Welcome to our wonderful city…
In Abu Dhabi, a 100km/h speed limit means you can drive at a maximum of 100km/h (Not 120km/h).
Learn the parking laws and system
Even if you have a driving license from your home country, you will eventually (and usually very soon after arrival) need a UAE driver’s license to legally operate a vehicle here in Dubai. Some nationalities will be able to do a straight transfer (this includes most of Europe, the US and Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Turkey and a few more nations, check with the RTA or a full list). You’ll need an Emirates ID and an RTA eye test but the whole process is relatively straightforward. People holding licenses from other countries will have to pass a driving test before obtaining a UAE license, though there’s now a way to avoid the previously compulsory lessons via the Golden Chance scheme.
Get yourself a ClassPass. Itâs great to discover fitness classes and sessions. Also, join relevant communities
on WhatsApp and Facebook â there are plenty.
Hit your travel goals because there are amazing deals on offer, and the UAE’s location is ideal for travellers
Put yourself out there so you can find like-minded people. Abu Dhabi is a great city but can get lonely if you don’t make the effort.
Abu Dhabi skyline
Go out and explore the city. Every corner of the city has something to see and do, all usually within 20 minutes of each other
Respect the law and follow the rules – both are simple and easy to do in Abu Dhabi so you can live peacefully.
Pay yourself first, before you spend it all on the amazing restaurants and entertainment
Reliable sources tell us Abu Dhabi’s population hit 3.79 million last year (2024), an incredible 83 per cent rise compared to numbers recorded in 2011. And we don’t expect that trend to end anytime soon, so here are 9 useful tips for new Abu Dhabi residents, from our own readers.
Images: What’s On archive, unsplash, Shutterstock
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