Before You Go to Dubai
Demographics
The population of Dubai (not the UAE as whole) is around 3 Million. This goes up and down with financial crises and booms. Abu Dhabi is roughly the same, and Sharjah is about half that. About 15% of the population of Dubai are Emirati, leaving 85% expatriates. This is common in Gulf countries. 75% of the population of Dubai is male, due to the large population of expatriates. Night club policies encouraging women are very popular, many offering free drinks all night for women. About 70% of the total population of Dubai is from a few Asian countries, mostly India, with sizeable populations from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Other large proportions come from Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Nepal and Egypt. There are representatives from Africa and Europe in my smaller numbers.
Legal Notes
Although you hear about the weird and strict rules in the media, most people will be fine in Dubai. Some prescription drugs along with illicit drugs are banned. While they might not search your medication, if they find codeine or valium etc on your person, you can be sent to jail for 3 years with no trial. If you are under the influence of such drugs, it’s the same thing. But I have been with people who have carried painkillers through with no issues. Usually people who are flagged for such issues have caused problems and have been rude/abusive for some other reason. Most of the time customs is fine.
You can’t bring pornography into the country. You can’t be drunk in public, however there are plenty of nightclubs and people on pub crawls, so it’s just a matter of not being a nuisance. Some buildings and places aren’t allowed to be photographed, and you have to be careful taking photos of locals (I have in the past, but had to be subtle). Dress standards are basic, women and men should cover their knees, women should usually cover their shoulders. But all it takes is a trip to the beach or the mall and a few Russian 20-something year old tourists before you realise these rules are rarely enforced.
All that aside, the UAE was recently declared as the second safest country in the world after Finland. Pickpockets and thievery are unheard of, and it’s warmer than Finland.