Last Updated on March 30, 2024 by Jamie Marshall
Weather
It’s a cliché, but the sun really always shines in Dubai. With an average three hundred and thirty days of sunshine, that leaves just over a month’s worth when it’s not sunny!
March is the month with the most rain, when you can expect just six rainy days on average. Over the course of an entire year, plan for 3500 hours of bright sunshine and clear blue skies.
As you can imagine, this leaves you with lots of time for getting out on the water, fishing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, or just spending some time on the beach with a cool drink in your hand.
Dubai is a coastal city, and you are never too far from the sea. In fact, be prepared to add sunscreen to your shopping list as an essential item.
A few hours’ drive can get you to the Indian Ocean, or to neighboring Oman, for a weekend of diving and desert driving. A year-round tan is an added bonus, as well as the opportunity to have breakfast on your balcony before heading off to work.
Nightlife & Social
When the sun goes down, prepare to sample world-class entertainment and fine dining. Dubai may be a newcomer to the world stage when it comes to nightlife, but it has been making up for lost time.
You’ll find everything from fast food to fine dining in luxury establishments, at a price to suit every budget.
You’re never more than a few minutes away from a range of options to suit every taste. The population of this truly global city is reflected in the choices on offer, and if you’ve heard of it, the chances are that you can get it here.
Dine-in, takeaway, or delivered straight to your door, you really are spoiled for choice 24/7.
The entertainment available never fails to surprise, from world-class DJs to weekend rock festivals, Dubai has established itself as a music-lover’s destination of choice where the globe’s biggest names rub shoulders with local talent.
The list of global nightclubs includes Cavalli, Pacha, and the Buddha Bar, bringing their own take on the clubbing experience to the city’s nightlife.
Safety & Family
The city has much more to offer, with a growing number of parks, shopping malls, and annual festivals that are family-friendly and attract visitors from all over the world.
At any time of year, you always seem to be preparing for another event. Marathons, shopping festivals, and ethnic events from a hundred countries vie for attention with the offerings in Abu Dhabi, a mere hundred miles away.
Between the two cities, hardly a weekend goes by without a major event, but if you prefer more low-key entertainment, everything from weekly comedy nights to bar bands are always available.
One of the major considerations is the incredibly high standard of personal safety in this city. Violent crime is a rarity, and you can travel around the city on public transport in total safety, day or night.
The strict enforcement of laws has contributed to an environment where children can experience childhood, growing up without the dangers associated with inner-city crime and decay, and the “needles in the playground” scenario is unimaginable.
International private schools thrive along with the students, and they boast very good academic attainment records, with many students going on to top-tier universities.
Arguably, the multicultural environment is a very good foundation upon which to base lifelong learning and knowledge of today’s rapidly globalizing world. What better way for a child to pick up a second or even third language than in a school where your friends and classmates can speak ten or more languages?
In this part of the world, things are, in general, more family-friendly partly because of its conservative nature. There is a much more relaxed attitude towards children, and this means you can see children out with their parents at all hours in restaurants, shopping malls, and beaches.
Travel
One of the advantages of being at the crossroads between East and West is Dubai’s position as a travel hub. You’ve never been so close to the rest of the world while still within easy reach of home.
With two modern international airports, Dubai offers you direct daily flights to every continent. Weekend getaways to Europe are a breeze, as are trips to the Far East and Africa.
Within the city, an integrated network of modern trains and buses ensures that you can travel cheaply and easily around the city. The public transport system is complemented by the ubiquitous radio taxis that you can book by phone or even through the internet.
The city boasts a network of modern roads that have become a symbol of rapid development. Like every major city, you have to remember to avoid the rush hour, but the roads themselves are clean, modern, and very well maintained.
Visitors
The number of visitors to the city is testimony to its attraction. The existence of a small town in the desert is astonishing in itself, let alone a bustling metropolis that attracts visitors from across the globe.
Last year’s figures show that the city has shrugged off the global economic slump to attract over 11 million tourists.
The growth in tourism is expected to reach the target of 20 million by the end of this decade. They come to experience a unique mix of the modern and the traditional, life in five-star luxury amidst the most inhospitable physical environment on the planet.
Whether it’s riding the world’s largest elevator or a day at the camel races, there’s something for everyone to see and do.
Chances are you’ll be fending off requests from friends and relatives who want to use the chance to visit you while you’re there. The city can be seen as an oasis of tranquility in an area that is unfortunately sometimes very unstable, and it is a very good way to get a taste of the magic of the orient.
Standard of Living
You won’t have any trouble getting used to the standard of living once you get here, in fact you should probably be more worried about leaving. The many photos of luxury vehicles are testimony to the city’s excess, and that is reflected in salaries.
With a tax-free income, you can save a considerable amount, if you can resist the temptation to treat yourself. Dubai is home to the regional headquarters of many of the world’s biggest multinationals, and this is reflected in the average standard of living.
World-class housing, healthcare, transport, and entertainment are the norm.