Dubai

 General Information

The Waterfall in the Dubai Mall

Dubai is one of the 7 emirates that make up the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and is possibly one of the most modern cities in the world. Its impressive skyline can be seen from far away and it currently boasts the tallest man-made structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Dubai is truly a global city with the larger part of its population being expatriates.

There are many websites on what to do in Dubai. Personally I always check out Tripadvisor because all the attractions are added and rated by visitors themselves. The highlight of this particular visit to Dubai was the mesmerizing Dubai Fountain at the Dubai Mall.

Language

Because of it’s international status as one of the new top tourist locations and because of the large expatriate community English is widely spoken.

Tip: If you have time, go to Wild Wadi Waterpark. However, make sure to bring a doctor’s letter if you need to bring your own food, as they have a strict food policy.

Shops

Dubai must be one of the best places in the world to shop. Mega malls can be found throughout the Emirate and international brands are easy to come by. During this short visit we only went to the Dubai Mall, the worlds largest shopping mall. It’s very conveniently located and seems to have everything a person could wish for under one roof.

Store	Location & Information
Organic Foods and Cafe	Dubai mall. Lower ground floor. If there is only one supermarket you visit in Dubai, then this should be the one! This shop has the largest selection of gluten-free products I’ve ever seen. It also has a good range of dairy substitutes.
Waitrose	Dubai mall. Waitrose has a good selection of international brand foods.
Spinneys	Various.
Souk Supermarket	Arjaan Rotana. This tiny supermarket also sells soy milk and dairy-free bread.

Tip: if you are looking for any specific dietary advice the Organic Food shop in the Dubai Mall also has friendly on-site nutritionist.

Medical Care

There are many hospitals in Dubai. The following medical facility was recommended to us:

Name	Location
American Hospital	Oud Metha, Bur Dubai. Emergency Number:    +(971-4)-377-6644 / 6645

Tip: The emergency Telephone Number for Dubai is: 999

* this information can change so always check before you travel.

Hotels & Restaurants

There are many wonderful hotels in Dubai. We always stay at the Arjaan Rotana Media City. The Arjaan is conveniently located and offers 5-star service for a 4-star price. This is possibly because it doesn’t have an alcohol license. What makes this hotel so attractive, is their large modern apartments with well-equipped kitchens. They also do good and affordable room service so we usually cook dairy free for the kids and order room service for ourselves. We always book this hotel through Booking.com because they have better deals than the hotel itself.

Tip: Hotel prices surge during Eid whereas during the summer months hotels usually do “hot” deals. You might want to plan your trip accordingly. Neighboring Emirate Sharjah (sometimes referred to as the anti-Dubai) has hotel prices that are considerably lower that those of it’s glitzy cousin.

Do you know of a restaurant, supermarket or place to stay that caters to travelers with an allergy? Make sure to share the details with us in the comments section below. Be as specific as you can and if possible add a web link.