As-salamu alaykum (السلام عليكم)
as-sa-LAA-moo a-LAY-koom
Peace be upon you (hello)
The polite greeting for anyone, at any time; you will hear it even if you are not a Muslim
Travel guide
Learn the United Arab Emirates before you go
Seven emirates between the desert and the warm waters of the Gulf, where pearl divers' villages became glittering cities within a single lifetime.
CapitalAbu Dhabi
CurrencyUnited Arab Emirates dirham (AED), divided into 100 fils and pegged to the US dollar
Official languageArabic. Emiratis speak their own Gulf dialect, and English is the everyday language of shops and business
Drives on theRight
Calling code+971
10 phrases to learn
In Emirati Arabic. Capital letters show the stressed part. Tap the heart to practise a phrase later.
Wa alaykum as-salam (وعليكم السلام)
wa a-LAY-koom as-sa-LAAM
And upon you be peace (the reply)
Answering 'as-salamu alaykum'
Ahlan wa sahlan (أهلا وسهلا)
AH-lan wa SAH-lan
Welcome
Said by hosts and shopkeepers as you arrive
Sabah al-khair (صباح الخير)
sa-BAAH al-KHAIR
Good morning
Greeting someone in the morning
Masa al-khair (مساء الخير)
ma-SAA al-KHAIR
Good evening
Greeting someone in the afternoon or evening
Shlonak? (شلونك)
SHLOH-nak
How are you? (to a man; to a woman: shlonich)
Asking after someone, the Emirati way
Zain, al-hamdulillah (زين، الحمد لله)
ZAIN, al-HAM-doo-lil-lah
Fine, thank God
The usual answer to 'how are you?'
Shukran jazeelan (شكرا جزيلا)
SHOOK-ran ja-ZEE-lan
Thank you very much
Thanking someone warmly
Afwan (عفوا)
AF-wan
You're welcome; also excuse me
Replying to thanks, or getting past someone
Min fadlak (من فضلك)
min FAD-lak
Please (to a man; to a woman: min fadlich)
Asking for something politely
At the table
- When you visit an Emirati home you will be offered Arabic coffee and dates. Take and return the small cup with your right hand. Your host will keep refilling it until you gently shake the cup as you hand it back.
- Eat with your right hand, especially when eating from a shared platter.
- Traditional meals are often eaten sitting on the floor around a large platter, taking food from the part in front of you.
- Use only your right hand to pass things, shake hands or hand over a business card; the left hand is considered unclean.
- Pork is not served in most places, and alcohol is served only in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars, never in the emirate of Sharjah.
Local tips
Check the official travel advice first
In 2026 the UAE was hit by drone and missile attacks during the war involving Iran. As of September 2026, British government advice warns of a risk of further attacks and says flights and airspace in the region can be disrupted at short notice. Before and during your trip, check your own government's official travel advice for the UAE.
Get approval for your medicines
Some ordinary medicines, including certain painkillers with codeine, are controlled in the UAE. As of September 2026 you must apply online to the UAE Ministry of Health before you fly to bring in any medicine the UAE classes as narcotic, psychotropic, controlled or semi-controlled. Visitors may bring at most three months' supply of ordinary medicine, and only one month's supply of a medicine that needs approval. Bringing controlled medicines without approval can lead to prosecution.
Alcohol only in licensed places
As of 2026 alcohol is sold in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars, and the legal age is 21. Drinking or being drunk in a public place is illegal everywhere, and the emirate of Sharjah bans alcohol altogether. There is zero tolerance for drinking and driving.
Dress modestly in public
In shopping malls and other public places, women are advised to cover their shoulders and knees, and swimwear should be worn only on beaches and at pools. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque asks all visitors to wear long, loose, ankle-length clothes, and women must also cover their hair with a headscarf.
Be thoughtful during Ramadan
During the holy month of Ramadan most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public in the daytime, loud music and dancing may cause offence. Opening hours change, and the evenings, with their iftar meals, are lively and welcoming.
Ask before taking photos
Do not photograph people, especially women, without their permission, and never take pictures of government buildings, military sites or airports. Swearing and rude gestures, including online, are criminal offences.
Travel in the cool season
The best months to visit are November to March, when days are warm and sunny. In July and August the temperature on the coast often climbs above 45 °C, so plan outdoor visits for early morning or evening and drink plenty of water.
Emergency numbers
The emergency numbers are 999 for the police, 998 for an ambulance and 997 for the fire service. Only cross roads at marked crossings; crossing anywhere else is illegal and can be fined.
Dishes to try
- Machboos (مچبوس): Rice cooked in a fragrant stock with chicken, lamb, fish or shrimp, spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and loomi, the sun-dried lime of the Gulf. It is served on a large platter in the middle of the table.
- Harees (هريس): Whole wheat and meat, usually chicken or lamb, cooked slowly for hours and then beaten until they melt into a smooth, thick porridge. It is served with a spoonful of melted ghee on top.
- Thareed (ثريد): A stew of meat, potatoes, marrow and other vegetables in a spiced tomato broth, ladled over thin pieces of regag bread that soak up the sauce.
- Balaleet (بلاليط): Thin vermicelli noodles cooked with sugar, cardamom, rose water and saffron, served with a thin omelette laid over the top. The mix of sweet noodles and savoury egg is the whole point.
- Luqaimat (لقيمات): Small balls of yeast batter, flavoured with cardamom and saffron, deep-fried until crisp and golden outside and soft inside, then drizzled with date syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
- Khanfaroosh (خنفروش): Small golden cakes made from eggs, flour, sugar, saffron and cardamom, sometimes with a little rose water. They are fried in oil until puffed and crisp at the edges.
- Arabic coffee (gahwa) (قهوة): Lightly roasted coffee boiled with cardamom, and sometimes saffron, served without sugar from a tall pot called a dallah into tiny cups without handles. It is almost always offered with dates.
- Karak chai (شاي كرك): Black tea boiled hard with milk, sugar and cardamom until strong and creamy. Karak means 'hard' or 'strong'. It came to the Gulf from the Indian subcontinent and is now sold in small cups at cafeterias everywhere.
Cities to see
- Abu Dhabi (capital): The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, The Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest stone building in the city.
- Dubai: The Burj Khalifa, Dubai Creek and its abra water taxis, Dubai International Airport, one of the world's busiest.
- Sharjah: The Museum of Islamic Civilization, The restored Heart of Sharjah quarter, The Faya Palaeolandscape inland, a World Heritage Site.
- Al Ain: The Al Ain Oasis and its falaj channels, The Cultural Sites of Al Ain, the country's first World Heritage Site, The drive up Jebel Hafeet.
- Ajman: The smallest emirate, The Ajman Museum in the old fort, Beaches close to Dubai and Sharjah.
- Umm Al Quwain: Mangroves and lagoons, Siniyah Island, Fishing.
Landmarks and the city map are on the United Arab Emirates trip