Important Information for Dubai

Hotel and leisure infrastructure developments are underway in various parts of the Arabian Gulf to ensure that they remain at the forefront of advancement to meet the anticipated future demand of the discerning traveller. Dubai in particular, has developed a reputation for its bold and innovative approach in creating architectural wonders, and for its cutting-edge infrastructure, architecture and design. It is recognised by Dubai Tourism that any unavoidable disruption is to be kept to a minimum and hotels make every effort to ensure that guests have an enjoyable holiday.

The developments are not under Voyana's control nor are we always made aware of them in advance. Should it be known to Voyana that certain works are at, or in the vicinity of, your accommodation and may directly affect the enjoyment of your holiday, Voyana will strive to inform you as soon as possible to avoid inconvenience.

There is currently substantial ongoing building work in Dubai. This is likely to affect some holidaymakers travelling to the area. The building works include development of numerous residential towers, a marina and man-made islands off-shore. Beach hotels in the Jumeirah area are particularly affected by these developments and the marina project. We cannot guarantee that guests staying at any of our featured hotels will be unaffected in any room as work can run for 24 hours.

NOTE: It may be the case that during the holy month of Ramadan certain restaurants, tours, hotel facilities, entertainment and other tourist services may not be available or may be available in a restricted or in an abridged manner. Accordingly customers should consider this when making their holiday decisions.

The month of Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim Calendar. It is the period during which Muslims commemorate the revelation of the first verses of the Holy Quran. Ramadan should commence approximately between 2nd Sept - 1st Oct 2008 and will last for 30 days. However, because it is dependent upon the sighting of the moon, this can vary slightly and we advise you to check with our staff for specific dates. During this period Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Eating, drinking (Alcohol is prohibited) and smoking in public areas during daylight hours is usually discouraged out of respect.

All of our featured hotels make concessions for their clients and keep a restaurant open during the day for resident guests. Alcohol will usually not be served during this time, however, in Dubai alcohol is served in restaurants and bars after sunset for non-Muslims (from 07.00 PM until 02.00 AM). In each hotel, only one bar will be permitted to serve alcohol to guests.

In Abu Dhabi, Oman & Qatar alcohol will not be served at all. Limited restaurants will be operational in the hotels. Live entertainment, loud music and dancing are prohibited during this period.

Sunset marks the start of the Iftar, which is the breaking of the fast. This begins with a traditional meal of dates, dry fruits and fresh juices, followed by a lavish feast of grilled meats, flavoured rice and other typical Arab fare including sweetmeats.

Most businesses and shops are open only for a few hours in the morning and re-open after sunset until well after midnight which makes shopping during Ramadan even more interesting!

The month of November has one of the best weather conditions in the year with highs of 32/35 Celsius and lows of 22/25 Celsius. Throughout Ramadan conservative dress should be worn in public. All excursions will continue to take place as scheduled. The only exception is the Dune Dinner Safari which will not have the Belly Dance show as this comes under the category of live entertainment.

Passport/Visa/Health
All passengers are required to travel with a valid passport, applicable travel documents and appropriate visa, medical requirements and documentation. Please ensure that you have checked for any visa requirements to your destination(s).If you do require a visa, please contact the relevant embassies in order to fulfil the visa requirements. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your expected return date.

Visas - Dubai & Abu Dhabi:

Visa on arrival facility - Only applicable to Nationals of the Countries listed below:
Dubai Immigration has imposed a surcharge for all tourist visas issued for passengers travelling into Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other airport other than Dubai. Please ask staff for more details.
Western European Countries: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican City, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein.
North America: USA, Canada.
Pacific Rim: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea.

All passengers travelling to the United Arab Emirates must be in possession of a valid passport against which a visa if required should have been processed in advance. The passports must be valid for at least 03 months from the date of entry into the United Arab Emirates.

Visas - Oman:

Visa on arrival facility - Only applicable to Nationals of the Countries listed below
European countries - Portugal, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, Holland, Latvia, Russia, Poland, Belarus, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Austria, France, Croatia, Hungary, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Slovak, Czech Republic, Albania, Andorra, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldavia, Monaco, Romania, San Marino, Turkey, Ukraine & Vatican.
South American countries - Venezuela, Biro, Uruguay, Ecuador, French Guyana, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Surinam, Paraguay, Chile, Columbia & Peru.
Other countries - U.S.A., Australia, South Africa, Japan, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Taiwan, Brunei, Seychelles, Hong Kong, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, China & Indonesia.

Visas - Qatar: Everyone except nationals of other Gulf States needs a visa to enter Qatar.
The facility to avail of visa on arrival now exists for the citizens of the following countries:
Europe: Austria, Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Vatican & United Kingdom
Other: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and USA.

Visas costs approx. QAR 100/- (equivalent USD 29) which must be paid for locally at Doha International Airport on arrival. This entry permit granted on arrival is a "Transit Visa" and entitles its holder to stay in the country for 14 days from the date of entry through Qatar International Airport only and is subject to change without notice.

All other passport holders will be required to have a visa before they depart the UK. Please check with Voyana Dubai staff as these details are subject to change. Please also make sure that you have the recommended inoculations for your destination(s). Please check with your GP if you are unsure. Failure to present the necessary documents and/or visas could result in denied boarding.

Please ensure that you have comprehensive insurance for your travel arrangements. Please provide us with details if you have not opted to take our insurance.