Are you considering taking a dog on one of your longer holidays in the glittering capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi? It may be best to find alternative accommodation. In a society that doesn’t have a particularly high opinion of canines, dog fouling has lead to the establishment of dog-free zones in most key locations in the city. These include all beaches, public parks, shopping centres, malls and swimming pools. A new code on the disposal of dog waste will be drawn up, but with dog walking restricted largely to the pavements of the city, things can only get more difficult for dog lovers in Abu Dhabi.
However, this isn’t a set of laws that will apply across the UAE, and the other major cities are exempt. You’ll find this news welcome if you adore Dubai and its sister cities, and are perhaps thinking of going from all inclusive holidays to holiday home owner or full time resident in Dubai. The accelerated development that the city has seen in the last decade has lead to very cheap rental prices as well. In the last year, the rental price of a villa in Dubai has plummeted 14%. The consequences remain to be seen, but construction is far outstripping demand in Dubai.
Anybody who has been on Dubai holidays will have nothing but enthusiasm for a land where financial opportunity and tourist opulence combine. But what about the beer? You’ll often hear about the supposed prohibition of alcohol in Dubai. Good news is, it isn’t really true. Access to alcohol in the United Arab Emirates isn’t under any blanket prohibition, though it is subject to certain controls. In fact, year on year, the UAE was establishing itself as a quite significant Alcohol market (and then, unfortunately, the recession hit). And if we’re honest, the restriction and social stigma that surrounds alcohol use in the UAE makes for a healthier society, and stops certain western nations renowned for loutish behaviour from showing their true colours. Hotels have licenses for the sale of alcohol. This obviously links alcohol consumption to the tourists, but it means that hotels are the primary nightspots. Domestic alcohol purchase is possible at duty free and also at Off license, though for the later you will need a special license.
