Dubai is known for its fantastic luxury and modern innovations. It simply strikes with its artificial islands and lakes, luxury hotels, huge shopping malls and modern underground.
When surfing the web, you can find a lot of reviews about the adventures of tourists in the UAE. A particular feature of these reviews is that many travelers have false opinions of some spheres of life in the country. The reason for that is the problem of misunderstanding and embellishing of some facts. Therefore there are many myths that completely delude people who plan to visit the UAE in general and Dubai in particular. Now let’s consider the most common of them to cross the t’s and dot the i’s.
Myth #1: Women can Wear Only Abayas in Dubai
Many visitors who’ve been to the UAE are alleging that women should dress there in shapeless robes, carefully closing the chest, hands and knees.
This is an absolutely wrong belief. Of course, a woman’s dress shouldn’t be too short, but in fact, even not all the local women are wearing abayas there.
By and large, your clothing in Dubai is not going to be different from what you are used to wearing in everyday life. But you need to remember the rule: your clothes shouldn’t be transparent and defiant (this applies both to men and women).
Keep in mind that in Dubai you will always be surrounded by people dressed in closed garments. And you will simply feel uncomfortable around them if you wear inappropriate clothes.
Myth #2: It is not Allowed to Drink Alcoholic Drinks in Dubai
It is true that the Muslims are forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages in the UAE, but the guests from other counties have no restrictions about that. Many hotels are serving alcoholic drinks in restaurants and bars, and even have them available in minibars of the rooms. But this pleasure is quite expensive – you will need to pay around $10 for a small drink.
The only place in the UAE where alcohol is entirely forbidden is Sharjah. By the way, it is officially allowed to bring to the UAE up to two liters of alcoholic beverages per person. So, for most travelers it is more comfortable and profitable to bring alcoholic beverages from home or buy them in a Duty Free shop at the airport.
Remember that it’s not recommended to appear drunk in public places or, what is worse – to drive while intoxicated in the UAE. Otherwise, you might get into trouble. But you don’t want it, do you?
Myth #3: It is difficult to Endure the Heat in Dubai
Indeed, if you decide to visit Dubai in the period from June till September, the temperature there will be quite high, but most of the shops, means of transport, restaurants, museums and other attractions are air-conditioned.
Thus, you can easily find a way for the comfortable pastime. For example, many swimming pools have a cooling function, what makes them a perfect refuge from the summer heat.
An important point here is that the heat in Dubai may be oppressive only from May through September. During the other months the weather is quite comfortable there.
Myth #4: There’s No More Fun in Dubai Except for Sunbathing and Shopping
Certainly, for the majority of travelers the main purpose of the visit to Dubai is lying on the beach and shopping. Indeed, Dubai offers excellent opportunities for that. But it can offer you lots of other amazing entertainments that you’d love. Here are some of them:
– Families with children might like to visit Dubai water parks.
– Since UAE is located in the desert, one of the important points of your holidays there should be a desert safari. You can enjoy scenic views sitting on a camel, like a Bedouin, or hit the dunes on a quad bike or jeep.
– You can also get sand boarding experience and admire the gorgeous views by jumping with a parachute.
– In the area of ??Dubai Marina you can rent a boat and go to explore the neighborhood.
Myth #5: It is Cheap to Use Taxi to get Around Dubai
Many travelers often prefer to use taxi when getting around Dubai. However, despite the fact that taxi in Dubai is several times cheaper than in Europe, it is not the best choice if you want to spend in Dubai more than 5 days.
Speaking about the cheapest way of moving around the city, the best option would be a public transport. But, certainly, the underground and buses will not provide you with the desired comfort. In this case it is better to rent a cheap car in Dubai. This will allow you to move around comfortably whenever you need for a relatively small cost.
Myth #6: It is Expensive to Shop in Dubai
In fact, the UAE is the place where you can buy whatever you need for the price you can pay for it. Dubai shopping and entertainment centers offer a wide choice of goods to suit any taste and budget.
Besides, on a shopping festival, which takes place in March, you can buy various goods with 50-70% discount. Apart from that, although the wealth of Dubai shows up in everything, you needn’t spend big sums of money to admire it…
So, now you are aware of what to expect when setting off to the UAE for a vacation. Remember that you shouldn’t always trust opinions of the people who have already visited the country. Many of them are often mistaken about some of the local habits and rules of conduct. Hopefully, your holidays in the UAE, and particularly in Dubai, will be full of pleasant moments and warm memories.
Author Bio: Lily Berns is a travel enthusiast and writer, contributing to blogs and publications around the world. She recommends using RentalCars24h, which helps to compare all major car rental companies in the whole world to give you the best car rental deal.