Dubai

Only a few minutes from the airport by metro you will find the heart of Dubai. The streets of Dubai‘s newer areas are characterized by incredible cleanliness. This impression is the first that comes to my mind when I think of Dubai. It is reinforced even more, if you walk from the metro fully air-conditioned to the mall. Everything is new and shiny. In addition, Dubai trumps with superlatives.

The tallest building in the world, the largest aquarium in the world, the largest shopping mall in the world .... You can not stop wondering. And if you get hold of one of the coveted seats on the Burj Khalifa and the entire city lies at your feet, you can hardly believe your luck. Unfortunately, we only had two short stopovers in Dubai, with the second dedicated to the medina.

Spices, carpets and dishes as far as the eye can see. The perfect place to take souvenirs home. We thought. But if you enter the first souk, your shopping spirit evaporates very quickly. Every salesman runs towards tourists, they are surrounded and harassed. After all, we did not buy anything, although we intended to do that. Otherwise, the medina is a beautiful square, with mosques and mostly locals. The medina is definitely worth a visit. But next time, we‘ll be trying to focus on the new part of Dubai or see what else Dubai has to offer.

Entry is only possible with a valid passport. If you want to stay up to 90 days, the documents must be valid for at least three months. If you want to stay longer, they have to be valid for at least six months. If you want to enter for tourism purposes, you do not need a visa for up to 90 days. When entering and leaving the country, an iris scan is necessary at the passport control. So if you wear contact lenses, you must first remove them.

The crime rate in the UAE is very low compared to neighboring countries. However, you should always be vigilant and especially careful with crowds of people. In foreign countries you should basically adapt to their culture. The UAE are very strongly rooted in Islam. You should avoid too short clothes, especially in more traditional areas. During Ramadan, you also have to take care. Here you have to count on limitations in everyday life, such as closing locals or shops. Even for non-Muslims, public eating, drinking or smoking is prohibited. In the UAE there are generally many things that are forbidden, even for foreigners. Have a look at the laws before you travel.

If you travel to Dubai, you must definitely be vaccinated against measles. WHO has declared that omitting the vaccine as a „threat to global health“. However, no vaccinations are required when entering from Germany. The standard vaccinations are definitely always recommended. It is also recommended to vaccinate against hepatitis A and B and rabies.

The import of many medications is not allowed. You need a doctor‘s prescription for this. Inform yourself in advance about your medication.The medical care is very good, there are even many German-speaking doctors. However, it is more difficult in more rural areas. You should take out a travel health insurance before your trip and talk to your doctor.

In addition to traditional Arabic cuisine, Dubai has it all. Indian, Chinese, Mexican ... you will find everything here. The traditional cuisine is a variety of tastes. Chickpeas are often used, whether as falafel or hummus. Flatbread, meat, fresh vegetables, kebab, tabbouleh, ... and all orientally spiced with saffron, cardamom, cumin and other delicious spices. Not to mention the delicious dessert that you can find everywhere in Dubai. In case of delicious food hunting Dubai is totally worth a visit.

In Dubai you can use the metro, buses, trams, the ferry or a water taxi. They are all managed by the RTA and the same ticket type - the NOL card. There are several types of this card, depending on the use. Inform yourself about the fitting card before you travel. From the airport, the best way to get to the desired destination is to take the red metro line. Within the city you can walk to many points, or you take one of the listed means of transport.

In the UAE there is a desert climate and it can get very hot. Near the sea, the humidity is very high. You should always have sun protection with you and wear airy long clothes to protect your skin from the sun. There is hardly any precipitation and the water temperature is very high. You can hardly speak of summer and winter in Dubai, but the summer months should be avoided, if you are not used to intense heat.

You have to pay with Dirham. The withdrawal of cash is not a problem, in many restaurants and shops the payment by credit card is possible. But above all, outside the city you should have cash with you.