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DigiMarCon Dubai 2022 is your chance to ...
- Hear from the most audacious and provocative speakers in the digital marketing industry.
- Gain insight into emerging strategies, the latest innovative technologies, and best practices.
- Network with thought leaders, build your network and collaborate with your peers.
DigiMarCon Dubai 2022 Digital Marketing, Media and Advertising Conference will be held from October 18th - 19th, 2022 at the luxurious Hyatt Regency in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Whether your goal is to reinforce customer loyalty, improve lead generation, increase sales, or drive stronger consumer engagement, the DigiMarCon Dubai 2022 program has been specifically designed to help attendees develop their audience.
Immerse yourself in topics such as digital strategy, programmatic advertising, web experience management, usability / design, mobile marketing & retargeting, customer engagement, user acquisition, social media marketing, targeting & optimization, video marketing, data science & big data, web analytics & A/B testing, email marketing, content marketing, conversion rate optimization, search engine optimization, paid search marketing, geo-targeting, predictive analysis & attribution, growth hacking, conversion rate optimization, growth marketing tools, marketing & sales automation, sustainable growth strategies, product marketing & UX / UI and much, much more!
DigiMarCon Dubai 2022 offers all of the elements you need to achieve digital marketing success! Conventional thought will be challenged, new ways of thinking will emerge, and you will leave with your head and notebook full of action items and ideas to lead your agency / team / account to even greater success.
Come to DigiMarCon Dubai 2022 and discover how to thrive as a marketer in a world where everything is digital.
Take advantage of our super saver registration rates and secure your seat early.
For more details visit https://digimarcondubai.ae.
Hyatt Regency Dubai, Al Khaleej Road, Dubai, UAE
Dubai (دبي) is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It is rather like an independent city-state and is the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE, developing at an unbelievable pace in the tourist and trade sectors especially. Recently Dubai won the bid to host EXPO 2020, a Universal scale Registered Exposition approved by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), Paris.
A relatively new tourist destination, Dubai was gaining popularity in recent years until the global economic crash of 2008. Dubai is essentially a desert city with superb infrastructure, liberal policies (by regional standards), that became popular for its excellent tourist amenities. Just 5 h from Europe and 3 h from most parts of the Middle East, the Near East, and the subcontinent of India, Dubai makes a great short break for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining, sporting events, and even a few sinful pleasures. It is a city of superlatives: for the fastest, biggest, tallest, largest and highest, Dubai is the destination. It has the largest immigrant population in the world. The weekly day off is on Friday. Note that, since September 2006, a harmonised weekend of Friday and Saturday has been adopted for the public sector and schools. Government departments, multinational companies, and most schools and universities are now off on Friday and Saturday (after years of a mixed bag of Friday/Saturday and Thursday/Friday weekends). Some local companies still work half a day on Thursday with a full day on Saturday, but larger companies tend to permit relaxation and time off work for their employees on Friday and Saturday.
One Emirates, many Peoples
Once you land in Dubai, you might not think it is an Arab country. You might think that you are in India or the Philippines. Indians are known as the fathers of development of Dubai. When Dubai was in poor state before the exploration of oil, Indians supplied technology to develop Dubai. Dubai, since the founding of the oil industry, has attracted thousands of migrants from all over the world notably from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines in search of jobs. In this modern day, Indians and Filipinos have left their influence in the emirate: Indian restaurants and Pakistani bakeshops are everywhere while Filipino supermarkets are on the rise. Next to them the Europeans (mostly British and French) and Sri Lankans, form the next largest communities. Chinese and Indonesian migrants are on the rise. Many Arab countries have passed policies like the UAE’s Emiratisation, which is a policy that prevents migrants from taking all the job opportunities and provides more jobs to local Emiratis.
Dubai is divided into multiple districts or municipalities:
Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High (°C) | 24.0 | 25.4 | 28.2 | 32.9 | 37.6 | 39.5 | 40.8 | 41.3 | 38.9 | 35.4 | 30.5 | 26.2 |
Low (°C) | 14.3 | 15.4 | 17.6 | 20.8 | 24.6 | 27.2 | 29.9 | 30.2 | 27.5 | 23.9 | 19.9 | 16.3 |
Precipitation (cm) | 1.88 | 2.50 | 2.21 | 0.72 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.27 | 1.62 |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Weather forecast |
Dubai has an arid sub-tropical climate with very hot, humid summer weather averaging 42 degrees (108F) in the daytime and 28 (84F) at night. Fall and Spring is still rather hot, with daytime temperatures between 25 and 40 degrees (75-100F) and nights around 20 degrees (65-75F), with less humidity. Winter weather is pleasant and dry, with daytime highs of 25 (75F) and nighttime lows of 10 degrees (55F). Dubai is known for its beaches, with water temperature in summer getting as hot as 37 degrees (99F). The water temperature tends to be around 20-25 degrees (75F) in winter, and 30 (85F) in spring and fall as outside temperatures rise.
December to April generally produces the highest precipitation, which at 10 cm (5 in), still is little. Some years yield no more than a few minutes of shower in Dubai. November 2006 brought record rains up to 50 cm (25 in) of rain, with temperatures at record lows.
See Get in section of the UAE page for visa and customs regulations. While Israeli passport holders are not welcome, having Israeli stamps in your passport is not a problem. (Edit: This is NOT always the case. Although somewhat rare, you CAN be refused entry into the UAE for having an Israeli stamp in your passport. Be safe and bring a second passport for traveling to Muslim countries, or travel to Israel after visiting all Muslim countries).
If you are traveling from India and are of a nationality for which an advance visa is required, it might be necessary to get an ‘Ok to Board’ stamp on your tickets and Visa. This is generally arranged by a travel agent. If this has not been done, consult your airline office once you have a visa and airline ticket in your possession.
Dubai’s main airport is the Dubai International Airport. You can also enter Dubai by using Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) in the nearby emirate of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) in nearby Abu Dhabi. Frequent visitors from countries granted automatic visa on entry may wish to purchase an e-gate card to speed up immigration formalities and save passport pages. The e-gate card office is situated in the upstairs foodcourt area of the terminal 1 departures concourse. The card will cost AED 200. Note: If you intend to buy an e-gate card in Dubai, you must have entered UAE via Dubai airport.
Airlines are often having price wars to glamorous destinations like Dubai and this can work to your advantage by careful planning and comparison of the various airlines serving Dubai. Emirates[] is Dubai’s official airline carrier which connects Dubai to over 100 destinations while FlyDubai[] is Dubai’s low-cost carrier. Etihad[] has shuttle services from their exclusive check in facility in Sheikh Zayed Rd or Central Business District of Dubai to and from Abu Dhabi Int’l Airport, you can also fly with Sharjah’s low-cost carrier; Air Arabia[] which flies to over 46 destinations within the Middle East.Now it is possible for indians holding green card or valid us visa and passport validity no less then six months can get visa on arrival fo DM.100/-effective may 1st 2017.
Dubai Airport Terminal 1 Interiors
Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB) [] is the largest hub in the Middle East and the home base of Dubai’s flag carrier Emirates [] and its low-cost wing FlyDubai []. In fact, it has grown at such a furious pace that the present terminals are bursting at the seams, especially during the peak hours around midnight.
The Dubai International Airport has three terminals and another one in the making as of end 2010.
Terminals 1 and 3 are directly connected to each other via the airside (no immigration needed for transfer), while Terminal 2 is located at the other end of the airport. Terminals 1 and 3 are models of modern airport design, but Terminal 2, despite the recent renovations, is still reminiscent of developing world airports, with long check-in lines, queue-jumping and every other passenger checking in 50 kg of luggage. Shuttle buses run between Terminals 1 and 3 every 20-30 min. Terminal 2 is not connected by shuttle so a 30 min taxi ride may be your only option. A low-cost option for traveling to Terminal 2 is to catch the metro to a nearby station, such as the Stadium or Airport Free Zone metro stations, and from there catch a taxi to Terminal 2 (should cost around 15 AED).
Shops at Dubai Airport
The airport is famous for its duty-free shopping []. However, prices in the airport’s duty-free stores are equal or higher than what you can find in the many malls of the city. One key exception is cigarettes where a carton of 200 is less than USD$30 for most brands. Alcohol here is very cheap, though. Alcohol is also available at an inbound duty free store situated in the baggage reclaim area and what is worthy of note is the fact that cans are on sale there – so you don’t have to lug them from your destination. The amount of alcoholic beverages and beers should not exceed 4 liters of alcohol beverages, or 2 cartons of beer (each consisting of 24 cans, not exceeding 355 ml for each can or its equivalent).
Taxi: Most visitors will opt for public taxis from the airport, which are readily available just outside arrivals, which use the meter and start at Dhs 25. Taxis are on the left when you come out of terminal 1.
Public transport: Terminals 1 and 3 are served by the Dubai Metro. There are also buses just steps from the baggage claim, the most useful for visitors being lines 401 and 402 (Dhs 3), which go to the Al Sabkha and Al Ghubaiba bus terminals respectively.
XNB refers to the end point of the Etihad bus transfer from Abu Dhabi. The current location @September 2016 is on SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD near the NOOR BANK metro station, gps: 25.1544206, 55.2260164 at the Travel Mall The metro starts running at around 06:00 except on friday – between 10:30 and 11:00. You can take a bus from around 06:00 BUT you need to find a kiosk that sells the bus tickets, located at bus terminals and seemingly random places. but not at the Travel Mall.. hope this helps some one.
Al Maktoum International Airport, better known internationally as Dubai World Central (IATA: DWC) [] opened for passenger transportation in October 2013. Dubai plans to develop the airport into the world’s largest passenger and cargo hub. Right now though only a handful of flights land and depart there every day (for example low cost flights with Wizzair).
Public Transport is limited right now to bus F55 and bus F55a (night bus) that connect to Ibn Battuta metro station. F55 runs between 06:00 and 22:00 on every full hour. The journey takes 43 minutes. F55a runs all the way to the Satwa Bus Station via Ibn Battuta that is located near Bur Dubai. F55a runs between 23:00 and 06:00 hourly on the hour. The journey from DWC to Satwa takes around 90 minutes.
Sharjah International Airport (IATA: SHJ) [ located in the emirate of Sharjah. It is only 30 min by road from Dubai and takes an increasing number of international flights as Dubai airport struggles to keep up with demand. Be aware that during morning rush hour from Sharjah and afternoon rush hour into Sharjah, travel times to cross the border between the two emirates normally run more than one hour and can run over two hours. Traffic can be bad between Sharjah and Dubai 24 hours per day, so plan accordingly. The principal carrier here is Air Arabia [], a low-cost carrier serving the Middle East and South Asia. The airport is fairly basic but is being expanded. A taxi ride to Dubai will typically cost Dhs 50. A Bus service by Air Arabia also runs from the Airport to the Rashidiya Metro Station in Dubai. Rashidiya metro station is located close to the Dubai International Airport.
Dubai’s only international road border is with Oman at Al Wajajah. Expatriate residents of Oman will require an official permit to exit Oman by road. Visitors do not require the permit. There is an OMR 3.000 charge per vehicle to exit Oman and, if returning, retain the charge receipt as it will be required to renter. Ensure that insurance is valid for the UAE (preferably before commencing the journey). Temporary UAE insurance can be purchased at the border for a premium price. GCC Nationals (and others?) can cross at the UAE-Saudi border in the South West of the country, check in advance as this a long way to have to drive back to Riyadh or Abu Dhabi if you don’t get in.
There are also road borders between the neighbouring Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Oman at the Al Buraimi Oasis which divides the sister cites of Al Ain and Al Buraimi, Oman.
The Government of Dubai operates a network of buses linking Dubai city with the capitals of the other six emirates of the UAE. The buses run under the name Emirates Express and operate from various bus terminals in Dubai.
For timetables see the website.
Dubai is a trading hub for dhows from around the Indian Ocean. Travellers wanting to arrive in the city this way will probably need to make their own arrangements with the captain of the vessel.
Dubai has an international cruise terminal at Port Rashid. During wintertime Costa Cruises has based one of its cruise ships (Costa Luminosa) at Dubai.
A boat service by Valfajre Shipping Company leaves Bandar Lengeh on Sundays and Tuesdays at 6:00pm, docking at Port Rashid in Dubai. Crossing the Persian Gulf takes roughly 6 hours, and a two way first class ticket costs as of February 2010 US$145 (IR 1,450,000) and also two way economy class ticket costs US$122 (IR 1,220,000).
Dubai Metro – Above the Ground
A day pass valid for unlimited rides on the metro and buses costs Dh14, while the Nol Silver stored-value card costs Dh25 (including Dh19 worth of balance) and gives a 10% discount on both metro and bus fares. Both are available at metro stations and major bus stations. The Silver card is useful for public transport users who are planning on taking more than 6 trips on any of the services during their stay. After 6 trips, one starts saving money compared to the Red ticket due to the 10% discount.
Dubai Metro, as of May 15, 2010
Card type | Price | Notes |
---|---|---|
Red ticket | Dh 2 | Rechargeable ticket; suitable for tourists, it lasts for 90 days however should only be used in one type of transport, can be used for 10 journeys. All 10 journeys must have the same fare. |
Silver card | Dh 20 (Dh 14 value) | Rechargeable ticket, valid for 5 years. Recommended if staying for more than a day. |
Gold card | Dh 20 (Dh 14 value) | Rechargeable ticket, can be used in Gold Class. Gold Class journeys cost twice as much as regular journeys. |
Blue card | Dh 70 | Personalized card, with online services like transaction history and online recharge. |
Dubai’s 52-km long Red Line, opened in September 2009, is the third metro in the Arab world after Cairo and Algiers. As of May 15, 2010, 21 stations are open and the rest are scheduled to open by the end of the year. While the line does not serve the old city center, it’s handy for zipping along Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road and includes stops at the airport, Burj Khalifa and the Mall of the Emirates. The Green Line, which burrows through the city core, has been open as of September 9, 2011. A further two stops, Al Jadaf and Creek, are complete but will open at a later date pending development. Transfers are possible at Union Square and Khalid Bin Al Waleed. There are also Blue and Purple lines under construction with opening dates in the next few years.
Single tickets range from Dh2-8.50, or double that for use of the “Gold” first class carriage. Train run every 3-5 minutes from 5:50 AM to Midnight every day except Thursday and Friday, when services are extended to 5:50 AM to 1 AM and limited to 1 PM to Midnight, respectively. All stations are air-conditioned and there’s a large network of feeder buses. Trains run every 2 minutes during morning and evening rush hour.
In addition, a 5 km monorail system shuttles passengers across the Palm Jumeirah to the Atlantis hotel, but it’s not yet connected to the metro network and is thus of very limited utility.
The Dubai Tram opened on the 12th of November 2014, and links Dubai Marina with the Burj Al Arab and JBR. The tram interchanges with Jumeirah Lakes Towers Station and Dubai Marina Station of the Dubai Metro’s Red Line, and two more metro station are expected to connect with the tram in the future.
Services operate every six minutes from 06:30 to 01:38. On Fridays, the service starts at 09:00. The tram has a fixed fare of AED 3 per ride regardless of the distance travelled. A Nol Card can be used by passengers to check-in and check-out of the tram by scanning the card at the platform screen doors.
Dubai has an extensive public bus network, which is a cheaper means of travelling within the several districts in Dubai. A map of the bus system can be found online, as well as detailed route maps and timetables. Public buses are clean and cheap, but unfortunately not very comprehensive and (on some routes) quite infrequent. The bus system is most useful for getting between different areas of central Dubai, or between the various suburbs, rather than general transport. Taxis or a fair amount of walking will also be required if you wish to visit Dubai without a car of your own.
You will require a Nol card or ticket for fare payment. Cards could be purchased from most bus stations, metro stations, and sometimes from the bus driver.
The main bus stations are Gold Souq Market (in Deira) and Al Ghubaiba bus station (in Bur Dubai). The flat fare is 2 AED, but might be higher for hour-long rides to distant suburbs. Clear route maps and time-tables are placed inside a few bus stands. Ramadan timings differ. The front seats are reserved for women.
Probably the single most useful service for the casual tourist is Line 8, which starts at the Gold Souq, takes the tunnel under the Creek to Heritage Village, and then sets off down Jumeirah Rd (just behind the beach) and all its hotels and malls, up to Burj al-Arab and Wild Wadi. Line 8 terminates near the Internet City, while its 8A variant goes down a little further and also serves the Mall of the Emirates.
For a good, hop on – hop off, type tour try the Big Bus Company. It runs two routes; the blue route through Jumeirah and the recently constructed areas, and the red route centering on the older parts of Dubai. The hub for both routes is Wafi City mall, and an 175 AED ticket covers 24 hours of riding.
Taxis ply the streets of Dubai and are relatively easy to spot. The easiest place to find them is at the taxi queue at one of the malls or outside a hotel. Waving down a taxi on the road is possible, but can be difficult during rush hours. At peak times (7-9AM & 4-7PM workdays, and Friday evenings) demand far exceeds supply, and not only are taxis hard to find, but those who deign to pick you up may demand crazy off-meter fares or refuse short rides in congested areas entirely. The standard of driving in Dubai ranges from poor to wild – taxis are some of the worst on the roads. Taxi drivers are pretty good at knowing where the main shopping malls and hotels are, however less well known places will mean the driver calling his brother-in-law to get directions, whilst he drives around in circles on your time – hence it is a good idea to have a rough idea of where you are heading or what a nearby landmark is. It also helps to know exactly what place you are going to rather than to ask for the nearest whatever-it-is (hotel, Metro stop, etc.), as they might drive farther in order to charge you a higher fare.
Taxis are metered at 1.75 dhs/km, so no haggling is necessary. The rates of all taxi companies — Dubai Transport, National, Cars, Metro, and Arabian — are identical, so just take the first one that comes along. From the airport, there is a standing charge of 25 dhs; all other street pickups attract a standing charge of 5.00 dhs during the day, 5.50 at night (10 PM-6AM), but a minimum fare of 10 dhs applies, and there is a surcharge of 20 dhs for going to Sharjah. Taxis are not exempt from the Salik road toll charges which costs an additional 4 Dh (since January 1st 2013). Beware of unmarked hotel taxis and limousines though: while some of these are metered, they are not tied to the official rates, and can be much more expensive. One way to spot whether a taxi is official or not is to look for a meter: no meter, don’t get in.
If you can’t find one otherwise, you can attempt to call a taxi at 04-2080808, there’s a surcharge of 3 dhs to book. The booking system was notorious for its unreliability but with a significantly increased taxi fleet, many taxis now deliberately wait in unofficial holding areas waiting for bookings. As a result, on a good day it can be possible to book a taxi and have it arrive within less than five minutes. If you absolutely have to get somewhere at a certain time (say, the airport or a meeting), it’s still best to book a hotel taxi in advance, and get their estimate of how bad the traffic will be.
Solo women are advised to travel in the back of the taxi as some drivers see it as a sexual invitation if you get in the front.
There are a countless number of Rent-A-Cars that will provide a mode of transportation for very cheap rates and very little paperwork. An International Driving Permit is not necessarily required, but hire companies may not rent a car without one (is not required only for major European and gulf countries, however strictly required for other countries like Russia etc., according to RTA).
Some agencies will hire out cars complete with drivers. Visitors taking advantage of this option will need to make certain that their driver knows his way around as many do not.
When driving on the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed road, the junction numbers are not in logical order. Junction 13 is just after Junction 18 and are rarely as shown on the maps. Road names can also be very confusing with slight differences in spelling (due to different transliterations from Arabic) being very important. The construction work that is taking place throughout and around Dubai can make finding your destination a challenge. Temporary road layouts change with alarming regularity and temporary signs can be misleading or non existent. As GPS maps are not up to date (and usually not anyway available to rent with hire cars), you will be very well off with a printed map (you can get an excellent one in Virgin stores, for example. There is a Virgin Megastore on the top floor of City Center).
Driving during morning and afternoon peak hours is not recommended, as traffic slows to a standstill and even a simple trip across a bridge can take up to 45 minutes. There is also a scarcity of parking spaces in many parts of the city.
With such a mixture of nationalities residing in the city, driving styles are mixed to say the least. Both dangerous and experienced driving will be witnessed or experienced frequently, and bear in mind that Dubai has one of the highest per capita road death rates in the world. There is zero tolerance for alcohol and driving with stiff penalties meted out including jail and deportation.
See Salik.ae for information about toll to pay on certain routes in Dubai. If you rent a car, usually a Salik tag will be provided by the car hire company and you will be charged separately when returning the car.
Note on Navigation systems: In case you are renting a car, you definitely want a navigation system. Even people living there need GPS. For this, you have 2 options: You can rent a GPS or get a car with navigation system. Or you can get data service with your smart phone and use google map or other navigation systems on smart phones.
An abra making its way across Dubai Creek to Deira from Bur Dubai.
An easier way of crossing the Dubai Creek is by abra, essentially a small ferry. Abra stations are located along the Creek on both the Bur Dubai and Deira sides, and the system of filling the boats is remarkably efficient. The cross-river trip costs 1 Dirham (AED 1) per passenger, payable to the driver after the boat has left the station, and affords a very picturesque view of the city (not to be missed). Abras set off very regularly, and the service is available round-the-clock.
Abras can also be hired for a private tour (for a price negotiable with the driver but usually very cheap). This is quite a popular activity at sunset on a clear day, particularly if the driver is able to enliven the tour with stories about the structures on either side of the Creek. Just make sure that the purpose of one’s abra hire is made clear at the outset–otherwise you will be in for a very expensive cross-river trip or a crowded private tour.
The Waterbus is another option for tourists who want to go by boat but avoid the abra crowd (or the heat). It is a part of Dubai’s public transport system, so again a Red ticket, or any Nol card is required for the journey. Can be purchased at the waterbus station. The waterbus also features a ‘tourist route’ round trip – while it is convenient, it can get quite expensive (Dh50 for an adult, Dh25 for a child)
The Creek is also the home of many boats offering more comfortable (and correspondingly more expensive) tours, often in boats designed to resemble dhows. Along with creek, Dubai marina also has their own Luxury Dinner boats and modern dhow cruises. Prices tend to be higher, particularly for dinner cruises with on-board entertainment.
Wind tower in the Bastakiya district
Ship atop the Dubai Museum
Al Ahmadiya School, Deira. Built in 1912, this was Dubai’s first school and has now been nicely restored. It would be a stretch to call the exhibits of old reed pens and diplomas fascinating, but they’ve tried pretty hard, and if nothing else, the air-con and clean toilets may come in handy. Free entry.
Bastakiya District. One of the last remaining pockets of Old Dubai, home to many reconstructed buildings in the traditional style. While information on the structures is slim here (see the museum in preference), the atmosphere is very evocative and there are plenty of delightful art galleries and cafes to explore.
Dubai Museum, Al Ibn Abi Talib Road, ph: +971 (4) 353-1862. A must-see for anyone interested in the social history of the Emirate (and indeed the country). A visit starts at the al-Fahidi fort, which has a few examples of the traditional reed houses and other artifacts, but isn’t much to look at. The more interesting part is the modern extension built underneath the fort, showcasing Dubai’s history using the latest technology and culminating in a reconstructed souq from the pearling days, complete with authentic sights and sounds. It is quite fascinating to see the speed at which the transition from poor pearling village to modern metropolis occurred. Admission 3AED.
Jumeirah Mosque, Jumeirah Road, Jumeirah 1 (opposite Palm Strip Mall). Is the largest in the city, and a wonderful example of Islamic architecture. Built in the medieval Fatimid tradition with the interior decorated with elaborate Arabic calligraphy. It is one of few mosques in the city open for visits by non-Muslims, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding conducts special tours for non-Muslims to help promote understanding of Islam. Guided tours are available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday beginning at 10AM, followed by a question-and-answer session. Located on Jumeirah Road, the mosque is an especially great place to visit in the evening when it’s dramatically illuminated by floodlights.
Shindagha District — Home to the open museums of the Heritage Village, and has the home of former Sheikh Rashid Al-Maktoum.
Souks — There are a number of nice souks, or markets, on both sides of the creek that are worth exploring. The spice souk is a good place to discover local ingredients, while souk Madinat Jumeirah is known for it’s traditional architecture. Souks tend to specialize on a certain niche. Depending on which one you visit they sell everything from spices to crafts to very inexpensive tourist t-shirts.
The Burj al-Arab hotel seen from a nearby hotel.
Dubai Marina
The Dubai Fountain,. At 270m (900ft) in length and sporting a jet that shoots water up to 150m (500 ft), the Dubai Fountain is indeed the world’s largest dancing fountain and one with a very enticing display – a definite must see. The show starts every evening at the Burj Dubai Lake. Easy way to approach it is via the Dubai Mall.
Shows are every 30 minutes from 6pm to 10pm on weekdays and from 6pm to 11pm on weekends. It’s the world’s largest dancing fountain with classical, Arabic and world music. About 1.5 million lumens of projected light and the spray heights of up to 150m/500 ft (22,000 gallons of airborne water).
Burj al-Arab hotel . For a real glimpse into “how the other half lives”, (self-proclaimed as the only 7 star hotel in the world), afternoon tea, or cocktails, may be an interesting experience. Entry to the hotel requires a reservation which will be confirmed at the entry gate, although residents of adjacent Jumeirah hotels may be able to visit by arrangement. Other tourists may occasionally be able to book tours of the hotel itself, however these will not run when the hotel is full. A “very smart casual” dress code applies. Reservations are usually required about a month in advance for a room, but a few days will generally suffice for a meal.
Dubai Marina. Established 2003. The construction of the Marina was inspired by development False Creek in Vancouver (Canada). One of the newer and more popular areas of Modern Dubai, both with residents and tourists. It offers numerous features such as a phenomenal skyline, world class hotels, a fabulous beach, a mall, and 2 different walkways (The Walk and Marina Walk) with coffee shops, restaurants, and shops. Marina Walk is right on the “Marina water”, and there are many yachts there. You can rent a yacht for a cruise around the area or you can simply dine on a dhow cruise Dubai. The Walk has a nice open market run from October till May, every Fridays and Saturdays at daylight.
Dubai Water Canal Dubai water canal is a new tourist attraction unveiled in Dubai on November 9th November 2016, which is another golden feather in cap of Dubai’s history. The 3.2-kilometre-long canal serves as the final segment of the Dubai Creek extension, terminating in the Arabian Gulf via Al Safa, Al Wasl and Jumeirah 2. The opening of the canal opens up new possibilities in marine transport, connecting the historic areas of Deira and Bur Dubai through the extended waterway of Dubai Creek, Business Bay and Dubai Water Canal. There are 3 pedestrian bridges created across different areas of canal in order for the public to watch the beauty of canal and its artificial waterfall with its full essence.The waterfalls automatically stop and give way to marine transport when it pass across it. Dubai water canal is now one of the favourite sailing areas in the city. You can experience cruising through this canal by booking a rental service or by using a RTA water taxi.
Palm Islands. The three largest artificial islands in the world are located just off the coast of Dubai; a major urban development to add a significant amount of upscale beachfront property to the area. Each of the islands is shaped like a palm leaf, with a trunk connected to the mainland, fronds extending from the trunk, and a crescent (a breakwater encircling the trunk and fronds). Of the three planned, the Palm Jumeirah, at 5km square and near Dubai Marina, is the only one yet open, connected to the mainland by a freeway bridge and a monorail and sporting marinas, luxury resorts, and upscale shopping areas.
Ski Dubai
Dubai Creek Cruise
Fossils in a cliff face near Dubai.
China Pavilion in Global Village, Dubai
There are large numbers of companies offering fishing boats like Dubai Dhow. The advanced and modern fishing boats are the most upgraded luxury vessels that have accommodation rooms along with the required things to make the stay comfortable and convenient in the ship. Modern and latest infrastructure with innovative fishing equipments doubles the adventure of fishing from the bottom of the sea.
Dubai is actually a place for water freaks and the people who like to explore the nature from the lap of the sea. Bottom fishing and trolling both options can be availed for preying the fish. Bottom fishing is about to attract a variety of fish by using bait like squids by stopping the boat in the middle of the sea. Trolling is done to catch big fish by using trolling lures or plastic fish as bait.
Many yacht charters companies allow you to get facilitated from chartering experience. One can choose from multiple options like luxury yachts, speed racing yachts and many more. Each yacht differs from others with different features. The yachts are available in various sizes and capacities according to needs of people. For water sport activities, yacht charters are equipped with all needed modern technology and safety measures. Professional skippers and crew members accompany you throughout all chartering experience for instructions and guidance.
Dubai has set up a free-zone Knowledge Village to house institutes and universities, providing both on-line and in-class training. The city also has the American University in Dubai.
Dubai’s Skyline
While Dubai tries to promote itself as the business and entertainment capital of the world, the government has a complex and at times frustrating work permit procedure that one should not attempt on their own unless they have prior experience. Therefore, it is best to go through official channels when looking for work in Dubai as spot inspections are frequent and if found working illegally, both the employee and the employer will be subject to fines and even deportation.
All the necessary forms and documents are written and processed in Arabic and is best left to a professional or a “P.R.O” to handle your paperwork.
There are rules about changing jobs and its frequency. This rules are equally applicable for all nationalities. They have to complete their contract period, which is 2 years. If the employee breaks his/her contract before the completion of 2 years, the new employer has to offer them salary above 5000 AED in-order to avoid ban. Otherwise the employee has to wait until the completion of the left over months of his cancelled contract.If the employer breaks the contracts, then the employee can join another employer immediately irrespective of nationality, religion, cast or creed.
With the price of rentals ever soaring in Dubai and neighbouring Emirates, it is a good idea to discuss a housing allowance when negotiating a pay package.
Despite all this, there are a few upsides, Dubai companies are generous with holidays averaging almost 39 days a year of paid vacation (including public holidays), a round trip ticket home once a year (depending on your contract) and most importantly all your earnings are 100% tax free. This includes Western teachers working for one of many English-language academies.
Recruitment fraud is quite pervasive in this part of the world. Read your employment contract carefully before signing and do not pay any fees to recruitment agencies, as they are usually paid by the companies. Your passport is your personal property and cannot be withheld by the employer unless you are in a position of trust or are handling large sums of money.
Dubai has been accused by numerous organizations of effectively enslaving workers from Southeast Asia by allowing companies to take their passports without returning them and allowing salaries to go unpaid. Foreign workers, Western and otherwise, have no rights that will be upheld by the courts, and so they have no recourse should they feel their rights violated. Potential workers should be aware of this when considering work in Dubai.
All that glitters is gold at the Gold Souk
Dubai is practically synonymous with shopping. The huge amounts of cargo passing through its port and the low tariffs ensure that practically anything is available at fairly competitive rates, although the appreciation of the Dirham, and the plentiful supply of shoppers means that Dubai is no longer a bargain basement shopping city. You’ll also find products in western chain stores, still with the original tags quoting euro or sterling prices, being sold with a 20-30% mark-up once converted to Dirhams.
The best things to buy in Dubai are textiles, electronics and gold, electronics is believed to be much cheaper while textiles and gold offer a wide range of selection.
Even in the mega-malls, Dubai shops have no storeroom and no stocks in reserve – and for clothes shopping this may mean that you may struggle to find the style you want in the size you want. Shops open as early as 9AM and stay open to 10PM and on weekends to 12AM and some stay to 1AM.
Remember to haggle in the souks, as discounts are almost always available and even in situations where the item will not become much cheaper, the customer is always expected to “play the game” of haggling. A simple question of “what’s your best price?” will often result in a shop-keeper going to extraordinary lengths to sell his stock.
Prices in the malls and other Western shops tend not to be negotiable. Far from being a bad thing, this allows the canny visitor to work out comparative prices for common souvenirs – an invaluable aid when a shop-keeper in a souk is asking for a higher price.
Dubai Shopping Festival has been the biggest shopping event in the middle east since 1996. Almost every shop has a sale, starting in January and ending February. Dubai Shopping Festival is not just about shopping. The festival is itself a complete family entertainer and holds grand events having live concerts and performances performed by international celebrities. There’s also a very similar Dubai Summer Surprises trying to pull in punters during the summer low season.
A display of Indian saris outside a textile shop in Satwa
Gold Souk— Not a mall, but a historic market that has been a part of Dubai since the origin of Dubai itself. Located at the mouth of the creek, it dazzles people by selling gold in large quantities and with little visible security. A must visit for shoppers and sightseers. Most of the gold is 22ct quality and quite expensive – although even here the shopkeepers are prepared to bargain – and the craftsmanship can be remarkably detailed. The gold items are sold by weight with a “making charge” added on top to cover the workmanship. It pays therefore, to go shopping armed with the current gold price and a knowledge of the making charges in order to hone the bargaining process. Many outlets are part of chains that also have branches in malls, so are generally reliable.
Spice Souk— As above, not a mall, but a historic market that has been a part of Dubai since the origin of Dubai itself. Located at the mouth of the creek, it is not far from the Gold Souk, but has sadly declined a bit in recent years as supermarkets take over the spice trade. If you’re actually shopping for spices, odds are you’ll get better prices and quality with much less hassle at Carrefour. Both the Spice Souk and the Gold Souq are a rather hot and sweaty experience with limited air-conditioning, so wear appropriately cool, loose clothing if visiting in mid summer. Individual shops are air conditioned. Although regularly visited by tourists, none of the souks are considered a tourist area and as such modest dress should be worn to avoid causing offence or attracting unwanted attention.
Mall of the Emirates
Burj Khalifa
Dubai Marina Mall
Shawarma is the most available food item on almost all streets (and cheap!) in Dubai. It is the Arabic equivalent of the Burger. It is meat that has been cooked on a skewer and then cut into thin strips and placed into a kuhbus (pita) bread with vegetables and dressing. It costs about AED 6 ($1.9) for either the plain-jane variety or the more exotic Lebanese and Iranian varieties. The Shawarma sold by Indian restaurants are arguably the cheapest.
Another local snacks is Fala-Fil (Felafel, Falafel) also available at about the same costs as the shawarma.
Most of the American fast food chains have set up shop in Dubai, including KFC, Chillis, TGI Fridays, Starbucks and McDonalds. The beauty of the food in Dubai is that you will probably find cuisine for every taste.
For Indians (and vegetarians) Dubai has a big selection of budget Indian vegetarian food. Dosa, vada, idlee, samosa, chapaati/roti, with generous servings of sabji (cooked vegetable stew) are available at throwaway prices, typically less than 10Dhs ($2.5) per course. The more expensive stuff costs up to USD 5.00. Bur Dubai (particularly Meena Bazaar area) and Karama are the places that abound in these restaurants. Most of them are open from 7AM till 10PM or 11PM throughout the week.
As mentioned earlier, Dubai is a melting pot for various cultures who have bought their local cuisines over with them. For those who are open to trying new and different foods , Frying Pan Adventures offers food tours that allows visitors to try various regional foods while at the same time exploring less known parts of Dubai.
The top hotels in the city all have at least one restaurant serving (most commonly) some form of international cuisine – Italian, Japanese, Indian and so on. Quality tends to be high, along with price, but non-guests are able to reserve tables as well, thus allowing the rest of us to experience a bit of these hotels.
View from Legends Steakhouse
This restaurant is part of the Creek Golf Clubhouse. Highly popular with residents but, unfortunately, not known to tourists is this fabulous waterfront restaurant. Situated overlooking the Dubai Creek, it provides an excellent meal and views. Very reasonably priced for the ambience and food. Around AED 200 per head.
If you feel like having a meal fit for a king, but don’t want to venture outside, Room Service can deliver meals from upscale restaurants to your residence for a price.
As Dubai has grown from a small town into a bustling city, so has the nightlife scene. Most 3 to 5 star hotels have bars and nightclubs for those interested in the nightlife. World-class DJs frequent Dubai’s nightclubs, and many A-list musical celebrities are adding Dubai to their list of tour dates.
However, Dubai has several laws regarding alcohol which tourists should be aware of before visiting:
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