Dubai Travel Facts

Best time to go

Depending on how you like your weather we feel the  best time to visit Dubai is from October up until May.
In October the weather may still be quite hot (up to 35C), blue skies are the norm and the evenings are warm. At this stage the tourist season is well under way.

Daytime temperatures are ideal during November, December, January and February (around 24C) although the evenings may be a little cool (13C). North-westerly winds (shamal) sometimes blow during these winter months, bringing choppy seas. Most of the annual rainfall occurs between December and March, but this tends to be in the form of short heavy downpours that rapidly clear away. Indeed some winters are totally dry.
By March–April, temperatures are beginning to rise during the day (early 30s) but humidity is still low and the evenings are warm. May can be quite hot again (late-30s).

June–September are to be avoided, especially the July–August period which is very hot (high 40s) and humid (100 per cent). However hotels and golf clubs and other facilities offer very good deals during the summer months and it is worth remembering that hotels, shops, in fact all buildings, cars, buses etc are air-conditioned.

Approx flight time

From London to Abu Dhabi flight times are 6 hours 35 minutes, to Dubai 7 hours; from Frankfurt to Dubai 6 hours; from Hong King to Dubai 8 hours, from Los Angeles 19 hours 55 minutes, from Toronto 14 hours 10 minutes, from Sydney 16 hours 15 minutes. It takes 4 hours to fly from Nairobi to Dubai

Approx Flight costs

Departure tax

You do not have to pay departure tax at any of the UAE’s airports.

AIRPORTS

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)

Web address: www.dcaauh.gov.ae

Over 40 passenger carriers operate scheduled flights to Abu Dhabi from approximately 90 destinations world-wide. Major international carriers include Air France, Air India, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, PIA, Britannia, and China Airlines.

Airport facilities are superb and include an award-winning 3200-square-metre duty free shop, a 19-suite airport hotel, a golf course 400 metres from the terminal, a gym, VIP lounges, a tourist information centre, car hire, travel agency, hotel reservation, bank, bureau de change, internet access and a 24-hour business centre difference: 4 hours ahead

Visa requirements: Not required

UK Official Travel advice: www.fco.gov.uk/

Health risks:

Currency: UAE Dirham
 

Language: Arabic, English widely spoken