Dubai At a Glance: Dubai Lifestyle A Welcoming Environment Expatriates and foreign visitors - both male and female - can enjoy a relaxed and pleasant lifestyle in Dubai. There is virtually  no crime, the city is clean, there are few traffic jams, apartments and villas are modern and spacious and, surprisingly to many, the climate is not only tolerable, but also extremely pleasant for most of the year. There are many clubs and societies in Dubai. Freedom of worship is allowed to all religions, and Christian churches have existed in Dubai for many years. Foreign newspapers, magazines, films and videos are readily available. Alcohol may be consumed at home, in hotels, and on licensed club premises. Women can drive and move about unaccompanied. Transport It is virtually essential to have a car - or two (for husband and wife) - as Dubai is a spacious city with most residences situated some distance from shops, schools and the office. Most Japanese, European and American models are readily available and there is an active second-hand market. Vehicle third party insurance is  compulsory. Dubai has an excellent road system. Driving is on the right hand side of the road. A vehicle licence may be secured at Dh.360 for first registration, then subject to annual renewal - following a road worthiness test - at a charge of Dh.290. Taxis are easily obtainable in Dubai. The Dubai Transport Corporation's ivory coloured cabs are fitted with fare meters. In the case of all other taxis, fares are subject to negotiation between driver and passenger. Driving licences issued by some overseas governments may be exchanged for a Dubai licence. Where reciprocal arrangements do not exist, it is necessary to take a driving test to obtain a licence. Full details about obtaining and exchanging driving licences are available from the Traffic Department of the Police, telephone number +971 4 2694444 (24 hour), or by writing to PO Box 1493, Dubai. Education  There is a comprehensive network of government schools throughout the emirate, providing free primary and secondary education to UAE nationals. For expatriate families, there are 85 private foreign schools offering education of a high standard to the curriculum requirements of the UK, USA and a number of others, including Italy, Japan, Iran, India and Pakistan. In neighbouring emirates there are French and German schools. English is usually the main language of instruction, but other languages are used as necessary by foreign schools.Communication
Telecommunications in Dubai are excellent. Telephones have international direct dialling to most countries in the world. Full telex, telefax, and electronic mail facilities are widely available. There is an efficient and reliable postal service. The General Postal Authority also offers a courier service known as Mumtaz Post which delivers to almost anywhere in the world. Commercial courier services are widely used.
Accommodation Dubai is the easiest place to live in the Gulf and high quality accommodation is in good supply. Luxury apartments are available in plaza complexes throughout the city. All have excellent recreational facilities, in-house video and covered car parking. Some residential complexes provide a daily maid service. A wide variety of villas is available to suit most tastes and circumstances. Most expatriate executives choose to live in the Jumairah suburb stretching southward along the coast from the city centre. For villas at the top of the range, the choice is between larger independent properties or smaller villas in compounds. The latter usually have swimming pools, and squash and tennis courts. Most rented accommodation in Dubai is unfurnished and kitchens only partly equipped, but many villas and new apartments have central air-conditioning already installed. However, all types of furniture and household equipment are readily available. Clothing
For men, office wear is generally lightweight trousers, long or short sleeved shirts and ties. Jackets are worn for formal visits to Government offices and important meetings. Normally, a lounge suit is acceptable for most evening business functions, but a dinner jacket may also be required for some social occasions. For ladies, normal smart lightweight office wear, such as a dress or long sleeved blouse and skirt is expected, or national dress. All offices are air-conditioned. In the evenings for informal dinners, casual evening dresses and skirts are usually worn. It is also recommended that a shawl or stole should be included in ladies' wardrobes, as the air-conditioning in hotels and restaurants can be quite strong. For women, as summers are very hot and humidity can on occasions be high, a variety of cotton outfits is recommended. Cotton trousers are popular with expatriate wives for casual wear and, although revealing sun dresses and tops are acceptable for home wear, they should be avoided in the city. Even in winter, temperatures at midday rarely fall below 21°C (70°F) but a sweater or cardigan is useful for when the temperature drops in the evening. A coat or raincoat is unnecessary, but an umbrella is useful for the occasional shower. All type of beachwear including bikinis is acceptable but only on the beach or by the pool.
Medical Services
The Health and Medical Services Department provides medical care for all UAE nationals, visitors and resident expatriates. Dubai has many well equipped public and private hospitals offering high quality health and dental care services. There are seven hospitals in Dubai and government clinics in the districts of Jumairah, Satwa, Buhail, Rashidiya, Qusais, Hatta, Al-Lusaili, Jebel Ali, and at the airport and Port Rashid. Emergency medical care in Dubai is free for anyone and there are no restrictions. For non-urgent health care, any UAE resident seeking treatment may register for a health card for which a fee is paid. New arrivals are advised to register immediately for a health card. They may otherwise have to pay full medical costs after the first two visits.
Media
In addition to the Arabic press, there are four English language dailies published in the UAE - Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Gulf Today and Emirates News. Popular magazines include What's On and Emirates Woman. International newspapers, magazines and journals can be bought at bookshops and supermarkets. Dubai has both Arabic and English commercial radio and television stations, as well as access to international satellite TV programming. The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing publishes a number of newsletters which are available to companies interested in doing business with Dubai.
Last updated at 8/6/2008 |