largest theme and sports park in the world) and the Dubai Megamall, (the largest shopping mall in the world). Dubai is home to the fastest growing award- winning airline, Emirates, and has over 100 hotels planned and under development, making it the perfect place to study hospitality, travel and tourism management. In addition to Jumeirah, most of the world’s best-known hotel and restaurant chains are established in Dubai, and welcome talented graduates from The Academy.
Dubai’s diverse dining options, abundant recreational facilities and extensive shopping selection, make it an exciting and vibrant city for both residents and visitors. Add to that Dubai’s safety record (voted by Interpol as the safest destination in the world for four years running) and there is no better living choice. Dubai offers literally thousands of restaurants, bars and venues to suit all tastes and all budgets. Also renowned as a shopper’s paradise, Dubai offers numerous shopping opportunities ranging from traditional souks to world-class shopping malls.
Dubai offers some of the finest sports and leisure facilities in the world. From deep-sea fishing to ice-skating, and from golf to sand-skating, Dubai’s weather is ideal for those seeking an active life. For water sports buffs, conditions in the Gulf are perfect for sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing trips. Dubai is the pioneer of golf in the Middle East, with championship standard golf courses to challenge the skills of even most experienced players. Other sporting activities available are flying, horse riding, shooting and archery, go-karting, cycling, ice-skating and ten-pin bowling. Dubai’s deserts also offer countless off-road activities, including dune bashing, sand-skiing, sand-surfing and mountain climbing. If the weather is too hot outside, you can even enjoy indoor snow skiing.
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +4 hours; +3 hours in summer
Consult the Dubai Meteorological Office airport for information on Dubai’s climate.
Hospitals and Clinics
A list of clinics, hospitals and other medical facilities can be found here. The list is arranged alphabetically by type of service, for ease of access.
Embassies and Consulates
A list of embassies and consulates for most countries, with contact details, is available here.
Banks
For a comprehensive list of banks in Dubai, with contact details, look here.
Hotels
This website has comprehensive information on hotels in Dubai.
Places of Worship
Foreigners are free to practice their own religion. Churches are not easily identified from the outside, but are well known amongst Christians in Dubai. Family services are held on a Friday.
Some of the options are listed in the website below:
Index UAE
http://www.indexuae.com/Top/Religion/Christianity
The Social Scene
Dubai's variety of dining choices, diverse recreational facilities and wide shopping opportunities, make it one of the most exciting and vibrant cities to live in and visit. Add to that Dubai's safety record (voted by Interpol as the safest destination in the world for four years running) and there is no better destination.
Dubai offers literally thousands of restaurants, bars to suit all tastes and all budgets. From Chinese to Indian and Arabic to Cajun, Dubai's restaurants offer residents and visitors alike a wide choice of international cuisine.
Also renowned as a shopper's paradise, Dubai offers virtually unlimited shopping opportunities. As well as the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival in the first quarter of every year, Dubai boasts a wide tax-free shopping selection, ranging from traditional souks (markets) to world-class shopping malls.
Additionally, many of Dubai's commercial areas are open until late, allowing you the opportunity to enjoy outdoor dining, sidewalk shopping and socialising long into the night.
Dubai has also become a centre for arts events, with internationally known artists performing music from rap to classic to jazz, ballet and modern dance, and a variety of plays.
What’s happening in Dubai? Start your search here:
Time out Dubai
http://www.timeoutdubai.com/dubai/
Sports & Leisure
Dubai offers some of the finest sports and leisure facilities in the world. From deep-sea fishing to ice-skating and from golf to sand skiing, Dubai's weather is ideal for those seeking an active life.
For water sports buffs, conditions in the Gulf are perfect for sailing, windsurfing and water skiing. The Gulf is also rich in marine life, perfect for deep-sea fishing trips and the waters of Dubai offer considerable variety for scuba diving.
Dubai is the pioneer of golf in the Middle East, with championship grass courses to challenge the skills of even the most experienced players. Other sporting activities available are flying, horse riding, shooting and archery, go-karting, cycling, ice-skating and ten-pin bowling. Dragon boating is the latest craze.
Dubai's deserts offer countless off-road activities, including dune bashing, sand skiing, sand surfing and mountain climbing. You can either rent a four-wheel drive vehicle, or participate in one of the dozens of daily excursions from Dubai into the mountains and deserts.
If the weather outside is too hot outside, visit the Mall of the Emirates for an afternoon of snow skiing.
International sports events that have their home in Dubai include the Dubai World Cup (richest horse race in the world), Dubai Desert Classic (European PGA tour) and the Dubai Tennis Championships (ATP and WTA tour).
Public Holidays
The following are statutory holidays in Dubai:
