7 facts about Dubai to know before visiting
Landing in Dubai feels like stepping onto the set of a sci-fi blockbuster—everything gleams, everything towers, and everything is engineered to make you feel small unless you’re willing to play big. With the tallest skyscrapers, the most extravagant malls, and the most theatrical fountain shows, Dubai doesn’t do subtle. Brunch means bottomless champagne, shopping malls have ski slopes, and cars are gold-plated, purrs-like-a-lion status symbols. Everything here exists in superlatives, and if you’re not careful, Dubai will shake down your wallet faster than a souk merchant with a glint in his eye. Whether you’re coming for the shopping, the sunshine, or just to see what a tax-free, money-no-object metropolis looks like up close, there are a few facts about Dubai that you should know before stepping into this desert fever dream. Buckle up and bring your credit card.
1. You may indeed drink alcohol
Herds of tourists flock to Dubai specifically to party into the wee hours. Alcohol is available just not everywhere. Alcohol can only be purchased in hotel bars, restaurants, and clubs. In Dubai, nightlife happens in five-star fortresses not on anything resembling a neon-drenched Bourbon Street. Don’t think you can stumble through the streets, sloshed and singing Oasis tunes. Public drunkenness is outlawed, so while you can sip stylish cocktails, do refrain from appearing intoxicated in public. Being visibly inebriated is a one-way ticket to the kind of legal trouble you don’t want to experience in a foreign land.
2. The wealth divide is real
Dubai is a city of extremes—sky-high ambition and ground-level reality, both in plain sight. The polished supercar scene and diamond-dusted cappuccinos exist alongside the silent, unseen workforce that keeps this glitzy machine running. The gap between the ultra-rich and the working class is impossible to ignore and often divided by ethnicity. Take a taxi and chances are your driver has spent a decade or more watching Dubai morph into this surreal desert dreamland while sending paychecks home to a family he barely gets to see. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, there are ultra-rich weekenders from Saudi Arabia who drop in for shopping sprees and champagne-fueled debauchery before heading back to their equally opulent lives.
3. Many beaches are private
Most of the prime coastline is spoken for by luxury resorts and private tenants unless you’re willing to cough up a few dirhams for a day pass. Still, free public beaches exist, and they’re not bad at all. Kite Beach is a favorite, where joggers, surfers, and the occasional camel cross paths. Jumeirah Beach Walk has a buzzing, boardwalk-style vibe and is full of people-watching opportunities.
4. Malls aren’t just for shopping
You have probably heard whispers about Dubai malls. They are cathedrals of consumption but they’re also over-the-top entertainment complexes. Want to go skiing in the desert? Mall of the Emirates has Ski Dubai, where you can carve through artificial snow while it’s 45°C outside. Prefer your retail therapy with a side of marine life? Dubai Mall has an underwater zoo because of course it does. And then there’s the fountain show in front of the Burj Khalifa which splashes up to 22,000 gallons of water every 30 minutes in the evenings.
5. Dubai is supremely photogenic
You’ve seen skyscrapers before, but Dubai’s make most other cities look like LEGO towns. Driving down Sheik Zayed Road (which you’ll probably do several times during your stay), you get the feeling you’ve accidentally veered into a sci-fi scene. The Dubai skyline is Blade Runner meets architectural arms race. Burk Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, is there, certified by Guinness World Records.
6. Summer here will break you
If you think you can handle the heat, Dubai in July will humble you. Step outside, and you’ll immediately be drenched, your makeup melted, your hair plastered to your face, your soul begging for mercy. Savvy travelers come between November and March when the temperature hovers around a tolerable 30°C. Otherwise, get comfortable with the idea of spending most of your trip indoors—indoor hotel lounges, indoor theme parks, indoor everything.
7. The dress code is more lenient than you might expect
With a cosmopolitan population of foreigners and locals, you will indeed see everything from designer bikinis to full-length abayas, but that doesn’t mean you can strut through a mall in a micro-mini. One of the most discussed facts about Dubai is the dress code. Know that you won’t need to cover up head-to-toe, but there are rules. Swimwear? Fine at the beach only. Mini skirts and tank tops? Expect side-eye in public places like malls or souks. Bring a pashmina out with you to cover up when out in public areas (you’ll be thankful you did with the excessively cranked-up air-conditioning in malls and taxis). Hotels are more relaxed, but if in doubt, err on the side of conservative.
Discovery Sessions Editors
Discovery Sessions is a curated travel and freedom lifestyle site for globally curious people who want more stamps in their passports and more say in their schedules.