In Dubai there are all kinds of regulations about the drinking and serving of alcohol. An establishment must have and display a permit, in order to be allowed to serve alcohol. Without this permit no establishment is allowed to sell alcohol, to either tourists or residents. Failure to observe this government imposed rule is punishable by law.
The night life in Dubai is very popular with visitors from overseas, and this means that lots of tourists enter establishments and expect alcohol to be on sale there, only to find when they are there that this is not necessarily the case. Many such establishments do not, in fact, sell alcoholic beverages at all.
The rules concerning the sale and drinking of alcohol in Dubai, however, are as follows:
1. Permits must be obtained & displayed in order for alcohol to be sold in an establishment; legal consequences apply for non-adherence to this rule.
2. During Dubai’s religious holidays, alcohol is not permitted to be sold or imbibed. This includes daytime hours during Ramadan, and applies to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
3. You are not permitted to drink alcohol in public places, and drink driving is not tolerated at all. If you are involved in a car accident and found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol, the penalty by law is a fine and at least a month in jail.
4. Supermarkets sell non-alcoholic beverages, but they do not sell alcohol; it is only sold by licensed outlets, and the licensing of these is administered by the government, which ensures the establishment’s adherence to Dubai’s policies regarding alcohol.
5. Customers in licensed bars must carry identification cards which prove that they are allowed to drink alcohol. People who are below 21 years of age are considered to be minors and are not permitted to go into bars.
Alcohol is widely available to non-Muslims in Dubai’s bars and hotels; some of the clubs and bars in Dubai which serve alcohol are listed below.
Clubs
* The Planetarium is popular for its London style
* Ramada Hotel and Scream are warehouse style clubs where you can listen to the latest in music
* Astoria Hotel has a restaurant and live bands, and offers a variety of music styles
Bars
* Hilton Dubai Creek’s rooftop swimming pool has a small bar from where you can admire Dubai’s beautiful sunsets
* The Park Hyatt’s Terrace Bar allows fine dining whilst listening to light music
* The Jumeirah Beach Complex’s 360 Degrees, with an open bar from which you can enjoy amazing views of the beach hotel
* Burj Al Arab’s Sky View bar has local and international bands; it is in high demand and advance reservations are essential in order to obtain a seat
If you are on vacation in Dubai and plan to go out to a club or bar, it is advisable to carry identification as a non-Muslim with you.
