UAE

Money in UAE

Currencie(s): United Arab Emirates dirham

• 1 United Arab Emirates dirham = 0.25 €
• 1 United Arab Emirates dirham = 0.27 $
• 1 United Arab Emirates dirham = 0.22 £

Should I exchange money before I travel? Although this depends on many factors, including which currencies you want to convert and which country you are travelling from, generally speaking exchanging your money AFTER you travel will provide you with a more favourable exchange rate.

The rule is simple: the more common the currency is, the cheaper it will be. So, for example, if you are travelling from the UK to UAE and want to buy some United Arab Emirates dirham here, you will pay less for it in UAE, as this is the currency that you will find everywhere. At the same time your GBP will become rare and valuable, which means that you will get more money for them.

Looking for advice about exchanging United Arab Emirates dirham? Discover our tips in our article about currency exchange.

Corruption: UAE has a corruption score of 30/100.
If your itinerary runs through UAE, you're pretty safe. According to Transparency International, UAE is one of the least corrupt nations around the world.

UAE is not concidered to be a dangerous country, with a Global Peace Index of 1.85 out of 4.
This report is the only one of its kind that measures how dangerous or safe a nation is based on 23 different indicators, including political terror, deaths from internal conflict, murder rate, and ease of access to small arms and light weapons.

Language in UAE

Language(s): Arabic
You may find that there are some English speaking residents at your place of stay; especially if you are going to a highly populated tourist area. This doesn’t mean that you should speak English however; It's always appreciated when tourists know a few words or sentences in Arabic. It just shows that you’re interested in the culture, that you’re willing to put effort into it and it will guarantee you a smile from the waiter/waitress when ordering food.

Here are a few basic lines to get you started, but keep in mind: The Arabic language uses an Arabic alphabet, so all the words below are witten in the phonetic pronunciation.

• Yes = Naʻam
• No = Lā
• Thank You = Shukraan lakum
• Hello = Marhabaan
• Do you speak English? = Hal tatakalam allughat al'iinjaliziat?
• Please = Min Fadlik
• Bye = Ma'a Salama
• Excuse Me = aedhirni
• Where is the Bathroom? = 'ayn alhamam(phonetic pronunciation)
• What is your Name? (My Name Is) = ma asmk? (asmy hu)

TIP: You can use wordhippo.com to learn how to pronounce a sentence in Arabic. Are you Interested to learn more phrases that might help you during your travel? Learn about them in our article with the most used phrases used while travelling.

Food & Drinks in UAE

Experiencing the local culture is a huge part of travelling and trying traditional food is largely connected with that cultural experience. Visitors to the UK always want to eat fish and chips, Vietnamese pho is the big pull for travellers in Vietnam, and here in Belgium it’s all about fries. Supporting the local community is a really important aspect of travel. So please make sure you taste the national dish: Harees

Drinking age: Doesn't matter, drinking is banned in UAENo info provided by WHO; other sources say alcohol is banned in UAE, but non-Muslim tourists may apply for a drinking license. The license is apparently very difficult to obtain and may be limited to those over 18 or 21, depending on location.

Religion in UAE

UAE is a religious country. According to the Gallup Poll in 2009 research, 91% of the population thinks religion is important in their daily life. More info about this study can be found here. The religous adherents are Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

From beautiful cathedrals in Italy to majestic temples in India, the world is filled with holy places that are important to the religions of the world. Maybe you are not religious yourself, or maybe you are visiting places where people celebrate different religions. Learning to look without gawking, see without ogling can be the difference between being accepted as a visitor, and being resented as an intruder. That's why we've written an article about the impact of religion on your travel plans.

This article also mentions how tattoo's, some style of clothing and other religous simbols can be extremely taboo.

Sex & Relationships in UAE

Same-sex marriage (also known as gay marriage) is not legalized in UAE.

UAE scores a -13/10 on the 'Gay Travel Index'.
Please note: Certain cities, tourist areas and resorts can sometimes be LGBTQ+ friendly even when the laws in UAE are very anti-LGBTQ+. In all cases, do your research, check official government data for up-to-date news and if you feel apprehensive consider travelling to a more LGBTQ+ friendly country.

Other practical tips for UAE

Timezone: UTC+04
TIP: Think about the time difference before planning your trip. Imagine you’re finally in UAE – but all you want to do is sleep! Travelling into a different time zone can be a real burden. The only way to truly adjust in 24 hours or less is to prepare before you go, so check out our tips that outline how to quickly adjust to a new time zone.

Driving: Right-hand traffic.

Remember: this country uses the metric system. Depending where you're from - distances, speed, and liquid quantities might be differend from the system you're used to. Find out how you should convert this unit system.

Power adapters and converters: 230 V (50 Hz), Plug G
When travelling to UAE, electronic devices might be necessary to document the incredible sights or to stay in contact with friends and family members back home. Most electronics like Phones, laptop computers and hair tools do not come cheap, so it's incredibly important to make sure your device is compatible with this type of outlets - 230 V (50 Hz), Plug G. You can read our guide about travel adapters and converters to determine which types you need for your next trip!

Weather: Currently dust, with a temperature between 28 and 29°C (82.4 and 84.2°F)

Pollution (PM2.5 fine dust particles): 40.92 µg/m3
PM2.5 Fine dust particulates can be carried deep into the lungs where they can cause inflammation and a worsening of the condition of people with heart and lung diseases. The smaller the particles the deeper they travel into the lungs, with more potential for harm. Note that the World Health Organisation's guideline value is 20 µg/m3. So be carefull when travelling to UAE. Make sure you are prepared by reading our article about effective strategies for a healthier trip.

List of cities in UAE