About Dubai

Dubai (Arabic: دبي‎‎ Dubayy) is a cosmopolitan metropolis and global city on the Arabian Peninsula. The city is one of the ten most popular tourist destinations in the world. The city is also considered one of the most modern and progressive cities in the Middle East – certainly in the Arab world – and is also sometimes nicknamed as "City of Gold" due to historically being a hub for gold trade as well as the rapid transformation from a desert into a luxurious city. Dubai is characterized by a vast landscape of desert which transforms into a futuristic style of skyscrapers along the coastline. The city offers both insights into the old merchant and pearl diving history of the Arabs in Deira and Bur Dubai and the new modern skyscraper business and bustling life in Jumeirah and Jebel Ali. Dubai is sometimes mistakenly thought of as a country, but it is actually one of the emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It is the financial centre of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is also

Source: Wikipedia

Essential Information

Currency

United Arab Emirates dirham (AED)

Symbol: د.إ

Language

Arabic

Phone Code

+971

International dialing code for United Arab Emirates

Driving

Drive on the right

Standard for United Arab Emirates

Region

Asia

Western Asia

Connectivity

GSM– Those withGSM smartphones or feature phonescan expect auto roaming from their home countries. As roaming fees are quite high and incoming calls are also charged, consider buying a local prepaid GSM SIM card, designed especially for tourists, from one of the two cellular providers of the UAE:

How to Get to Dubai

Transportation options and arrival information

See theGet in section for the United Arab Emiratesfor visa and customs regulations.

Getting Around Dubai

Local transportation and navigation tips

Dubai's public transport system is probably the best in the Middle East, especially after the launch of the metro, but it's still a very car-oriented city and most visitors end up taking taxis quite often. TheWojhati[dead link]journey planner can suggest the best way to travel.

Safety in Dubai

Dubai is a safe city. Call 999 if facing any trouble or altercations.

Where to Stay in Dubai

Accommodation tips and recommendations

Due to substantial increase in hotel rooms, only during Islamic holidays do prices rise substantially. The cheapest places, mainly catering to small-scale businessmen, can be found in near the souks ofDeira. In Dubai you find a youth hostel and several backpacker hostels.