Holidays in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will pleasantly surprise even the most sophisticated tourists. The Emirates are especially popular when the “off season” begins at other popular resorts – from October to April, tours to the UAEfor this reason, they rise in price significantly. By the way, about prices: last-minute tours to the Emirates allow you to get to know the country for much less money than usual. If you are planning a vacation in the Emirates, you should understand that it is worth respecting the traditions and culture of this country, observing the elementary rules and precautions that the manager who will sell the tour to the UAE will tell you about. In Muslim countries, it is not customary for women to show themselves in public with bare arms or shoulders, the same must be followed by vacationers in order to avoid unnecessary attention. Holidays in the UAE will be pleasant and devoid of excesses if you are friendly to the staff, respect religious holidays, and do not behave provocatively.
The most preferred emirates for recreation are Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain. As a rule, tour operators offer tours in the UAE to these regions. If you have a lot of money, you can choose tours to the Emirates with accommodation in 4 *, 5 * hotels. Dubai is home to the world’s only 7* hotel, the Burj Al Arab. However, it is impossible to buy a last-minute tour there, and trips to Dubai are a very expensive pleasure. It is best to book tours to the UAE a few months before the trip, as you can get an impressive discount if you book early.
Holidays in the United Arab Emirates will give you a rare opportunity to lift the veil into the world of rich sheikhs, expensive diamonds, and at least for a moment feel like a part of a beautiful fairy tale.
TRAVEL TIPS – UAE
Holidays and non-working days: January 1, August 6, December 2, 3, 25, 26. There are religious holidays with a changing date, such as: Eid Al Fir – 3 – 4 days after the end of Ramadan. New Year according to Khitzher (Muslim calendar) Birthday of the Prophet (Milad an Nabi) Dates of religious holidays are determined according to the lunar calendar adopted in Islam, the duration of the annual cycle in which is 11 days shorter in relation to the solar calendar. Restaurants may be closed or not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol during religious holidays. Day off is Friday.
Ramadan is the month of Muslim fasting, during which Muslims are forbidden from sunrise to sunset (from about 5 am to 6:30 pm) to eat, drink, smoke, and have fun. Ramadan is one of the months according to the lunar calendar, in which the duration of the annual cycle is 11 days shorter compared to the solar calendar.
VISA PROCESSING – UAE
Visa to the UAE
The UAE is a visa country (the so-called simplified visa regime, when we don’t need either a questionnaire or a tourist’s passport to open a visa, a copy of its first page is enough, the official required validity period of the RFP is 3 months from the start of the trip). The visa is issued at the immigration office of the city of Dubai. The registration procedure takes only three business days (weekends in the UAE are Thursday and Friday). These rules apply to the passports of citizens of all former CIS countries.
The cost of a visa is $50, an urgent visa (less than 3 business days, not including Thursday and Friday) is $80. If the child is entered in the parents’ passport, the cost of opening a visa is $30, if the child has a separate passport, the full cost of the visa is paid.
GENERAL INFORMATION – UAE
The UAE is the promised land for tourists. Gold, precious stones, incense, textiles, silk, exotic fruits, electronics and haberdashery. And this is not the limit. Join those who are just about to visit here!
Nature and geography
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. The state is located in Southwest Asia, on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. In the north, the country is washed by the Persian Gulf, in the east – by the Gulf of Oman. The United Arab Emirates is bordered by Qatar to the northwest, the Sultanate of Oman to the east, and Saudi Arabia to the south.
The small territory of the state contains all the diversity of nature and the diversity of the landscape of the Middle East region. The mesmerizing landscapes of the silent desert with its green islands of oases and Red Sand Zones, quiet wadis (dried estuaries) and multi-meter dunes, smoothly turn into a majestic view of the rocky peaks of the Al Hajar mountain range with numerous key lakes of volcanic origin and an indescribable color palette of stones. The coral reefs of Kor Fakana are famous for the flora and fauna of the underwater world, and the coast of the Persian Gulf is famous for its golden sands and exceptional water clarity.
The capital of the UAE is the city of Abu Dhabi, located on the coast of the Persian Gulf.
The time from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of September does not differ from Moscow. In the remaining period, it is ahead of Moscow by 1 hour.
UAE climate
The UAE has a dry tropical climate. Rain is extremely rare, occurring mainly in winter. As a rule, the number of rainy days does not exceed 7–10 per year. Depending on the time of day and season, the temperature ranges from +10 to +48. The average temperature in January is +24, in July +41. The best season is October – May, when a warm sunny day is replaced by a cool evening.
Average daily air temperature:
Jan. Feb. March Apr May Jun Jul. Aug. sept. oct. Nov. dec.
18 20 22 26 30 32 35 35 33 29 25 22
Average daily water temperature:
Jan. Feb. March Apr May Jun Jul. Aug. sept. oct. Nov. dec.
16 17 20 23 27 30 33 33 31 25 22 18
Population, language, religion
Of the population of the UAE, only 25% are local Arabs. The rest are immigrants from other countries of the Arab world, as well as from Europe, India and the states of Southeast Asia. The indigenous population enjoys significant privileges, rights and benefits in relation to visitors.
The official language is Arabic, but English, Hindi, Urdu, and Farsi are also commonly used.
About 95% of the population are Muslims (Sunites – 80%, Shiites 16:). Islam is the official religion of the United Arab Emirates.
Customs regulations, visa, currency, embassies
The tourist visa, on which most tourists enter, is valid for 30 days. There is also a transit visa valid for 14 days.
Staying in the country after the expiration of the visa is punishable by a fine for each day of delay.
UAE currency
The UAE currency is the dirham (DHS), which is equal to 100 fils (FLS). In circulation there are coins in denominations of 25 and 50 fils and banknotes of 5 (orange), 10 (green), 50 (magenta), 100 (red), 200 (brown), 500 (blue) and 1000 dirhams. Coins of lower denominations are also used – 1 dirham, 10, 5 and 1 fils, as well as more expensive collectibles, but they are very rare or almost never found in everyday life.
Customs control
Customs control. Allowed to import 2000 cigarettes, 400 cigars, 2 kg of tobacco, 2 liters of spirits and 2 liters of wine, perfumes within reasonable limits. Printed and video products are viewed at the entrance to the country.
The import of drugs, psychotropic substances, all types of weapons, video cassettes and printed materials of a pornographic nature is prohibited. The same is prohibited for export.
The shops
The shops. Sharjah and especially Dubai is a “paradise” for shoppers. Dubai is a free trade zone with very low import duties. Here are the lowest prices in the world. Often imported goods are cheaper than in the country of origin. In Dubai you can find the latest models of goods from Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia. The world-famous Dubai Gold Souk showcases a dazzling variety of precious metals and stones. Here you can buy jewelry made of 18-22 carat gold.
In Sharjah, the old multi-colored textile bazaar, the vegetable and fruit market, and the fish market are impressive.
From handicrafts you can buy Arabic coffee pots, silver and copper swords, and “khanjars” (Arab curved daggers), lapis lazuli, jewelry from Oman and Yemen, Persian carpets and cotton “durri” (oblong floor carpets).
Transport in the UAE
Transport in the UAE. It is better to use a taxi or rent a car. Not all taxis are equipped with meters – the price should be negotiated in advance. Taxis at the hotel are more expensive than those stopped on the street. Most hotels have buses to the city center (in Dubai and on the coast). You can rent a car at a hotel or special companies (cheaper, but a deposit is required). To rent a car you need: passport, 2 photos and driving license.
Medicine
The medicine. An insurance policy is required when traveling to the UAE (in most cases it is included in the price of the tour package). Medical care in the country is at a very high level, but the cost of such services is rather high.
Due to the peculiarities of the local climate, special attention should be paid to protection from direct sunlight and dehydration. The sanitary and epidemiological situation is calm, but local cuisine should not be abused.