Region Specifics |
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- Communication and Media
- Newspaper
- Radio
- Television
- Climate
- Business Hours
- Government Organizations
- Private Organizations
- Banks
- Shops
- Petrol Station
- General Post Office
- Month of Ramdan (Muslim Fasting month)
- National Holidays
- Electricity
- Hospital
- Pharmacies
- Drinking Water
Communicatons & Media
Communication facilities are very good within the Emirates and to international destinations.
Calls made to other Emirates are very reasonable. Direct dialing is available to most countries and the hotels provide internet facilities for a small fee. There are several internet cafes dotted around the city.
Al Wasel is a GSM pre-paid mobile service available for visitors and tourists.
Newspaper
The Gulf Toady, Gulf News, Khaleej Times are the daily English newspaper while the main Arabic newspaper include Al Bayan, Al Ittihad, Al Khaleej. Foreign newspaper and magazines (mainly British, French, German Russian and Asian) are readily available in hotels bookshops and the large supermarkets.
Radio
Popular English language radio stations include Channel 4FM (104.8 FM), Dubai FM (92 FM), Free FM (96.7 FM) Emirates 1FM (99.3, 100.5 FM) and Emirates 2FM (90.5, 98.5 FM)
Television
The large hotels offer a wide variety of international entertainment, movies, cartoons, documentaries, sports and news channels broadcast via satellite from various networks.
Climate
The climate is sub-tropical, semi arid and warm temperature, infrequent rainfall (13cms per year) and blue skies most of the year. The ideal time to visit is between October to May when average daytime temperature reach 28 °C and 12 °C at night. Temperature rise between June and August reaching a high of 48°C with high humidity level and guaranteed sunshine.
Business hours
Friday is the weekly holiday. Some organizations are also close on either Thursday or Saturday.
Government organizations
Government and ministries are open from Sunday to Thursday 07:30 hrs to 14:30 hrs. Closed on Friday, Saturday and public holidays.
Private organizations
They either work spilt shift 08:00 hrs to 13:00 hrs and 15:00 hrs / 16:00 hrs to 18:00 hrs 19:00 hrs or straight through from 09:00 hrs to 18:00 hrs.
Banks
Saturday to Thursday 08:00 hrs – 13:00 hrs. Thursday 08:00 hrs – 12:00 hrs.
Shops
Shopping malls are usually open daily from 10:00 hrs to midnight. Other shops open from around 09:00 hrs to 13:00 hrs and 16:00 hrs to 22:00 hrs or later. Friday all shops close for prayer time between 11:30 hrs to 13:30 hrs and the shopping malls only open at 14:00 hrs.
Petrol station
Petrol stations are closed from 12:00 hrs – 13:00 hrs on Fridays.
General Post Office
Is open on weekdays from 08:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs and on Thursday from 08:00 hrs until 13:00 hrs. Friday is closed. Postal stamps are available in the gift shop located in the hotel’s lobby.
Month of Ramadan (Muslim fasting month)
During the holy month of Ramdan normal working hours are reduced to six hours per day with work carried out in the morning only. Government departments are open from 09:00 hrs to 14:00 hrs. Restaurants which are not in the Hotel open at sunset in time for the Iftar feast. Shops and parks are open after Iftar until very late.
National holidays
New Year Day – 1st January
Islamic New Year depends on moon-citing
Eid Al Fitr
Eid Al Adha
Holy Prophet birth Anniversary (Muslim)
UAE National Day – 2nd December
Electricity
UAE uses a 220/ 240 voltage, 50 cycle. Sockets are indentical to the British three-pin system. USA and North American appliances need an adaptor and converter.
Hospital
The standard of medical care and facilities in Sharjah generally regarded as quite high and visitors can easily obtain treatment from either the private-run hospitals or from the government hospitals in an emergency.
The most established private hospital is Al Zahra which operates a comprehensive in-patient and out-patient service. The Government hospitals are Al Qassemi and Kuwaiti –offers 24 hour emergency treatment.
Private medical care can be expensive so visitors are advised to arrange private medical insurance before travelling.
Pharmacies
There is always at least one pharmacy is Sharjah open 24 hours a day- location and telephone numbers is listed in the daily newspaper.
Drinking water
Most people prefer to drink the locally bottled mineral water, which is affordable and easy to find in all supermarkets.
