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TRAVEL TIPS

General Tips
Opening hours and holidays
Communications and Media
Health
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COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone and fax
The telephone network, operated by the main national telecommunication organizations ETISALAT and Du, is superb: local calls are free and direct dialling is available to over 150 countries.

The international dial code for UAE is +971. Cheap rates for international direct calls apply from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. and all day on Fridays and public holidays. There is a complete list of rates at the back of each telephone directory. You do not need to use the emirate access code when dialling an internal number in that emirate. In other words to ring a number in Dubai from Abu Dhabi you must use the 04 prefix. If you are dialling a number in Abu Dhabi from another location in that emirate you will not need to use a prefix.

Yellow page directories are available for each emirate (see also www.emirates.net.ae). These can be purchased at ETISALAT offices.

Pay phones, both card and coin operated, are located throughout the UAE. Phone cards for local use (Dh30 or Dh45) are usually available from phone company offices, supermarkets, pharmacies etc.

* Sharjah, Ajman and Umm al-Qaiwain share the access code 06 and Fujairah and Khor Fakkan the access code 09

All hotels offer fax facilities. Faxes can also be sent from ETISALAT (www.ETISALAT.co.ae) offices throughout the Emirates. The offices are recognizable by the distinctive ‘golf ball’ structures on top of each building.

Shops advertising typing and photocopying services often have fax facilities.

Mobile phones

GSM services are available and the mobile phone code within the UAE is 050.‘Speak Easy’ is a GSM mobile service for those visitors and tourists who cannot use their own mobile phones in the UAE. You can either buy a new mobile phone and purchase a temporary SIM card or use your own handset with a temporary card. Contact ETISALAT and du for details.

The UAE has an excellent and extensive mobile phone network. Pay-as-you-go cards are available for visitors who do not wish to use their home services.
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Internet Access
ETISALAT (www.emirates.net.ae) and du (www.du.ae) provide internet services in the UAE .

Most hotels offer guests internet access and Wifi hotspots are provided at many cafes, including the ubiquitous Starbucks. Internet cafes are also available.
The British Council Library in Dubai (04 3371540) also offers internet access from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 5 p.m.–8p.m.

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Post
Emirates Post (EmPost) runs an efficient postal system with red post collection boxes dotted throughout the cities and towns. Mail is usually collected morning and evening. Stamps can be purchased and post mailed from your hotel. Express postal facilities are also available at post offices.

In general, post office opening hours are from 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 4 p.m.–7 p.m. Sunday to Thursday. Note that there are no telephone or fax facilities at post offices in the UAE and poste restante facilities are not available.


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MEDIA

Newspapers
Most foreign newspapers can be purchased in hotels, large bookshops and supermarkets, at least in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Local newspapers are available in English and Arabic. These can be very useful not only for practical information on events, local business news, TV programmes etc, but also to obtain a flavour of the society that you are visiting. English language dailies include the following: The National, Gulf News, Gulf Today and Khaleej Times. A number of local publications also have websites:

Magazines

Foreign magazines are available from newsagents and supermarkets. A number of general interest English language magazines are also published in the UAE – again these can be purchased from newsagents or supermarkets. Some are particularly useful.Whats On is a monthly publication with up-to-date information on nightlife, restaurants, events etc.

Time Out Dubai and Time Out Abu Dhabi, more recent additions, are also full of information.

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