United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates14 guides across 2 destinations — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in United Arab Emirates
Practical essentials for United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates dirham (AED), pegged to the US dollar
Arabic is official, but English is the everyday working language across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Type G, 230V 50Hz
Dubai's metro, tram, buses and ferries all run on the prepaid nol card, Abu Dhabi uses the Hafilat card, and Careem and Uber work in both.
A 10% service charge is usually already on the bill and goes to the house; another 10-15% in restaurants and a few dirhams for taxis and porters is common.
Tap water is desalinated and meets drinking standards, but most residents and hotels use bottled or filtered water because of building storage tanks.
Right-hand side; licences from the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Japan and about two dozen other listed countries are accepted directly, and all other visitors need an International Driving Permit.
999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from United Arab Emirates
Dubai with Kids: Water Parks and Air Conditioning
A city that has built its family attractions on an industrial scale — and a climate that decides your timetable for you, whether you like it or not.
One Perfect Day in Dubai, From Creek to Skyline
Old souks by morning, beach by afternoon, the world's tallest tower by night — a single flawless day that shows you both Dubais.
Dubai's Sweet Tooth: Desserts, Cafés and Market Treats
From luqaimat drizzled with date syrup to the pistachio-kunafa chocolate bar that broke the internet, the Emirates' sweetest city, dish by dish.
Abu Dhabi essentials: getting in, getting around, getting it right
A practical guide to arriving, moving and pacing yourself in a capital where almost nothing is within walking distance of anything else.
Dubai by Season: An Honest Guide to When You Should Go
Dubai has one glorious season, one brutal one, and two that depend entirely on your tolerance for heat. A candid month-by-month reckoning with the emirate’s climate, crowds and prices.
In Abu Dhabi You Are Not Choosing a Hotel. You Are Choosing an Island.
The capital is spread across a chain of islands with no metro to stitch them together, so the address on your booking decides what every single day of the trip costs you in taxi fares and lost hours, whether you are paying resort money or counting dirhams.
Coffee, dates and people-watching in Abu Dhabi
Gahwa poured from a long-beaked dallah, karak passed through a cafeteria window and gold-dusted cappuccino in a palace lobby: how to drink your way across Abu Dhabi over two or three unhurried days.
Sunrise to Midnight: A Full Day in Dubai, From Beach to Skyline
A single well-built Dubai day, running west along the coast: dawn on the sand under the Burj Al Arab, galleries at midday, the Palm at sunset, and the Marina after dark.
48 Hours in Abu Dhabi: The Perfect Two-Day Plan, Hour by Hour
Marble domes at sunrise, a rain of light at the Louvre, kayaks in the mangroves and one gold-flecked cappuccino — the ideal Abu Dhabi weekend, scheduled.
Green Abu Dhabi: parks, mangroves and easy escapes
Abu Dhabi's green side is real, reachable and largely free — tidal mangrove boardwalks, a Blue Flag Corniche, protected island dunes and a full day in the oasis city of Al Ain.
Where to Book in Dubai (and the Areas to Skip)
Dubai is longer than it looks on a map, and the wrong neighbourhood can cost you two hours a day in traffic. A frank guide to the districts worth booking, and the ones that only look like a bargain.
The Quiet Corners of Dubai That Locals Love
Beyond the malls and observation decks is a slower Dubai of creekside lanes, desert lakes and flamingo lagoons. Here is where the city goes to exhale.