Important Things To Know
Currency
The United Arab Emirates Dirham, or AED, is the currency used in Dubai and the surrounding Emirates.
There are seven different AED notes. These are 5 AED, 10 AED, 20 AED, 100 AED, 200 AED, 500 AED, and 1000 AED.
In terms of coins, there are 1, 25, and 50 fils. However, coins are rarely used in Dubai and people prefer to stick to paper money.
Atlantis, The Palm. (photo via Atlantis, The Palm)
National Language
Modernized Arabic is the official language in Dubai, but there are variations prevalent in the city. These dialects include Gulf Arabic and Khaleeji.
Another commonly known dialect of Arabic in Dubai is Masri. This is Egyptian Arabic.
If you don’t speak Arabic, you won’t need to worry. The locals try to make tourists feel welcome, and many store workers and tour guides speak fluent English.
Climate And Weather
Rain and storms in Dubai are rare. If you go there, chances are that it’ll be the heat that you aren’t used to.
Summer can be sweltering as the cities in Dubai are surrounded by deserts and for some, it may be unbearable.
The good news is that Dubai has air conditioning in most of its buildings and malls.
You can expect high temperatures between 102 and 107 Fahrenheit (39 and 41 Degrees Celsius) during the summer.
This heat continues into the night so you may need to sleep with the AC turned on.
Spring and Winter are the best times to visit. You can expect temperatures between 75 and 90 Fahrenheit (24 and 32 Degrees Celsius) and the nights are chilly but not freezing.
