Dubai began as a small fishing village on the coast of the eastern Arabian Peninsula. At the beginning, the town made its income as a small pearl diving town. However, as expanding trade boomed across the gulf, it became a trading hub between Iran and India and gained a lot of notoriety for its imported goods from the East. In fact, the currency of Dubai used to be the Indian rupee historically. It was also used as a smuggling town to smuggle gold from Africa and elsewhere and import it to India, this made Dubai a well-known point in the map for various traders. When oil companies looked for oil around the Trucial States, Dubai was shown to not have any significant oil reserves compared to Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum, then the leader and Sheikh of Dubai, continued on the booming expansion of trade in Dubai instead of relying on any oil income. He welcomed Indian traders, Iranian traders, and even Western officials and travelers to his hometown. The open policy of commerce and tolerance of foreigners made Dubai a willing destination for any non-Arab or non-Muslim, in stark contrast to other cities in the Arabian peninsula which viewed non-Muslims with suspicion. Sheikh Rashid's son, Sheikh Mohammed, had a vision of establishing Dubai as a Middle Eastern tourist destination. In his memoir, when he met with other GCC heads of state after the British withdrawal from the gulf and proposed on making Dubai a tourist destination, the rest of the Sheikhs laughed at him. They told him nobody would like to come and visit a barren desert. Nevertheless, Sheikh Mohammed made the effort to hire experts and change the entire infrastructure of the city to welcome tourists, established free-zones with no taxes, invested in major tourism projects and opened the city for everyone regardless of race or religion. Multiple Western companies and institutions, wanting to expand their influence in the Middle East, welcomed Dubai's tax-free open-arm invitation. Dubai was seen as the only city in the Arabian peninsula that would allow non-Muslims to live, drink, and enjoy their lives by their own laws and Western or non-Islamic standards, though it is now rivalled by nearby Doha and Abu Dhabi in this regard.

The city of Dubai is situated on a coastal strip bordered by desert and gets very hot in the summer. It is dry on the hottest days and humid during the cooler days in the summer. Cooler, more pleasant weather lasts from the end of September to the beginning of May (although pleasant is relative, with daily temperatures from October to January and March to May still being 20–25 °C (68–77 °F), but be prepared for cold night temperatures. In winter the temperature at night is usually from 10 to 16 °C (50 to 61 °F). From May to September, the sun is intense and in August temperatures can touch 54 °C (129 °F) in the city and even higher in the desert. The heat, coupled with a humidity of 60%–70% near the coast, effectively precludes most activity outdoors for the daylight hours during summer. Summer and winter are effectively the only two noticeable seasons the city experiences.

December to April generally produces the highest precipitation, though little of it, at 100 mm (3.9 in) total per year. Some years yield no more than a few minutes of shower. Rain is celebrated in the UAE and most people take days off and some schools give rain days off to enjoy the little amount of precipitation the city experiences.

Arabic is the official language, but as foreigners outnumber Emiratis by almost 4 to 1 in Dubai, English serves as the lingua franca. All signs are bilingual in Arabic and English and speaking Urdu, Hindi, or Tagalog will get you further than Arabic given that most retail and service staff are expatriates from Pakistan, India, and the Philippines.

• Visit Dubai website

Dubai is a five-hour flight from Europe and three hours from most parts of the Middle East, the Near East, and the Indian subcontinent.

Dubai's main airport is the Dubai International Airport (DXB ^IATA). Its eventual replacement, Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC  ^IATA), is open to passenger flights but is only serving a few flights. You can also enter Dubai by using Sharjah International Airport (SHJ ^IATA) in the neighboring emirate of Sharjah.

Airlines often have price wars to glamorous destinations like Dubai and this can work to your advantage by careful planning and comparison of the various airlines serving Dubai. Emirates is the flag carrier of the emirate of Dubai, and connects Dubai to over 100 destinations while FlyDubai is Dubai's low-cost carrier. Etihad has shuttle services from their exclusive check-in facility in Sheikh Zayed Rd or Central Business District of Dubai to and from Abu Dhabi Int'l Airport, you can also fly with Sharjah's low-cost carrier; Air Arabia which flies to over 46 destinations within the Middle East. Low fares from North America are most often found on Qatar Airways.

• 25.25277855.3644441 Dubai International Airport (DXB ^IATA). This is the largest hub in the Middle East and the home base of Dubai's flag carrier Emirates and its low-cost wing flydubai. It has grown at such a furious pace that its terminals are bursting at the seams, especially during the peak hours around midnight. Frequent visitors from countries granted automatic visas on entry may wish to purchase an e-gate card to speed up immigration formalities and save passport pages. The e-gate card office is situated in the upstairs food court area of the Terminal 1 departures concourse. To buy an e-gate card in Dubai, you must have entered UAE via Dubai airport.  
• 24.88611155.1722222 Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC  ^IATA). The airport opened to passenger flights in October 2013 and has grand ambitions to be the largest airport in the world, capable of serving 160 million passengers a year. (For comparison, London Heathrow has around 70 million, and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson has more than 100 million.) For the time being it's only served by several low-cost carriers such as Wizz Air and flydubai (other carriers usually operate seasonal charters from Europe). It is a major hub for cargo flights. Emirates is not planning to shift until 2025 or so. The airport is in Jebel Ali at the far western end of Dubai, nearly 60 km from central Dubai and about 110 km from Abu Dhabi. A train line is planned, but the current transport options are taxi and bus lines F55/F55A. F55 connects Al Maktoum Airport with Ibn Battuta Metro Station during the day, while F55A runs between Al Maktoum Airport and Al Satwa Bus Station during the night. Buses depart every hour from the airport.  
• 25.32861155.5172223 Sharjah International Airport (SHJ ^IATA) (in the emirate of Sharjah). It is 30 min by road from Dubai and takes an increasing number of international flights as Dubai Airport struggles to keep up with demand. The principal carrier here is Air Arabia, a low-cost carrier serving the Middle East and South Asia. The airport is fairly basic but is being expanded. A bus service by Air Arabia also runs from the Airport to the Rashidiya Metro Station in Dubai. Rashidiya metro station is located close to the Dubai International Airport.  
• 24.4270154.646064 Zayed International Airport (AUH ^IATA) (in Abu Dhabi). There are ultra-low-cost flights from Europe, Africa and Asia. If you are somewhat flexible in your travel, you can get cheap intercontinental flight. There is an E102 bus service connecting Dubai (Ibn Battuta Bus Station) directly with Abu Dhabi Airport. It will cost 25 AED if you are using a nol card (cannot be purchased at Abu Dhabi Airport as of September 2022) or 35 AED if you buy a ticket at a counter at the Abu Dhabi Airport. 

Dubai's only international road border is with Oman at Al Wajajah. Expatriate residents of Oman will require an official permit to exit Oman by road. Visitors do not require a permit. There is a charge per vehicle to exit Oman and, if returning, retain the charge receipt as it will be required to re-enter. Ensure that insurance is valid for the UAE (preferably before commencing the journey). Temporary UAE insurance can be purchased at the border for a premium price.

There are also road borders between the neighbouring Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Oman at the Al Burami Oasis which divides the sister cities of Al Ain and Al Burami, Oman.

Dubai is a very car-oriented city and most visitors will choose to take taxis instead of the public transportation system. You can easily find them in the taxi queue or you just simply wave at one on the road, but this could be just difficult during rush hours. Also, some of them even refuse short rides in jammed areas.

Signage is terrible in Dubai, and taxis often get lost. The best thing to do is navigate from well-known landmarks, such as hotels. GPS devices are often outdated. Street and road names can be very confusing, because the different transliterations from Arabic, you will notice that the slight variance in the spelling is very important.

You can find a lot of car rental agencies that will give you a vehicle with very cheap rates and only an International Driving Permit, if you don't have an UAE one. Some agencies also offer a car hire service with drivers, an option much more comfortable for visitors, especially if the driver speaks English and knows the way around the city better than most taxi drivers.

Some of the best car rental companies are: Careem Car Services, which offers an easy booking system with a real-time tracking app and, if you need it, you can hire a car with a child seat. Ahdab International Luxury Transport is a highly experienced team of professionals but their rates tend to be quite expensive.

The Government of Dubai operates a network of buses linking Dubai city with the capitals of the other six emirates of the UAE. The buses run under the name Emirates Express and operate from various bus terminals in Dubai, for timetables see the website^{[dead link]}.

• From Abu Dhabi: Buses operate every 40 minutes starting at 06:20 from Abu Dhabi's main bus station to Dubai's Al Ghubaibah or Ibinu Bathutha bus station. The two-hour journey costs 25 dirham.
• From Sharjah: Frequent buses run between Dubai and Sharjah. There are several different routes and buses depart from various bus stations in Dubai including Al Karama, Gold Souq, Baniyas Square, Jebel Ali and Al Ittihad Square.
• From Al Ain: Buses operate every hour from Dubai's Al Ghubaibah bus station. It's a two-hour journey.
• To/from Fujairah: The bus to Fujairah leaves from the Rashidiya Metro station and takes about 3 to 4 hours.

For bus travel from Saudi Arabia, SAPTCO offers daily bus services from cities such as Dammam and Riyadh.

Dubai is a trading hub for dhows from around the Indian Ocean. Travellers wanting to arrive in the city this way will probably need to make their own arrangements with the captain of the vessel. Most of the dhows sail to Iran; some also head to Yemen and Somalia. Emulating Michael Palin and heading to India on a dhow is difficult-to-impossible.

Dubai has an international cruise terminal^{[dead link]} at Port Rashid. During wintertime, Costa Cruises has bases at least two of its cruise ships (Costa Luminosa & Costa Fortuna) in Dubai.

Valfajr Shipping Company^{[dead link]} runs a boat service that leaves Bandar Lengeh and Bandar Abbas in Iran supposedly every second day and docks in Port Rashid in Dubai, returning the following day. Crossing the Persian Gulf takes roughly 6 hours. The ticket includes Iranian-style lunch.

Dubai Metro has two lines which are open as of 2024:

The Red Line is 52 km (32 mi) long and opened in September 2009. It's the second metro in the Arab world after Cairo. While the line does not serve the old city centre, it's handy for zipping along Dubai's long coastline and includes stops at the airport, Burj Khalifa and the Mall of the Emirates.

The Green Line, which burrows through the city core, opened in September 2011. You can transfer between the two lines at Union Square and Khalid Bin Al Waleed (BurJuman).

There are also Blue and Purple lines under construction with opening dates in the next few years. The track 2020 expo was completed in 2020.

A single non-rechargeable ticket cost starts at 6 dirhams for a trip within one zone, 8 dirham for two zones, etc. Tickets can be purchased in automated machines, ticket offices or at the gate information clerk. Cash and payment cards are accepted (Visa and MasterCard). Trains run every 3–5 minutes from 05:50 to midnight every day except Thursday and Friday, when services are extended to 05:50–01:00 limited to 13:00–23:59, respectively. All stations are air-conditioned and there's a large network of feeder buses. If you plan to travel late in the evening, check station working hours as the last train may depart earlier than the official system operating hours.

A 5 km (3.1 mi) monorail system shuttles passengers across the Palm Jumeirah to the Atlantis hotel. It connects with the Dubai Tram. This is not a part of the rest of Transport, and therefore, you will need to buy a separate ticket (15 dirham one-way and 25 dirham return).

The latest of Dubai's modern transportation system is the Dubai Tram, which opened on November 12, 2014. It provides commuters with a comfortable transit service around the prime business and leisure districts of Dubai. The Dubai Tram operates for 19 hours daily running for 14.5 km along Al Sufouh Road. It passes around the vibrant Dubai Marina where passengers are treated to breathtaking sights of towering skyscrapers and luxury yachts, and then travels down Jumeirah passing by the iconic Burj Al Arab.

The Dubai Tram connects with the Dubai Metro at the Jumeirah Lakes Towers and DAMAC stations, and links with the monorail of Palm Jumeirah. Outside of Europe, the Dubai Tram is the first tram system that uses the state-of-the-art ground-level power supply cable system which eliminates the unsightly and overhead cables.

Dubai Public transport ^{[dead link]} is a cheaper means of travelling within the several districts of Dubai. A map of the bus system can be found online^{[dead link]}, as well as detailed route maps and timetables^{[dead link]}. Public buses are clean and cheap, but unfortunately not very comprehensive and (on some routes) quite infrequent. The bus system is most useful for getting between different areas of central Dubai, or between the various suburbs, rather than general transport. Taxis or a fair amount of walking will also be required if you visit Dubai without a car of your own.

You will require a Nol card or ticket for fare payment. Cards can be purchased from most bus stations, metro stations, and sometimes from the bus driver.

The main bus stations are Gold Souq Market (in Deira) and Al Ghubaiba bus station (in Bur Dubai). Clear route maps and timetables are placed inside a few bus stands. Ramadan timings differ. The front seats are reserved for women.

Probably the single most useful service for the casual tourist is Line 8, which starts at the Gold Souq, takes the tunnel under the Creek to Heritage Village, and then sets off down Jumeirah Rd (just behind the beach) and all its hotels and malls, up to Burj al-Arab and Wild Wadi. It terminates near the Internet City, while its 8A variant goes down a little further and also serves the Mall of the Emirates.

Taxis ply the streets of Dubai and are relatively easy to spot with their cream bodies and coloured roofs. The easiest place to find them is at the taxi queue at one of the malls or outside a hotel. Taxis can also be booked on the Careem mobile app which is similar to Uber. Waving down a taxi on the road is possible, but can be difficult during rush hours. At peak times (07:00-09:00 & 16:00-19:00 workdays, and Friday evenings) demand exceeds supply, and not only are taxis hard to find, but those who deign to pick you up may demand crazy off-meter fares or refuse short rides in congested areas entirely. If you accept an off-meter quote, ensure that the driver clearly says 'Dirhams' as occasionally the word metamorphoses into 'Dollars' when you reach your destination. Also, the drivers of Dubai Taxi Corporation go through their shift change between 16:00-18:00 daily and it can be more difficult to find taxis during this time. The standard of driving in Dubai ranges from poor to wild - taxis are some of the worst on the roads. Taxi drivers are pretty good at knowing where the main shopping malls and hotels are, however less well known places will mean the driver calling his brother-in-law to get directions, whilst he drives around in circles on your time - hence it is a good idea to have a rough idea of where you are heading or what a nearby landmark is.

Taxis are metered at 2.19 dirham/km day and night, so no haggling is necessary. The rates of all taxi companies — Dubai Transport, National, Cars, Metro, and Arabian — are identical, so just take the first one that comes along. Street pickups attract a standing charge of 5 dirham during the day and 5.50 dirham at night (22:00-06:00). From the airport, there is a standing charge of 25 dirham; there is a surcharge for going to Sharjah. A minimum total fare of 12 dirham applies. Taxis are exempt from the Salik road toll charges.

Beware of unmarked hotel taxis and limousines though: while some of these are metered, they are not tied to the official rates, and can be much more expensive. One way to spot whether a taxi is official or not is to look for a meter: no meter, don't get in.

If you can't find one otherwise, you can attempt to call Dubai Taxi on 04-2080808 (each franchise has its own booking number but one central system), there's a surcharge to book. The booking system was notorious for its unreliability but with a significantly increased taxi fleet, many taxis now deliberately wait in unofficial holding areas waiting for bookings. As a result, on a good day it can be possible to book a taxi and have it arrive within less than five minutes. If you absolutely have to get somewhere at a certain time (say, the airport or a meeting), it's still best to book a hotel taxi in advance, and get their estimate of how bad the traffic will be.

Women should travel in the back of the taxi as some drivers see it as a sexual invitation if you get in the front.

Taxi drivers are usually friendly, but may have a different ideas on hygiene.

You can also use Careem or Uber services for moving in Dubai.

There are countless rent-a-cars that will provide a mode of transportation for very cheap rates and very little paperwork. An International Driving Permit is not necessarily required, but hire companies may not rent a car without one.

Some agencies will hire out cars complete with drivers. Visitors taking advantage of this option will need to make certain that their driver knows his way around as many do not.

When driving on the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed Road, the junction numbers are not in logical order. Junction 13 is just after Junction 18 and is rarely shown on the maps. Road names can also be very confusing with slight differences in spelling (due to different transliterations from Arabic) being very important. The construction work that is taking place throughout and around Dubai can make finding your destination a challenge. Temporary road layouts change with alarming regularity and temporary signs can be misleading or non-existent. As GPS maps are not up to date (and usually not anyway available to rent with hire cars), you will be very well off with a printed map (you can get an excellent one in Virgin stores, for example. There is a Virgin Megastore on the top floor of City Center).

Driving during morning and afternoon peak hours is not recommended, as traffic slows to a standstill and even a simple trip across a bridge can take up to 45 minutes. There is also a scarcity of parking spaces in many parts of the city.

With such a mixture of nationalities residing in the city, driving styles are mixed, to say the least. Both dangerous and experienced driving will be witnessed or experienced frequently. Dubai has one of the highest per capita road death rates in the world. There is zero tolerance for alcohol and driving with stiff penalties meted out including jail and deportation.

See Salik^{[dead link]} for information about tolls on certain routes in Dubai. If you rent a car, usually a Salik tag will be provided by the car hire company and you will be charged separately when returning the car.

An easy way of crossing Dubai Creek is by abra, a small ferry. Abra stations are located along the Creek on both the Bur Dubai and Deira sides, and the system of filling the boats is remarkably efficient. The cross-river trip is payable to the driver after the boat has left the station, and affords a very picturesque view of the city. Abras set off very regularly, and the service is available round-the-clock.

Air-conditioned water buses are a way to avoid the abra crowd and the heat. They are part of the public transport system, so a Red Nol ticket or a Nol card is required. Tickets can be purchased at the water bus station. The water bus also features a 'tourist route' round trip – while it is convenient, it can get quite expensive.

The Creek is also the home of many boats offering more comfortable (and correspondingly more expensive) tours, often in boats designed to resemble dhows. Prices tend to be higher, particularly for dinner cruises with on-board entertainment.

While not at all a bicycle-friendly city, there is a growing network of cycle lanes. Careem^{[dead link]} offers a bike sharing system with stations in Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach, downtown, Palm Jumeirah, Deira and a number of other districts. It costs 20 AED per 24 hours with as many 45-minute rides as you want. A phone with a data plan and a credit card is needed though.

Dubai is known for its gigantic malls and is a magnet for shoppers. Among the dozens of malls, two stand out due to their size and quality. See the district articles for more details on malls. Several malls have a large supermarket where you'll find the lowest cost electronics, and groceries for self-catering. There are many supermarkets, and international brands such as Carrefour, Géant and Waitrose have multiple locations as do 'home-grown' brands Choithrams, Spinney's, Union Co-Operative and Lulu, amongst others.

Most malls have food courts, which offer good value menus and are a fast and reliable option for visitors and locals. There are also several food chains of many different types (Pakistani, Indian, Western) scattered all over the city. See the district articles for individual recommendations.

• Automatic, this is a chain of popular Lebanese restaurants found all over Dubai. Famous for its lamb chops & Friday lunch buffet. No alcohol served.

The top hotels all have at least one restaurant serving (most commonly) some form of international cuisine - Italian, Japanese, Indian and so on. Quality tends to be high, along with price, but non-guests are able to reserve tables as well, thus allowing the rest of us to experience a bit of these hotels. Floating restaurants for dinner come sight seeing in Dubai Marina are also popular among both non-travelers and travelers. And agencies have licensed floating restaurants and hence charge a high price for the quality of food and service.

Driving and pedestrian safety has also been an issue given the different nationalities that share the road. Do not jaywalk or cross where there are no clear pedestrian markings. Speeding is common here, and the odds of you being hit by a car are quite high unless you follow the rules. Avoid driving on the extreme left lane of highways to avoid being "flashed" and being forced to move a lane over. Road rage is also starting to become an issue given the increase in traffic jams and poor driving courtesy.

Rude hand gestures (the "finger", etc.) and profanity can lead to fines and jail times if reported, so keep your cool if you are cut off or are behind an erratic driver. In general, you will find those gestures and actions that some may find only slightly offensive in your home country, or perhaps not offensive at all, can at times be extremely offensive to the Dubai locals. Therefore, err on the side of caution and keep your cool.

The United Arab Emirates might seem to have more relaxed laws than their other Arab counterparts, but the laws are still very different from most Western countries, and their laws are strictly enforced. Having an alcoholic drink in the wrong place or even losing your temper could land you a month or more in prison. Exercise caution and common sense when visiting, and make sure you are aware of all their laws or expect severe consequences that could seriously ruin your visit.

Dubai strictly follows Islamic laws which should be respected by all visitors. Islam is the official religion, therefore do not publicly criticize or distribute material against it.

In conversations about politics and world affairs, avoid criticizing the ruling family of any of the seven Emirates or prominent business families. The United Arab Emirates has formal relations with Israel but publicly supports causes that involve the Palestinian people and Palestinian statehood.

Public displays of affection are frowned upon and public sexual acts can lead to prison sentences followed by deportation. In 2008, a British couple were arrested and faced prison sentences because they had sexual contact on a beach in Dubai. If all tourists remain respectful, decent and ensure that they do not upset the local people, there should be no problems.

Homosexuality is a criminal offence with possible imprisonment and deportation. Egregious public displays of affection or cross-dressing may lead to prison sentences and/or deportation. In 2013 a Norwegian woman reported she had been raped but then, following bad advice, rescinded it. She was then sentenced to 16 months in prison for extramarital sex and filing a false police report. After public pressure she was pardoned and deported. As of January 2022, extramarital sex has been decriminalized.

Women should dress sensibly and avoid wearing revealing outfits when travelling to districts like Karama, Deira and Bur Dubai, where the streets are packed with men, especially on evenings and weekends. While swimsuits and bikinis are a common sight on Dubai beaches, avoid sunbathing topless —even in the private beach of a hotel.

Prostitution is illegal in Dubai but still it is visible at nightclubs, bars and other places. Law enforcement ignores solicitation to a degree, but penalties are high if it is made too obvious or if the police are called. Human trafficking and forced prostitution are real issues in Dubai.

While petty crime is hardly reported or mentioned in the news, keep an eye on your wallet or purse when in crowded areas like Naser Square or Deira in general. If withdrawing large amounts of cash from ATMs, either conceal the notes or ask the bank's security to escort you to your vehicle. Cases have occurred where people have been robbed of large amounts of cash in crowded areas because they were not careful.

Conmen are ever present in Dubai, especially the "Nigeria 419" scammers. Do not arrange meetings or entertain their requests or give any personal details. Should they not comply, individuals who will be happy to listen to their business propositions are the police.

Thanks to Dubai's new property boom and bust, real estate fraudsters are also popping up, so exercise extreme caution if you are interested in buying or renting.

Drug use and distribution are serious criminal offences, even when in the company of the person consuming the material, and can lead to a prison sentence of several years or even the death penalty. Passenger baggage is screened quite thoroughly when entering Dubai. Even prescription drugs (without original prescription note and sometimes even with one) or ones that you bought over the counter in your country can lead to a prison sentence.

You need to be careful when you are a tourist in Dubai, like many places around the world, people have a keen eye for tourists and can cheat you. For example, taxi drivers can drive a longer way to the destination given that you pay by meter or try to charge you US$20 when you are sure you heard them say 20 dirham (they do sound rather similar).

Emirates Post^{[dead link]} service is pretty efficient. You will need to rent a post office box as postal service to the door is not the standard.

Thanks to the large influx of expatriates, Dubai has a wide selection of English-language newspapers and radio channels.

• The Gulf News.
• Time Out Dubai - Things to do.
• The Khaleej Times.
• The Gulf Today^{[dead link]}.
• The National.
• 7 Days.
• Emirates Business 24/7.
• Channel 4 - Plays current songs from the UK and US. 104.8FM
• Dubai Eye - Western-oriented talk with focus on business, sport, lifestyle, and entertainment. Owned by Arabian Radio Network. 103.8FM
• Dubai 92 - Mainly 1990s music. Popular with British ex-pats. Owned by Arabian Radio Network. 92.0FM
• Virgin Radio 104.4 - Chart music. Operates under franchise from Virgin Radio International. Owned by Arabian Radio Network.
• City 101.6 - Broadcasts Indian music.
• Abu Dhabi Classic FM - Despite its name, this station broadcasts classical and jazz music across the UAE. In Dubai it is on 87.9FM.
• Talk 100.3 - Tune in to Talk 100.3, Dubai's best radio station, and experience the best of news, sports, and conversation from around the world.
• LUV 107.1 - LUV 107.1 plays a mix of music from the 90's through today.

International newspapers are also available in most hotels and airport terminals. Carrefour and Borders bookstores sell British and American newspapers. Todaily, a local printing house, can furnish newspapers and periodicals from around the world daily.

Dubai gives freedom of religion to its residents and citizens.

• St Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Oud Metha opposite the Indian High School. Masses are celebrated in Tagalog (Filipino), some Indian dialects as well as in Arabic and English. There is also a Catholic school near it.
• Holy Trinity Church, a Protestant church, is also in Oud Metha.

Many countries have established full service consulates (Consulates General) in Dubai to provide consular services for their nationals living in the UAE or certain areas like Dubai and the northern Emirates, as well as visa services for others seeking to visit their respective countries. Most of the consulates are located in/around Al Karama and Um Hurair (consulate district) in the Burr Dubai District, south of Dubai Creek. They can also be located in other parts of town too. If corresponding by mail/post use their PO box address as mail is only delivered to a PO Box with no post codes. If delivering to a street address with DHL, FedEx, UPS or another private courier be sure to include a recipient phone number so that the delivery driver can call for directions or clarification on the address. Some countries may have no consulate in Dubai but rather handle everything from their embassy in Abu Dhabi, while others may assign their consular duties solely to the Dubai consulate. Check their website links or call before going to or sending any correspondence:

• Australia, Level 25, Bur Juman Business Tower, Khalifa Bin Zayed Road; PO Box 124400, ☏ +971 4-508 7100, fax: +971 4-355 1547, info@austrade.gov.au. 
• Bangladesh, Villa No. 36 & 145 Abdulla Hussain Al Malik Villa 123/3 Street, Abu Hail Road Al Wuheida, Deira; PO Box 4366, ☏ +971 4 238-8199, +971 4 265-1116. (updated Oct 2018)
• Canada, 19th Floor Jumeirah Emirates Towers (Business Tower), Sheikh Zayed Road; PO Box, ☏ +971 4 404-8444. Su-Th 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00; Su-Th 08:00-14:00 during Ramadan. By appt only. (updated Sep 2018)
• China, Villa No. 14, St 8, Community 357, Umm Al Sheif St, Safa 2 Area, ☏ +971 4-3944733, fax: +971 4-3952207, chinaconsul_db_ae@mfa.gov.cn. Su-Th 08:30-12:00. 
• Egypt, Al Hamariya, Khaled Ibn Al-Walid Street, ☏ +971-4-3971122, fax: +971-4-3971033, consulate.dubai@mfa.gov.eg. Sunday-Thursday 09:00 - 15:00. 
• Ethiopia, Deira, Al Wuheida, Community 132, Street No. 6, Villa No. 1, ☏ +971 4 269-9111, +971 4 269-9162. (updated Oct 2018)
• France, 32F Habtoor Business Tower, Dubai Marina, Jumeirah beach Rd; PO Box 3314 (in front of Grand Habtoor Hotel, near Dubai Marina metro station), ☏ +971 4 408 4900, +971 50 644 6860 (emergencies only), fax: +971 4 408 4903, +971 4 408 4904, consulat.dubai-fslt@diplomatie.gouv.fr. Daily 08:30-12:30. (updated Apr 2017)
• Germany, Jumeira 1, 8 'A' St, ☏ +971 4 348 8888. Su-Th 08:00-12:00. (updated Sep 2018)
• India, Al Hamariya, Diplomatic Enclave, Bur Dubai; PO Box 737, ☏ +971 4 394 1222, +971 4 394 1333, fax: +971 4 394 0453, cgidubai@eim.ae. Su-Th 08:30-16:30. 
• Indonesia, Al Hudaiba, Community 322, Villa No. 1, ☏ +971 4 398-5666, indocons@emirates.net.ae. (updated Jan 2018)
• Iran, No 256 Al Wasl Rd, Jumairah Area; PO Box 2832, ☏ +971 4 344 4717. Su-Th 08:00-12:00. 
• ^{[dead link]} Iraq, P.O. Box 85855 (Bur Dubai), ☏ +971 4 358-4700. (updated Oct 2018)
• Japan, 28th Floor, Dubai World Trade Centre, ☏ +971 4 331 9191, fax: +971 4 331 9292. Su-Th 09:00-14:30; stop taking visa applications at 12:30; return completed work between 12:30-14:30. (updated Sep 2018)
• Kenya, Jumeirah 2, Off Al Wasl Road, Street 15, Villa 5; P.O. Box 214933, ☏ +971 4 342 8111, fax: +1 971 4-342 8181. Su-Th 09:00-13:00. (updated Oct 2018)
• Kuwait, Al Seef Street; PO Box 806, ☏ +971 4 397 8000. Su-Th 08:30-14:30. (updated Sep 2018)
• Netherlands, Al Habtoor Business Tower, 30th floor, Dubai Marina; PO Box 7726, ☏ +971 4 440-7600. (updated Sep 2018)
• Oman, PO Box 1898, ☏ +971 4 397 1000, +971 4 397 2299 (for visa section). Su-Th 07:30-14:30; Visa Applications 08:00-12:00. (updated Sep 2018)
• Pakistan, Near Burjuman, opp. Iranian School, Umm Hurair One, Khalid Bin Waleed Road, Bur Dubai, ☏ +971 4-397 3600, fax: +971 4-397 1975. 
• Philippines, Al Qusais 3 Dubai; PO Box 94778, ☏ +971 56 501 5755, +971 56 501 5756 (Legal matters & assistance to Nationals). Su--Th 08:00-14:00. (updated Sep 2018)
• Romania, 16a Street, Villa no. 8, Community 357, Al Safa 2, P.O. Box 333765, ☏ +971 4 3492974, +971 4 3492970, +971 4 3492972, +971 4 3492973, +971 4 3856771, fax: +971 4 3492979, dubai@mae.ro. General Consulate. (updated Dec 2021)
• Russia, Dubai, Umm Al Sheif, 6B st., Villa 21: PO Box 11876, ☏ +971 4 328-5347, +971 50 454-7754 (emergencies only), fax: +971 4 328-5615. Su-Th 10:00-13:30; citizenship issues W 15:00-17:00. The visa application centre is at another location at Wafi Mall, Level 2, Falcon Phase 2, Umm Hurair 2, (☏ +971 4 205-5717). (updated Oct 2018)
• Saudi Arabia, Alhamreiah Area, Alsaeef Street, ☏ +971 4 377 8300. Su-Th 09:00-15:00. (updated Sep 2018)
• Singapore, Villa No 124, Street 30d, Community No. 334, Al Satwa, P O Box: 214661, ☏ +971 4 321 9498, +971 50 455 1959 (emergencies), fax: +971 4 321 9497, singcg_dxb@mfa.sg. M-Th 08:00-16:30, F 08:00-13:00. (updated Sep 2024)
• South Africa, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Street (also known as Bank Street) (New Sharaf Bldg in Bur Dubai), ☏ +971 4 397-5222 (consular services), +971 4 397-9901 (trade manners), fax: +971 4 397-9602. Su-Th 08:30-12:30. (updated Oct 2018)
• Turkey, 29th Floor, Dubai World Trade Center Building، Sheikh Zayed Road, ☏ +971 4 376-0600, +90 312 292 29 29. Su-Th 08:30-14:00 (by appointment only). (updated Oct 2018)
• United Kingdom, Al Seef St Bur Dubai; PO Box 65 (near the Dubai Creekside), ☏ +971 4 309 4444, fax: +971 4 309 4301, consular.dubai@fco.gov.uk. 
• United States (USA), Corner of Al Seef Rd. and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Rd,, ☏ +971 4-309-4000, dubaivisaenquiry@state.gov. 
• Yemen, Consulates Area, Um Hurair 1; P.O. Box 1947, ☏ +971 4 397-0213, +971 4 397-0131. Su-Th 08:30-14:00. (updated Oct 2018)

• Dubai has an arrangement with Oman to allow visitors who qualify to get an Omani visa on arrival by road through Hatta.
• The Iranian island of Kish. A free trade zone that does not require a visa. (updated Aug 2015)
• Fjords of Musandam Peninsula (two hours' ride north to this Omani exclave). Explore beautiful caves and enjoy the awesome scenery of the desert and the mountains. to hike in the mountains or dive in the fjords. (updated Aug 2015)

Ajman ← Sharjah ←	N  S	→ Jebel Ali → Abu Dhabi
END ←	W  E	→ Hatta
END ←	N  S	→ Al Ain
Ajman ← Sharjah ←	N  S	→ Jebel Ali → Abu Dhabi