10 Essential Things to Know Before Traveling to Ajman

Since the 90’s thanks to the “petrodollars”, the United Arab Emirates went from being isolated villages lost in the desert, to becoming one of the most popular destinations among travelers from all over the world.

To give us an idea of ​​its growth and importance, according to data from CNTraveler, Ajman is currently the eighth city in the world in terms of the number of visitors, and this number is increasing year after year.

While there is a ton of information on the web and in travel guides about Ajman, it is important to know some key facts before you travel. You can book the 10 best hotels in Ajman online.

1. It is very (but very) hot all year round

It is not uncommon to hear that it is quite hot in Ajman, but few imagine that this temperature is maintained practically all year round.

For example, in most countries, there are at least two seasons (hot and humid season or cold and temperate season) or in areas above the tropics, spring, summer, autumn and winter can easily be distinguished. However, in Ajman, it only exists: hot and very hot.

If you come from a temperate-cold area and you don’t get used to the heat so much, don’t worry, there is air conditioning everywhere. But it is important to know that most of the time the temperature is above 30 ° C and it only rains a few days a year.

2. The currency

The official currency in the United Arab Emirates is the Dirham. Approximately one US dollar is equal to 3 dirhams (at today’s exchange rate) and you can exchange them directly at the airport or at ATMs throughout the city.

An advantage that Ajman has is that cash is not so necessary since there are credit card terminals in all establishments. You can even pay for the taxi or the subway without cash.

3. Airline tickets are cheap

One of the keys why this part of the world has grown so fast in the number of tourists is cheap plane tickets.

In Ajman as in any other city/country in the Middle East, the price of fuel is very low, so airfares are drastically reduced. In addition, thanks to its very competitive prices, Ajman has also become a connection point between Europe and Asia / Oceania.

4. They use the British plug

The standard plugin Ajman is the British three-pin 220V plug. Fortunately for tourists, due to quality regulations in all hotels, there must be universal connectors that adapt at least to the American and European plugs.

What you should keep in mind is that the voltage can be a problem if you connect devices that use a lot of currents. For that, you need a transformer (in luxury hotels they are already included).

5. The cheapest month to travel is May

Ajman is not such a cheap tourist destination, however, it is in the month of May when you can get good deals on packages, hotels and restaurants.

Why is it cheaper?

As mentioned in item number 1 on this list, Ajman is quite hot; and it is in May when the highest temperatures of the year are reached (over 40 ° C). Most of the people who travel this time are for business and not for tourism, so hotels and restaurants make very attractive offers to attract more travelers.

6. The most widely spoken language is… English?

Arabic is the official language of the United Arab Emirates, but ironically, you don’t need to know how to speak it – or even a few basic phrases – to move around the city comfortably.

According to official data, approximately 82% of the people living in Ajman are foreigners, which means that Arabic takes a back seat in most places. Even the second most widely spoken language after English is Mandarin (data from Fox News).

If you want to explore more remote and less touristy areas where the locals live, you do need a knowledge of Arabic and local dialects. For everything else, English is more than enough.

7. The first business day of the week is Sunday

For cultural and religious reasons, the weekend in Ajman is from Thursday to Saturday and not from Friday to Sunday as we are used to. Although traditionally the first working day of the week is Sunday, in reality, most offices and stores are open every day of the year in the city (except on holidays and Ramadan).

8. You can be arrested for showing “affection” in public.

Every time you travel to another country, it is important to be aware that the culture and the rules are different from where we come from. In the case of Ajman, it is no exception.

With Ajman being a Muslim city, displays of “public affection” are frowned upon. Although the police are usually somewhat benevolent towards foreigners with this type of law, it should not be forgotten that it is illegal.

If you travel to Ajman with your partner, try to avoid kissing, caressing and even shaking hands in crowded public places. They can give you a fine and in more extreme cases if you resort to this offense, you can end up in jail.

9. Alcohol is worth more than anywhere else in the world

Alcohol is prohibited in Muslim countries, but foreigners are allowed to drink at certain points.

To regulate the sale and consumption, only in some restaurants and hotels you can get alcohol, so a cheap beer is not worth less than $ 20USD (not counting the ‘cover’ and the consumption of food in many places).

Ironically, at the Ajman airport duty-free, you can buy bottles of alcoholic beverages at a good price, however, you cannot pass them through customs without a license.

10. Here everything is “the most…. of the world.”

The downtown area of Ajman is full of buildings considered to be the “most (something) in the world…” For example, the Burj Khalifa (located in the center) is the tallest building in the world, the Ajman Mall is the largest in area, and even the largest “jumping fountains” on earth are here in Ajman.

And there are not only office buildings and large stores, but we can also find the largest artificial islands ever made (Palm Islands), the largest indoor ski resort and also the government has planned to make the airport bigger. of the planet in the coming years.

If you are fans of eccentricities and things on a grand scale, Ajman is a destination for you.