Plenty of information is already popular among the expats. They don’t mind to share it with their counterpart followers who have plans to make Dubai their second home as they are in search of green pastures and thus travel miles to seek shelter in the Emirate.

Despite the fact that the recent times have seen fallout in Dubai’s economy, people have still managed to cope up with it, as substantial tax advantages are available to many people who go and live and work in the emirate. That’s why the craze hasn’t diminished yet and the non-domiciled individuals are coping with the current trends happily.

Some most recent incidences and news stories have a put a check on the integrity of the expatriates. Things like following the customs, traditions, laws of the Emirate, public etiquette and no live-ins of unmarried couples has to be strictly adapted before confirming your stay in Dubai.

WN/Photos

Foreign nationals with liberal attitude and freedom of expression may find it hard to practice, but if they really want their stay in Dubai to be in harmony then it is always better to follow the norms established for them.

As far as tax is concerned, UAE levies no personal taxation on income. It is unlikely that tax will ever be levied on an individual’s income in Dubai and has been officially declared. Nevertheless, if you earn your income in Dubai but are tax resident elsewhere, you may be exposed to taxation on your income. It is like this for the simple reason that where you pay tax and what you pay depends on where you are resident for taxation purposes.

Facts and tax status related of non-residents have to be comprehensively checked because it depends largely on the tenure of your stay. Thus, the taxation is likely to differ highly with each case and position of an individual for many times people come only for a shorter period like six months and return to their nation of origin on completion of the project.

For more specific details and FAQ’s, visit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

Besides this, tax on items like your reservation at a particular hotel, the food that you order and alcohol adds extra taxes to your bill.

VAT is not yet implemented but soon it will be a common thing in Dubai like other neighboring Asiatic countries in the near future.

Precisely, it could be well estimated that, chances of prosperity are as much in Dubai along with tax payments, prior you have a thorough knowledge and understanding of your personal tax obligations.

Jumeirah Beach Park

Jumeirah Beach Park is the first beach park in Dubai and is one of best known beaches in Dubai with crystal white sand and turquoise blue water. Actually it’s a single soft unending carpet of sand dispersed with hotels, clubs and public access areas. The beach park is an ideal location for people of all ages as a picnic spot with kid’s recreation area, games area and restaurants / food courts jewelling the area. For a family picnic you can get together at the picnic tables, have a small barbecue, children can play at the kid’s area while you can relax or swim at the beachfront. Alert lifeguards, special swimming pools and showers are available whenever you are in the mood to swim. There’s even a small amphitheatre to showcase live musical or stage performances. Palm promenades and small wooden seats complete the picturesque view. If you want to visit this God gifted marvelous place, then Dubai government charges Dhs 2 per person or Dhs 20 per vehicle. The park is open from 8.00am to 9.00pm daily with Saturday’s and Sunday’s especially reserved for women and children.

Al Mazmar Beach Park

The conceptualization behind Palm Islands, World Islands have always surprised us and the same idea takes over behind the construction of the man made Al Mazmar Beach Park. An all-in-one beach projects its amusement, relaxation and pleasure all at one place. Covering 106 hectares its includes huge expanses of green coverage, an amphitheatre, numerous swimming pools, kid’s play areas, picnic and barbecue spots, lagoons and several beaches served by alert lifeguards and all the necessary luxury options. Al Mazmar Beach Park is not just about lazing at the beaches or playing watersports but also includes enjoying the different green zones, relaxing under the trees, laying out the picnic basket, flying the kites or playing football. Colors merge together at the Al Mazmar Beach Park which is open from 8.00am to 11.00pm daily except Thursday’s and Friday’s. Wednesday’s are reserved for women and children.

Located in the Middle East, Dubai is surrounded by deserts on one side and the Gulf coast on the other. The outcome is a very hot and dry climate unbearable to foreign tourists coming from the west.

November to May is the best season to travel to Dubai when the weather is pleasant. Consequently, Dubai tourist activities like camel & horse racing, shopping festivals, desert safaris and other outdoor activities are held during this period. But be prepared for cold nights and carry some winter wear during your travel. Summer temperatures in Dubai hover around 40 °C, dipping around 30 °C in the night. Winters are quite warm with an average high of 23 °C and a low of 14 °C.

If you are traveling during the summer season, get ready to face the blazing sun spouting flames at 42 degree Celsius. Attractions and activities are limited within malls, hotels, and places with air conditioning facilities. Do not dream of tanning at Jumeirah beach when Dubai is suffering from the summer season.

An extremely important point to be kept in mind is the Ramadan fasting period (around August-September), the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Dubai prominently being a Muslim state, most of Arab localities fast for 29-30 days until Eid, the day of the lunar sighting. During this month, Muslims refrain from any food or drink, from sunrise to sunset. These beliefs are expected to be observed and followed even by tourists, irrespective of their religious followings. Bars, nightclubs, supermarkets, cafes are mostly closed during the day. If caught, breaking any of the rules, it is most probable that you will land up in jail.

Considering you follow all the norms and traditions Dubai has to offer, the place could turn out to be your best vacation ever.

Organizer Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) have announced that this year’s DSF will go on until mid February and with a gap period of 3 months, Dubai Summer Surprises will be launched on June 17 2010. Dubai Summer Surprises, an event with a hangover of DSF will conclude on August 7.

Dubai is a travelers and shopper’s paradise and the festival blends the wishes of worldwide traders and shopaholics. The magnitude of the shopping experience is multiplied with eye-popping theatre events, fireworks and laser shows, street performances, fashion shows, prize draws and of course discounts on various merchandise. There is something for everyone at the DSF right from film festivals for the movie buffs to children’s functions to keep the kids happy.

Souks are a popular place to hang out especially for the women, as Dubai is known for its gold jewelry and spices available at duty free rates. If you are a good bargainer then you can hit the pot of luck with incredible discounts offered by dealers. Gold Souk at Sikkat al-Khali Street and Spice souk on Al Sabkha are some of the famous joints to shop. Do visit the Fish Souk in Deira even if you are not intending to buy. The market is worth a watch with fisherman pitching their voices to sell their catches and buyers haggling for a good price.

For those who are ready to spend a few extra dirhams can go for Persian carpets sold by traders from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The DSF co-ordinates various events and exhibitions under one space, where hundreds of traders not only get together to sell their wares but also showcase their country’s cultural highlights.

As the theme of this year’s DSF goes, One world, One family, One festival; the world citizens are looking forward to the opening ceremony of the Dubai Shopping Festival 2010.

GFDL/Tobias Walter

While carrying out business in any foreign workplace, it is necessary that certain norms relating to etiquettes followed by that country should be embedded within us. Known officially as ‘Business etiquettes’ these norms follow different rules in each country. Working Hours:  Dubai is one of the seven emirates in the UAE located in the Mid East region. Topically it is known to face harsh summers with temperatures rising to boiling points. Due to this taking a break between working hours is a common practice in all Dubai offices. A typical working week in Dubai proceeds from Saturday to Wednesday with the working day starting at 8:00 pm till 1:00 pm. Afternoon hours from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm are siesta times after which business recommences at 5:00 pm and runs till 7:00 pm in the evening. During Ramadan working days are two hours shorter. Formal Dress Code: Although the most liberal of all emirates, Dubai still follows a silent and assumed dress code that adheres to mild conservatism. Business suits for men and formal office wear like jackets & trousers for women is essential as covered arms and legs are termed as appropriate. Women should dress conservatively refraining from short skirts and low necklines when on business. If you are working in rural Dubai, dress up in their traditional attire. Casual Conversations: Business meetings with Arab clients can take place in informal places such as restaurants. The conversation generally starts by inquiring about the family and making a polite chat; say about the Dubai weather. It’s possible that you may quickly arrive at the formal business conversation part with the meeting getting over in a shorter period of time than stipulated. Keep controversies apart: Don’t criticize an Arab business colleague or start a controversy regarding business or personal matters, in public places. This will be termed as an ‘insult’ of the colleague which will be resented by him. An Arab Handshake: Arab handshakes are very gentle compared to the West. Just the touching of the palms of the right hands is fine. Call the colleague by ‘Mr’ (Sayed) or ‘Mrs’ (Sayeda) if a woman. Don’t initiate a handshake with a woman, unless she offers to do so. Business Cards: Have one side of your business card translated in Arabia as a gesture of politeness. While presenting your business card to an Arab colleague/client keep the Arabic side of the card face up.

There are many recreational options available for women like shopping at some of the world’s largest malls or joining a sports or hobby club. During the weekends, you could laze out at the Jumeirah beach or have a night out at any of the nightclubs or pubs. Just remember that alcohol is prohibited in public places and drunken driving means you risk bags of money as fines.

Workplaces are secure for women as sexual harassment could lead to severe repercussions for men. Women do have the choice to choose the type of industry they want to work in and some of them have women occupying especially high positions.

Remaining in par with international standards, even Dubai observes a five day working week, with a compulsory holiday on Friday. The other non-working day could be a Thursday or Saturday where international companies prefer Saturday to remain in conjunction with their offices abroad.

Respecting the law and religion in any country is a basic pre-requisite and not an exception in Dubai.

Hotel Apartments are an increasing choice for both leisure and business travelers from the world over. Situated in different parts of Dubai, they come in flexible prices, sometimes maybe expensive than other accommodations. But they are preferred stay for many as they offer many more amenities and added features than an ordinary hotel room. 24-hour assistance, fully equipped kitchen, cable television with access to international channels plus leisure options like swimming pool, gym, spa, kid’s activities, tour assistance are all available with hotel apartments. In case of any emergency, you always have the hotel desk at your service that would assist you further. But that would not be so, if you book a normal apartment which comes with very basic facilities. Also if you are traveling as a family or in a large group, booking an apartment makes sense as the whole package would cost you less than booking separate hotel rooms. Here’s a list of some of the Deluxe Dubai Hotel Apartments in Dubai:

Name of Apartment	Location
Al Murooj Rotana - Dubai	Sheikh Zayed Road
Arabian Dreams Hotel Apartment	Bur Dubai
Grand Midwest Hotel Apartments	Bur Dubai
Oasis Beach Tower Apartments	Dubai Marina
Marriott Executive Apartments Green Community	Deira
Almanar Hotel Apartments	Deira
Emirates Stars Hotel Apartments	Deira
Grand Midwest Tower Hotel Apartment	Dubai Discovery Gardens
Star Metro Deira Deluxe Hotel Apartments	Deira
Flora Park Hotel Apartments	Deira
Kirklees Hotel Apartment 2	Bur Dubai
Chelsea Gardens Apartment Hotel 1	Dubai Discovery Gardens
The Baron Hotel Apartments Dubai	Al Barsha
Ramee Guestline 2 Hotel Apartments	Bur Dubai
Sapphire Hotel Apartments	Al Barsha
Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai Creek	Deira
Chelsea Tower Suites and Apartments	Sheikh Zayed Road
Coral Boutique Hotel Apartments	Sheikh Zayed Road
Kazis Iconic Hotel Apartments	Al Barsha
Flora Creek Hotel Apartments	Deira
City Seasons Suites Dubai - Aparthotel	Deira
Rose Garden Hotel Apartments Barsha	Al Barsha
Topaz Living Courts - Apartments	Al Barsha
Dunes Hotel Apartment Al Barsha	Al Barsha
Dunes Hotel Apartments	Deira
Star Metro Al Barsha Hotel - Apartment	Al Barsha
Royal Plaza Hotel Apartments	Deira
Al Shams Plaza Hotel Apartments	Bur Dubai
Ramee Guestline Deira Hotel Apartments	Deira
Lotus Grand Hotel Apartments	Deira
Lotus Downtown Metro Hotel Apartments & Spa	Deira
Kirklees Hotel Apartment	Bur Dubai
Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien	Bur Dubai
Belvedere Court Hotel Apartments	Bur Dubai
Emirates Concorde Hotel & Residence	Deira
Jumeirah Living - World Trade Centre Residence	Sheikh Zayed Road
Rihab Rotana - Dubai	Deira
Rimal Rotana - Dubai	Deira
Tamani Hotel Marina	Dubai Marina
Al Sondos Suites by Le Meridien	Deira

• Restaurants can be expensive!
  

Be more partial towards café’s rather than restaurants as they are less expensive and serve more amount of food. Also you might get the extra additions with your meal like pickles, olives, bread, salad that will surely fill up your tummy. May be you won’t really enjoy the ambience all the time, but the food’s great and that surely should perk you up! If you are still adamant about eating at a 5 star restaurant then try business lunches which are much, much cheaper than their dinners.

• Pick up a villa or apartment rather than a Hotel Room

Villas or apartments can turn out to be a better deal especially if you are traveling as a family. They are inexpensive, self-catering, offer a larger space area, come with a fully equipped kitchen and are also nearby to Dubai’s attractions and beaches. Visit Dubai.com if you are in a search for an apartment or a villa.

• Taxis or Renting Car?

Taxis are cheaper than renting a car is common sense. But sometime luxury and need for privacy takes it toll on our minds and we feel the need for hiring a car. But hiring a car in Dubai doesn’t make any sense, because the traffic is not sane and you don’t want to spoil your day finding your way back to the hotel. There are plenty of taxis available so leave the reins in the hands of your taxi driver, just plop back and enjoy Dubai!

• Shop at markets rather than at expensive shopping malls

Instead of roaming around in huge shopping malls and gazing with sunken eyes at a Versace outfit, the best way out will be the nearest shopping markets at Diera where a little bargain haggling and nagging can let you lay your hands on some fresh produce and exquisite goods. Also you will get to enjoy the lively market atmosphere like the one back home!

• Carpooling

If you are tourist traveling alone or an expat in Dubai, then a car pooling is cheap way out to commonly accessed travel spots. You can car pool with your friends or even take advantage from RTA’s official car pool service. This is a great way to save costs and if interested their official website address is http://www.sharekni.ae/

• Bookings

Always make bookings well in advance and book a flight and hotel package which is always cheaper. Also check cheap and round trip flights to Dubai that will cut your traveling costs and will let you spend more during your stay in Dubai. The more in advance you book, the more discounts you can benefit from. Travel light as airlines always charge for extra baggage. An important tip is to travel off season when prices are at an all time low and the place is also less crowded.

• Smart Shopping

There are some people who think Dubai is all about gold. And it’s not completely wrong. Dubai is a tax free shopping hub in Middle East, but there are yet some shops which will offer you cheaper prices than the rest. Do some research about Gold Souks, Duty Free Shopping at airports, Dubai Tailors and fashion stores before spending your precious money.

• Entertainer Vouchers

There’s a great voucher book called the ‘The Entertainer’. You will find some amazing ‘Buy one, get one Free’ vouchers for local restaurants, golf courses and amusement parks. So it’s a great chance not only to save money, but also to try a different restaurant or mall that otherwise would have been too expensive for you. Visit their official site: http://www.theentertainerme.com/

• Self Catering

If you have decided to rent a villa or apartment then do make use of their kitchen because that will surely not only save your money but can be quite a fun if everyone joins in.

For them luxury denotes wheelchair access or a wheel-in shower or a stair free restaurant in the hotel. It’s just utilizing most of the services offered by the hotel without any restrictions. Hotels that cater to all types of guests can be termed as ‘complete’ in the true sense as they pay attention to every minute need of their guest, whether physically able or disable. Dubai is a traveler’s paradise and the finest hotels in the world have found their grounds here. So expecting hotels to suffice the need of a physically challenged guest wouldn’t be expecting much and neither does Dubai disappoint. Here’s a list of hotels that pay special attention to their guests and are categorized according to their star rating.

5 star Hotels	4 star Hotels	3 star Hotels	2 star Hotels
Al Bustan Rotana Hotel	Al Manzil Hotel	Dubai Grand Hotel	Holiday Inn Express - Safa Park
Al Murooj Rotana Dubai	Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa	K-Porte Inn Dubai	Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah
Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah	Capitol Hotel Dubai	Regal Plaza Hotel	Ramee Guestline Deira
Atlantis the Palm Jumeirah	Carlton Tower Hotel
Crowne Plaza Dubai	City Seasons Hotel
Dusit Thani Dubai	Grand Moov Hotel
Fairmont Hotel Dubai	Holiday Inn Downtown Dubai
Grand Hyatt Dubai	Holiday Inn Dubai Al Barsha
Grand Millennium Dubai	Jumeirah Rotana Hotel Dubai
Grosvenor House Dubai	Le Meridien Fairway
Hyatt Regency Dubai	Lotus Boutique Hotel
InterContinental Dubai Festival City	Lotus Hotel
Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa	Manhattan Avenue Hotel
Jumeirah Beach Hotel	Qamardeen Hotel
Jumeirah Emirates Towers	Radisson Blue Hotel, Dubai Media City
JW Marriott Hotel	Ramee Royal Hotel
Kempinski Hotel Mall of The Emirates	Regent Palace Hotel, Dubai
Le Meridien Dubai	Towers Rotana Hotel
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa	Traders Hotel
Media Rotana Hotel Al Barsha
Mina A' Salam Hotel
One & Only Royal Mirage Dubai
Park Hyatt Dubai
Raffles Dubai
Renaissance Dubai Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai
Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort & Towers
Taj Palace Hotel Dubai
The Address Down Town Burj Dubai
The Montgomerie Hotel
The Palace Hotel - The Old Town
The Ritz-Carlton Dubai Hotel

Dubai Mall

Dubai has made it to the top notch shopping destinations in the world with many retailers opening their shops in the city of gold. Ranked number 4 amongst the top 10, Dubai claimed 45.68% of top retailers, a hint of the growing demand of the Middle East market.
Bloomingdales, an American departmental store is hoping to inaugurate its branch in Dubai by 2010 that just one of the indications of the booming retail scenario.
Dubai is a popular tourist destination and the construction of various shopping malls contained by the city has facilitated retailers to acquire major retail spaces at sound rates.
Other than Dubai, New York and Tokyo are the most favored shopping destinations with New York anchoring 46.91% of the world’s top retailers and Tokyo 38.68%. Both these cities offer a major chunk of retail stores than any other city.
Hong Kong, Moscow and Beijing are keeping up the pace with the top list of cities as 50 new millionaires emerge every day.