The United Arab Emirates

One of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world is an Arabic speaking country, The United Arab Emirates. The UAE is divided into emirates, which are political territories that are ruled by a dynastic Islamic monarch emir. The largest city in the UAE is Dubai.   Dubai is considered to be the main business hub of the Middle East and offers visitors numerous attractions.  If you’re planning a trip to Dubai and have never traveled to a Muslim nation before there are several customs and traditions that you will want to be aware of before going that are listed at the end of the article. The first thing you can’t help but notice when visiting Dubai is the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building which is 2,722 feet tall.  Connected to the Burj Khalifa is the Dubai Mall and Dubai Aquarium which are two of the hottest tour destinations in town. Dubai is also home to some of the most exclusive and expensive hotels in the world. If money is no object, you can stay at the Burj Al-Arab, which is the world’s tallest hotel and has rooms ranging from $1500 to over $15,000/night.  Last but not least, you will want visit several of the Mosques like the Jumeirah Mosque, which is considered by many to be the most beautiful in Dubai.

Customs and etiquette:

• Do not eat with your left hand.
• It’s considered polite to leave some food on your plate after a meal, don’t “clean your plate”.
• Men shake hands, women should wait until the man extends his hand.
• Friday is the holy day and day or rest.