We live in Dubai. Here are the 7 common mistakes we see first-time visitors make.

01.08.2024 - 13:31 / insider.com

Little can prepare anyone for what's in store when they land in Dubai.

We moved here from London three years ago and fell in love with the city's year-round sunshine, tax-free lifestyle, and futuristic appearance.

The skyline is crammed with towers that twist and turn in intricate shapes that seem to defy physics. At night, the city looks straight out of a sci-fi movie with a haze illuminated by the tips of skyscrapers.

You may spend so much time staring upward that you get a sore neck — but if you keep your feet on the ground, you can avoid these mistakes we see first-time visitors make often.

Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which isn't covered by many cellphone roaming packages unless you pay extra.

Fortunately, visitors at Dubai International Airport or Al Maktoum International Airport can get free SIM cards at the airport. Just ask passport-control staff.

Cards come with a local number and a gigabyte of data that can be used for 24 hours. Once that data runs out, it can be recharged or upgraded with tourist packages at an extra cost.

If you fly into Dubai on the national carrier Emirates before the end of September, your boarding pass will unlock deals at shops, restaurants, and attractions across the city.

The discounts aren't to be sniffed at and include 20% off tickets to Aquaventure, the world's largest water park, and 30% off "La Perle by Dragone," a Vegas-style show from one of the leading lights behind Cirque du Soleil.

If you're using a mobile boarding pass, take a screenshot in case it disappears from your account after your flight.

Fluent English is spoken across Dubai, and many signs are in English.

After all, it's a very international city. Nearly 90% of Dubai residents are ex-pats, including many English speakers from the US and the UK.

Since we moved here, we've asked people for directions and advice countless times, and not once have we found someone who couldn't speak English.

One of the biggest misconceptions about Dubai is that you need to be rich to visit.

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But you can stay like a king for a low rate in places like the palatial Palazzo Versace hotel, where rates start at just 609 dirhams (about $165) a night throughout August.

How about the luxurious Marriott Lapita, which is inspired by a Polynesian beach resort? Book for only 423 dirhams a night in August.

Plus, that rate includes tickets to the local theme parks with lands based on Dreamworks hits like Shrek and Kung Fu Panda. (If you visit, don't pay extra for line-cutting passes. We've been many times, and they rarely get crowded.)

On a related note, there are a lot of great things to do in Dubai for free.

"Imagine," an epic show that rivals anything at Disney's parks, plays at