Lifestyle in Dubai

Surrounded by the sultry heat of desert, expats will find that the lifestyle in Dubai largely revolves around activities best accompanied by air-conditioning. For an expat community lured to the Emirate by inflated salaries and visions of tax-free wealth, heavy heat means that shopping and indoor entertainment options make up the epicentre of life and go nicely with the extra income.

Nightlife in Dubai

Those moving to the Emirate will also find themselves floating in a fantastically vibrant social atmosphere. Dubai dishes up a heady dose of everything from indoor snowboarding to phenomenal music festivals to world-class restaurants, and there always seems to be a fellow partner in crime anxious to engage.

Most of Dubai’s nightlife is centred around the hotels due to the strict liquor laws, and it’s not uncommon to find local expats gathered around hotel bars until the wee hours when last rounds are being called.

However, a few clubs and night life spots exist outside the hotels. The Irish Village next to the Aviation Club of Dubai can always be counted on for a bit of debauchery, and Arabic nightclubs like Kasbaa Royal Mirage Hotel have become increasingly popular with locals and expats over the years.

Shopping in Dubai

For the expat whose idea of fun is relegated to cruising the aisles, the city centre can be thrilling, with selections of malls, souks and specialist stores in every crook and cranny. Authentic Bedouin paraphernalia, Persian-style carpets and textiles abound at the local markets, while brand names and electronic goods can be scooped up for relatively cheaper than elsewhere in the world.

Most shops open from 8am to 1pm, and then reopen again after the heat of the day at around 4.30pm until 8pm, or even later. Malls are air conditioned and remain open from 10am until 10pm. Most shops, malls and souks usually close on Friday mornings.