Catching up with an unknown city while on a business tour is one thing; whereas, going to a foreign city for enjoying a vacation is a totally different experience. It is indeed difficult to choose a destination that serves both the purposes with equal zest. Stats say, as many as 14 million visitors poured down upon Dubai last year. 14 million in just one year! Did this large number of folks come here just for business? Or, were they happy tourists, flying away from home, from one country to another?

Common sense prompts that, this was a mixed crowd that came for business and leisure. These days, a large number of Indians travel to Dubai for both business and fun. No wonder why Chennai to Dubai flights or, those from Delhi, Bangalore and other places remain so packed. But, what is there to see in Dubai?

Well, the list is lengthy and it may be added here, the city and emirate offers a host of activities to keep you both engaged and fascinated.

To make your trip easier, here’re 8 things to know about the city before landing.

• Hot climate: Adjusting to Dubai’s climate is a challenging task for people travelling from the tropical land of India. The desert climate remains almost the same throughout the year though it only varies from hot to hotter. It rains only a handful number of days annually. In the winter, the average temperature will be 77 degrees, while in the summer, it will be anywhere above 113 degrees.

• Expatriates are the majority here: 92 out of every 100 people here are expatriates, which in the other way means, only 8 out every 100 hold an Emirati passport.

• Don’t get yourself arrested for PDA: Dubai is a Muslim city and you need to respect the local culture there. Activities like kissing, cuddling, holding hands in the open, drinking in public (other than at licensed bars) and showing someone the middle finger (even sending the emoji) can land you behind the bars.

• Thursday to Saturday weekends: Here weekends start from Thursdays and end of Saturdays. Thus, Sundays are the first working day of a week.

• Delivery at your doorstep: Before you finalize your Chennai to Dubai online booking, you need to know that almost everything here is delivered right at the doorsteps. This includes laundered clothes, medicines, grocery items, birthday cakes and whatever else you can think of.

• The city is famous for brunches: There are many luxury hotels in the city that offer costly brunches every weekend. So, on Fridays, you can wear your best clothes and pay a fortune for food and drinks at these high-end venues. However, it is important to make reservations in advance.

• A different city during Ramadan: During the Islamic month of Ramadan, you’ll get to see a different city of Dubai. Most of the restaurants will be closed and the few that will stay open will put up screens on the windows to prevent anyone from outside view what’s going on inside.

• Sight-seeing options: Before getting busy with the calculator to checkout conversions on Chennai to Dubai fare, you need to be told a little more. Dubai has lots of sight-seeing options, like Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building), Dubai Mall (the largest mall by land area), Dubai Fountain (the largest choreographed fountain show) and Palm Islands (the largest artificial island).

Wish you a happy journey and an ever-memorable trip in advance!