Dubaï has a sub-tropical and arid climate. It is sunny, hot and dry most of the year. June to September are particularly hot months, with little or no rainfall. Temperatures may shoot up to 45° C. The most pleasant months to visit Dubai are from November to March, when temperatures are more comfortable (around 10 to 30° C). The winter months of January and February may bring rain showers, cooling down the area's temperatures.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry , P.O. Box 1457 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. +971 4 2280000/2221181

The German Industry & Commerce Office , PO Box 7480 Dubai ; Tel : + 971 4 397 0004

Most embassies and consulates are situed in Abu Dhabi.

France General Consulate , P.O. Box 3314, Dubaï, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 332 9040

Canada Consulate Juma Al Majid Building, Suite 708, Khalid Ibn Al Waleed St.; Tel. : + 971 4 314 5555

German General Consulate , P.O. BOX 2247, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 397 2333

Japan General Consulate , P.O. Box 9336, 28th Floor, Dubai World Trade Centre Building, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 331 9191

Netherlands Consulate , P.O. Box 7726 Dubai , United Arab Emirates. Tel: 971 4 3528700

Le Meridien , PO Box 10 001 Airport road. Tel.: + 971 4 282 4040 (toll free)

Mayfair Hotel , Dubai P.O.Box 33315, Rigga, Al Buteen, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Metropolitan Palace Hotel , Al Maktoum Street, Dubai. PO BOX 56262, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 227 0000 (toll free)

Jumeira Rotana Hotel P.O. Box 33640, Al Diyafah Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 345 5888 (toll free)

Sheraton Dubai Hotel & Towers P.O.Box 4250, Baniyas Street, Creek Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 228 1111 (toll free)

Best Western Avari Dubai Al Riqqa Road, P.O. Box 50400, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 295 6666

Dubai Conference Bureau Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 23215, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 331 1111

Dubai World Trade Center , P.O Box 9292. Tel : + 971 4 3064044

Eman Translation Services Nasser Square, P.O. Box 27750, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 224 7066

Universal Express , P.O. Box 825, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel.: + 971 4 352 5050

UPS Sheikh Zayed Road, PO Box 26026, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 339 1939

Al Jalssa Internet C@fé , P.O Box 5128. Tel + 971 4 3515617

AlMatrix.com Metropolitan Hotel, Sheik Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 343 3763

C@fe Net Al Sharafi Centrer, Karama, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 396 9111

Digital Office , Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Moussa Tower I, PO Box 62864, Dubai Tel.: +971 4 3328880

INet Centre , Gate 5, B1 floor, Hamarain Center, Dubai Tel. :+971 4 2669684

Internet Cafe ,Al Diyafah Street, Satwa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ; Tel. : + 971 4 345 3441

The BackStreetCafé , Metroplitan Palace Hotel, Al Maktoum Street, Dubai Tel.: +971 4 2276248

Travelers to the United Arab Emirates must have passports valid for at least three months after date of entry. Visas are also required by all, except citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and British nationals for stays up to 30 days. Transit passengers with valid onward travel documents who do not leave the airport do not require a visa. Israeli nationals are not allowed to enter into the United Arab Emirates.

Duty-free allowances : 2000 cigarettes, 400 cigars, 2kg of tobacco, 2 litres of spirits and 2 litres of wine (non-Muslim adults only), a reasonable amount of perfume. No customs duty is levied on personal effects entering Dubai. Dubai Duty Free has a sales outlet in the Arrivals Hall (but alcohol may only be purchased on departure).

For domestic calls, all phone numbers have nine digits, including the area code (04 for a local call).

To call Dubai from abroad, dial the access code (00), wait for a new dialling tone, then dial the UAE's country code (971), Dubai's code (4), followed by this with the full nine-digit number.

Police 999

Police of Dubai +971 4 2292222

Ambulance 999

Fire 997

Telephone calls within Dubai city are free. Direct dialling is available to most countries.

The Emirates Telecommunications Corporation provides businessmen, commercial and industrial establishments with radio phone services in aircraft during their flights and with ships while sailing as well as telefax services, double telex systems and mobile telephone services.

GSM services are available and the mobile phone code within the UAE is 050. 'Speak Easy' is a GSM mobile service for those visitors and tourists who cannot use their own mobile phones in the UAE. You can either buy a new mobile phone and purchase a temporary SIM card or use your own handset with a temporary card.

The currency in United Arab Emirates is the UAE Dirham (Dh).

A Dirham = 100 fils, 1 Dirham = 0.25€

Notes are in denominations of Dh1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Dh1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 fils.

Most banks, hotels and legal moneychangers will handle the exchange of foreign currency. Banks offer the best rates.

American Express, Diners Club, Visa and MasterCard and Travellers Cheques are widely accepted.

The import and export of both local and foreign currency are unrestricted.

Tipping is not a widely established practice in the UAE, as restaurants prefer to include a 10 % service charge. Given the low salary of many waiters however, tips are greatly appreciated.

Generally, hotel porters are tipped a couple of dirhams per luggage.

Cab drivers do not need to be tipped.

Dubaï is on + 4 hours GMT, or 4 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time.

There is no corporate tax in Dubai. The only exceptions to this are oil producing companies and branches of foreign banks. Likewise, there are no personal taxes. Direct taxation is against the traditions of the UAE and it is highly unlikely that it will be introduced in the near future.

The electricity supply is 220/240 vAC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are widespread.

Taxis are the most common way of getting around. Metered taxis from Dubai Transport Corporation, recognised by their cream colour, are efficient, with well trained and courteous drivers. The fare is Dh2 for pickup, followed by Dh1 per kilometre. A fixed scale of charges is applied to trips outside the city boundaries.

Self-drive cars are available in Dubaï airport and the rental company will arrange temporary local driving licences for visitors.

An interesting way to travel between Dubai and Deira is by water taxi (abra) across the Creek. The cost of this experience is 50 fils.

Medical certificates are not required to enter Dubai, unless you come from areas infected with cholera or yellow fever. Malaria and cholera are not particularly considered health risks in Dubai and other cities of the UAE.

In Dubai, hospitals are well equipped.

Tap water is safe for drinking, but in rural areas you may stick to bottled or boiled water.

Always choose well cooked meats and avoid dairy products, which may be made from unpasteurized milk.

Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) : February 12,

Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year) : March 5

Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet) : May 14

Accession of HH Sheikh Zayed : August 6

Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet) : September 24

Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) : November 26-28

National Day : December 2nd

New Year's Day : January 1st

NOTE : Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are only right for 2004.

During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking.

At the top of the hotel Burj al Arab, Al Muntaha-restaurant has fantastic views over the Arabian Gulf and offers excellent mixed dishes such as lobster Caesar salad or seared scallops. Located in the Seashell Inn Hotel, the American Dream has a wide selection of Continental fresh meats and vegetables. For Mediterranean food amateurs, you will be treated at The Splendido, one of the finest restaurants in Dubai, at the Ritz Carlton. Lastly, an excellent Rajasthani cooking is provided at the India Palace, (Hotel Bur Dubai). Housed in Le Méridien, Al Mijana is the perfect introduction to the joys of Lebanese dining, with the set menu concept allowing newcomers to savour every corner of this diverse cuisine. Andiamo, at the Grand Hyatt, offers a four-course Italian brunch with delicious antipasti. Al Iwan is one of the most fashionable places to eat in Dubai.

Local ethnic items include brass coffee pots, silver and wooden dhows, khanjars (short curved knives in elaborately carved sheaths), ancient rifles, muzzle loading guns, miniatures of camels etc. Prices and quality vary but the souks often offer the best buys.

Thought to be the city's oldest building, the Dubai Museum, occupying the Al-Fahidi Fort on the Bur Dubai side of Dubaï Creek, is not to be missed, just like the Grand Mosque in Bur Dubaï which is home to the city's tallest minaret.

If you do only one touristy thing in Dubaï, make sure to visit Dubaï Creek. The best way to see the grand trading port is from the water. You can book a pricey cruise or hire an "abra" (small boat) for an hour or so.

Another interesting place is the house of Shaikh Saeed, which has been restored as a museum of the pre-oil era. For many years, this 30-rooms house served as a communal residence for the ruling Al-Maktoum family. It was built using traditional methods, whith coral quarried in the Gulf.

Lastly, you cannot go to Dubaï without visiting one of its many souqs : the Deira covered Souq with folks hawking textiles, spices, kitchen wares, clothes and henna, the Gold Souq, the Perfume Souq, or even the Electroniqs Souq...