East City Travel Guide

Drinking a pint of beer could land you in prison in some parts of the Middle East, but in Dubai, alcohol is tolerated, with non-Muslims allowed to imbibe alcohol in the city's bars, restaurants, clubs and hotels except before 1900 during Ramadan. Indeed, it is easy to forget all about the local attitudes to alcohol when on a wild night out in a city whose nightlife is increasingly nefarious. Although non-Muslims are the only people officially allowed to drink, often you can find Dubai Arabs enjoying a pint in one of the many bars.

There are no specific nightlife districts as many of the best bars are in the big tourist hotels, which are situated throughout the city. Many of these are open until 0100 or 0200. A cheaper and livelier option is the independent bars that are dotted around town. Happy hours are common, with Thursday and Saturday the biggest nights for going out. Tuesdays and Sundays are often 'Ladies Night', with female revellers receiving free drinks. The legal drinking age is 21. Licensing hours vary greatly, as many of the hotel bars are allowed to open and close whenever they want. Closing time is normally around 0100 or 0200.

The club scene is a curious one, with nightclubs often delineated along ethnic and national lines. Increasingly, big name DJs are being attracted to Dubai, as a Western-style clubbing scene starts to develop. By law, clubs must close at 0300. Many clubs are over-25 only. Dress codes for bars are generally relaxed, although some bars and all clubs insist on no jeans, trainers or sandals. A more mellow night out can be had at one of Dubai's coffee houses, where you can smoke apple-flavoured tobacco from a shisha pipe.

The listings magazine, Time Out, can be found in many hotels, offering a full rundown of what is happening at night in Dubai. Hotel concierges are also often able to provide guests with the latest nightlife information.