Practical Information for visiting United Arab Emirates

The currency is the UAE dirham (AED), pegged to the US dollar at about 3.67 to one, which makes conversion simple and stable.

Cards are accepted almost universally, including contactless and mobile payment, and the country is close to cashless in the malls, hotels and chains. Keep some cash for taxis outside the cities, souk stalls and the smaller cafeterias, where bargaining is also expected.

ATMs are everywhere and exchange houses give better rates than hotels; the exchange business in the souks is competitive and well regulated.

There is a five per cent VAT, and hotels add municipality and service charges plus a per-night tourism fee, so a quoted room rate is not the final one. Tourists can reclaim VAT on purchases at the airport.

Tipping is expected in practice though not obligatory: ten to fifteen per cent in restaurants where no service charge appears, a few dirhams for porters and valets, and rounding up for taxis.

Coverage for mobile networks is excellent, with 5G across the cities, the motorway network and most inhabited areas, run by Etisalat and du. The deep desert and the mountain wadis are the only real gaps.

Tourist SIM packages are sold at the airports and are good value; a passport is required to register. Roaming from most countries is expensive here.

Wi-Fi is free and fast in hotels, malls, cafes, the metro and much of the public realm. Note that VoIP calling is restricted — WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype voice and video calls are blocked on local networks, though messaging works. Licensed alternatives such as Botim exist, and a hotel or a foreign eSIM sometimes gets around it. VPN use is legal for legitimate purposes but using one to commit an offence carries heavy penalties.

The UAE has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world, and personal safety is genuinely not a concern here, including for solo women travellers. The risks are legal and environmental rather than criminal.

• The law catches visitors out. Public drunkenness, drinking outside licensed premises, public displays of affection, swearing or making rude gestures — including in traffic or online — are offences and have resulted in arrests and deportations of tourists.
• Drugs carry extremely severe penalties, and trace amounts detected in blood or luggage have led to prison sentences. Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines legal at home, including codeine and some sleep and ADHD medication, are controlled here — check and carry a doctor’s letter.
• Debt is criminalised. A bounced cheque or an unpaid loan can result in a travel ban or arrest.
• Heat is the real physical hazard from May to September. Heatstroke arrives quickly, and hiking or long walks in summer are genuinely dangerous.
• Road traffic accounts for most serious injuries to visitors; driving is fast and lane discipline is poor.

Photographing people without permission, and photographing military, government or airport facilities, is an offence.

Healthcare is excellent and modern, with internationally accredited hospitals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and English-speaking staff throughout. It is also expensive for visitors, who pay privately, so comprehensive travel insurance is essential rather than advisable.

Vaccinations: routine cover is sufficient. Hepatitis A and typhoid are sometimes advised for longer stays. There is no malaria, and no yellow fever requirement unless arriving from an affected country.

Heat is the main health issue. In summer, dehydration and heat exhaustion happen fast and to fit people. Drink far more water than feels necessary, avoid the middle of the day outdoors, and be aware that air conditioning masks how much fluid you are losing.

Medication rules are strict. Several common drugs — codeine, tramadol, some antidepressants, cannabis-derived products including CBD oil — are controlled or banned. Carry prescriptions and original packaging, and check the Ministry of Health list before travelling.

Sun and dust. The UV index is extreme most of the year, and shamal dust affects asthma and other respiratory conditions; bring an inhaler if you use one.

Tap water is desalinated and safe, though most people drink bottled by habit.

Dress modestly in public. Shoulders and knees covered is the standard for malls, souks and government buildings; swimwear is for the beach and the pool only. Sharjah enforces this more strictly than the other emirates.

Alcohol is legal for non-Muslims in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars, and in some emirates for purchase with a licence. Drinking or being drunk in public is an offence, and the legal blood alcohol limit for driving is zero. Sharjah is entirely dry.

Public affection. Kissing and prolonged embracing in public have resulted in arrests. Holding hands is tolerated for married couples.

Ramadan. Eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public during daylight hours is prohibited for everyone, visitors included. Many restaurants close during the day and open spectacularly after sunset.

Photography. Never photograph people, particularly Emirati women, without permission, and avoid military, government and airport buildings. Posting photographs of others online without consent is a criminal offence here.

Use the right hand for giving, receiving and eating, remove shoes when entering a home or a mosque, and stand for the national anthem.

Emergency numbers: 999 for police, 998 for ambulance and 997 for fire. Operators speak English and response times in the cities are fast.

Medical. Major hospitals include Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, and Rashid and Mediclinic City in Dubai. Public hospital emergency departments treat anyone, and payment is required; keep your insurance details accessible.

Coastguard and desert. 996 reaches the coastguard. If driving into the desert or the Hajar wadis, tell someone your route — vehicles get stuck in soft sand routinely, and flash flooding in wadis after rain has killed people who were parked in dry riverbeds.

Tourist help. Dubai Police run a tourist security department and an app for reporting non-emergencies, and Abu Dhabi has an equivalent. Both are used to dealing with visitors.

Pharmacies are open late and often around the clock in the cities, and pharmacists can advise on minor problems.