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Living in dubai
If you’re planning a trip to Dubai to decide whether its somewhere you could see yourself living and working, or if you’re just thinking about taking a holiday in the emirate to experience it, there are many unmissable places to go and things to see so it can actually be quite tricky to plan a visit and pack everything in!
In this article we’ll give you a run down of unmissable sightseeing and activities in Dubai as chosen by expats already living and working in Dubai. Naturally there will be many locations missed out and even activities missed off the list – but this is just a selection of some of the best elements of living in Dubai that you can cram in to a long weekend for Start out by taking an abra ride or a dhow cruise along the Creek so you can take in the amazing and transforming skyline of Dubai from a new angle and perspective. You will see how the fantastic new developments and high rises blend in with the ancient buildings and how life in Dubai really works. You can get on at an abra station near the Twin Towers on the Deira side and then get off at the textile market on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek. Take some time exploring the textile souk as well because you can buy such a fabulous and well priced array of fabric here.
Spend some time also exploring the Bastakia Quarter where wealthy Persian merchants lived and traded and where the Arabian architecture is stunning. It’s not far from the textile souk. You can navigate the narrow lanes, marvel at the restored buildings and really lose yourself in this part of old Dubai – when you’re in this part of the city you can forget about the brand new, bright and shiny Dubai that has emerged in recent years and you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away from the skyscrapers!
The Dubai Museum isn’t far from the Bastakia Quarter – so you can add this in to your day as well. The museum is a fascinating insight into just how much Dubai has changed and is well worth a visit if only to see the stunning building that the museum is housed in! From here head to the spice and gold souks which are unmissable experiences and are both back on the Deira side of the Creek, think about visiting the Grand Mosque or Jumeirah Mosque too as both are fabulous examples of Islamic architecture with Jumeirah Mosque considered by many to be the best in Dubai.
If you fancy getting out of the city then take a desert safari, if you want to entertain the kids with a bit less culture then head for Wild Wadi, Children’s City or Encounter Zone and if you want to see some of the best modern parts of Dubai consider visiting the Mall of the Emirates which is apparently the largest mall in the world outside of North America. Inside there is a ski resort, a theatre and arts centre, Magic Planet which is an amusement park and there are around 60 restaurants and over 400 shops in the mall as well. Alternatively go to Ibn Battuta Mall – it’s smaller but the architecture is incredible – you’ll be blown away!
If you’re living and working you have such a wealth of cultural and entertainment based activities all around you. You can pick a location, an activity or a place to see each weekend – but if you’re just on a short visit to the emirate then you really do need to plan carefully what you want to cram in – the above list is so far from exhaustive, but it should give you a basis to build an itinerary upon. Above all else, enjoy your time in Dubai – it is a fascinating and fun packed location unlike any other!

10 Top Tips for

Expatriates Moving to

Live in Dubai

If you’ve got a job in Dubai and are about to make the move to live in the Emirate you’ll undoubtedly have a million questions and concerns buzzing around your brain – fortunately for those with employment already secured it’s often easy to speak to the company’s HR department and get many concerns addressed, but for others it can be hard to know who to ask, what to ask, what to expect and where to start with the relocation process.

Don’t panic - here are 10 top tips for expatriates moving to live in Dubai that cover essential information, what to expect and how to make the move a smooth and successful one. Before you know it you’ll be settled into life in the UAE and you’ll wonder why you got so stressed out about the move in the first place.

Tip One – think seriously about how much of your personal ‘stuff’ you want to move with you to Dubai. You can buy anything and everything in the Emirate anyway and often you can buy cheaper than you can in the UK or mainland Europe for example.

Obviously the less you take the less it will cost - and once you have decided what you want to ship get removal quotes only from companies who are members of the British Association of Removers Overseas Group.

Find out realistically how long it will take to get your personal effects to Dubai so that you can plan to live without your bed or sofa for that period and make sure you get a door to door service so you have a shipping agent helping you out with customs and delivery in Dubai.

Tip Two - Speak to the airline you’ll be flying out to Dubai with and advise them that you are moving to live in Dubai and they might increase your personal baggage allowance for no extra charge. Get any increase agreed in writing and take it with you when you go to check in.

Tip Three - Once you’ve arrived in Dubai and are out and about shopping for furniture, household goods and electrical appliances it’s worth knowing that any department or specialist stores in the big malls are far more expensive than shops in the likes of Sharjah or Ajman which are Emirates less than an hours drive away.

Another location worth examining is Dragon Mart which is in International City where you can find well priced Chinese stock and where you can haggle and negotiate. Even if you don’t buy anything at Dragon Mart, go there for the experience, it’s amazing!

Tip Four - the working (and shopping week) in Dubai is usually Saturday to Wednesday although some businesses do conduct business from Sunday to Thursday…keep this in mind so that you also plan around these days when organizing your relocation…don’t ever try and make an appointment for a Friday.

Tip Five - no matter how organised you are and how good you are at planning, don’t put yourself under excessive pressure when moving to live in Dubai. Book yourself into a hotel for at least the first three to five days after your arrival so that you can get everything from accommodation to cars etc., sorted without having to worry about where you’ll be sleeping that night.

Tip Six - get a roaming email address and mobile number sorted out before you relocate – you’ll soon have a Dubai phone number and a brand new work email address, but if you have the roaming services in place this again cuts down on the number of tasks you have to fulfil the minute you arrive which again reduces the stress of the whole relocation.

Tip Seven - when you’re arrived and staying in your hotel whilst sorting out the details of your new life in Dubai, unless you hire a car you’ll be relying on taxis to get you around to appointments – don’t get your hotel to call for a taxi for you! Step outside onto the street and hail a cab because you’ll find it’s a lot cheaper…hotels have preferred services and they also get commission paid to them for calling out a cab for you. It’s not much of a saving per journey but it soon adds up!

Tip Eight - get satellite TV installed! The local TV services are largely in Arabic and even though you’ll be out and about enjoying the nightlife most of the time for at least the first few months, there will come a time when you want a quiet night in!

Take recommendations from like minded people once you meet them so that you get the package or service that’s right for you. You’ll have a choice of Nilesat, Arabsat, Hotbird, or Asiansat which are a combination of free and paid TV channels. There are also some satellite distribution companies that will sell you a whole package – the most popular are probably Showtime and Orbit.

Tip Nine - be oh so careful with your rental contract and get your rent fixed for as long as you possibly can. If you negotiate a longer tenancy your landlord will be more willing to fix the rent for a longer period. Otherwise despite the rental increase cap in effect in Dubai you could face a dramatic increase in rent which could curtail your social life to the extreme!

Tip Ten - Don’t start to panic about getting things like visas (although you have to have one in place to enter the country) and driving licenses sorted out in Dubai or getting a car, getting utilities connected or finding a bank willing to open you an account…because Dubai is the ultimate centre for expatriates there are a million friendly faces waiting to help, advise and guide you.

And if you can’t find a service or a person to help you and you don’t know how to get something sorted out you’ll find runners or just helpful citizens who’ll do the running and the leg work for you for a small fee.

Seriously – just commit to the move in your own mind and then go with the flow…you’ll soon be in Dubai and enjoying a fantastic quality of life.

Things To Do In Dubai ings To

Living in Dubai life can seem incredibly fast paced at times, with expatriates enjoying working hard and playing just as hard; and to truly get the best out of the emirate it’s essential to live there for at least six months…

Those who just go on holiday to the UAE will never even scrape the surface when it comes to experiencing the wealth of things to do in Dubai - but for all those on a restricted timescale or for newly arrived expats keen to get a good grounding in what to do and what to see in Dubai here’s our guide to the essential ‘must experience’ attractions.

Getting Around

The Big Bus Company’s tours of the city and beach area may well be the ultimate touristy thing to do but they are also the only way to see half of the delights of Dubai and even seasoned expatriates living in Dubai sometimes welcome visitors because it gives them another excuse to hop on board!

Included in the price of a ticket are all sorts of extras such as a free walking tour, entry to the Dubai Museum and free entry to Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House as well – so you can see the sights and get a bit of history into the bargain!

History & Culture

Talking of history, for those who would like to learn more about Dubai than merely where to shop for the best bargains, the Dubai Museum is a great place to start but the Dubai Heritage and Diving Villages are not to be missed. The centre covers Dubai’s development in terms of architecture, pearl diving and various maritime themes and the displays are informative, visually dramatic and well worth a visit.

For a cultural experience the theatre, music and fine arts are all well represented in the emirate,

Desert Experience

A 4x4 desert safari is yet another great tourist activity – or for the more romantic among you why not go for a sunset picnic in the desert dunes? Be sure to take a camera to capture the stunning sunset, the vibrant colours and the dramatically changing aspect of the desert as the sun goes down and the moon rises.

Family Fun

Until ‘Dubai World’ Dubai’s giant theme park is completed, the family favourite destination is probably Wild Wadi Water Park which is the worlds most advanced and innovative water theme park and a water theme park like no other you will have ever experienced. It is certainly not just for kids and I defy anyone not to have a totally fantastic day out at the park.

Shopping

The Dubai Shopping Festival is now a world famous annual event but for those who can’t wait for January to come round again never fear – Dubai is the shopping capital of the world. For those in search of the true flavour of Dubai try the souks and the gold and spice markets, for those in search of designer labels and high octane shopping try the Wafi Centre Shopping Mall or the Al Khaleej Centre. Those who’d like a tamer price tag and a more family centric experience both Deira City Centre and Lamcy Plaza malls are great.

There really are so many things to do in Dubai that this article barely scrapes the surface – but hopefully it gives readers a few suggestions of where to start when planning their itinerary.

Do In Dubai