Expect...

Enjoy...

• The currency in UAE is the UAE dirham and in Oman the currency is Oman Rial.

• The official language of the UAE and Oman in Arabic, however you will find that English is widely spoken.

• It is approximately a seven hour flight from London to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Muscat, Oman.

• Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry, for visits of up to 3 months. A visa is not required for British citizens.

• The UAE and Oman have a subtropical-arid climate, with hot summers and warm winters. May to September are the hottest months, when temperatures often exceeds 40ºC. The best time to visit is from November to March when the average maximum temperature is 25ºC. 

• Islam is the largest and official state religion of the UAE. You will find that because of this alcohol is generally only served in hotel restaurants and bars. All nightclubs and golf clubs are permitted to sell alcohol.  The culture revolves around the religion and traditional Arab and Bedouin culture.

• Adrenaline junkies will love the fact that you can try your hand at two types of skiing here, both on snow and sand. Yes skiing on the desert really can happen.

• Treat your taste buds to tantalising Middle Eastern food. Try meze, baba ghanoush, shwarma and falafel.  

• Look down over Dubai from inside the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa. Take a lift to level 124 and use the telescopes provides which offer ‘time travel’ versions of the view.

• Spend some time in Dubai ‘the shopping capital of the Middle East’. There are more than 70 shopping malls, as well as Dubai Mall which is the largest mall in the world.  If fixed priced shopping doesn’t take your fancy head to the souks for some friendly negotiation.

• As the sun sets head to the trendy clubs and bars that Dubai is known for. The New York Times described Dubai as “the kind of city where you might run into Michael Jordan at the Buddha Bar or stumble across Naomi Campbell celebrating her birthday with a multiday bash.”