2013

MedicAopus

1/1/2013

Dubai Relocation Guide

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Contents:

About Dubai………………………………………………………………………………….

Legislation…………………………………………………………………………………….

Currency……………………………………………………………………………………….

Banks…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Transportation………………………………………………………………………………

Traveling………………………………………………………………………………………..

Schools…………………………………………………………………………………………..

TV & Communications…………………………………………………………………..

Shopping………………………………………………………………………………………..

Religion………………………………………………………………………………………….

Culture……………………………………………………………………………………………

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About Dubai

Dubai is the name of both a city and an Emirate in the United Arab Emirates. The second largest, by area, of

the seven Emirates making up the UAE. The original settlement dates back to 1799 whilst the modern

Emirate was created in 1971 as part of the UAE. Dubai was formally established in 1833 by Sheikh

Maktoum bin Buti al Maktoum when he persuaded 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe, living in what is now

part of Saudi Arabia, to follow him to the Dubai Creek.

Today Dubai has emerged as a global city and business hub, and has the largest population of all the

emirates, just under 1.8m people. About 17 percent of the population are UAE nationals, or Emiratis.

Dubai’s main revenues are not from oil as many believe, but rather from tourism, real estate and financial

services, like many modern western cities. In recent times Dubai has made a name for itself as a place where

the biggest and boldest ideas become reality, from the building of the man-made Palm Jumeirah Island

through to the completion of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Dubai is a cosmopolitan and

modern city; considered the least conservative Emirate of the UAE and city in the Gulf, although many local

Emiratis still wear traditional dress in public.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duai

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Legislation

Each Emirate has its own legislative body. Dubai has its own courts separate to UAE Federal Law.

In recent years an increasing number of international Law Firms have established a presence in the UAE,

particularly around the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Most law firms have a balance of local

and international expertise and will cater for a full range of legal services, from commercial to civil issues.

If you are find yourself in trouble with the law/arrested in the UAE, it is strongly advisable to seek

the assistance of an Arabic speaking lawyer. Many international companies refer work to their overseas local

offices to ensure continuity. However, many of the local firms have extensive knowledge of not only UAE

law but also laws that apply across the Middle East. Many free zones exist in Dubai and local legal advice

will help you assess where best to locate your business.

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Documents

Whilst living in Dubai you will require a residency visa. It is necessary to obtain an Emirates Identity Card,

secure accommodation, open a bank account, set up a phone/internet account, get a labour card and to obtain

an alcohol licence.

A valid UAE driving licence is required to drive a private car in Dubai, if awaiting your residency visa a

temporary licence can be issued. An international licence will allow you to drive a rental car.

Important documents needed on arrival in Dubai -

Birth certificates - Original plus several copies

Marriage Certificates - Original, plus several copies

Education Documents - Original, plus several copies

6 months bank statement

Passport photos - lots of… as up to six of these can be required for each transaction.

There are of course, Photo shops in each shopping mall where you can always get these taken.

All your documents will need to be attested in your home country before being accepted in Dubai.

Document copies signed and stamped by a Notary Public/Commissioner of Oaths in the presence of

the rightful owner (proven by passport) and the original document presented.

Then forward to Embassy (UAE) /Foreign Office in your own country to be further signed and

stamped.

For further information on document attestation - www.dubai.ae

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RESIDENCY VISA

Usually, handled by the employer, many newcomers find themselves on a holiday visa when they first arrive

in Dubai. Holiday visas in Dubai are valid for 1 month after which one will have to exit the country and re

enter , and continue thus until one's visa is processed. They can be extended for 1 month with payment of a

fee, you are required to leave the country once this extension has expired but can re enter I month later.

Those who purchase property in Dubai will get a residency visa but no employment rights. If you are setting

up your own business you can directly approach the Department of Naturalization and

Residency www.dnrd.gov.ae ( click for english translation)

If you are working with a set up company such as The Links Group they will help to secure a residency visa

arrange for you.

Once you have received your residency visa in Dubai you can then proceed with sponsoring your family

members. Each member of your family will have a residency stamp on their passport. You can leave the

country for no longer than 6 months at a time otherwise your residency visa will lapse and you will have to

initiate the process again.

Male kids can be sponsored by their father up to the age of 21, after this they have to find their own sponsor

if they wish to remain in Dubai. (i.e they will have to work). Daughters , however can be sponsored as long

as they remain unmarried as soon as they marry their new husband will then take on their sponsorship.

A ban is a legal mechanism that prevents a resident from re-entering the country for a fixed period of time,

usually for six (6) months.

A permanent residency ban may be imposed on serious labour offenders, such as illegal or absconded

workers, illegal aliens or convicted felons. Fingerprint samples and retina scans of banned individuals are

kept on file by the Federal Department of Immigration.

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A medical examination is required to obtain a residency visa - testing HIV status (anyone testing positive

will be declined) also a chest x-ray to detect presence of TB. Those positive for TB will be declined,

however they may seek treatment in their own country in this instance and successfully gain entry once their

x-ray is clear and they are disease free.

A residency visa is valid for 3 years and is renewable up to the age of retirement, when a resident has to

consider his retirement. If he owns a property in Dubai then he will be entitled to a residency visa but will

not be granted a work permit. Traditionally expats use this time as an opportunity in their lives to repatriate.

EMIRATES IDENTITY CARDS

EID Cards are held by each individual, including children. It contains an Identification No. which sticks

with its holder forever, it allows access to all governmental and some non- governmental services which

require identity evidence. It includes encrypted personal data readable only by authorised authorities, the

chip may store up to 32,000 letters of personal information. The EID is state of the art in smart card

technology and has 9 security features which make falsification impossible.

Application forms are available on line or by visiting one of the many Emirate ID Centres or typing centres.

You will need your passport and 300Dhs fee. Once the paper work is complete, an appointment will be send

via SMS for photo and biometric testing. Once this is completed a further SMS will follow providing details

of collection. This process varies in time.

EID Cards are now issued at the time of visa renewal and some employers bear the cost.

Emirates Identity Authority - www.emiratesid.ae

Fees

100 AED per year of visa validity

40 AED Purchasing of Emirates Post envelop

20 AED Empost Delivery

Emirates Identity Authority - www.emiratesid.ae

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LABOUR CARD

A legal requisite to work in the UAE, this is obtained for you by your employer once your residency visa is

in place. This is supposed to be carried in person all the time.

HEALTH CARD

This entitles one to subsidized health care at a government hospital, however one is strongly advised to have

private health care in place also. This card is available once your residency visa is in place.

DRIVING LICENCE

If you have not driven before or your licence is issued from a country not recognized by the RTA, then you

will have to undergo training in one of the many motoring schools in operation across Dubai.

If you are in possession of a valid international licence then you simply go along to the RTA Licence

section of an RTA Office and there are several located across the city.

You will need:

Passport with residency visa,

Your valid international licence

Passport photos x8

Eye test result - can be carried out at the RTA Office or in any reputable Opticians (In the larger

shopping malls or smaller malls in the residential areas.)

Driving Licence - www.rta.ae

SALIK

Set up to ease congestion on the main roads, the RTA operates an automated road toll system at several

points of the main roads. Motorists are required to purchase a sensory tag for 100Dhs, this is attached to the

windscreen, the cost for passing a toll is 5 Dhs which is automatically deducted from your Salik account.

Accounts are topped up either in advance online or at one of the many service stations.

See Salik - www.salik.ae

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BIRTH CERTIFICATES (Babies born in Dubai)

You will receive a notification of birth on discharge from the hospital, take this with both of your passports

and attested marriage certificate to the Birth Certificate Office at Al Baraha Hospital, here they will issue

you with a birth certificate, This will be written in Arabic so you will need to have this translated to English.

Take this along to your own Embassy and apply for a passport for your infant. Once the passport is obtained,

apply for a residency visa. Please note that an infant will not be able to leave the country until he/she has

been issued with a valid passport.

Both parents passports

Attested marriage certificate

Birth notification from the hospital (translated to English)

Passport photos of your infant

Completed application form signed by both parents and witnessed by a notary public/ commissioner

of Oaths, School Head.

Birth Certificates useful site - www.dohms.gov.ae

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ALCOHOL LICENCE (BOOZE LICENCE')

To buy, carry or have alcohol in your home in Dubai you need by law to be in possession of a valid alcohol

licence. This is available from Dubai Police through licensed liquor merchants located throughout the city.

Once again you need proof of residency, a letter from your employer, passport copy and yet another passport

photo!

The legal age for alcohol consumption is 21 and this is strictly adhered to. In Dubai underage drinking is

blamed on the parents and unfortunately they may suffer the consequences of their children's actions.

Drinking and driving is not tolerated at all in Dubai and carries a severe penalty followed by deportation.

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Accommodation

Moving to Dubai, there are many exciting accommodation options to consider…..

Depending on your needs, whether you want to buy a property or rent ,you can choose from luxurious

serviced apartment in the financial district, to well positioned state of the art apartments on Dubai Marina, to

spacious villas in well maintained landscaped gated developments in suburban areas, to truly amazing villas

where your back garden is the beach on the now world renowned Palm Jumeirah.

Accommodation in Dubai is generally of a very high standard often coming with private or nearby well

maintained landscaped gardens, private or communal swimming pools, communal tennis courts, gyms and

sheltered kids play areas.

Accommodation however is expensive whether renting or buying in Dubai, this varies from location to

location. Rent inflation in Dubai has recently been capped by Dubai Government for rent renewals however

there is limited legislation to cover new agreements. Rent is payable in advance for the year, in one or two

cheques and this in most cases is not negotiable however in view of present economic downturn the rent

committee has suggested that landlords be more lenient in this matter and accept monthly rental cheques.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

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The accommodation options are varied and much depends on your needs, family size, pets as part of the

family etc.

Serviced Apartments:

Serviced apartments in Dubai are typically located within a hotel or exclusive residential tower block. This

type of luxurious accommodation in Dubai will be expensive and generally suited to those who are only in

Dubai for a definite length of time. This type of accommodation is rather unsuited to family living but has a

function in housing temporarily, to allow time to look around and acquire what meets ones family needs.

Short term Lets:

This encompasses either Apartments or Villas, allows rental from weekly to monthly (many landlords will

accept yearly tenancy - negotiate lower price).Such accommodation comes fully furnished with bedding

/towels etc provided, electricity/gas /water is also provided by the landlord or rather included in the price.

This type of accommodation also comes at a price but again allows you time to look around , all whilst in

the comfort of a homely environment. A rental agreement is drawn up, make sure you read the small

print….. Break clauses need to be ironed out at the outset etc, sub letting strictly forbidden, parties or large

gatherings not allowed, loud music limitations etc. Also ensure the inventory is checked and signed by both

parties involved or by tenant /managing agent.

Sharing of villas by singles or non family is illegal and is not advised.

Long Term Leases:

This is the route most tenants go down, yearly tenancy with option to extend, again encompasses villas and

apartments, this type of rental provides a sense of stability and normal living to newcomers to Dubai.

Generally totally unfurnished (My Move Shopping), it provides the ideal opportunity for you to put your

own mark on Dubai living especially when your shipment arrives!

Rents in Dubai have increased dramatically over the past 3 years and even though this is a less expensive

option than the others mentioned it will still be your largest outgoing. Property maintenance, Dubai

Electricity and Water (DEWA) along with pool maintenance if there is a private pool will be your

responsibility. Electricity and water are expensive commodities in Dubai, electricity powers air conditioning

which is a must and is usually in operation 24 hrs /day during most of the year. A maintenance charge to

maintain the communal gardens may or may not be carried by the landlord.

A tenancy agreement will be drafted. It is well worth getting a legal opinion on this as in the past landlords

have had many rights over the tenant, this has now started to change however with the formation of a rental

committee RERA (set up to protect the tenant).

Traditionally rent is payable in advance for the whole year by one cheque, in some cases twice yearly is

acceptable but is dependent on the landlord, with ever increasing rents this is something that one has indeed

to budget for. In view of the present economic downturn some landlords will accept monthly or quarterly

cheques.

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PURCHASING A PROPERTY

By buying a property in Dubai you are entitled to a residency visa however this has no employment benefits

and you will need to be in possession of a work permit to work, this is generally sought through your

employer.

Insurance

Similar to other countries, there are various types of insurance available in the UAE. These can be

categorized into life assurance, health and general insurance.

LIFE ASSURANCE

Many banks will insist on life assurance to protect its debt. It often takes the form of term assurance for the

amount of loan, which reduces at the expiry of the loan. Banks will be happy to arrange this cover for you

and through an extra cost it removes the uncertainty, in the event of the untimely death of one party. Many

international life companies operate in Dubai and most banks have a tie up with one or several of them.

When completing a life questionnaire, many international companies will scrutinize the application to assess

the risk attached to living in the Middle East. Premiums maybe loaded if a client travels into countries such

as Iraq, Saudi Arabia etc.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance comes as a standard benefit with many jobs in the UAE. For those self employed or

running their own companies, health insurance is absolutely vital as the cost of medical care is extremely

high.

General Insurance

This will include car insurance, house and valuables insurance. Again the banks when lending money, will

insist on building insurance to reinstate the property if it should become damaged due to fire. Content cover

is also recommended, even though break in /theft rate is relatively low in comparison to other countries (

due mainly to severe punishments associated).

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Car insurance can be normally arranged as part of purchasing a new car or with an independent broker and it

should always include provision for a blood money payment. Most premiums are denominated in Dirhams

and payable by cheque. Direct debit facility is not offered through the banks.

Currency

The dirham (AED) is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or

Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 fils.

The use of the Dirham started in 1973 after replacing the Qatar and Dubai Riyal which was being used since

1966.

The current Euro to Dirham exchange is: 1€= AED 4,83

Banks

Banks in the UAE broadly fit into 2 categories, local and International. One consideration when choosing a

bank is whether you are being paid offshore or not. Many expats paid offshore tend to bank with

international banks to ease the transfer of funds on a monthly basis.

All standard banking services are offered by Dubai banks, to include Current, Savings and Deposit

Accounts, as well as Off Shore Accounts.

To open a bank account in the UAE, it is necessary to do this in person and you will need to provide:

A residency visa and original passport

Proof of employment and a letter of no objection ( NOC) from your employer, which will state your

designation and salary

UAE ID card - driving licence & ID card

Proof of residential address

Copies of the above

Without a residency visa it is only possible to open a savings/ deposit account in a limited number of banks.

Credit cards are offered by all banks, denominated in Dirhams,and debit cards by some. ATM cards come

with all accounts. It is advisable to advise your bank if you travel overseas as your ATM card may not work

outside the UAE.

Under UAE law, it is a criminal offence to bounce a cheque and the bank are entitled to call the police if you

do so. It is therefore essential when writing numerous cheques that you have adequate cleared funds in your

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account.

Most Banks open 6 days a week from 8am onwards until 2pm and close on Fridays.

UAE Banks

HSBC

P.O BOX 66

04 353 5000

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank P.O.Box 5550

02 295 8888

American Express Bank Ltd

P.O.Box 3304

04 397 5000

Barclays Bank PO Box 506504

Building 4, Emaar Business Park

Sheikh Zayed Rd,

Dubai.

04 362 6888

Citibank N A P.O.Box 749

8004000

Commercial Bank of Dubai PSC P.O.Box 2668

04 352 3355

Dubai Islamic Bank P.O.Box 1080

04 295 3000

Emirates Bank International Ltd P.O.Box 2923

04 225 6256

Standard Chartered Bank

P.O.Box 999

3520455

UAE Central Bank

P.O.Box 448

04 393 9777

Transportation

Abra

You must take an abra at least once while in Dubai. These are small ferries carrying about 20 people from

one side of the Creek to the other. The fare is AED 2.00 (about EUR 0.40). Newer air conditioned abras

have been introduced which are totally soulless but certainly more comfortable and cost 4Dhs.

Bus

If you are not in a hurry it can be good to get round Dubai by public bus. The bus network has been

extensively improved and a typical fare from one end of Dubai to the other is around 4.10 Dhs. The front of

the buses are reserved for women and families.

Taxi

By far the most convenient and most popular way to get round Dubai is taxi. Taxis are metered. Minimum

fare is 10 Dhs and it would cost you typically 80-100 Dhs to go from one end of Dubai to the other. Taxi

fares from Diera to Dubai mall approx AED28, from Deira to Mall of Emirates AED50, from diera to wafi

mall AED20.

Metro

The Red line and the Green line of the Dubai Metro are almost fully operational now. It runs from about

5:50am to 11:00 pm on weekdays and slightly later on weekends (Thursday-Saturday). However, it is closed

on Friday mornings and starts operation at around 1:30pm.

You can find more information: http://dubaimetro.eu/

Fares range from AED 1.80 to 5.60 according to length of journey.

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Traveling

Because of its central geographical location, Dubai boasts easy accessibility to Europe, Asia, Africa and

Australia and proves itself to be a busy hub with people holidaying here, international travellers passing

through en route to the Far East as well as the ever growing business community who transverse the globe.

Dubai operates its own airline Emirates airline www.emirates.com but also welcomes many major

national airlines

Dubai International Airport houses the world renowned Dubai Duty Free, which is the largest one of its kind

in the world, here one can purchase in comfort an extensive range of quality goods – jewellery, perfumes,

leather goods, clothes and high tech gadgetry.

Dubai Duty Free also contributes hugely to the greater community and is responsible for sponsorship of

many of the major sporting events in Dubai. They also host amazing raffles with prizes from luxury cars to

million dollar cheques. These have proved extremely popular with international travellers to Dubai and

locals alike.

The flight time from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Greece is: 4 hours, 48 minutes

AIRLINES

Emirates Airlines www.emirates.com

British Airways www.britishairways.com

Cathay Pacific www.cathaypacific.com

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Qantas www.qantas.com

Virgin Atlantic www.virginatlantic.com

Schools

We encourage you to gather as much information as possible about a school before you apply to admit your child. It is important to look at three major areas:

Curriculum

The curriculum is much more than the textbooks or examinations – it refers to everything schools teach, including subjects and activities inside and outside the classroom, such as extra-curricular activities and educational visits and visitors. Different curricula also adopt different approaches to learning.

All curricula lead to public examinations and qualifications and these will be important in your choice of curriculum for your child - you may need to consider the requirements of any future application to university or further education, either in the UAE or abroad. In addition, if you are coming from abroad, your selection of a curriculum may depend upon your country of origin as you may want your child to integrate back into your home country’s education system at some time in the future.

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Dubai’s private schools offer 15 different curricula. You can search our schools directory by curriculum to find a suitable school for you.

Quality of education

The learning outcomes and performance of schools will be important to you in making your decision. DSIB’s annual inspection reports allow you to look at these and other aspects of schools in detail. Click here to search for individual inspection reports.

The school environment

Your child will be spending a lot of time in school and all aspects of the school have an impact on your child’s social development and personality. As part of the decision-making process, try to arrange a tour of the school, talk with administrators, teachers and students and see the school in action. Areas you should talk about include how the school is structured, whether classes are mixed and/or whether classes are streamed for ability, how transport is arranged, the arrangements for lunch and breaks. Also find out the school policies on examinations, discipline, dealing with bullying, etc., as well as how technology is used both in teaching and learning and in communication with parents.

In short, get as much information as possible before you decide which school is best for your child.

The links below will help in your search for schools:

http://www.khda.gov.ae/En/Directory/directory.aspx

http://www.dubaifaqs.com/schools-dubai.php

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http://www.expatwoman.com/dubai/monthly_faqs_school_fees_6135.aspx

TV & Communications

Now that you have arrived in Dubai, staying in touch with your loved ones and friends is made easy.

Du and Etisalat are the phone & internet providers in Dubai. Telephone calls between landlines within

Dubai are free, and international tariffs vary from country to country, both Du and Etisalat offer off peak

rates and regular special deals to coincide with Public Holidays and such occasions. Mobile calls are cheap

within Dubai and tarriffs vary internationally.

Internet is accessible from any standard phone line. It is possible to set up ISDN, ASDL and DIAL UP

accounts at an extra cost for line rental and modem purchase.

Cable TV is provided by du /Etisalat, a selection of packages are available to suit the individual’s needs.

There are several English language radio stations in Dubai.

There are several English language radio stations in Dubai.

The Times and Sunday Times are printed locally and delivery to your door can be arranged with a yearly

subscription.

Several international newspapers are also available in supermarkets and bookstores, these tend to be a day or

two old before they reach Dubai and are generally substantially marked up in price

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TELEPHONE

To download application forms and find out what you require for setting up a telephone – landline or

mobile, internet account and viewing other services please visit

Du telecom www.du.ae

Etisalat www.etisalat.ae

Your choice of provider will largely depend on your location in Dubai.

It is possible to have a pre paid or post paid account. Prepaid top ups are available from most convenience

stores. Post paid operates on a monthly billing system which can be physically paid at their offices or online

however no direct debit is accepted.

INTERNET

Internet is provided by Du and Etisalat, advisable to visit a Du branch to set up an account, connection will be made

after 5 working days approximately.

ISDN

Signing up for an ISDN account costs 200AED, (Phone has to be in your own name)

Quarterly service charge 100AED,

Surf at 128k = 3.6 AED/min

64k = 1.8 AED/min

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ADSL

Signing up for an ADSL account costs 200AED,

Modem purchase 375AED,

Flat rate /month (home) 250AED,

(Business) 350-2000AED,

RADIO

English speaking Channels

Channel 4 FM (104.8FM)

Coast FM (106.5FM)

Dubai Eye (103.8FM)

Dubai FM (92.0FM)

Radio 1FM (100.5FM)

Radio 2FM (99.3FM)

Virgin FM

Programmes broadcast in Arabic, French, Russian and Farsi also.

NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES

Emirates Woman - Monthly magazine with many fashion features, beauty and local news.

Emirates Home - Interior ideas and home related issues

Hello - Society magazine of what’s on and who’s who in Dubai

Ahlan - Articles on Celebrity lifestyles, - who’s out on the town

OK Middle East - Middle East society magazine

Arabian Business - Middle East business magazine

Gulf Marketing Review - Middle East marketing publication

Time Out Dubai - Information on weekly events

What’s On Dubai - as it suggests, covers all Dubai events

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Shopping

On moving to Dubai you will be leaving well behind the high street shopping scenario, walk into the

exquisitely ornate shopping malls, air conditioned, well maintained and spotlessly clean offering not just

fantastic shopping opportunities, but all round family entertainment - there are well staffed kids

entertainment areas, soft play areas for younger kids, cafes, restaurants, nail bars, massage centre's and even

a ski slope adjacent to the Mall of The Emirates.

Shopping malls in Dubai offer a wide variety of shops from clothes, sports equipment, furniture, electrical,

stationary etc many offer a large supermarket and in many cases a liquor retailer adjacent. The liquor store

will have its own private entrance and will not be clearly signed. Malls open 10am to 10pm, supermarkets

open 9am. There is ample shaded or multi-storey car parking provided and in the case of larger malls, valet

parking is an option. Street side shops are found in Satwa, Karama selling textiles, replica items, sportswear

etc.

Souks which are lively colourful Arabian bazaars are found in old Dubai - spice souk, gold and diamond

souk is very popular with the ladies, textile souk. Modern takes on these are now opening up in various

locations around Dubai, Madinat Souq, Souq Al Bahar in Old Town Dubai, Khan Murjan in Wafi City are

fine examples.

HSBC Middle East ATM's along with those of all the main banks are conveniently located in all shopping

mall and at strategic locations around Dubai. All major credit cards are accepted and foreign currency can

easily be exchanged in the many Bureau de Change, also present in the shopping malls. Hotels will also

offer competitive rates on money exchange.

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Religion

Many faiths are acknowledged and facilitated in Dubai, various Churches and places of worship are located

within 2 main areas - Jebel Ali & Oud Metha. Many of these offer structured religious education classes for

children and young adults or for anyone wishing to learn more about a specific faith.

Islam is the widely practiced religion of the UAE and there are many Mosques located throughout Dubai.

The beautifully ornate Jumeirah Mosque on Dubai's Beach Road is opened to the public and guided tours

are organised to give a greater insight to the Islamic way of life.

Ramadan is celebrated for 30 days each year, celebrated from end of August in 2009 and brought forward by

10 days each year. It is a time when Muslims abstain from food, drinks and other pleasures for the hours of

daylight. From a non-Muslim perspective - public restaurants and cafes are closed until dusk each day and

eating or drinking is not allowed in public view.

Restaurants in hotels are open however, but no alcoholic beverages are served during the day.

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Culture

Dubai boasts a very colourful past, it's progression in time from when it was a mere fishing / trading port

connecting East to West to the tourist magnet and financial capital it has become today provides for a

very interesting story indeed.

Dubai Museum - original residence to the Ruler of Dubai, renovated to house a museum in 1970, represents

all aspects of Old Dubai living, it is located in the neighbourhood of Bastakiya an area that has been

carefully restored to depict old Arabia.

Traditional souks still exist in Dubai, - textile, spice and gold souk are lively colourful bazaars. Modern day

takes on these are being introduced, capturing the charm in a far plusher surround. (see listings).

The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding - was established to help visitors understand the

customs and traditions of the UAE. This is achieved by means of cultural awareness programmes, Arabic

courses, visits to Jumeirah Mosque and much more.

Religion Listings

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–Day Saints 04 884 6630

Emirates Baptist Church 04 349 1596

Holy Trinity Church (Church of England) 04 337 0247

New Frontiers Int’l New Covenant Church 04 335 1597

St Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church 04 884 5104

St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church 04 337 0087

United Christian Church of Dubai 04 344 2509

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Cultural Listings

Dubai Museum www.dubaitourism.ae

Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding www.cultures.ae

Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities www.iacad.gov.ae

Heritage & Diving Village www.dubaitourism.ae

Godolphin Gallery www.godolphin.com

Majlis Gallery www.majlisgallery.com

Jumeirah Mosque www.cultures.ae

The Big Bus Company www.bigbus.co.uk

Jumana (Secret of the Desert) www.alsahra.com