VISITOR INFO ...............................................................

When to Go
The best time of the year to visit Dubai is between November and April, when the weather is coolest. The rest of the year you're more likely to be running from one air-conditioned environment to the next instead of getting out and exploring. Ramadan, which takes place at a different time each year on the Western calendar, is the Muslim month of fasting and is strictly adhered to throughout the UAE. That means that it's illegal, not to mention rude, to eat, drink or smoke in public from sunrise to sunset at this time. On the up side, hotel rates drop up to 70%.

Visa Requirements
Visas: All visitors except AGCC nationals (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia) require a visa sponsored by a local entity such as a hotel or company. Visitors may apply for an entry service permit (for 14 days), a visit visa (for 60 days renewable), or a tourist visa (for 30 days, non-renewable).

Airlines may require confirmation that the sponsor is holding a valid visa for incoming visitors. For those travelling onward to a destination other than that of original departure, a special transit visa (up to 96 hours) may be obtained through the same airline carrier operating in the UAE.

British citizens with the right of abode in the UK and expatriate residents of the AGCC who meet certain criteria may obtain (60-day and 30-day, respectively) visas on arrival. All current regulations should be checked before travelling, as they are subject to change. German and US citizens may obtain multiple entry visas from theUAE embassies in their respective countries. Israeli nationals will not be issued visas.

Getting There & Away
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the busiest airport in the Middle East. The national carrier is Emirates, which flies to some 45 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. For all the talk of free markets, air fares out of the UAE are just as strictly regulated as anywhere else; there are no bucket shops. Dubai International Airport has no separate airport departure tax; it's included in the price of your ticket.

Buses run from Dubai to other parts of the UAE and surrounding countries. One useful bus route runs to Hatta from the Deira bus station. To get to most other cities in the Emirates, take a Dubai Transport minibus. There are two buses a day to Muscat, Oman. Balawi Bus Service runs to Jordan twice weekly and Egypt on Wednesdays.

Long-distance taxis can take you to any other emirate on a shared or 'engaged' basis (which means you'll either have to wait until all five seats are filled or pay for them yourself). Settle the price before you leave.

Passenger ferries make the 12-hour trip between Sharjah (a twenty-minute drive from Dubai) and the port of Bandar-é Abbas in Iran daily. There's also a fortnightly passenger service in between Dubai and Bushehr in Iran. It leaves the passenger terminal at Port Rashid every second Sunday.

Getting Around
Buses run between Dubai International Airport and Deira bus station every 15 to 20 minutes, and there are metered, beige-colored Dubai Transport taxis. Although they can't serve the airport, there are scores of private taxis in all shapes and colours. As these aren't metered, you may need to haggle a bit about fares.

Local buses run from the Deira bus station, near the Gold Souq, and the Bur Dubai station on Al-Ghubaiba Rd. Monthly bus passes, known as taufeer, get you unlimited travel on one or the other side of Dubai Creek or, more expensively, throughout the city.

Driving in the city of Dubai is considered an extreme sport, but masochists love it. If you must hire a car, bring your credit card and a copy of your passport. Drinking and driving will get you jail time on top of a stiff fine. Note that all accidents, no matter how small, must be reported to the police.

The older parts of Dubai, with their souqs, fascinating architecture and museums, are best seen on foot. Abras (small motorboats) crisscross Dubai Creek from early morning until around midnight, and are a great way to see the waterfront.