First Time in Dubai — The ONLY Guide You Actually Need (2026 Edition)

By the DubaiSpots Editorial Team

Forget Everything TikTok Told You About Dubai

Here is what ACTUALLY happens when you land: you step off a 7-hour flight, clear immigration in under twelve minutes (yes, really — the automated e-gate lanes process you in about forty seconds), and emerge into a terminal that looks like a luxury mall crossed with a Zaha Hadid fever dream. The air conditioning hits you at a physical level. The signage is immaculate. There is no chaos, no shouting, no one grabbing your bags. Dubai International Airport is the busiest international airport on Earth — 88 million passengers in 2024 — and it operates with the silent precision of a Swiss watch.

Then you reach the taxi rank and spend twenty minutes in a queue because you did not pre-book a Careem. Lesson one of Dubai: the city is astonishingly organized, but only for people who planned ahead.

This guide is built on three years of editorial testing, hundreds of reader questions, and a genuine frustration with the Dubai travel content industry — which oscillates between breathless luxury-influencer content that bears no relationship to a normal human budget, and fear-mongering "10 things that will get you ARRESTED in Dubai" articles that are wildly exaggerated and mostly wrong. We are going to tell you the actual truth, in the order you will need it.

Before You Fly: Visa, SIM, and VPN

Visa

Citizens of 63+ nationalities receive a visa on arrival in Dubai — including all EU countries, the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, and most of East Asia. You get 30 days, extendable once for another 30. The stamp happens automatically at the e-gate or passport control. There is nothing to apply for in advance. If your nationality is not on the list, the official Dubai Tourism e-visa costs approximately $90 USD for 30 days and can be processed in 3-5 business days through the official ICP website or your airline.

Do not pay a third-party "visa service" that charges $150-200 for the same application. The official government portal is straightforward and the fee is transparent.

SIM Card

The second thing you will need. Dubai has two telecom providers: du and Etisalat (now rebranded as 'e&'). Both sell tourist SIM cards at the airport arrivals hall — immediately after baggage claim, before you exit to the taxi rank. A 30-day tourist SIM with 50 GB data costs approximately 50-80 AED (roughly $14-22 USD). This is significantly cheaper than roaming on your home plan and significantly faster.

Do not skip this step. Dubai is not a city where you want to be offline. Careem and Uber both require an active data connection. Google Maps navigation is your lifeline in a city where street addresses are an afterthought and everything is navigated by landmark. WhatsApp is the primary communication channel for every business, hotel, and resident you will encounter.

VPN — Install BEFORE You Land

This is the most important logistical step that most first-time visitors discover only after they arrive, when it is too late.

The UAE has a list of blocked websites and services. It changes, but the consistent items include: VoIP calls (WhatsApp calls sometimes drop, Skype reliably blocked), some video platforms, and a number of gambling or adult content sites. More relevantly for most travelers: some streaming services have content restrictions, and certain apps do not function as expected.

A VPN solves all of this. But here is the critical timing issue: some VPN provider sign-up and download pages are themselves restricted in the UAE. If you wait until you land to buy a VPN subscription, you may find that the checkout page for the VPN you want is inaccessible from your UAE SIM.

Install NordVPN BEFORE you fly. Once you land in Dubai, some VPN sign-up pages may be restricted. Grab it now and set it up at home — your future self will thank you. Get NordVPN (68% off) →

Install it on your phone and laptop at home, confirm the app connects to a server, and arrive in Dubai already covered. NordVPN works reliably in the UAE and is the VPN the DubaiSpots editorial team uses across all devices. The obfuscated servers option is particularly effective if you encounter any connection issues on specific networks.

Money: Dirham Basics, Credit Cards, and Tipping Culture

The Dirham

The UAE Dirham (AED) has been pegged to the US Dollar at exactly 3.6725 AED per USD since 1997. This means currency conversion is trivially simple: divide AED by 3.67 to get USD, or multiply USD by 3.67 to get AED. The peg is one of the most stable in the world and shows no signs of changing.

Notes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 AED denominations. The 1,000 AED note is common — this is not a high-denomination rarity like it would be in Europe. You will receive them from ATMs without drama.

Cash or Card?

Card is king in Dubai. Virtually every restaurant, shop, hotel, and petrol station accepts Visa and Mastercard. American Express is accepted at premium properties but patchy at local shops. Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted.

However: carry some cash for three specific situations.

First, small shawarma spots and local food stalls in older neighborhoods (Deira, Bur Dubai) often run cash-only. Second, if you take an older metered taxi without a card reader (rare but it happens), you need cash. Third, tipping in cash ensures it reaches the person who served you, not a pooled system.

Get AED from an ATM at the airport or your hotel. Use a bank or official exchange bureau — never the unlicensed changers around tourist areas who quote attractive rates but often short-change or deal in slightly damaged notes.

Credit Cards and Fees

If your home bank charges foreign transaction fees, get a fee-free travel card before your trip. Wise, Revolut, and Charles Schwab Debit (for US travelers) are the DubaiSpots editorial team's standard picks. Dubai is an expensive-enough city without adding 3% foreign transaction fees to every purchase.

Dynamic currency conversion (DCC) is aggressive in tourist areas. When a card terminal asks if you want to pay in your home currency, always choose AED. Paying in your home currency through DCC rates is invariably a worse exchange rate than your bank's direct AED conversion.

Tipping Culture

Service charge is sometimes included (look for "10% service charge" on restaurant bills) and sometimes not. Tipping culture in Dubai is influenced by the massive hospitality workforce, most of whom earn low base salaries and depend on gratuities.

Practical guide: Restaurant tip 10-15% if service was good (in cash if possible). Taxi driver round up to the nearest 5 AED. Hotel porter 5-10 AED per bag. Valet parking 10-20 AED when you collect your car. Room service 10-20 AED. Spa treatments 20-50 AED. You will never be chased or pressured for a tip — Dubai's service culture is professionally discreet — but it matters to the people who served you.

Getting Around: Metro, Taxi, Careem vs Uber, and the Rental Car Myth

The Dubai Metro

The Dubai Metro is excellent and underused by tourists. Two lines — the Red Line (running from the airport to Marina/JLT) and the Green Line (Old Dubai to the creek) — cover the major tourist corridors with remarkable efficiency. Trains run every 3-7 minutes during peak hours and are air-conditioned, clean, and punctual to a degree that would make London's TfL weep.

Cost: A single trip is 3-8.50 AED depending on zones, or approximately $0.80-$2.30 USD. A Nol Card (the rechargeable transit card, available at every metro station for 2 AED) gives a slight discount over single tokens and works on metro, tram, bus, and ferries. For a week-long trip, a daily pass at 22 AED or weekly pass at 70 AED covers unlimited travel on all RTA services.

Limitations: The metro does not reach the Palm Jumeirah (use the Palm Monorail or bus), Dubai Parks and Resorts, or many neighborhoods east and west of the main corridor. But for the tourist spine — airport to Deira, downtown to Marina — it is faster than a taxi during rush hour.

Taxis

Dubai's metered taxis are run by the RTA and are safe, metered, and generally honest. Flag-fall is 5 AED (2 AED midnight to 6 AM), and the meter ticks at approximately 1.97 AED per kilometer. A cross-city trip from Dubai International Airport to Dubai Marina costs 70-100 AED depending on traffic.

Hailing a taxi on the street works in most areas. During rush hour (8-9 AM, 5-7 PM), supply tightens dramatically and wait times of 20-30 minutes are common. The RTA Taxi app allows pre-booking.

Careem vs Uber

Both operate in Dubai. Both use GPS routing. Both accept in-app card payment. The practical difference in 2026 is minimal — pricing is competitive, and both surge during rain and peak hours. Careem (owned by Uber but operated separately) tends to have slightly shorter wait times in residential areas; Uber sometimes wins in tourist zones. Install both, and use whichever shows the shorter ETA.

A Careem or Uber from Dubai Marina to Downtown Dubai will cost 30-50 AED in normal traffic. The same trip in a metered taxi is comparable. You are not saving significant money with ride-hail versus taxis — the value is convenience (pre-set destination, no communication barrier, in-app payment).

Do You Need a Rental Car?

No. Almost certainly not, for a standard tourist visit. Dubai has enough transit, taxis, and ride-hail coverage that a rental car adds complexity without value for most visitors.

The exceptions: if you are planning a day trip to Abu Dhabi (2 hours), Oman (2.5 hours to Musandam), or Ras Al Khaimah (1 hour), renting for that specific day makes sense. Also if you have 4+ people splitting the cost of excursions, a rental becomes cost-effective.

What you will not account for in your rental-car fantasy: parking fees (30-60 AED per hour in tourist zones), Salik toll charges (6 AED per gate, multiple gates on common routes), and the fact that driving in Dubai — with its aggressive lane-change culture, confusing merge patterns, and speed cameras every 2 kilometers — is genuinely stressful for first-time visitors.

Dress Code Reality: What You Can and Cannot Wear

Dubai's dress code is significantly more relaxed than the internet would have you believe, and the restrictions that exist are location-specific, not city-wide.

At beach clubs, pools, hotel pools, and designated public beaches: Swimwear is completely normal. Bikinis, swim trunks, all standard. You can walk from the pool to the hotel lobby in a coverup without anyone blinking.

In shopping malls: Smart casual. Shorts above the knee are fine. Sleeveless tops are fine for women. The only actual restriction that is genuinely enforced is "no beachwear" — you cannot walk through Dubai Mall in a bikini top and shorts. Cover up to at least shorts and a top, and you are fine.

In souks, mosques, and traditional areas (Gold Souk, Deira, Bastakiya): More conservative is respectful and occasionally enforced at mosque entrances. Women: cover shoulders and knees. Men: shorts to the knee and covered shoulders are acceptable.

In restaurants and bars: No dress code beyond "not beachwear." Smart casual for upscale venues, anything goes at casual spots.

The myth that Dubai police arrest tourists for shorts or sleeveless tops is false. You will not be arrested or fined for standard Western casual wear in tourist areas. The dress code is about respect for local culture in traditional spaces, not a citywide uniform requirement.

Alcohol: Where to Buy, Where to Drink, and the License Myth

Here is the truth that most guides either over-dramatize or gloss over entirely.

You can drink alcohol in Dubai. Freely and legally, as a non-Muslim tourist, at any licensed venue — hotels, licensed restaurants, licensed bars, licensed clubs. The selection is extensive. The prices are high (expect 50-80 AED for a beer, 70-120 AED for a cocktail, 200-600 AED for a bottle of wine at a licensed venue).

The "license" myth: For many years, UAE residents needed a personal liquor license to purchase alcohol from off-license stores (MMI and African+Eastern are the two chains). In 2023, this requirement was abolished for non-Muslims. Tourists can now walk into any MMI or A&E store with their passport and buy alcohol — wine, spirits, beer — to take to their hotel room or an Airbnb with no license required.

Where not to drink: On public beaches (Jumeirah Public Beach, Kite Beach) — drinking alcohol on public beaches is illegal and occasionally enforced. In a taxi or on public transit. In souks or public markets. In short: any enclosed licensed venue is fine; open public spaces are not.

Ramadan: During the Islamic holy month (dates shift annually — check in advance), alcohol service in restaurants is often limited to evening hours after Iftar, some venues close entirely for the month, and public eating/drinking during daylight hours is respectful to avoid. The city does not shut down, but it changes gear significantly.

For the full guide to Dubai's alcohol scene — which neighborhoods have the best bar districts, which hotels have the best rooftop bars, and how to find the hidden gems — see our Dubai Alcohol Guide.

Internet: What's Blocked, Why You Need a VPN, and How to Stay Connected

The UAE operates one of the most sophisticated telecommunications networks in the world and one of the most selective internet filtering regimes outside China. Understanding what is and is not blocked will save you significant frustration.

Reliably blocked or restricted: VoIP calls via many apps (WhatsApp voice calls work variably; video calls sometimes drop; Skype is largely unusable for calls), some gambling sites, adult content platforms, and certain political content.

Not blocked: Google, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, Netflix (with regional content library), Spotify, most news websites, Wikipedia, and the vast majority of everyday internet services. The internet does not feel "censored" in the way that China's Great Firewall does — it is selective rather than comprehensive.

The practical problem for travelers: Video calls to family back home are the most common casualty. If you need to make video calls reliably, you need a VPN.

WhatsApp voice calls: This is the gray area that catches most visitors. WhatsApp text messages work perfectly. Voice calls work on some networks and not others, with no reliable pattern. Video calls are similarly inconsistent. If you need reliable voice/video communication, either use your home SIM for international roaming calls (expensive but reliable), or use a VPN.

Install NordVPN BEFORE you fly. Once you land in Dubai, some VPN sign-up pages may be restricted. Grab it now and set it up at home — your future self will thank you. Get NordVPN (68% off) →

Technical note: NordVPN works reliably on both Etisalat and du networks in the UAE in 2026. Connect to a server in your home country for full access to your home streaming library, VoIP services, and any restricted content. The obfuscated servers feature disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS — useful if you find that basic VPN protocols are throttled on a particular network.

Speed and coverage: Despite the restrictions, UAE internet is genuinely fast. The national broadband infrastructure averages 200+ Mbps on mobile in Dubai. Streaming 4K content, uploading large files, and video conferencing (via VPN) are all comfortable on a tourist SIM.

Power Plugs and Adapters

Dubai uses British-standard Type G plugs (three rectangular pins, 220-240V, 50Hz). If you are coming from North America (Type A/B, 110-120V), you need both a plug adapter AND a voltage converter for any device that is not dual-voltage (check the label on your charger — most modern phone chargers, laptops, and camera chargers are dual-voltage and only need a plug adapter).

UK and Irish visitors: your plugs work without any adapter.
European visitors: you need a Type C/E to Type G adapter.
Australian visitors: you need an adapter (Type I to Type G).

Hotel rooms in Dubai almost universally provide USB charging points alongside or near the power outlets — many modern properties have USB-A and USB-C ports built into the nightstand. You can charge phones and tablets from these without any adapter.

For a complete breakdown of which adapters to buy, voltage specifications, and recommendations for specific device types, see our dedicated Dubai Power Plugs & Adapters Guide.

Best Time to Visit: Weather by Month and Peak vs Off-Peak Pricing

Dubai has two effective seasons: pleasant (October-April) and survivable (May-September).

October-April: The DubaiSpots recommended window. Daytime temperatures range from 20°C to 33°C (68°F-91°F). Evenings are genuinely pleasant — often 15-20°C, cool enough for a light layer after dark. Outdoor dining, beach days, and sightseeing are all comfortable. This is also when Dubai's main events calendar clusters: Dubai Airshow (November), Dubai Shopping Festival (December-January), Art Dubai (March), Dubai Food Festival (February).

December-February: The absolute peak. Temperatures are perfect (24-28°C daytime), every hotel is full, and prices reflect it. A hotel room that costs $100/night in July may be $350-600/night in December. Book 3-4 months ahead for this window, and expect attractions, restaurants, and beaches to be at capacity on weekends.

March-April: The sweet spot. School holidays in most of the world are over, prices drop 20-30% from the December-February peak, and the weather remains beautiful. The sea warms up to swimming temperature without being bath-like. This is when the DubaiSpots editorial team does most of its testing trips.

May-September: Hot. Very hot. Peak temperatures reach 44-48°C (111-118°F) with high humidity on the coast. Outdoor activities are limited to early morning (before 8 AM) or after 10 PM. However: hotels drop to 40-60% of winter prices. Indoor attractions (malls, museums, indoor ski slope, aquariums) are heavily air-conditioned. If your budget is tight and you do not need beach days, a summer visit is genuinely viable and remarkably affordable.

Monthly quick reference:

• January: 24°C/75°F, peak season, peak prices, events calendar full
• February: 25°C/77°F, Dubai Food Festival, still peak but slightly calmer
• March: 27°C/81°F, excellent weather, dropping prices — DubaiSpots top pick
• April: 31°C/88°F, warm, cheaper, last comfortable outdoor month
• May: 37°C/99°F, rapidly heating, significant price drops
• June-August: 42-48°C/108-118°F, indoor Dubai only, deep discounts
• September: 40°C/104°F, starting to cool, still hot for outdoors
• October: 35°C/95°F, shoulder season, good value
• November: 30°C/86°F, Dubai Airshow, excellent weather returning
• December: 25°C/77°F, peak season, Christmas atmosphere (surprisingly festive), peak prices

Top 5 Mistakes First-Timers Make

1. Underestimating distances. Dubai is enormous. The drive from Dubai International Airport to the Marina is 40-50 minutes in normal traffic. Visiting the Gold Souk in the morning and Dubai Frame in the afternoon and Dubai Marina for dinner sounds like a sensible day until you realize you have just described three hours of transit time. Plan geographically — cluster your activities by district.

2. Booking the cheapest accommodation. Dubai's budget accommodation market is concentrated in Deira — an older, chaotic district with great food but limited transit connections and zero proximity to the modern attractions. Spending an extra $30-50/night to stay in Bur Dubai, near the metro, or in Business Bay puts you within walking distance of the things you actually came to see. Transportation costs quickly eat the apparent savings from a cheap hotel in the wrong neighborhood.

3. Ignoring the local food scene. The malls will try to funnel you into global chains. Resist. Dubai has one of the most extraordinary dining scenes in the world precisely because it is home to 200+ nationalities. The Filipino turo-turo counters in Discovery Gardens, the Pakistani nihari restaurants in Satwa, the Sri Lankan rice-and-curry joints near Meena Bazaar, and the Iranian charcoal-grilled fish at Deira's seafood market cost a fraction of mall dining and are profoundly better. Do not leave Dubai having eaten at Cheesecake Factory.

4. Not having a SIM card. We said this above and we will say it again. Being in Dubai without a data connection is like being in Venice without a boat. Do not rely on hotel Wi-Fi. Do not use your home SIM on roaming at $10 per day. Get a local tourist SIM on arrival for 50-80 AED and solve this problem permanently.

5. Skipping the free things. Dubai's reputation as an expensive city has created a mental model where visitors assume everything costs money. It does not. Dubai Frame is 50 AED. The Gold and Spice Souks are free to wander. Kite Beach and Jumeirah Public Beach are free. The Dubai Fountain runs free shows every 30 minutes from 18:00. The Dubai Frame and Burj Khalifa skyline view from Souk Al Bahar's terrace is free. The city is full of extraordinary experiences that cost nothing or very little.

Budget Breakdown: What Dubai ACTUALLY Costs Per Day

Let us do this honestly, across three traveler archetypes.

Budget traveler (hostels/budget hotels, public transit, local food, free attractions):

• Accommodation: 60-120 AED/night (hostel dorm or budget hotel, Deira area)
• Food: 60-120 AED/day (local restaurants, mall food courts, shawarma and falafel)
• Transit: 20-35 AED/day (Nol card, metro/bus)
• Attractions: 50-150 AED/day (one paid attraction per day averaged)
• Miscellaneous (coffee, water, incidentals): 40-60 AED
• Daily total: approximately 230-485 AED ($63-$132 USD)

Mid-range traveler (3-4 star hotel, mix of transit and occasional Careem, mix of local and mid-range restaurants):

• Accommodation: 300-600 AED/night (Business Bay, JLT, or DIFC area)
• Food: 200-350 AED/day (brunch plus dinner at mid-range restaurants, coffee stops)
• Transit: 50-100 AED/day (metro plus 2-3 Careems)
• Attractions: 150-300 AED/day (two paid attractions per day averaged)
• Miscellaneous: 100-150 AED
• Daily total: approximately 800-1,500 AED ($218-$409 USD)

Premium traveler (5-star hotel, mostly Careem/Uber, upscale dining, premium experiences):

• Accommodation: 1,000-3,500 AED/night (Burj Al Arab is 4,500+ AED; good 5-stars start at 1,000)
• Food: 500-1,200 AED/day (breakfast at hotel, lunch at a licensed restaurant, dinner at a flagship)
• Transit: 150-300 AED/day (mostly Careem/Uber)
• Attractions: 300-600 AED/day (Level 148 Burj Khalifa, Ain Dubai, desert safari)
• Miscellaneous: 200-400 AED
• Daily total: approximately 2,150-6,000 AED ($586-$1,634 USD)

The honest conclusion: Dubai is not as expensive as its reputation for budget travelers. A frugal visit is genuinely viable at $70-80 USD per day. Dubai's expense reputation comes from its premium tier, which is genuinely world-class expensive — but entirely optional.

Safety: Is Dubai Safe?

Spoiler: Dubai is safer than most Western cities by virtually every measurable metric.

The UAE consistently ranks among the top 5 countries globally for personal safety in the Numbeo Crime Index, the Gallup Global Law and Order report, and the Global Peace Index. Dubai's violent crime rate is negligible. Pickpocketing and street crime are rare compared to European capitals, Southeast Asian tourist hubs, or major North American cities. Women travel solo throughout Dubai regularly and report feeling safer than in most cities they have visited.

The specific things that do get tourists into trouble in Dubai are not violent crime — they are regulatory:

• Public intoxication (do not get visibly drunk in public spaces)
• Public displays of affection beyond hand-holding (a warning, almost never an arrest)
• Posting content on social media that mocks the UAE government or royal family (actually enforced)
• Bringing prescription medications that are controlled substances in the UAE (check the UAE's MOHAP approved medications list before you travel if you take any controlled substance)

The Dubai Police are professional, multilingual, and generally helpful to tourists who are genuinely lost or in trouble. If you experience theft, an accident, or a genuine emergency, the interaction will almost certainly be competent and fair.

The city's safety has multiple reinforcing factors: extensive CCTV coverage (Dubai is among the most surveilled cities in the world), a large, well-paid police force, severe mandatory sentencing for violent offenses, and a cultural norm of public decorum reinforced by social expectations.

In practical terms: you can walk almost anywhere in Dubai at 3 AM as a solo traveler without any anxiety. Your biggest physical safety risk in Dubai is sunstroke in summer, or a traffic accident — Dubai's drivers are aggressive and the accident rate is meaningfully higher than European cities.

Links to the Full Guides

This article gives you the complete first-timer framework. For deeper coverage on specific topics:

• Power plugs: Dubai Power Plugs & Adapters Guide — exact adapter models to buy, hotel USB points, voltage specifications
• Alcohol: Alcohol in Dubai — The Complete Guide — where to buy, where to drink, the license laws, Ramadan rules, best bar districts
• Under Fire: Dubai Under Fire — What's Happening and What Travelers Need to Know — context on regional security, what it means for visitors, and why the flights are still full

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa to visit Dubai?
Citizens of 63+ nationalities — including the US, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia — receive a free 30-day visa on arrival, automatically stamped at immigration. Other nationalities can apply for an e-visa through the official UAE ICP portal for approximately $90 USD. Processing takes 3-5 business days.

What is the currency in Dubai, and should I exchange money before I go?
The UAE Dirham (AED) is pegged at 3.6725 AED per USD. There is no advantage to exchanging currency before you leave home — airport exchange rates at DXB arrivals are competitive, and ATMs throughout the city dispense AED at your bank's standard rate. Avoid third-party money changers in tourist areas.

Is Dubai safe for solo female travelers?
Yes. Dubai consistently ranks among the safest cities in the world for solo female travelers. Harassment in public is extremely rare. Women travel solo throughout the emirate regularly without issue. Standard precautions (not getting visibly drunk, dressing appropriately for traditional areas) apply, but the baseline safety level is high.

Can you drink alcohol in Dubai?
Yes. Non-Muslim tourists can drink freely at any licensed venue (hotels, licensed restaurants, bars, clubs) and purchase alcohol from off-license stores (MMI, African+Eastern) using a passport. Drinking is not permitted in public spaces, on public beaches, or in taxis.

Is Dubai expensive?
It depends on how you travel. Budget travelers can manage on $70-90 USD per day using public transit, local restaurants, and free attractions. Mid-range travelers should budget $200-400 USD per day. Dubai's luxury tier — five-star hotels, fine dining, premium experiences — is genuinely world-class expensive, but none of it is mandatory.

Do you need a VPN in Dubai?
For most everyday internet use, no. Google, YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, and most common services work normally. You need a VPN if you want to make reliable VoIP calls (WhatsApp video calls, Skype), access any blocked content, or use your home streaming library. Install NordVPN before you fly — some VPN signup pages are restricted in the UAE, making it difficult to subscribe after you land.

What is the best time of year to visit Dubai?
March is the DubaiSpots editorial team's top pick: perfect weather (27°C/81°F), prices 20-30% lower than the December-February peak, and crowds that are manageable. November is also excellent. Avoid June-August unless you are specifically targeting indoor Dubai on a budget.

What is the dress code in Dubai?
Relaxed in most tourist contexts. Swimwear at pools and beaches is completely normal. Smart casual in malls and restaurants. Conservative (covered shoulders and knees) at mosques and in traditional market areas. The myth that tourists get arrested for shorts or tank tops in tourist areas is false.