Alcohol in Dubai — complete guide for newcomers
Apr 28, 2026Dubai · Experience date Jan 28, 2026
As of January 2023, UAE removed the requirement for a personal alcohol license. You can now buy alcohol: from licensed liquor stores (MMI, African & Eastern) with UAE residency visa or passport, in licensed hotels and restaurants. Cannot buy from supermarkets (except some Waitrose locations in licensed buildings). Drinking in public: illegal. Drinking at home, hotel room, or licensed venue: fully legal. Ramadan: no alcohol sales in most venues during daylight hours.
Contributor: Maria Santos Weekend is Friday-Saturday, not Saturday-Sunday
Apr 22, 2026Dubai · Experience date Feb 10, 2026
Dubai's weekend is Friday and Saturday. Sunday is a workday. Most government services and banks are closed Friday (some open Saturday morning). Restaurants and malls are open 7 days. If you're used to Sunday rest, adjust your mental calendar. Ramadan timing: businesses shift hours significantly — government offices work 9am-2pm, restaurants open after sunset only. Ramadan dates shift ~11 days earlier each year.
Contributor: Emma Larsson Week 1 onboarding checklist starter
Apr 9, 2026Dubai Marina · Experience date Apr 9, 2026
Get a transport card on day one, shortlist SIM plans before airport purchase, and keep all rental payment receipts.
Finding your nearest clinic and hospital
Apr 2, 2026Dubai · Experience date Mar 18, 2026
Register with a local clinic in your first week — before you're sick. Check DHA app or healthhub.ae for approved clinics by area. With good insurance: nearly everything covered. Without insurance or for minor issues: Aster Clinic is cheapest private option (AED 100-150 consultation). Government hospitals (Rashid Hospital, Dubai Hospital): cheapest but long waits. For emergencies: Mediclinic or American Hospital have 24-hour emergency rooms and good English-speaking staff.
Weekend farmers' markets — find your community
Mar 11, 2026Dubai · Experience date Dec 27, 2025
Dubai has weekend farmers markets Oct-April: Ripe Market at Al Serkal Avenue and Dubai Police Academy Park (Friday/Saturday), Farmers Market on the Terrace at Dubai Festival City (Friday). These aren't just shopping — they're community hubs where expats meet. Good for: fresh produce, meeting people from your industry, discovering small local businesses. Also: Time Out Market Dubai has 17 local restaurants under one roof, great for first weekends exploring food.
Contributor: Lucas Mendes Day 1 priority: get a local SIM card before anything else
Mar 9, 2026Dubai · Experience date Feb 17, 2026
Your first hour in Dubai: buy a local SIM at the airport (du or Etisalat, AED 55 for tourist SIM). Without a UAE phone number, you can't: book appointments, receive OTP codes, use most apps, or register for any government service. Don't wait to 'figure out which plan is best' — just get the tourist SIM immediately and switch to a better plan in week 2 when you know your area and needs.
Contributor: James Wilson Learn basic Arabic phrases — goes a long way
Mar 8, 2026Dubai · Experience date Apr 14, 2026
Most service workers in Dubai speak English. But knowing basic Arabic: Shukran (thank you), Marhaba (hello), Min fadlak (please), La shukran (no thank you) — earns you immediate warmth and respect. Arabic is the official language but Dubai is so multinational that English is genuinely sufficient for daily life. Indian expats: Hindi is widely spoken and understood in many service contexts. Taxi drivers often speak English, Hindi, or Urdu but not always.