Culture & Customs
The people of the United Arab Emirates are proud, but friendly, warm and welcoming to tourists. They are generally courteous and generous, expecting the same level of courtesy from visitors to their country. While the traditional Bedouin culture is still strong, it competes with the fast-paced lifestyle of consumerism, and also the fact that over 75% of the population are non-citizens, coming predominantly from South and Southeast Asia with their own cultures and influences.
The strongest influence on culture in the UAE is the official religion, Islam, practised by around 96% of the population. There are mosques in most neighbourhoods, where faithful Muslims pray five times a day. Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, where Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset every day, can begin as early as August but sometimes occurs in October and November, depending on the year. It is a fascinating time to visit the UAE, but do your research well if you plan to experience Ramadan. Most eating establishments are closed during daylight hours and the locals can become very offended if tourists eat, drink or smoke in public during the fasting hours. The weekend begins on Thursday or Friday in all the emirates, due to Friday being the holy day for Muslims.
The influence of Islam extends well beyond the mosque walls, maintaining a highly conservative culture and an unforgiving legal system. Many Muslims are offended by revealing clothing so tourists are advised to wear loose, modest clothing, especially when visiting Sharjah and Ajman, the most conservative emirates. There are very serious laws surrounding drug possession and trafficking, with penalties ranging from the death penalty to imprisonment and heavy fines. Prostitution, homosexuality and adultery are all illegal with severe penalties for offenders. Anyone found speaking publicly about another religion, or distributing non-Islamic materials will be imprisoned and deported. Many laws forbid behaviour that is tolerated in many Western societies such as taking photos of locals without permission, swearing or making rude gestures, harassing women in any way, and drinking or being intoxicated in a public place. If you are visiting the UAE, make yourself very familiar with the laws, as breaking the law can mean a considerable stay in detention before a trial occurs.
In the UAE, tipping depends on whether there is already a service charge in the bill. Most hotels and restaurants add a 10 to 16% service charge, so no tip is necessary. If the bill does not contain this charge, a 10% tip is adequate if deserved. Bargaining is commonplace in the souks (Arabian marketplaces), and possible but less common in stores. The famous gold and jewellery souks of Dubai are full of haggling tourists. Most vendors will drop prices substantially especially for a cash sale.
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