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| Dubai
Nightlife |
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Contrary to popular
belief, alcohol is available in Dubai .You can often find
Dubai Arabs enjoying a drink though officially Muslims are not allowed
to drink.
Night life is not limited to one specific area as many of the best
bars are often in the larger hotels and usually open until 1
am or 2 am. A less expensive and livelier option is the independent
bars that are scattered around town. Happy hours are popular,
Thursday and Saturday being the busiest nights. Tuesdays and Sundays
are often ‘Ladies Night’, with female guests receiving
free drinks. A beer costs about Dh 15-20. The legal drinking
age is 21. Licensing hours differ as many of the hotel bars
are permitted to open and close whenever they want. Last call is
normally 1 am or 2 am.
Nightclubs are often delineated along ethnic and national lines.
Increasingly big name DJ’s make frequent visits to
Dubai, as a Western-style clubbing scene develops. The law mandates
that clubs must close at 3 am. Many are over 25 years only.
Dress codes for bars are mostly relaxed, although some bars and
all clubs have a no jeans, trainers or sandals policy. A more relaxed
and laid back night out can be had at one of Dubai’s coffee
houses, where you can try a smoke apple-flavoured tobacco from
a shisha pipe.
For a full listing of what's on in Dubai at night check out the
monthly listing magazine Time
Out, that can be found in hotels and news stands. Hotel’s
can provide guests with the latest on night life information.
Bars
The Irish
Village is one of the oldest bars in Dubai, off Al-Garhoud Road,
it is very popular, with a good range of beers and has outdoor seating.
Recent arrivals include Carter’s, The Pyramids, Wafi Centre,
a attracting the 20- and 30-something crowd. Monday night happy
hour is is a local institution, with cocktails at Dh10. More upscale
is the minimalist Ginseng, Wafi City, with mood lighting,
Asian decor and top shelf cocktails.
A popular and rowdy drinking den is the Rock Bottom at the
Regent Place Hotel, Bur Dubai. Pool tables, live music, dance floor.
A favourite of the ‘beautiful people’ is the elegant
Sho Cho at the Dubai Marina Resort at Jumeirah Beach
Road. A bar-cum restaurant with DJs, cocktails and an outdoor jetty
for special events.
Fatafeet Café on Alseef
Road has good views of Dubai Creek and is a place to try a shisha.
Casinos
None
Clubs
A popular nightclub in Dubai is Planetarium, Planet Hollywood,
Wafi City. Since the closing of the legendary Lodge, this
has been the main gathering place for clubbers. Planetarium
attracts the big-name international DJs.
Scream
at the Ramada Hotel on Al-Mankhool Road is a warehouse style venue
with techno music.
Pancho Villa’s at the Astoria
Hotel on Al-Nahda Street is popular on on the Dubai club scene Mainstream
choice of music, restaurant and frequent live bands.
Live
music
Planet Hollywood at Wafi Pyramids,
off Al-Qataiyat Road, is an option.
Bordertown on
Al-Rolla Road, is a Mexican bar with live bands most nights. |
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