Travel Tips
Dubai now has metered taxis run by the Dubai Transport Corporation. They can be distinguished from the non metered taxis by the company logo, beige colour and uniformed drivers. They are well maintained and lost and found is excellent if you have taken note of the taxi number. I know a couple of people who have left handbags and cameras in a taxi and had them returned. There are still un-metered taxis where you need to haggle over the price before you get in. Dubai's bus service is much improved and there is now an inter Emirate mini bus service. Getting around is much easier than before.
Anon (Jan 99)
One month tourist visas for UAE are available upon entry (at least for UK passport holders) - this can then be extended for a further two months at the immigration office. If you are still in the country after 90 days you have to do a visa run (Doha/Muscat are popular ones), turn around and re-enter UAE and start all over again.
Tourist visas for Oman are not available on the border (contrary to popular belief) if you are crossing from the UAE, and entered UAE on a tourist visa. They can be obtained from the Omani embassies in Dubai/Abu Dhabi and take three to four days. Only single entry visas are available at the embassy in Dubai (ie multiple entry required, application must be lodged with Abu Dhabi embassy). Single entry visas costs 200dh and are valid for three weeks and entry into Oman must be within one month of issue.
The UAE do not have a presence on the border with Oman at Hatta. If you leave UAE at Mezyad (on road to Nizwa) you will get an exit stamp from UAE and pay 20dh for the privilege. If you re-enter at Hatta there will be no one there to give you a re-entry stamp (we had to get our Omani visas re-validated so that we could drive back into Oman then onto the Fujairah border crossing where both UAE and Omani guards are present - this was such hassle and took about three hours)
Some of the old "deserted" parts of Fujairah Old Town are actually inhabited and I was made very unwelcome. It is interesting to look around the dilapidated buildings/old fort but I was virtually chased away by one of the locals - there are also a few dogs around, so be very careful if visiting this area.
Andy Hurst, UK (Nov 98)
It used to be possible to hire a car with just a UK driving licence, but the law has changed and you must have an International Drivers Licence.
Driving standards are getting worse. Watch out for cars making u-turns at traffic lights out of the second and sometimes third lanes. Keep your eye as much on the rear view mirror as looking ahead - it is not unusual to have two cars passing you at speed on both sides.
The new Abu Dhabi - Dubai highway is well on its way to completion and will make the journey between the two cities much quicker and easier, but not necessarily safer as the four lane highway will encourage very high speeds.
Harry Bonning (Oct 98)
The Dubai Museum underneath Al Fahidi Fort is a must see. It's a multi-million dollar investment, making use of new technology to portray the "old Dubai of the 60's and 70's. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish the attendants, in their local, every day dish-dash costumes, from the animatronic models.
Don't overlook the excellent Museums in neighbouring Sharjah. Particularly the newly-established Sharjah Natural History Museum (junction 8 on the Sharjahy-Dhaid road) where you can see one of the very few Arabian Leopards left in the world. Dr. Marijcke runs a captive breeding program to try and augment the leopards' numbers before they become extinct.
One thing that should also be mentioned is the hot weather. Frankly, it's worth staying away in July and August unless you appreciate 50c and 90+% humidity. By compensation, the eight months from October through May are like one long, perfect summer in Europe.
Norman Sheppard, (Aug 98)
For adrenalin heads - on the Dubai - Ras Al Khaimah road there is a fantastic new water park with great slides and black holes. I joined a tour for a desert safari where they collect you in a four wheel drive at about 8 am, take to dune bashing for a few hours, then onto a desert camp to ride a camel. After this you go into northern Oman and have lunch before heading off to a wadi for a refreshing and welcome swim. Then some more sightseeing in Oman (old Portuguese forts) before taking your life into your hands on the straight road back to Dubai. Great fun and well worth doing.
If you are in the area then do try to make it to Muscat in Oman and visit the best souk in the whole Gulf.
Mark Hunt (Jul 98)
There is a new underground museum in Dubai. It is built under the old Fort, is airconditioned and has a remarkable display of local lifestyle, from boat building to schools and animal nightlife in the desert. An item not to be missed.
K Hempfing - Australia (Nov 97)
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