Dubai is a destination that “you either love or hate,” some say it is too fake, while others call it unique. The certain thing, however, is that we did not visit it for the idea of luxury with which it became known, but because we have always been fascinated by the idea of knowing a reality far from our own (even just politically!) that has managed to create opportunities and fame in such a short time. As much as today it is a very “Europeanized” city, there are still some things that you must know before you leave. Three of these things are practical, two are cultural. Let’s start right away.
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- LOCAL SIM: If you are not a UAE citizen, any sim you have in Dubai will make you pay for calls, SMS and internet, that’s why you need to buy a local sim. Keep in mind that, arriving at Dubai or Abu Dhabi airport, you will be able to connect to the airport’s wifi until you purchase the SIM, however both times we had a bit of difficulty understanding which one was the most convenient in a short time.
Below we summarize the operators and their costs, but we strongly advise you to consider buying an e-sim.
What is an eSIM? Instead of buying a physical SIM card to replace your normal SIM card, you will follow some steps to activate an electronic sim on your phone, and you will pay for a data plan through an app, in our case we recommend Airalo. An eSIM works just like a local SIM, except that you will continue to use your normal number for example on Whatsapp.
Here are the three most used options to purchase the sim on site:
Du: Du is one of the main local sim providers in Dubai, and offers a wide range of options at affordable prices. The price of a Du sim starts from around 50 AED (around 12€) for a basic package that includes calls, SMS and limited data (that will grow based on your needs, and consider that you will not spend less than 17/18€).
Etisalat: Etisalat is another popular local sim provider in Dubai, and offers similar options to Du at similar prices. The price of an Etisalat sim also starts from around 50 AED, to then increase based on your needs.
Virgin Mobile: Virgin Mobile is a virtual operator that uses the Etisalat network and offers convenient and affordable local sim packages. The price of a Virgin Mobile sim starts from around 30 AED (around 7€), many say it is the cheapest but honestly, with the same amount of SMS/calls/data we did not see much difference.
- The second thing you should know, and this is a typical thing in the Emirates, is that it is not possible to make voice calls with WhatsApp. We thought to ourselves “ok, let’s get a SIM card with a few minutes and then call with WhatsApp”. We were wrong! We don’t really understand the precise reason, but even if the call seems to start, it actually doesn’t work.
The third practical thing you should know, but this doesn’t depend on your destination, is that you should never leave without travel insurance. This is because you always hope to enjoy the trip in good health and without problems, but unfortunately it might happen and in that case it is always good to be able to rely on a safe insurance and get all the related expenses reimbursed. Here we recommend our insurance with a small discount code for you.
Another highly controversial issue: is it true that in Dubai you have to dress in a way that covers your shoulders and ankles? The answer is yes and no. In Abu Dhabi, where the religious and cultural factor is stronger, it is almost impossible to see women with exposed shoulders or ankles. In Dubai, the situation is partially different. As we told you before, to some extent Dubai is very free and “European”, which is why inside many restaurants, malls, and shopping streets you will see girls dressed in skirts or tops. The case is different, however, in mosques or other religious places: here not only do you have to cover your shoulders and ankles, but also your hair. So we recommend packing at least one long dress or a pair of pants in your backpack/suitcase.
If you plan to visit the White Mosque in Abu Dhabi (which we absolutely recommend you do!) clicking here you can find all the useful information.
