone: Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone operators. Coverage is excellent. Tourists can purchase pre-paid mobile SIM cards. Internet: There are numerous internet and Wi-Fi cafés in the UAE but VoIP telephone systems, such as Skype, are officially blocked. Websites deemed culturally or religiously insensitive are also blocked.

Lightweight summer clothing is suitable for most of the year, but sweaters or jackets may be needed for the winter months, especially in the evenings. Compared with certain parts of the Middle East, the UAE has a very relaxed dress code. However, care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothing which may be considered revealing. At the pool or on the beaches, trunks, swim-suits and bikinis are quite acceptable. Good quality sunglasses are advised and photo- chromatic lenses for those who wear spectacles. Hats or some protection for the head are advisable when in direct sunlight.

UAE Dirham (AED, also written as Dhs) = 100 fils. Notes are in denominations of AED1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of AED1, and 50, 25, 10 and 5 fils (10 and 5 fils coins are rarely used). The Dirham is tied to the US Dollar. XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion. Credit cards: MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. ATMs are found across the UAE, mostly in the major cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. ATMs accept foreign debit and credit cards including Switch, Maestro, Visa, Union Pay and Cirrus, and can be found throughout the UAE, in shopping malls, hotels and petrol stations. However, cash back is not commonly available in the UAE. Plan ahead if you are taking taxis, they will only accept cash and often only small notes and change. Currency exchange: Most hotels will handle the exchange of foreign currency as well as many major banks. Many of the large shopping malls have bureaux de change. Recommended bureaux de change include UAE Exchange located at Dubai Mall and Marina Mall, both in Dubai, or Hamdan Street, Abu Dhabi.

All guests are required to carry a copy of their passports when going on tours / excursions, for the purpose of identification, as per the new laws and regulations in the UAE. This is for the security of all our guests, so that we can ensure that they have a memorable experience on their vacation. All guests are required to carry their passports on Helicopter tours and Sea trips.