From a collection of small townships located on the shores of one of the Arabian Gulf's most famous trading centres, Dubai has grown to world attention.

Dubai is one of the seven Emirates which make up the UAE of which Adu Dhabi is the capital.

LANGUAGE
English is spoken by the vast majority of people living and working in Dubai. All service staff – be they taxi drivers, waiters or hotel staff – speak English. Alongside Arabic, a host of other languages are widely spoken – reflecting Dubai’s extraordinarily rich culture.

SAFE
Dubai is internationally recognised as one of the top five safest cities in the world. Crimes against a person are extremely rare. Theft is similarly almost non-existent. You can expect lost goods to be returned before you ever reach a police station.

SPORTS
Sports are a large part of life in Dubai, from Horse-Racing, Polo, Rugby, Golf, Formula One Powerboats and World Tennis Championships. If you prefer sitting in and enjoying sport on television, European and American Sport is shown on screen in most bars and on satellite networks.

ENTERTAINMENT
Dubai’s relaxed attitiude means alcohol is freely available in the many bars, clubs and restaurants that crowd Dubai’s streets and hotel foyers.

VISAS
No Visas are necessary for British Passport holders provided stay does not exceed 30 days.

ELECTRICITY
The electricity supply in Dubai is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles and uses the same three pin plugs as the UK.

WATER
Tap water is quite safe to drink but visitors usually prefer locally-bottled mineral water and this is generally served in hotels and restaurants.

VACCINATIONS
No compulsory vaccinations.

WEATHER
Dubai’s subtropical climate allows very little rain, normally just 6 or 7 days rainfall throughout the year.