The site is easy to use. When you log in, you have unlimited free access to all the contents of the site. You can browse freely, look at the contents and find what you are looking for. Thanks to the redirection links to our partner, you can also book your hotel at the cheapest rate. Most of the activities have online booking forms that are managed directly by MVD’s sales team.

Yes, but under certain conditions. You will not be able to buy alcohol in the UAE unless you hold a special license that the government gives to non-Muslim residents to buy it in specialized shops. Otherwise you can consume them in clubs and restaurants that have the license to sell them and you can find them on the restaurant category of the website. For pork, some English supermarkets have a corner in their store dedicated to the sale of pork. However, it is impossible to find pork in restaurants in the UAE or in very few places in hotels and this is mentioned on the menu card.

Dubai has two seasons: The winter where temperatures can vary from 25 to 35 degrees and the summer where temperatures vary from 40 to 50 degrees. The best time to travel to Dubai is therefore from early October to early May. It can rain and be stormy at times, due to the change of season, when the hot weather comes or goes.

For those who invest in gold, it is indeed interesting to buy gold in Dubai. Traders usually apply a margin of 1%, in addition to the price of the course. In France these are about 10% in addition to VAT and the price of the course. Dubai gold sellers can afford to tax so little due to the high turnover of the gold market in the Middle East region. The 24k is sold in the form of ingot or sheet, as for the 18k and 21k, they are used for the creation of jewels because they are more malleable. Caution: Find out in your country of origin how much you can import without a declaration and how much with a declaration. Note: Gold is one of the only products not taxed at the border.

To live in Dubai, you need a resident visa. This visa can be obtained through marriage to a person who already has a resident visa here, family reunification in the case where one of your parents has been expatriated to the UAE, and finally in the case where you have found a job, your company will take care of it for you. For North African passport holders who wish to come to Dubai on holiday; a visa application will have to be submitted to the appropriate authority. Some travel agencies offer to do this for you, but it is up to the immigration authorities to decide whether or not to issue it to you.

The currency of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates is the Dirham. Its value depends on the exchange rate, which will have to be checked on the net directly via online converters.

We advise against doing this at the airport because they take large commercial margins. However, you can exchange a small amount for your first day. MVD advises to change it in Deira where the exchange rate is the most interesting because you can negotiate the rate (within reason) with the shopkeeper, but it is a bit far away. If you want something correct and closer you can go to the shopping malls directly (example: Mall of Emirates, Dubai Mall).

Dubai is the most tolerant emirate on the Arabian Peninsula. The veil and the Abaya are not obligatory, everyone is free to dress as they wish within the limits of reasonableness. We must not forget that Dubai is an Islamic emirate, very traditional. For example, in some places such as shopping malls, you are asked to wear clothing that covers up to your knees and elbows. As in every place of worship, you will be asked to cover your hair with a veil and your body with a loose garment that reaches down to your ankles. For the souks and the old city prefer trousers, long and loose clothing, avoid cleavage etc.. As for the beaches, topless is strictly forbidden and thongs are not recommended. When you leave the beach, it is recommended to get dressed. In the streets of the city, prefer shorts, skirts or dresses of a minimum length going to mid-thigh and avoid necklines that are too plunging. Same as for clubs, the agents at the entrance can deny you access if they think your clothing is too sexy.

The Abu Dhabi mosque can be visited by everyone, every day at specific times: Saturday to Thursday from 9am to 10pm and Friday from 4.30pm to 10pm. In this place, women will have to cover their hair with a veil and wear loose clothing that covers them up to the ankles, which is also valid for men (shorts, bermudas are not accepted like tank tops, marcels.). If you don’t have this in your suitcase, no worries, in the changing rooms, a clean abaya is lent to you. Good to know, MVD provides you with an online booking form to organize this visit. Find out more here.

The United Arab Emirates is a country whose official language is Arabic but whose language spoken outside is English. All reservations by phone or email are to be made in English, the one on our website remains in French, English, Arabic or Russian. Simply choose your language by clicking on the flag of your choice.

In the UAE, there is the possibility to have internet using wifi in public places but also by buying local SIM cards. There are two main telephone network operators which are Du and Etisalat. For this, you will need to buy a telephone chip with your passport at about AED 100 (+ 5% VAT) which already includes call minutes, SMS and Data. For your first top-up, ask for the help of an agent on site who will explain how to do it.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are about 100 kilometres apart. To get there you have three options. The first is to go there with your own vehicle, there is no toll on the road but a very nice rest area called Last Exit, the second would be to take a taxi, it will cost you about 300 AED per trip and the third, for about 50 AED per trip from the Ibn Battuta Mall subway station, a bus will take you there and drop you off in the center of Abu Dhabi or at the Sheikh Zayed mosque. There’s a bus every 20 minutes and from 5:00 to 1:00. Same for the return. To do so, you will have to buy a metro card and top it up. It will serve as a means of payment for the bus. When you arrive at your destination, find out which bus number you need to take to get to your destination.

The month of Ramadan is a holy month in Islam during which the faster cannot drink or eat from sunrise to sunset. In Dubai, this holy month is highly respected and some daily rules change and these changes are applicable to everyone whether you are Muslim or not. Indeed, you will be categorically forbidden to eat or drink in PUBLIC places (this does not apply to hotels or other private places) during fasting hours, even chewing gum will not be allowed. Also, all public restaurants and other places where one can usually eat will be compulsorily closed from the time of the beginning of the fast to the time of its termination. Some restaurants will remain open, such as bakeries, but only for take-away orders. In addition to the changes on catering, note that all clubs in the city will also be closed until the end of the holy month of Ramadan. On the other hand, the beaches remain open and accessible during the day. Everything comes back to life (restaurants, cafes, lounges etc.) once the sun goes down. In the United Arab Emirates, life is more active at night than during the day exceptionally during this month. And to this end, almost all hotels open giant tents or decorate their party rooms to transform them into huge and magnificent lounges where many choose to break their fast by enjoying their endless buffet or just relax until sunrise playing games with friends or simply sipping tea and enjoying some oriental sweets. The month of Ramadan also rhymes with sales, during this month many ready-to-wear brands choose to make promotions on their collection which can sometimes go up to 80%. As for the mosque in Abu Dhabi, it remains open and can be visited until sunset. Once the sun sets, the mosque closes to visitors to make way for evening prayer.

June, July, August and September are the hottest months in the UAE. Temperatures are generally between 42 and 45 degrees but can easily rise to 50 on some days. The heat is constant day and night, which is the only time when it is still 30 to 35 degrees. In addition, the humidity level in the air is as high as 80%. MVD advises against this period for people who are sensitive to high temperatures or those who can’t stand them. However and despite the fact that it is very hot, Dubai still counts many tourists, who take advantage of the discounts available at this season, to visit the city. We live there so we can assure you that it is bearable although very difficult, but with good precautions such as staying hydrated often and being exposed or going out when the sun is not so strong, you will be able to survive! The disadvantage is that some terraces, outdoor clubs and private swimming pools are closed during this season. Just browse our site to find out which ones, we update all the information.

Tourist couples, other than Emirati nationals, may reside together in the same accommodation or room during their stay. This law, which prohibits a man and a woman from residing together if they are not married, applies only to Emirati citizens.