travel arabia mar 08

1

March 2008, Volume 4, Issue 3

Onl

ine

Vers

ion:

ww

w.tr

avel

-ara

bia.

com

ATTRACTION

Miramar Al Aqah

Beach Resort

Of Hats & HorsesThe Hats at DWC andthe Horses of Arabia

A Truly Malaysian HospitalityInside Malaysia’s Key Cities

The Garden City of the Gulf

Al Ain

Racing ForFame And GloryThe Dubai World Cup 2008

Flor B. Pamintuan

Of all the animals in the world, I think horses, next to dogs and cats, are a favourite of many. People love horses

for many reasons. They are strong, graceful, swift and glorious creatures. They have this inner beauty and mysterious character. Movies are made about them, they are used in company logos, print and TV advertisements and there are many paintings, photographs, figurines and sculptures of them.

I am not very fond of horses but I like them because there are so many things that are perfect about them. The way they are put together, the way they move, their fluid bodies and shining coats, the way they stand, the way they swing their manes, their ears and their velvet noses. Men and women alike treat them very well. They talk to them as if they are their friends, husbands or children.

Horses are fascinating but each of them is different. Some are just simply magnificent. They are beautifully bred, handsome creatures with lots of attitude and character. I think for the most part, women feel different about horses than men do. I know some women who have this great attraction for horses. They would kiss their horses, trim their whiskers, brush them and paint their hooves with shiny oil. They bathe them, rub them and some even buy matching accessories for them. Some who could not afford to buy or raise one would be content buying horse miniatures and paintings of horses while others would decorate their homes with horses of every colour, shape and size.

In my view, men love horses but treat them as living beings with a job to do. Men hunt horses and use them in their pursuits for fame and glory. They look after them, yes, but they don’t worry about them the way women do.

editor’s note

2

Most men raise horses, breed them and prepare them for competition and races. Around the world, horse racing has become a very popular game and large sums of money are always at stake for the winners. Dubai is no exception. This month, Dubai will again host the Dubai World Cup that will showcase the fastest and strongest horse to win the much-coveted million dollars prize. The Dubai World Cup is the climax of the racing season here and we will see horses flown in from around the world to compete in the race.

At this year’s race, not only we will see the most beautiful and strongest horses but many horse lovers and enthusiasts, both men and women, who would cheer and applaud for their favourites. Here, you will observe how riders show their affinity for their horses that the creatures themselves would put all his might and strength to take the lead and beat others. The thundering hooves, cracking of whips and riders’ yells of encouragement will live with you forever.

If the men and women come with their best attire, the horses will be in their best form with their shining coats, well-brushed mane, flowing tails and gorgeous stand. It would be a good day to watch so I hope most of you have chosen your best suit and your stunning dress and hat. If not, there’s still time to visit shops that specialize in designing clothes that would definitely make you stand out amongst the crowds. See you at the race!

3

Tourism Authority of ThailandAl Attar Tower, Suite 2102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. (U. A. E.), Tel: 04 3250 184/185, Fax: 04 3250 187

Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Website: www.tourismthailand.org

www.travel-arabia.com

Publisher KALIMAT GROUP INTERNATIONAL FZ-LLC

Travel Arabia Head Office Office G4, Building No.1

Phase One, P.O.Box 502408 Dubai Media City, UAE

Tel +971 4 391 0410/1/2/3 Fax +971 4 391 6619

E-mail [email protected]

General Manager Hekmat el Zein

Editor Flor B. Pamintuan

[email protected]

Staff Writers Anjana Das

Habeeb Salloum

Contributors Gordon Torbet Eugene Correia

Angela T Chuck Wightman

Ty Treadwell

Photographers Mahesh Kumar Duvvuru

Maher El Zein Samir Ahmed

Designer Mohammed Usman Siraj

Assistant Designer Mohd Noufal Althaf Hussain

Sales & Marketing Manager Syed Muhammad Arif

[email protected]

Distributor Jashanmal National Co. LLC

Travel Arabia Lebanon Office Riad el solh 11072070

P.O.Box 11-1197 Beirut, Lebanon

Tel +961 3 435 780 Fax +961 7 762 104

Travel Arabia disclaimer All text and layout remains the copyright of Kalimat Group International FZ LLC, unless stated otherwise. Travel Arabia is fully independent, and its views are not those of any company mentioned herein.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

All rights reserved.

© 2007 Kalimat Group International

your lettersThe beauty of the Philippines

Travel Arabia would like to receive your comments and suggestions. Write to [email protected]

4

Congratulations!I wish to thank you for such an informative

publication as Travel Arabia. I am learning as each

issue appears about the wonders of the UAE. The

magazine is superbly illustrated and the articles are

fascinating. I wish to thank you and your staff for

creating such an exemplary form of media. I live in

Canada and found your magazine by accident on

the web. It is an extraordinary work of information

covering the recent to the past. Congratulations.

Muna Bourzk

Thank you for featuring the Philippines in your February issue. I am a Filipino and I have always been proud to be one. I want to commend your writer who presented the story in a very personal and touching way. I can relate to your writer because I, too, was away from my country for more than 20 years now. I went to different countries to find bigger opportunities. Though I make it a point to go home every year, I don’t think it’s enough to really discover the places that have been a vital part of our growing up years.The Philippines has so much to offer to its visitors. We are fun-loving people, hospitable, polite and hard working. I know a lot of your readers will agree to this. Thank you again and I hope you will also feature other attractions in the Visayas and Mindanao region. I’m sure your readers will be amazed to see the beauty of the Philippines.

Arnold del Rosario, Dubai

Keep up the good workI always look forward to reading a new issue of Travel

Arabia. In fact, during the past year after showing a

number of my colleagues your site, they became regular

readers of your fine magazine. I must say, the format,

vivid colours of the pictures and the variety of topics

covered makes for an appealing publication. Also,

the interesting way in which the advertisements are

distributed throughout the magazine seemingly fit into

the stories. I especially liked your story in January issue

‘Travel Trends in 2008’. The many varied articles about

the UAE in all your issues I am sure makes readers yearn

to visit that booming country. You project the UAE in

an attractive way. Keep up the good work.

Habeeb Salloum, Toronto, Canada

Love is in the airI like your cover for the February issue. It really relates to your cover story about celebrating Valentine’s Day around the world. Thank you for this feature because it was very informative. I learned how other countries celebrate the occasion and it was helpful especially for students who might have to research for the topic one day. I just noticed that you did not include countries in the Gulf region. I know Valentine’s Day is becoming one of the popular celebrations here. Anyway, I still think your magazine is very informative, has a lot of interesting topics, superb images and astounding designs.

Marie Lucas Francis, UAE

10 18 22 28

The Dubai World Cup

The day to impress has arrived. Ladies in their most striking, fabulous and sometimes, dramatic dresses and matching hats and men with their elegant suits parade the grounds armed with racing guide and binoculars. It is a day of socializing, networking and interacting with guests, customers and fellow horse lovers.

Of Hats . . .

The Dubai World Cup has been an occasion on which race goers wear their best clothes and women wear hats of all shapes, colours and sizes. Hats can be fun, big, and silly and you will see lots of these at this year’s race.

. . . and Horses

Among the many horses competing in frequent horse races, the most popular is the Arabian horse. The Arabians’ incredible energy, intelligence and gentle disposition allow riders to excel in most equine sports and activities.

7 Amazing Wonders of Thailand

Thailand welcomes visitors from all over the world. Its international arrival target for 2008 is 15.7 million tourist arrivals that is up 6% over the projection of 2007.

Horse racing is one of humankind’s most ancient sports. This year, Dubai plays host to the 13th edition of the Dubai World Cup, the climax of the racing season in the UAE.

About the Cover:

6

40 48 5832

The Garden Cityof the Gulf

Famous for its lush green landscapes and spacious urban design, Al Ain city is considered the “Garden City of the Gulf”. It has 75 parks and gardens, the first of which was built in 1969. These offer a variety of outdoor attractions to the city’s residents and visitors.

A Truly Malaysian Hospitality

Malaysia offers a truly Asian experience. Warm, friendly, polite, sincere and gracious - this is the Malaysian way of life. Everyone is treated like a guest, a brother or a sister, regardless of your race, colour or religion.

Miramar Al AqahBeach Resort

The new Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort is a multi-facility property with hotels, a souk and amphitheatre catering to the region’s desire for high quality weekend getaways and the MICE market’s needs for exceptional conference facilities.

March-ing Delights

A line-up of celebrations awaits food enthusiasts this March. There’s the Easter celebration where the whole family can indulge in an “egg-citing” Easter brunch, St. Patrick’s Day and of course, Mother’s Day. Set the date and make your reservations now.

GALLERY SCANMosque In DubAI

MInAreTs

7

8

M A R C HEvents

8

The 16th Edition of the Dubai International Boat Show (DIBS) is the largest edition in its history and one of the most internationally-significant marine leisure industry events of the year.

Up to 400 boats will be on display at this year’s event, the highest number since the show was launched in 1992. Companies from every part of the industry, from boat-builders through to marine equipment, suppliers and service providers, are set to exhibit.

To reflect the increasing sophistication of the marine leisure industry, as well as the evolving opportunities in niche and specialist areas, this year’s show has both expanded its overall size and increased the number of dedicated sector areas.

DIBS 2008 will see the launch of a new section for Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs), Inflatables and Tenders, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the marine leisure industry. Leading companies such

as Capelli, Emirates Inflatable Boats, Joker Boats, Kimera, North West Marine, Royal Tender, Sealegs, and Yamaha will all be taking part in this dedicated area. In addition, new for this year is the inaugural DIBS Fashion Show with companies presenting the latest marine clothing and accessories.

The Dubai International Boat Show 2008 will take at Dubai International Marine Club - Mina Seyahi from 11-15 March 2008. DIBS is open to trade visitors and general public, from 3pm - 9.30pm daily. Visitors without an invitation must pay an entrance fee of AED 40 per person. Children under 12 will be admitted free and must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Access to the Marine Display Area may be restricted at certain times. For more information visit www.boatshowdubai.com

Collected VisionsMarch 10 – May 1, 2008

Dubai International Financial Centre

JPMorgan will be exhibiting master artworks

from the JPMorgan Chase Art Collection at a

special exhibition in partnership with the Dubai

International Financial Centre (“DIFC”). The

exhibition, entitled Collected Visions, will feature 70

modern and contemporary works by leading artists

of the twentieth century and will be on display at

the emperor’s Hall at the DIFC from March 10

through May 1, 2008.

started nearly 50 years ago by David

rockefeller when he was head of Chase Manhattan

bank, the JPMorgan Chase Art Collection is one

of the oldest and most extensive corporate art

collections in the world.

The Collected Visions exhibit will feature

painting, sculpture, photography and works on

paper that date from 1959, the year that the firm’s

art program began, by leading artists such as

Milton Avery, Jean-Michel basquiat, Zaha Hadid,

Jenny Holzer, roy Lichtenstein, Cindy sherman

and Andy Warhol. several pieces are included

because of their association with American pop

culture, including Andy Warhol’s silkscreened

images of Marilyn Monroe, richard Prince’s

appropriated cowboy photographs, Jeff Koons’s

iconic basketball sculpture, and saul steinberg’s

whimsical model of downtown new York. of

special interest is Christo’s 1980 mixed-media

work, The Mastaba of Abu Dhabi, Project for the

united Arab emirates, a drawing for a monumental

project recently undertaken in the emirate nearly

28 years after its first proposal.

The Genius of Joe LongthorneMadinat Theater

March 6-7, 2008

Joe Longthorne is traveling to Dubai for a two

night run at the beautiful Madinat Theatre with his

band prior to commencing his 46 date national uK

Tour under the musical direction of stephen Price.

Joe was awarded the prestigious Lifetime

Achievement Award from the Variety Club of Great

britain in July last year. His voice has helped him

to 21 Platinum records along with his incredible

impressions of the superstars. His injection of

comedy and his rapport with his audience makes

Joe’s shows a special experience.

For more information, please contact Madinat

Theatre box office, Telephone: +971 4 366 6549

or log on to www.madinattheatre.com

Dubai International Boat Show March 11-15, 2008

Dubai International Marine Club – Mina Seyahi

New Generation Ibero-American ArtFeb. 20th –March 22, 2008

emirates Palace Hotel

West Wing Gallery

ConTeMPo Corporate Art has organized one

of the largest exhibits of spanish and Latin America

contemporary art to ever have been presented in

the Middle east.

The exhibition, which will feature over 200

works for sale from over 30 well-established artists,

highlights the huge two-way artistic movement that

runs between spain and Latin America.

under the patronage of The Abu Dhabi

Authority for Culture and Heritage, this program is

sponsored by The embassy of spain, The embassy

of Argentina, The embassy of brazil, The embassy

of Venezuela and The General Consulate of uruguay.

8 I Travel Arabia I March

10

The

DubaiWorld CupThe social event of the season

COVER STORY

Horse lovers and enthusiasts head to Nad Al-Sheba racecourse on March 29 as the yearly Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race, is staged to around 55,000 spectators from around the world.

Dubai Racing Club


11Duba

i Rac

ing

Club

The day to impress has arrived. Ladies in their most striking, fabulous and sometimes, dramatic dresses and matching hats and men with their elegant suits parade the grounds armed with racing guide and binoculars. It is a day of socializing, networking and interacting with guests, customers and fellow horse lovers.

It is the Dubai World Cup race, the climax of the racing season in the UAE, the world’s richest race and one of the MUST see events in Dubai’s sporting calendar.

Started as a brainchild of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al

March I Travel Arabia I 11

Dubai Racing Club

Dubai Racing ClubDubai Racing Club

1212

“The Dubai World Cup is a challenge for horses, for people and for all of us here in Dubai. It is a challenge of testing the best with the best.” – HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Dubai Racing Club

Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai World Cup is a fitting tribute to the man’s love of horses and horseracing.

“The Dubai World Cup is a challenge for horses, for people and for all of us here in Dubai. It is the challenge of testing the best with the best. We think that Dubai’s position on the map makes it the ideal place to hold a contest involving different hemispheres, different continents,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

With the establishment of the Dubai World Cup in 1996, the United Arab Emirates became the home of one of the world’s top racing challenges, and drew the attention of millions of enthusiasts around the globe. Among the horses entered in the inaugural race

was a 13-time winner from Australia, a seven-race winner from Great Britain, the ‘dirt horse’ champion from Japan, and Cigar, North America’s ‘Horse of the Year’ for 1995.

In little over a decade, the event has established itself as the pièce de resistance on the international horseracing calendar.

Reflective of the overwhelming generosity of the UAE and embodying the warmth of traditional Arabian hospitality, contenders for the purses are flown in from all corners of the world, such as North and South America, South Africa, South East Asia, Australasia and Europe, and horsemen enjoy generous travel subsidies for their support of racing in the UAE.

With a purse of US$6 million to the


14

winner, this year sees the 13th running of the richest horse race in the world. Classified as a ‘Group 1 Flat Race’ on dirt for four-year-old thoroughbreds and above, the Dubai World Cup spans a distance of two kilometres (one mile, two furlongs).

Staged on March 29, 2008, the Dubai World Cup meeting comprises of seven races of varying purses, totalling a staggering $21.25 million. The meeting is not just about the world’s richest race, as the rest of the seven-race card is also stacked with quality.

The highlight is, of course, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline, won in 2007 by the brilliant American-trained Invasor.

The chief supporting races are the Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by Nakheel, and the Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, with both contests worth $5 million.

Vengeance Of Rain made history by becoming Hong Kong’s first winner in the UAE, when taking the former, and Admire Moon continued Japan’s growing dominance of global racing by landing the Dubai Duty Free.

The other thoroughbred Group 1

race on the card is the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News, which was won by the American speedball Kelly’s Landing.

Asiatic Boy thumped the opposition in the $2 million UAE Derby, sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, while America landed another prize thanks to Spring At Last’s win in the $1million Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat.

The card opens with the $250,000 Kahayla Classic, for Purebred Arabians and sponsored by Emaar, won for the third time in succession last season by Madjani.

Perhaps part of the Dubai World Cup’s success is not only due to the state-of-the-art race track, but the burgeoning status of Dubai as an international crossroads and global transport hub, and of course a first-class tourist destination, evidenced by more than 50,000 racegoers attending the Dubai World Cup meeting each year.

Today, the Dubai World Cup meeting enjoys a formidable reputation. Thanks to the foresight and benevolence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this enthralling event is not only a gift to the people of Dubai but to the rest of the world too.

Dubai Racing Club

Dubai Racing Club

Dubai Racing Club


1616

broke after you’ve spent your last dirham on that fabulous Dubai World Cup outfit? Then have a crack at winning some cash prizes by entering the Pick seven competition.

Have a glass of bubbly or simply experience the heady atmosphere at the bubble Lounge.

The best place to watch the horses and study the form is from the Paddock lawns. Get hold of a race card and watch the thoroughbreds in the parade ring prior to the running of a race.

The stakes have never been higher in the fashion field, as the fashionistas line up for the burjuman style stakes. Make sure you register before racing.

Fancy 25 round-trips from europe to Dubai? Then you must enter the skywards Thanks A Million raffle, which offers 1,000,000 skywards Miles. racegoers will also have the opportunity to win a rolls royce by entering the Dubai Duty Free Finest surprise Draw.

1 2 3 4 5

Things to do at Dubai World Cup Day


1717

If you want to take home a wonderful memory or souvenir of the day, then get your photo taken at the Ahlan Glamour studio – preceded of course by a visit to the nstyle nail Lounge and Frank Provost Grooming salon for a quick touch-up.

Global quality is not just reflected in the racing, but in the food too. Visit the International Village for cuisine from all over the world, including, Mexican, Japanese, Indian and Italian.

If there’s one thing you must do on Dubai World Cup day, it’s taking your seat for the awe-inspiring Ceremony, staged after the running of the Dubai Golden shaheen.

Get close and personal- watch the Dubai World Cup from the rails. The thundering hooves, cracking of whips and riders’ yells of encouragement will live with you forever.

Party hard. The Partizone, in the International Village, is the place where only Dubai’s liveliest and strongest revelers are welcome.

6 7 8 9 10Photos provided by Dubai Racing Club


Of hats . . .The Dubai World Cup

has been an occasion on which race goers wear their best clothes and

women wear hats of all shapes, colours and sizes. Hats can be fun, big, and silly and you

will see lots of these at this year’s race.

18

SPECIAL FEATURE

Oasis Fahion


Along with great racing, hats are probably the biggest tradition for the Dubai World Cup. The event is known as an enormous catwalk for fashion, especially hats, and in here you can see most of the women wearing hats of all shapes, colours and sizes.

Months prior to the event, ladies who are attending the race begin to think about their hats. After all, the Dubai World Cup is an occasion on which all race goers wear their best clothes and this is the day when women can flaunt their best dresses as well as their hats.

So it is a must for ladies to shop for a dress with a matching hat. Others, on the other hand, make a trip to a fashion house to show the dress that they have purchased and a matching hat will be designed for them.

But for Jane Carter, marketing manager of Oasis Fashion, “buying the hat first is better. We make hats to match the client’s own dress although we usually find that when they see our gorgeous range of World Cup outfits, they often buy something new from our store, which is good as we give a very nice discount to customers who buy the hat and dress from us.”

Oasis Fashion has been designing, making and selling hats to a lot of women attending the Dubai World Cup and the other races leading to the final event. Carter said the original creations from Oasis Fashion are also worn by women in events like the BurJuman Style Stakes Competition and the Fillies & Fashion.

Women attending international races like the Melbourne Cup and the Royal Ascot are also customers of Oasis Fashion. Carter is proud to say that three of their creations are featured in the Royal Ascot website. She added that they have designed hats for famous celebrities and personalities too.

“We are receiving orders all year round, for racing around the world as well as Dubai and there’s too many to count them. A lot of people have really started wearing hats so we are busy all year round,” said Carter.

19

Dubai Racing Club

Dubai Racing ClubDubai Racing Club

Oasis Fahion

The above hats are creation of Oasis Fashion


20

At this time of the year, Oasis Fashion’s showroom is filled with ladies trying on the hats and checking the season’s designs plus others who are booking for appointments. These are quite a challenge for Oasis Fashion and their team of hat designers. “Sometimes we make 20 hats in one day which is quite a bit of tiring but it is fun and we always manage to do it.” So far, most of their customers are satisfied with their choices and purchases and always return for additional item(s).

What is good about making hats, Carter added, is the feeling of seeing someone wearing their creation. “I’m delighted especially when they win prizes which they often do.”

As for the design and trends for hats, Carter said that it does not change very often. This year is feather and fascinators which is the same as last year. “The trend on hats is being set by Paris, London and Rome, mainly Europe, because these places are where the horses and the races are from,” said Carter.

Although very popular and fashionable, the hats must go well with the wearer. “Small ladies should not wear large brimmed hats, which create a mushroom effect. Larger or taller ladies on the other hand look good in large brimmed hats,” advised Carter.

But the golden rule in wearing hat is dictated by the Royal Ascot Enclosure where ladies must wear hats which cover the crown or back of the head.

The hats at Oasis Fashion range from 75 dirhams to 2000 dirhams. They also offer “What to Wear” advice as well as complete makeovers. Visit Oasis Fashion at the second floor of Wafi or call them at 971 4 3249074.

Oasis Fahion

Dubai Racing Club

Dubai Racing Club


2222

. . . and HorsesAmong the many horses

competing in frequent horse races, the most popular is the Arabian

horse. The Arabians’ incredible energy, intelligence and gentle

disposition allow riders to excel in most equine sports and activities.


2323

The Arabian horse has been regarded for centuries as one of the most beautiful creatures on earth. Arabians look different from other horses as they hold their tails high and arch their neck in swanlike curves. They have large, lustrous, wide-set eyes on a broad forehead; small, curved ears; and large, efficient nostrils. The head is finely shaped with widely spaced cheekbones and a muzzle that is delicate enough to drink tea from a teacup.

The features of the Arabian horse are not merely points of distinction for its beauty but these are features that help him excel in most sports and activities. The arched throat and wide cheekbones make room for a large, loosely slung windpipe. The “proud” hold of the head and neck creates the best angle for easy air exchange.

The origin of the Arabian horse remains a great zoological mystery. No one knows where the horse was first domesticated or whether he was first used for work or riding. All that was written was for thousand of years the Arabian horses lived among the desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is honored to be the homeland of the Arabian horse and these splendid animals remain a cherished symbol of the country’s culture and heritage. Bedouin tribes of Arabia, who forged this breed in the midst of a harsh desert environment, embraced their horses with a passion unrivaled in human history.

In his book about the culture of the Arabs from the earliest known times, Al-Alusi writes: Horses, to the Arabs,

Historically the Arabian horse has maintained a

reputation as the horse of beauty, intelligence, courage,

endurance, and romance.

were the most significant thing in life: they were the symbol of their erected fortresses, their everlasting treasures, their finest glory, and their securest way of defense. As such, the Arabs took great interest in horses, and excelled in their knowledge about these animals more than all other nations.

The ruling family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Al Sauds, also has a long and distinguished association with the Arabian horse, and there is no better symbol of this relationship than the historic city of Dir’iyyah. Located in the heart of the Arabian peninsula, known as the Najd, it was here, in the early 1800’s, that the Sauds gathered the greatest collection of Arabian horses ever said to exist.

In 1862, the Englishman, W.G. Palgrave wrote of the fabled horses of Najd, “Never had I seen nor imagined so lovely a collection...Their appearance justified all reputation, all value, all poetry.”

Other writings mentioned that the prophet Mohammed, in the seventh century AD, was instrumental in spreading the Arabian’s influence around the world. He instructed his followers to look after Arabians and treat them with kindness. He instructed that special attention should be paid

Dubai Racing Club


2424

to the mares because they insure the continuity of the breed. He also proclaimed that Allah had created the Arabian, and that those who treated the horse well would be rewarded in the afterlife.

The Bedouin tribes zealously maintained the purity of the breed. Because of their limited resources, breeding practices were extremely selective. Such practices, which eventually helped the Arabian become a prized possession throughout the world, have led to the beautiful athletic breed we know today.

The severe climate during the early days also required the nomads to share food and water, and sometimes even their tents with their horses. As a result, Arabians developed a close affinity to man and a high intelligence. Because he was bred and reared in close contact with man from the earliest records, and existing in mutual inter-dependence, he developed an unequaled ability to bond with humans. Indeed, his intelligence has been celebrated in thousands of anecdotes. He is gentle, affectionate, and familiar, almost to the point of being troublesome.

Historical figures like Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Great and George Washington have reportedly rode Arabians. Today, a man’s wealth was measured in his holdings of these fine animals. Given that the Arabian was the original source of quality and speed, and remains

foremost in the fields of endurance and soundness, he still either directly or indirectly contributed to the formation of virtually all the modern breeds of horses.

Even today the purebred Arabian is virtually the same as that ridden in ancient Arabia. Arabians now display their athletic talents in a variety of disciplines from English to Western, with the Arabian positioned as the undisputed champion of endurance events.

Over the past 10 years Purebred Arabian racing has been significantly promoted in the UAE. Events such as the Maktoum Challenge races, the Arabian Triple Crown series, and the world’s richest Purebred Arabian horse race, the Dubai Kahayla Classic (prize-money of US$ 250,000), which kicks off the Dubai World Cup have acknowledged the importance of Purebred Arabian horses both in breeding and racing in the UAE.

The history of pure Arabian horses is quite different from that of the thoroughbreds. Thoroughbreds have many bloodlines, including some Arabians. They have a pedigree that can be traced back to one of three founding stallions i.e. Godolphin Arabian, Darley Arabian & Byerley Turk. These three stallions formed the foundation upon which a new breed, the Thoroughbred, was to be built.

Thoroughbreds are generally bigger in size, and have more speed over

shorter distances. They have one rib less than the Arabians and one less vertebra in the tail. They are very hardy, excelling for instance in the endurance races that have become so popular at late.

Arabians while smaller are better suited to steadier speeds over longer distances.

The two breeds are registered separately with parentage and blood typing carefully monitored and controlled, in order to maintain purity and traits of the breed.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai is a major figure internationally in thoroughbred horse racing and breeding.

In late 1981, he purchased Gainsborough Stud at Woolton Hill, near Newbury, Berkshire, England. In Ireland, he also owns Ballysheehan Stud, in County Tipperary plus he has Gainsborough Farms Inc. in Versailles, Kentucky. His racing operations include the ownership of Darley Stables and he is the leading partner in his family’s Godolphin Stables.

In England, his horses have won numerous important Group One races including several of the British Classic Races. His horses have also won the Irish Derby Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and in the United States the 2006 Preakness Stakes with Bernardini.

Sheikh Mohammed hosts the yearly Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest series of horse races. The Dubai World Cup is a brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed and a fitting tribute to his love of horses and of horseracing.

Dubai Racing Club


BUSINESS FEATURE

and the business objectives of the show are quite unique. The three-day show received 4,168 visitors and had over 50 exhibitors taking part. We are pleased to have met our expectations on the number and quality of visitors and exhibitors, the high quality of speakers that we addressed the TDIM seminars, and the excellent networking opportunities that were presented at the show”, said Frederic Theux, President, Reed Exhibitions Middle East.

Dedicated to developments and investments in the tourism sector, TDIM 08 was organized by Reed Exhibitions Middle East with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and DTCM (the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai) supporting the show.

Saleh Al Geziry, Director, Overseas Promotions, DTCM (the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai) said: “Our support to TDIM emphasizes our role as a catalyst in tourism development. The show is expected to grow from strength to strength in the coming years

The inaugural edition of the Tourism Development Projects and Investment Market (TDIM 08) concluded successfully in Dubai with positive feedback from participants and a pledge from the organizers to continue to lay strong emphasis on providing knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities at every further edition of the annual show.

TDIM 2008 which took place at Zabeel Hall and Hall 1 of the Dubai International Exhibition & Convention Centre, combined an exhibition showcasing tourism projects valued at over 700 billion, with a strong seminar programme addressed by top-notch speakers, as well as networking opportunities including a unique HICE (Hosted Investor and Corporate End-User) program designed to provide global investors with opportunities to evaluate potential investment prospects in the region’s tourism projects sector.

“We are proud to have had the opportunity to present the very first edition of TDIM here in Dubai. The niche in which TDIM is positioned

26

TDIM 08concludes ona successful note

Strong emphasis on high-profile seminar programme and networking opportunities will continue at next edition.


as it caters to a market need for a strong investment and networking platform in the tourism projects development sector and we would be happy to continue our association with TDIM in the comng years as well”.

Elaborating on Nakheel’s participation at TDIM, Manal Shaheen, Director, Sales, Marketing and Customer Service at the company said: “Nakheel is excited by the opportunity to support a new tradeshow in Dubai which has brought together stakeholders involved in tourism development. Our participation has been a great success. We showcased three of our new projects here; Dubai Promenade, Port Rashid and The Universe, besides our new Blue Communities sustainability initiative, and existing portfolio of waterfront projects”.

Ousama Ghannoum, Marketing and Media Director at Aldar Properties said his company had chosen to showcase their Yas Island project at TDIM 08. “We had an excellent show and are very pleased at the discussions we have had at TDIM with potential investors and other stakeholders in the region’s tourism market”.

Victor E J Orth, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Al Qudra Real Estate stated that the company was pleased with their participation at the show. “Our team has had interesting discussions with potential investors here and we are hopeful that the initial contacts we have made at TDIM will develop into longer-term business relationships in the future”.

Other participants at TDIM included DWC (Dubai World Central), DUBAILAND™ Destination, Global Village, BAWADI™, Plantation, Universal Studios DUBAILAND, Falcon City of Wonders, Aldar, Sorouh, Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort, Tamouh, Egyptian Tourism Authority, the Syrian Ministry of Tourism, B&G Hotels & Resorts from Egypt, Travellers, Group

RCI, Marina D’or from Spain and Jack Rouse & Associate from the US.

TDIM visitors included top tourism officials, investors, tourism facility operators, representatives of global destination brands and world tourism bodies and specialists with an interest in participating in the development of the MENA region’s tourism sector that has received AED 1.2 trillion in investment commitments so far.

Specialist seminars at TDIM 08 were addressed by Jean Claude Baumgarten - President, World Travel & Tourism Council and Saleh Al Geziry - Director of Overseas Promotion at Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing; Government of Dubai, both of whom delivered keynote sessions. Other speakers at the specialist seminars were Bob Masterson

- CEO of Ripley Entertainment and Chairman of International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), Darrell Metzger - CEO Ruwaad, and Vice Chairman IAAPA, Charlie Bray - CEO, IAAPA, Nick Turner - Regional Managing Director, Group RCI, Keith James - President and Partner, Jack Rouse Associates and Alistair Gosling - CEO of Extreme Group, UK, among others.

Said Ara Fernezian, Show Manager for TDIM 08, “We will continue to focus on refining the content of the show to make it an even better opportunity to preview major, upcoming tourism developments, build knowledge around key industry issues and to promote networking and cross-border investment in the sector”,

The next edition of TDIM will be held January 18 to 20, 2009 at the Dubai International Exhibition & Convention Centre.

“The show caters to a market need and is expected to grow from strength to strength in the coming years,” says a DTCM official

27


yields. Develop quality attractions, presenting Thailand’s identity and while conserving the nature and the environment, to contribute to sustainable development and competitiveness of Thailand’s tourism industry.

Thailand draws attention to the popular “Amazing Thailand” slogan that proved so successful in the past. It underscores the image of Thailand as a peaceful, hospitable country, a year-round tourism destination offering quality products and services and value-for-money.

Tourism Authority of Thailand has segmented and regrouped its core national tourism products into a seven-point package that is marketed worldwide under the banner of “Seven Amazing Wonders” of Thailand.

Thailand welcomes visitors from all over the world. Its international arrival target for 2008 is 15.7 million tourist arrivals that is up 6% over the projection of 2007.

Middle Eastern travellers look for excellent shopping offers, enjoy the traditional hospitality of Thai people and enjoy shopping for Thai arts and crafts. In addition, medical tourism, health and well-being are also attracting many tourists. Hospitals in Thailand not only have modern up-to-date equipments and facilities but also have qualified medical professionals of all kinds. In addition, Thailand is also attracting and appealing to Middle Eastern travellers for its spas and other alternate forms of well-being.

Thailand wishes to focus on attracting quality tourists with high

7 Amazing Wonders of

Thailand

28


29

The “Seven Amazing Wonders” theme products are as follows:

Thainess Experience the Art of Thai Living — which refers to traditional Thai hospitality, lifestyle and friendliness of the people.

Treasure products Land of Heritage and History — covering the World Heritage sites and historical places, temples, and Thai museums.

Beaches Fun, Sun, Surf and Serenity of Thai Beaches — the long-standing popularity of Thai beach resorts for international and domestic tourism.

Nature Encounter the Sheer Beauty of Thai Nature — focus on conservation and environment, and market Thai products within the framework of the worldwide attention being paid to global warming.

Health and Wellness Land of Healthy Smile — a rapidly growing market, highlighting Thailand’s preventive and curative therapies.

Trendy Excite Yourself with a Myriad of Thai Trends — targeted at the new generation of young travellers, and covering the new boutique hotels, shopping centres, restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment.

Festivities Enchant Yourself with International Festivities in Thailand — the ‘sanuk’ (fun) factor, featuring popular Thai events and festivals such as the Phuket Regatta, Elephant Polo, etc.

The Amazing Thailand theme is a key component in the branding strategy which also includes strong efforts to maintain a market share, boost tourism revenue earnings, and enhance Thailand’s competitive edge.

7 Amazing Wonders of


ARABIAN GALLERY

3030

Mosques in Dubai


3131


32

LIVING ARABIA

Famous for its lush green landscapes and spacious urban design, Al Ain city is considered the “Garden City of the Gulf ”. It has 75 parks and gardens, the first of which was built in 1969. These offer a variety of outdoor attractions to the city’s residents and visitors.

32

The Garden City of the Gulf


3333

Al Ain is the capital of the eastern region and the emirate of Abu Dhabi’s second city. Its greenery and the fact that it is the birthplace of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the former president of the United Arab Emirates, gives the city a special status in the hearts and the minds of its people.

In terms of land area, Al Ain is the largest city in the UAE. Located 160 km from Abu Dhabi, it covers 12,955 sq. km., bordered by the Hajar Mountains range in Oman to the east and the Empty Quarter Desert to the south.

In the early days, desert caravans visited Al Ain regularly to get provisions and a journey to this city takes five days. But with the introduction of the modern transportation, the journey takes an hour and a half drive from Abu Dhabi.

The history of the city goes to the third millennium BC. The evidence of early human settlement reflects the abundance of fresh water and date palms in the area to sustain life. The oasis on which the city was built supported seven date palm plantations and water was channeled using an irrigation system called falaj, which taps into underground water.

Throughout his life, Sheikh Zayed pursued his vision of creating an oasis of greenery in the desert by initiating a series of greening projects. As a result, Al Ain’s seven natural oases are now surrounded by tree-lined streets and beautiful urban parks. The main Al Ain Oasis is home to palm plantations, many of which are working farms. The palms provide welcome shade and a haven from the noise and bustle of the city.


3434

Among Al Ain’s tourism attractions are the UAE’s highest mountain, Jebel Hafeet, easily accessible via a 13-kilomete highway. The view from the summit offers a 360-panorama over the low-lying city and surrounding desert. Aside from the nice coloured sand dunes, Al Ain is renowned for its forts, gardens, museums, parks, the camel market, the old souks and the historical buildings.

A large number of castle and forts, ancient houses and mosques and towers of various shapes are found in Al Ain. There are a total of 66 historical structures in the city; some were built as homes during times of peace and others for defensive purposes during wars or to protect against raids. Other historical sites were built to serve religious and education purposes such as mosques. Most of the forts and landmarks have been restored in recent years in recognition of their historical importance.

The historical structures which mostly date back to the early 20th century can be found in Al Qattara Oasis which has 20 of them, Al Jimi Oasis with 16 structures, Hili Oasis with eight structures, Al Motarad three and Al Ain Oasis two. There are also 11 such structures in Al Ain city (outside the oases) and six in neighbouring villages.

The materials used in building these structures were quite varied, depending on the location and what was available. In the oases and Al Ain city, forts were built entirely from sun-dried mud, clay and straw. But the Saa Tower, a watch tower located in the mountains overlooking the valley was built from stone. Tower roofs were made from palm tree trunks, which were used as beams, together with imported wood such as Jandal to provide additional strength to support the roof.

Being the Garden City to its visitors, Al Ain has more than 70 parks equipped with leisure and entertainment facilities. Lush trees and landscape on the roadsides add to the beauty of the city. Every roundabout in Al Ain is a green garden with artifacts and objects that reflects traditions and culture such as Arabic coffee dallah, camels, birds, forts and falcons.

Another well visited attraction in Al Ain is the zoo, established in 1969 by instruction of Sheikh Zayed and opened to the public in 1972. The zoo is the largest in the Middle East and goes in line with the environmental policy adopted by the UAE which focus on protecting

animals, plants and wild life.Stretching over 400 hectares, the

Al Ain Zoo and Aquarium is one of the best zoos in the Gulf region. Its main attractions include the aquarium building, the reptiles, upper monkey, crocodiles and wild cats, birds, African new zone and a large number of cages and pools for a lot of rare animals. It has a children’s playground, trains, cafes, water cooling machines and a mosque. Here is where you can see some rare and local species like the Arabian Oryx and gazelles.

The camel market is not only a place where live camels are bought and sold; it is also a market where the animal’s meat and milk are traded. The market is the great place to get close with the long-legged animal, regarded as the “ship of the desert”. Experts buy camels for racing purposes and fast racing camels are sold for a premium as breeders use them to improve their stock and develop better breeds of the animal. The camel market is one of the main attractions of Al Ain city and is visited by many tourists each year. It is located in Hili area, just eight kilometres from the city centre.

The city also offers outdoor enthusiasts the chance to enjoy lush green wadis, camping and offroad driving along mountain tracks, as well as top class hotels with a full range of sporting and recreational facilities.

Although the discovery of oil in the mid 60s led to considerable changes in the lifestyle of its people, Al Ain still preserves its own distinctive culture that combines unique elements with the cultures of the other Emirates to form the special heritage in evidence today.

Among the factors that distinguish an Al Ain citizen from other UAE nationals are the different dialect and

the special folklore clothes. Marriage and wedding traditions are also quite different.

It is true that the people of Al Ain have embraced the latest aspects of modern life, but they still yearn for their traditional heritage and uphold it. Many still own palm plantations irrigated by falaj and barns to keep cattle, goats, sheep and camels, in addition to some farm birds. Many still enjoy spending a day in the Barr (the open country side) especially after rain, so as to enjoy nature and moderate weather.

Al Ain, with its modern and historical tourist attractions, is a prominent example of marrying modernity with traditions. This distinctive identity has developed into deep trait of social life in the city.


3636

• All visitors with the exception of nationals of GCC and require a visa to visit Al Ain.

• Taxis are plentiful in Ai Ain and are metered and cheap by international standard.

• Arabic is the official language but English is widely spoken as are dozens of other languages.

• Islam is the official religion of the UAE.

• Al Ain has a sub-tropical arid climate. sunny, blue skies can be expected most of the year. rainfall is infrequent and irregular, falling mainly in winter.

• Lightweight summer clothing is suitable for most of the year, but sweaters of jackets may be needed for the winter months, especially in the evening. Care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothes which may be considered revealing.

• The weekend in the UAE is Thursday and Friday when all government offices close. Friday is a religious holiday. shops operate normally on Thursday and Friday evenings. Many shops close daily between 1 pm to 4 pm although larger stores are open throughout the day.

• The Dirhams is divided into 100 fils and us$1 equals approximately Dh 3.65.

For more information about Al Ain, visit the official website on http://www.alain.ae/portal/services/siteMap.aspx

IF YOU GOThousands still are very interested in traditional sports such as camel races, falconry, horse and dog racing and they travel long distances to watch them. Many still savour their traditional coffee and foods.

Tourism in Al Ain started to develop from the middle of the 20th century, thanks in large part to official efforts to safeguard and protect the area’s traditions and culture. The directives and guidelines of the Abu Dhabi government, and recently established Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), have ensured great strides in developing and promoting Al Ain’s tourism, infrastructure, facilities and services.

“This work is continuing with further efforts being directed at publicizing the city’s attractions on the international level. Al Ain is seen as offering a major enhancement to the overall tourism offering of Abu Dhabi emirate, thanks to its unique combination of mountain and oasis landscape, greenery, archaeological treasures and specialized tourism events and activities,” said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.


AMBIENCE

3838

MinaretsMinarets


3939

MinaretsMinarets


4040

Malaysia offers a truly Asian experience. Warm, friendly, polite, sincere and gracious - this is the Malaysian way of life. Everyone is treated like a guest, a brother or a sister, regardless of your race, colour or religion.

OUTSIDE ARABIA

Malaysian hospitality

A truly


414141

“Selamat Detang” says a smiling Adnan, our tour guide, who greeted us as we emerged out of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Still feeling groggy after a long flight I can’t help but marvel at the beautiful surroundings before me. We arrived in Malaysia on a Wednesday afternoon so the warm weather and the clear blue sky create a serene and perfect welcome.

I was in a group of journalists and travel agents from the United Arab Emirates, who along with 11 other countries were invited to discover new attractions in Malaysia, a country known for its hospitality, diverse culture, warm and friendly people, alluring wonders and world-class facilities.

The Federation of Malaysia comprises Peninsula Malaysia made

up of 13 states, three federal territories and the states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo. Its capital is Kuala Lumpur. The country is formed in 1963 after Singapore, Sarawak, British North Borneo and the Federation of Malaya federated to form Malaysia.

The population of Malaysia is more than 27 million, majority are Malays, followed by Chinese and the Indian communities. Though diverse, the citizens work closely together. Adnan explained that in Malaysia, the Malays are the most active in politics, the Chinese in the economy and the Indians are the people who bridge or connect both so there is always a balance in the society.

As soon as we hit the road, I immediately sensed a clean and peaceful country. There were no graffiti, no uncollected trash, no beggars and no shanties. I asked Adnan why the roads are not that busy. It was a holiday, he said, and people are preparing for the celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Kelantan – Cradle of Malay CultureOur first major stop on this

seven-day tour is Kelantan, a charming destination steeped in culture and heritage. Situated in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the land is home

to some of Malaysia’s most splendid cultural legacies.

Kelantan has a laid-back atmosphere and it is one of the three states ruled by pro-Islamic leaders. Many of the locals here are skilled craftsmen, carrying on a tradition that has been passed down by their forefathers. Adnan explained that in earlier years, the main source of living for the state is fishing but during high tide season, the locals needed to find a way to support their families so the cottage industries and crafts were discovered.

Among the exquisite crafts that are produced here include ornate silverware, colourful giant kites, textiles, beautiful woodcarvings and brass work. Kelantan is also famed for its batik and songket fabrics. Word has it that the batik and

songket fabrics produced by the cottage industries here are among the best in the country.

In Kelantan, the shops are dominated by the Malay people, unlike those in Kuala Lumpur and other states where most of the shops are owned by Chinese nationals.

Kota Bharu is the capital of Kelantan and is a bustling town exuding an old-world charm. The friendly locals speak Bahasa Malaysia, the national language with a local dialect and lilt. However, English is widely spoken.

This year, Kelantan is among the three state governments that embark on a campaign to promote their states. On the night we were there, the Visit Kelantan Year 2008 was officially launched and focused on highlighting the state’s unique culture.

The highlight of the evening was a parade of the folk-based activities that can only be found or experienced in Kelantan such as wayang kulit (a shadow play theater performed by casting animated puppet shadows on a white cloth screen), dikir barat (a lively group performance sung in

The people of Kelantan are talented and artistic in different ways, from various arts to hand made crafts. The art performed by these professionals

will definitely mesmerize the people from around the globe.

an

unmistakable local dialect where a lead

singer belts out the lyrics while the group members repeat the chorus lines with rhythmic clapping and hand movements) and top spinning (a traditional game that requires physical dexterity, precision and strength).

Aside from the local cultures, Kelantan still holds many relics from the Japanese Occupation during World War II as this was where the Japanese troops

made their first landing in Malaysia.Amidst the very strong Islamic

influence, the state is home to the longest statue of Reclining Buddha as well as one of the largest statues of Sitting Buddha in Southeast Asia. Visitors to the state can catch traditional performances such as Malay martial arts, folk games and musical performance which we all had a glimpse during the launch.

If you were into adventure, the Nenggiri River offers river rating or hiking up Gunung Stong. Shopping in Kelantan will be a delightful experience as visitors can choose from a wide variety of craft items.

Kelantan targets to receive 5.7 million visitors this year. For more information on Kelantan, contact the Kelantan Tourist Information Centre at +609 748 5534 or email [email protected] or log on to www.tic.kelantan.

gov.my


42

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Putrajaya Marriott Hotel

Lot 3991, IOI Resort

62502 Putrajaya

Tel. 03-89498888

Fax: 03-89498999

Website: www.marriotputrajaya.com

Renaissance Kota Bahru Hotel

Kota Sri Mutiara, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra

15150 Kota Bahru, Kelantan

Tel: 609-7462233

Fax: 609-7461122

Website: www.renaissancehotels.com/kbrbr

Berjaya Times Square Hotel & Convention Center

12-B West Wing Level 12

Berjaya Times Square, No. 1 Jalan Imbi

55000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel. 603-2117 8000

Fax: 603-2148 0813

Website: www.berjayahotels-resorts.com

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia’s Dazzling City

One of the most vibrant cities in Asia, Kuala Lumpur’s main attraction is the stunning Petronas Twin Towers, a world-renowned icon of the country which looks like a huge cake with white icing at night. The world’s tallest twin towers, completed in 1998 towering at a height of 452 meters above ground, represents the country’s dominant culture.

Our group didn’t get a chance to climb up the 41st floor of the tower where one can see the magnificent view of the city of Kuala Lumpur, better known as KL to the locals. It was closed for the public the day we visited but the tower is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 7 pm and one has to queue in the morning to get a ticket for a guided tour of the building. An average of 1,700 guests visits the tower on a daily basis.

The city itself though filled with stunning skyscrapers boasts of it lush greenery and well-manicured parks which add to the refreshing appeal of the city.

Merdeka (Independence) Square is a good starting point to explore KL. Here the national flag lies atop a 100m flagpole, the tallest in the world. Within the square is a field fronting the Royal Selangor Club where Malaysians converge every year to celebrate their independence. Opposite is the ornate Sultan Abdul Samal Building, built in 1897 with Moorish features, clock tower and copper domes. Beautifully illuminated at night, this landmark now houses the Malaysian Supreme and High Courts.

In the city centre, Menara Kuala Lumpur or KL Tower at 421m is another location for a 360 degrees aerial view of the city. The tower doubles as KL’s best known ambassador. It is the fourth tallest telecommunication tower in the world and built to improve the quality of telecommunication and broadcasting transmission in the city.

Dine amidst the clouds at the Seri Angkasa Revolving Restaurant while taking in the sights of the city. If you opt not to dine, the tower has an observation deck with a multi language audio video guide of KL’s city skyline. Surrounding the tower is the Bukit Nanas Reserve, an area of 9.37 hectares, which poses as the oldest forest reserve in the county.

In close proximity to the Petronas Twin Towers is the Aquaria, located at the basement of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. Lovers of aquatic life will enjoy a visit to this gigantic aquarium that takes you to an exciting journey from misty mountains, through the mysterious rainforest, the ever changing coast, reaching beyond reefs and into the mysterious deep blue sea. Spanning over 60,000 square feet, the aquarium offers 33,000 captivating and colourful aquatic and land-bound animals around the world representing 283 different species.

Experience close encounters with the Sand Tiger Sharks, the gigantic Grouper, the over two metre long Arapaima Giga, the world’s largest freshwater fish, prehistoric fishes, stingray, lion fish, seahorses and an open pond full of turtles and typical fishes found in Malaysia. Open daily from 11 am to 8 pm, you and your family can witness fish feeding and shark feedings at the Aquatheater, a 90-metre long tunnel for visitors to walk through.

Not to forget is the Eye on Malaysia, located on Titiwangsa Lake Gardens. A replica of the Eye on London, this 12-minute ferris wheel ride reaches a height of 60 meters and offers a breathtaking view of the city. Eye on Malaysia is the largest portable wheel in the world and the first to be situated over a lake.

After the sun goes down, the city comes alive with a wide variety of exciting nightspots. Karaoke lounges, clubs with love bands and discotheque are among the happening places that make their mark on the city’s vibrant night scene. Unwind at the trendy

With its colourful potpourri of races and cultures, Kuala Lumpur is a kaleidoscope of fascinating sights and sounds. Immerse yourself in its abundance of attractions – exciting theme parks, world-class sporting events, dazzling cultural performances and entertaining nightlife.

sidewalk cafes and delicatessen until late night or sip your favourite drink while you listen to live bands at the clubs. The city’s al fresco outlets are the places to be for a stunning view of KL by night.

If you want to explore the city at night, you can take a stroll along Bintang Walk where you can witness street performances from dancers, stage shows, musicians and a whole lot more. There are foot massage or reflexology centers, souvenir stalls, footwear, sports goods, night clubs, budget hotels and dining places. Close to Bintang Walk is Ain Arabia where you can buy locally sold fruits and dine at the sidewalk eateries.

For avid shoppers, Kuala Lumpur is a veritable shopping paradise in the region. There’s a wide range of shopping establishments catering to every taste and budget. These include one-stop shopping malls, fashionable department stores, well-stocked duty free outlets, trendy boutiques and handicraft centres


44

offering products of finest qualities. The city’s more than 30 malls provide endless shopping opportunities for locals and foreigners alike.

Most of the major malls are conveniently situated near hotels, conventions centres and public transportation facilities. For the adventurous, don’t miss the excitement of bargaining at the open-air markets and the casual street shops.

Enjoy a profusion of mouth-watering delicacies while dining out in KL. The culinary traditions of the Malays, Chinese and Indians as well as other communities make the city a paradise for food lovers. Restaurants offering Vietnamese, Lebanese, Iranian, Indonesian, Arabic, Italian, Vegetarian,

Australian, and Taiwanese cuisine abound in the city. Halal food is widely available and eating out is convenient as many restaurants are open 24 hours.

If you want to witness cultural performance while having dinner, one should go to Seri Melayu Restaurant where traditional cultural show performances are held daily from 8:30 pm to 9:15 pm.

KL offers a wide range of accommodation to suit any preference and budget, from international-standard hotels and resorts to budget hotels. In addition, there are serviced apartments and youth hostels for long-staying guests. Most hotels are situated in the vicinity of shopping malls, theme parks or convention centres.

Getting around the city is also convenient and affordable. KL’s Sentral, the city’s modern transportation hub, provides a comprehensive network of train, buses and taxi services.

For more information on Kuala Lumpur, contact the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Action Council at 603-26176272 or log on to www.kualalumpur.gov.my

Chinese New Year Open House 2008In Malaysia, the Chinese New Year is

one of the most elaborate and important celebrations for Chinese people, regardless of the origin of their ancestors. The celebration is declared a national holiday in the country and the streets are adorned with red lanterns, most of the street and establishments bear the “Gong Xi Fa Cai” sign and the Chinese New Year songs can be heard everywhere, mostly in shopping complexes.

During Chinese New Year’s day and several days that follow, the Chinese hold open houses. This year, the National Chinese New Year Open House was held at Bukit Kintang and was officially launched by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB dato’ Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi and other dignitaries.

Open house is the time when relatives and friends, regardless of their races and religions will visit one another, exchanging good wishes and gifts like tangerines and other traditional New Year’s delicacies.

As festivities in Malaysia are celebrated by all communities, the open house concept bears the testimony to the fact that tolerance and mutual

Putrajaya is a thoroughly modern and vibrant city, a model township that has been constructed with detailed planning, innovative urban design and utmost concern for the preservation of the environment. For all Malaysians, Putrajaya is the realization of a vision and a heritage of Malaysia’s future generations

respect are evidently observed in this multi-racial country. In fact, this is a very unique practice in Malaysia that symbolizes the unique diversity of culture and religion here.

Like other major celebrations in the country, Chinese New Year is also celebrated at national level where open house will be held. Malaysians, as well as tourists around the world, are welcome to join in the celebration of this auspicious event. There is an array of local delicacies for all the guests, cultural show and other performance.

Putrajaya – Intelligent Garden CityPutrajaya is Malaysia’s new federal

administrative capital. Just half an hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, it is famed for its innovative design harmonizing nature and development. It is a modern city which embraces the concept of an intelligent garden city and showcases the best of Malaysian architectural design in an environmentally-friendly setting of beautifully landscaped lakes and park.

Our new tour guide, Ramli explained that Putrajaya is developed by the country’s fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, called the Father of Modernisation, who is also behind the country’s other landmarks such as the Kuala Lumpur Tower, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Petronas Twin Towers, Cyberjaya and the Formula 1 circuit.

But it was renamed Putrajaya in honour of Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Alhaj for his invaluable contributions to the nation. He is Malaysia’s “Father of Independence”.

Putrajaya sits on 5,000 acres of land, of which 38 percent is being developed into parks, lakes and wetlands while the remaining is reserved for government offices, commercial and residential areas as well as public utilities and amenities.

The centerpiece of the city is the 650-hectare man-made Putrajaya Lake, which serves as a climate moderator. Visitors to Putrajaya will surely notice the unique designs of the street lights lining its wide roads. There are 56 designs of street lights similar to designs of street lights from 56 different countries, such as the obor (torch) and wau (giant kite). There are eight unique and distinctive bridges that are similar to bridges found in several states in


45

• The main gateway to Malaysia is through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. over 40 international airlines fly into the country such as etihad Airways but the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines can cover the local destinations.

• The Malaysian currency is referred to as ringgit or rM. us$1 is equivalent to 3.25 rM and 100 dirhams is equivalent to 85 rM.

• Most nationalities do not require visas for social or business visits. other nationals can get visas on arrival. Visitors must be in possession of a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months beyond the period of stay.

• Islam is the official religion but other religions are practised freely.

• Malaysia has a tropical climate with warm weather all year round with temperatures ranging from 21 to 32 degrees Celsius.

• besides public buses and taxis, the Light rail Transit (LrT) services, KL Monorail and KTM Komuter inter-city rail services offer hassle-free accessibility to well-known landmarks in KL as well as outlying districts and nearby towns.

• All states (with the exception of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu) observe saturday as half-day and sundays as public holiday. The three states observe Fridays as half-day and saturdays as a public holiday.

• before visiting a home, it is polite to call and inform of one’s arrival. shoes must always be removed when entering a Malaysian home. Drinks are generally offered and it would be polite to accept.

For more of Malaysia, visit the official website at www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my or contact the local office at suite no.009, Mezzanine Floor, Al safeena bldg., near Lamcy Plaza, P.o. box 4598, Dubai, united Arab emiratesTel. (+971 4 3377578/ 9) Fax (+971 4 3353318)

IF You GoAmerica, England and other countries. According to Ramli, the former PM had the designs of the original bridges modified by the country’s architect and was then constructed in Putrajaya.

The best view of Putrajaya can be seen at the Putrajaya International Convention Center, the design of which was inspired by the traditional pending perak (silver royal belt buckle) and wau bulan (moon kite). PICC covers a total area of about 135,000 square meter over nine levels and its Plenary Hall can accommodate approximately 3,000 delegates. With all its modern facilities, PICC can host international and regional conventions, exhibitions and private functions.

The largest botanical garden in the country, Taman Botani is found in Putrajaya. It extends over 92 hectares and is divided into three sections – flowers, ornamental plants and preservation/research. Taman Botani has over 700 species of local plants as well as those from the African and Asia Pacific regions.

On your way to the garden, you will not miss the design of the floor bearing names of different plants. The logo of the garden is also a local umbrella shaped palm. Families can visit the garden where children can enjoy the surroundings and its beautiful landscape. After a tour of the garden, your family can enjoy local cuisine at the seafood restaurant situated in a lake inside the garden.

The official residence of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Seri Perdana, is here in Putrajaya and is also used for official receptions and banquets. Seri Perdana comprises three blocks – main reception/protocol block, banquet block and residence block.

Another attraction in Putrajaya is the pink-domed Putra Mosque, constructed of rose-tinted granite and can accommodate 15,000 worshippers at any one time. The basement wall of the mosque resembles that of the King Hassan Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Its impressive minaret is influenced by the design of Sheikh Omar Mosque in Baghdad. At 116 metres, it is the tallest minaret in the region and has five tiers representing the Five Pillars of Islam.

For more information on Putrajaya, contact the Putrajaya Information Center at 603-8888 7272 or log on to www.ppj.gov.my.


4646

A comprehensive equestrian-themed residential community set to be developed in Ajman promises a unique living experience, not found elsewhere in the region.

Escape, a 200-acre exclusive gated community offering villas and low rise apartments, a boutique hotel, and full range of equestrian facilities in addition to several multi-purpose sports arenas. The development is located on the Emirates Road, on the Ajman – Sharjah border.

“Escape will offer a new and healthier kind of lifestyle. Conveniently located to urban centers, yet removed from traffic and other urban stress, the community has been carefully designed to provide residents with an abundance of nature, peaceful views, and privacy not seen in other developments,” said Anwer Sher, General Manager of Escape LLC.

Named after H.H .Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman’s World Champion Arabian Stallion, Escape Ibn Navarrone – D, the 8.2 square million foot development

is currently offering luxurious villas in three and four bedroom styles, with more villas and the apartments set for phased release over the coming months.

“Each villa is being planned so that it has a view onto planned bridle paths, or public park space areas. We have worked with the natural topography of the site, and enhanced existing land rises and using the lay of the land to promote a feeling of space and privacy,” he explained.

There will be over 500 three and four-bedroom villas, including ten luxury villas, and a total of six additional floor plan options. The villas at Escape will maintain open space, without property walls, and architecture inspiration follows the traditional Arabic, Ottoman, and Mediterranean influences. Low rise apartments border the residential area of the development and are only between eight and thirteen levels so as to further enhance the relaxed, country atmosphere of the community.

“We have placed a huge emphasis on architecture and design in an effort

There will be over 500 three and four-bedroom

villas, including ten luxury villas, and a total of six

additional floor plan options. The villas at escape will

maintain open space, without property walls, and

architecture inspiration follows the traditional Arabic, ottoman, and Mediterranean

influences.

PROPERTY

Escape promisescountry living experience


4747

Escape offers an unparalleled

healthy, outdoor and naturally-inspired lifestyle not found

elsewhere in the region. Its appeal is

cross-cultural, and its relative affordability creates inclusiveness

targeted to all segments of society.

to differentiate Escape from other residential offerings. Our design philosophy is based on a desire to link this vibrant modern community to the important traditional foundations of Islamic art and architecture,” said Donald Green, Concept Architect for Escape.

In addition to the villas, there will be 16 apartment buildings which will offer one, two, and three bedroom styles in buildings of varying height. The apartment buildings will vary from G + 8 to 13, allowing for topographical variation in this section of the development.

Not only an ideal home for people, Escape will feature some of the most carefully designed and beautiful barns in the region. The development will offer stabling for 200 horses including a state-of-the-art equestrian spa dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured horses, and a comprehensive mix of in-and-outdoor riding arenas and training facilities. Catering to horses from all equestrian disciplines and staffed by international equine care specialists, the facility will diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate troubled or injured horses from a variety of holistic treatment approaches.

Escape offers a total of 223 stalls, 24 of which are in purpose built quarantine stable blocks, thus giving the entire community the capacity to host horses from abroad for major international competitions.

Located at the heart of the community is the HoofbeatZTM Center, a two-level activities clubhouse which introduces a unique mix of equestrian-themed activities and entertainment in addition to traditional sports facilities ideal for the entire family. This component is the heart of the entire Escape equestrian community. The HoofbeatZTM Activities Centre is attached to the Resort at Escape, and also offers a gym, changing rooms, a restaurant, and a sports-themed bar. It is the ideal place for friends and families to meet and become acquainted with the world of the horse and each other.

“Escape is not only for the horse lover. We have included facilities for indoor sport such as basketball, volleyball, and squash to name a few, plus a multi-purpose outdoor sports arena ideal for football and

rugby matches as well as equestrian competitions or shows. We are also offering the first polo cross field in the region,” said Eileen Verdieck, Partner of Escape LLC.

“Our HoofbeatZTM Program introduces non - traditional equestrian games, workshops, and experiences that are all designed to broaden the base of those interested in horses, and to allow for people to learn about the horse as never before. These are brand new ideas and activities that are ideal for the entire family; our ultimate goal is foster a new generation of equine enthusiasts and professionals from the UAE,” added Verdieck.

Set on a natural rise, and adjacent to the HoofbeatZTM Center is the Resort at Escape, a 150 room equestrian – themed boutique hotel, where each room will be dedicated to a different breed of horse and will feature stunning original artwork and murals. “This will be the only equestrian-themed hotel in the world,” said Verdieck.

The Resort at Escape will house several restaurants, conferencing facilities, a Middle Eastern and Asian – inspired spa, tennis courts, two swimming pools, and full gym and fitness facilities. Rooms within the hotel are all uniquely positioned with views that either look down into a central courtyard which doubles as an equestrian show ring, or out across the surrounding pastures and stabling blocks.

Conceptualized and developed by Equine Management Services, one of the world’s leading equine solutions company, Escape is expected to be fully operational by 2010. For more information, log on to www.escapeajman.com


ATTRACTIONS

The new Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort is a multi-facility property with hotels, a souk and amphitheatre catering to the region’s desire for high quality weekend getaways and the MICE market’s needs for exceptional conference facilities.

48

Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort


49

Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort balcony or terrace with two chairs and low table and steam and sauna rooms.

There are extra facilities provided for executive rooms like a private check-in and use of the Miramar Executive Lounge, a fruit basket which is replenished daily, light refreshments throughout the day in the lounge, complimentary use of wireless internet in the Miramar Executive Lounge, a late check out, among others.

Guests will be treated to a variety of dining experience with Al Majlis which is the resort’s main buffet and all-dining restaurant and terrace, the Al Moltaqa which is a lobby bar and terrace and the Sensasia which is an Asian Fusion restaurant. Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort has an Italian Restaurant called Mammone, a pool restaurant and bar, a beach bar and a fun pub or discotheque. There is also a traditional Arabic café where you can enjoy your shisha.

Children will enjoy their stay at Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort where a Kid’s Club called Jay Jay’s The Funky Camel Kids Club will entertain them with fun and educational programs, daily animation activities and indoor and outdoor play courts. There is a shaded pool to enjoy the waters of the swimming pool. And don’t forget that parents can always enjoy and relax

because the resort has baby sitting services.

Those who are thinking of holding conferences away from Dubai can have it at Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort. The place is an ideal location for small conferences, seminars, or cocktails. Al Diwan meeting room can accommodate up to 150 persons theater style. Whether you are organizing a silver service banquet or a more informal event, Al Diwan is the right choice.

A haven of peace and tranquility set against the ambience of natural beauty, for those who wish to relax, restore and rejuvenate, body mind and spirit. A paradise filled with exotic aromas, essential oils, spice and floral fragrances, designed to enhance and optimize the total “mind - body experience” Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort Wellness & Spa Center is a sanctuary designed to peel away the layers of daily stress with our very special services. Pamper yourself while your body melts into relaxation and your mind drifts gently.

The spectacular Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort is now open, with 321 rooms and suites amid of breathtaking oceanic view of the east coast of the United Arab Emirates. For reservations contact [email protected], for more details [email protected], phone +971 9 2449994, Fax +971 9 2449995 or visit www.iberotel-eg.com

Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort, managed by Iberotel is located on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates, approximately 15 km from Dibba Village, 45 km from Fujairah city and 90 minutes from cosmopolitan Dubai, with many rooms facing the sea and a private beach in the charming Emirate of Fujairah.

Fujairah is characterized by the jagged Hajaar Mountains, which border the fertile coastal plain where most settlement has taken place. Blessed with dramatic scenery, Fujairah attractions include some excellent diving sites, the natural beauty of the mountains and coastline, cultural and historic attractions and of course, reliable winter sunshine.

The 5-star beach resort has an ideal location for a relaxing holiday with Moroccan architecture and facades, the main building with a spread out clusters of three floors and 200 m. of a private sandy beach.

The resort features three floors consisting of 321 rooms and suites, with many rooms facing the ocean. There are 191 superior rooms, 90 deluxe rooms with two additional sofa beds separated by wooden partition equipped with a sliding door which is ideal for families visiting the resort. The 20 executive rooms have one bed area and a living area separated by a light partition. The 18 suites are categorized into four namely Al Qasr Suites with a private pool, Al Bawadi, Al Rawda and Al Dhow Suites.

Each guest room is equipped with a mini bar, an in-room tea and coffee making facilities, a satellite TV with hotel interactive and entertainment system, a laundry service, 24 hour room service, high speed internet access and a


50

The Wafi World Cup Collection

FASHION & STYLE


51

Wafi offers ‘All the Right Looks for a Photo Finish’ from their unique and eclectic brands to give Wafi customers the chance to look their very best for this year’s Dubai World Cup on March 29th.

A series of fashion events were held last March 3 and 4 to give a preview of the latest spring collections from leading design houses and emerging new designers.

The selection of clothes presented at the fashion shows showcased the premiere of the some of the world’s most original, and influential fashion brands, many of which are exclusive to WAFI. The classic luxury of Gerard Darel and The Designer Club, to the unconventional and edgy creations of 109 and Bugatti B More, or the raw originality of Ginger & Lace, Tiger Lily

and Desert Rose, to the glamour of Unrath & Strano, Roberto Cavalli and Etoile La Boutique, accompanied with bags from Crystal Temptations and hats from Oasis Fashion were just a brief sample of some of the many brands that are available at Wafi.

“Wafi has always attracted stores that can provide something more special and eclectic and is ideal for people who want to express their own sense of racing style and be a part of the thrilling and ever-changing fashion fest for the Dubai World Cup,” explained Victoria Smith Marketing Director for Wafi.

“Dubai World Cup brings people together for a grand day out with family, friends, or clients, with all eyes firmly fixed on Dubai as one of the global hotspots for glamour and

sophistication and it is little wonder that many regular race-goers choose Wafi, which is regarded as one of the most elegant shopping complexes in Dubai, to find unique pieces to wear, with exceptional hats, to stand out from the crowd”.

The make up and artists were provided by FACE Stockholm the Swedish cosmetics company that provides makeup and skin care true to the Swedish beauty ideal - natural, simple, gorgeous and fun. FACE Stockholm offers more than 200 lip shades, over 150 eye shadows, foundations, powders, professional makeup tools, and a natural skin care line, they are eco-conscious, using minimal packaging and never test on animals.


52

March 1st 2008 sees the unveiling of Sharjah’s first fully grassed golf facility at the Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club. Complete with a 9 hole fully grassed and floodlit (from Sept. 08) golf course designed by world renowned designer Peter Harradine this golfers paradise is complimented by a 300 meter, all grass, driving range with a 6425 square meter short game area and a 1095 square meter putting green.

Martin Duff, a British Advanced PGA Professional since 1995, is at the helm of the operation bringing with him over 8 years of experience in the UAE golf industry. The facility offers a unique combination of pay and play and membership packages which will prove appealing to tourists, beginners, experienced golfers and families from Sharjah, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and beyond.

World class golf facility at

Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club


53

When asked about the facility Martin commented “In my time here in the UAE I have become very familiar with the 5 star facilities available here at all the clubs in the UAE. Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club is no exception in terms of standards. The facility is designed by Harradine Golf who are extremely well respected golf course designers with their reputation stretching across the Middle East and into Europe.”

“Also our facility will be maintained by Orient Irrigation who also has a proven and acclaimed track record in the UAE. The combination of their efforts and ours here at the club will provide our members and the public with an outstanding golfing experience. The grass bay driving range is truly a delight to practice on. It is beautifully shaped and with 10 clearly defined practice greens offering inviting shots of all lengths to all users.”

“The short game area I can say with confidence is one of the best in the UAE. Shots of up to 70 yards can be played from flat and sloping lies. Also

the strategically shaped rough is not only pleasing to the eye but also offers further shot variation. The putting green also is extremely appealing in design with various undulations as well as flat areas allowing golfers to learn or practice every type of putt they can expect to face on the course,” added Martin.

The course itself is wall to wall grass and fully floodlit allowing play well into the evening. At 7,357 yards, and a par of 72 (if played twice from the championship tees) golfers can opt for the stiffest of challenges or play from the day tees and play a more forgiving layout measuring 6747 yards. The course features unique landscaping, numerous water and sand hazards as well challenging pin and tee placements.

Martin commented “The Harradine name virtually guarantees quality in design, but this I am sure will be one of his proudest creations. The course will only be 9 holes but with so many tee options and pin positions it will feel like 2 totally different loops of 9. Also to our advantage is our location. We

are 90 seconds of Emirates road and 4 minutes from Sharjah Airport. We are located immediately after the Airport/Al Dhaid road junction (if coming from Dubai).”

“Another unique asset is the Club’s other activities. We boast a gym, an indoor shooting range, tennis and basket ball courts, hair salon and 2 paintball parks. By the end of 2008 a purpose built Academy will be added to the clubs already impressive portfolio. Other additions include a spa, conference facilities and theme restaurants. All this means the entire family can be entertained from dawn to dusk,” said Martin.

The published rates for the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club (green fees and memberships) are available on the clubs website www.golfandshootingshj.com as is a virtual tour giving interested parties a realistic feel of what visitors can expect from Sharjah’s first fully grassed golf course. Enquiries can also be made at [email protected] or call +971 6 5487777.


5454

norooz which means new Day or new Year as the Iranians call it is a celebration of the beginning of the spring. It has been celebrated by all the major cultures of ancient Mesopotamia. norooz with its uniquely Iranian characteristics has been celebrated for at least 3000 years and is deeply rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Zoroastrian (the religion of ancient Persia before the advent of Islam in the 7th century A.D.).Iranians considered norooz as their biggest celebration of the year. The ceremonies are symbolic representations of two ancient concepts – the end and the rebirth, or Good and evil. before the new Year, Iranians clean and rearrange their homes; they buy or make new clothes, bake pastries and germinate seeds as sign of renewal. but a major part of the new Year ritual is setting the “Haft seen” (cloth of seven dishes), where a special cover is spread on to the Persian carpet or on a table in every Persian household, containing seven specific items. The number seven has been sacred in Iran since the ancient times and the seven dishes stand for the seven angelic heralds of life - rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience and beauty.All the seven items you will find on the table start with the letter “s” and usually are sabzeh (sprouts, usually wheat or lentil representing

Norooz comes to Millennium Hotel Sharjah


55

birth); samanoo (a pudding made out of wheat representing the ultimate sophistication of Persian cooking); seeb (apple representing health and beauty); senjed (a sweet, dry fruit of the lotus tree representing love); seer (garlic representing medicine); somaq (an Iranian spice which color represents sunrise); and serke (vinegar representing age and patience).other elements and symbol of norooz will be displayed at shiraz restaurant like a few coins placed on a sofreh (cloth), a basket of painted eggs, a seville orange floating in a bowl of water, a goldfish in a bowl, a flask of rose water, a mirror and a pot of flowering hyacinth.This March, the Haft seen will be displayed at shiraz, the Iranian restaurant in Millennium Hotel sharjah as part of the celebration of the Iranian new Year beginning March 21. Aside from the food display, you will also see troubadours, referred to as Haji Firuz, who disguised themselves with make up and wear brightly coloured silk cloth with a red cap. The Haji Firuz, singing and dancing will parade with tambourines, kettle drums, and trumpets to spread good cheer and the news of the coming new year. “norooz is an important occasion for the Iranians and we want them to know that we’re creating a big celebration for them. There’s no place to do it than at our own Iranian restaurant where guests can join in the merry

making and enjoy the sumptuous Iranian meals and delicacies prepared by our Iranian chefs,” said najid bensouda, General Manager of Millennium Hotel sharjah.The restaurant will prepare the Iranian traditional foods like salad-e-shirazi, Masto Khiar, bourani bademjan, salad, Mahi and soup_e-Jo, Ash_e_reshteh from the Charcoal Grill Chelo Kabab-e-Koubideeh, Chello Kebab sishlik, Chelo Kebab_e_Meygu. The all time favourite Iranian sweets like Meiv-aeiy, Makloud, baklawa, Cholezar, shirniy, samano will be prepared especially for the occasion.“This is also the perfect time to learn about the symbols and elements of the Iranian new Year. our staff will be ready to answer your questions about the food and other decorations at shiraz. so we want to encourage the Iranians to invite their friends to experience the norooz celebration here at Millennium Hotel sharjah,” added bensouda.You don’t need to travel to Iran to experience how Iranians celebrate their new year. You just need to take a trip to Millennium Hotel sharjah and experience it yourself. For reservations and enquiries, call +971 6 5566666 oremail [email protected]

From Millennium Hotel sharjah, norooz Mobarak.


56

A hidden gem at Le Méridien Village Abu Dhabi Le Bistrot, a dining space whereby comforts of the interior, menu and service are enjoyed by all who step upon its terraces or within its charming dining room. The menu is inspired by Chef Nicola Beau, a talented young French chef with aspirations to set a mark in Abu Dhabi on French cuisine, he delivers a refreshing approach to innovative French cuisine utilizing a combination of local products with French culinary delights. Chef Nicola and restaurant manager Fadi are cooking up some new ideas and introducing a new menu for Le Bistrot. The atmosphere is relaxed suitable for family gatherings, business lunches and intimate dinners. Our chef will overwhelm you with his selection of delightful authentic French dishes and you can also savour our exquisite selection of reds and whites. Monthly promotions and daily specials are always a special surprise to regulars and new comers.

Whether you are in search of the right place for a romantic dinner or a quick business lunch on the terrace, you will be delighted with what you will find in this French corner; no wonder it earned the What’s On Award for Best European Restaurant category in 2007.

Opening HoursLunch - 12:30 p.m. till 3:30 p.m.Dinner - 7:00 p.m. till 11:30 p.m.Closed for lunch on Saturdays

Tel 02- 644 6666

DINING PROMOTIONS

Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa

58

March-ingdelights

58

A line-up of celebrations awaits food enthusiasts this March.

There’s the Easter celebration where the whole family can

indulge in an “egg-citing” Easter brunch, St. Patrick’s Day

and of course, Mother’s Day. Set the date and make your

reservations now.


5959

Al Bustan Rotana Hotel

Choices, the newly opened restaurant at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel brings lunch dining experience to a new level as it offers its flavourful International Lunch Buffet everyday.

From Saturday to Thursday, indulge in an extensive variety of culinary treats from all over the world at Choices. From Arabic to Italian to Indian to Japanese to Continental, name it and you will find it in the buffet. Six live cooking stations including Tandoori, Noodles, Pasta, Grilled (BBQ), Falafel and even the extraordinary Teppan Ice Cream station are available to ensure that only the freshest and most delectable dishes are prepared. This excellent lunch adventure is only AED 140 net per person from 12 noon till 03:00 pm.

Every Friday, enjoy a relaxing weekend with the Choices Family Lunch. The weekend lunch buffet features a lavish spread of rich signature dishes from all over the world. Kids and

adults alike will have fun exploring all the exciting flavours of the countless dishes to choose from for only Dhs.150, inclusive of soft drinks and net per person, every Friday from 12:30 till 03:00 pm.

This March, you are cordially invited to feast on the finest and authentic flavours of Australia right here in Dubai! Rodeo Grill Restaurant and Bar, the award-winning steakhouse at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel is proud to host Jennice and Raymond Kersh, Australia’s renowned culinary siblings in an exclusive five day promotion of the country’s local cuisine and native menus from March 16th to 20th, 2008.

Looking for a new and exciting place to celebrate the joyful Easter festivities? The all-new Choices restaurant at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel is

your perfect choice! Bring your family and friends to an extravagant and enchanting Easter feast served in the contemporary surroundings of Choices for only AED 250 net per person inclusive of selected beverages or AED 330 net per person inclusive champagne. Kids aged 6 to 11 enjoy a special price of only AED 100 and children below 5 years old are free of charge. For further information, call Al Bustan Rotana Hotel at 4 2820000.

Al Diar Siji Hotel, Fujairah

Al Diar Siji Hotel, Fujairah is all set for a big celebration in honor of St. Patrick of Ireland. Although this tradition is generally Irish in tradition, you need not be an Irish to enjoy this day. Come to Zorba Bar & Cocktail Lounge on

March 17 and take pleasure in songs, wines, beers and a sumptuous selection of ala carte.

After a late night out, you tend to be a bit lazy the following day and there’s no better way to start the day but with a relaxing brunch. This March, Al Diar Siji Hotel, Fujairah launches a special festive Friday Brunch at Al Diwan Restaurant just for you. All set to provide a pleasant and memorable dining experience this month is a wide spread of international cuisines, appetizers, and desserts at the buffet counter.

In addition to the beautifully set up buffet with international menu selections, the ‘Friday Brunch’ also features a variety of food stations at the Terrace and a fine selection of starters and specialty breakfast and lunch dishes followed by desserts from around the world. Relax and dine at Zorba Bar and Lounge with exceptional and flavorful Spanish and Mexican dishes prepared Texas-style while listening to the equally superb Viva Duo from Bulgaria as they render a wide range of music repertoire. For enquiries, call (09) 223 2000.

Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites

Passionate about seafood? Then make Pergolas restaurant at Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites your harbour to indulge into blue waters’ delicacies with addition of their new seafood night. It is the night to savour the treasures of the ocean. Luxuriate a wealth of sumptuous seafood recipes put together by our master chef in an exclusive seafood buffet along with enticing

Al Bustan Rotana

Al Murooj Rotana

Al Murooj Rotana


60

live cooking stations. Step in, indulge and feel enriched.

The seafood theme night is available from 7:00 pm till 11:30 pm. There are two packages available: AED 185* net per person including soft drinks, chilled juices and mineral water or AED 225* net per person including selected beers & wines. Children between 5 and 12 years get 50% discount.

The bright Easter Sunday and the beautiful season of spring is a perfect time for an eggciting celebration! There’s something for everyone this Easter at Pergolas restaurant.

Sink your teeth in delightful traditional recipes presented by our expert chefs in a Mega Easter Brunch. It will bring an unforgettable experience for entire family with rich gastronomical spreads and plenty of entertainment. The offers are priced at AED 179* net per person inclusive of soft drinks and juices and AED 199* net per person with unlimited selected beverages. Kids can look forward to lots of fun, including exciting Egg Hunt, visit of Easter Bunny, face painting and other activities. Children between 5 & 12 years get 50% discount.

When it comes to discussion about where the good food comes from, all three of the best gastronomic guides in France, Gault-Millau, le Bottin Gourmand and Michelin, are in

agreement on one point - the Pays Basque is one of the best regions in France to look for it.

Following already well-established tradition of bringing the finest food to its guests on a plate, Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites will host a popular Michelin Star Chef, Jean Batiste Daguerre from St. Pee-sur-Nivelle (Pays Basque) in its Waterside Seafood Restaurant & Terrace from the 2nd till the 8th of March 2008.

Chef Daguerre will demonstrate his unique culinary creations in a special menu, unveiling delicacies of traditional Basque cuisine combined with his signature cooking style. The seafood lovers will be delighted to savour the freshest Atlantic fishes and seafood which form the base of Basque cuisine. It’s another unforgettable epicurean experience not to be missed!For reservations and more information, please call 04-3211111 or e-mail on [email protected]. Waterside Seafood Restaurant & Terrace is open daily from 7:00 pm till 11:30 pm.

Burj Al ArabJunsui, Burj Al Arab’s

new authentic Asian restaurant, will be open to external guests for breakfast reservations as of 11th February 2008. The ‘Around the World’ breakfast

comprises a wide selection of authentic Asian as well as International dishes, prepared and served at the restaurant’s 12 live cooking stations from 7:00 to 10:30 am for the price of AED 250.

The Ultimate Afternoon Tea will consist of an indulgent seven course menu, with a selection of 50 loose leaf teas to choose from. The lavish menu includes a glass of bubbly, delicate finger sandwiches, succulent cuts of meat or fish from the carvery, sorbet, scones and clotted cream, a mixed berry basket, an exquisite selection of French pastries, and a variety of hand-crafted petit fours for the price of AED 395.

From March onwards at Majlis Al Bahar, the Chef will be preparing a succulent piece of meat or fresh seafood on a tabletop BBQ on Burj Al Arab’s private beach. Mouthwatering starters and salads accompany this personalized BBQ with waiters at hand to serve the guest’s every need and guests can also savour the aromas of Majlis Al Bahar’s special mix of shisha.

The BBQ is served a la carte and priced accordingly. For more information, please contact Burj Al Arab Restaurant Reservations at Telephone: +971 4 3017600 or email: [email protected]

Burjuman Rotana Suites

There’s something for everyone this Easter at Burjuman Rotana Suites. Enjoy the eggciting experience in a Mega Easter Brunch at The Gallery Restaurant for only AED 119* net with unlimited fresh juices and soft drinks. There’s more for kids as well, a 50% discount for children between 6 and 10 years and a complimentary brunch for children below 6 years.We will take care of the kids this Easter. A funny character will take them to play one hour in Fun World in Burjuman Centre. That’s not it! They will also take home yummy, chocolate and Easter giveaways. For reservation or more information, please call (971) 4 5087833.

Le Meridien Abu Dhabi

Burjuman Rotana


61

Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa

Waves Restaurant is offering a delicious a la carte lunch and dinner menu, combined with its renowned freshly prepared seafood dishes, using top quality ingredients. After the sun sets over the Indian Ocean, Waves transforms into the perfect setting for a romantic candle-light dinner.

Choose your fresh fish from Waves’ special display, the local catch of the day is selected by our Executive Chef Mauro. Whether you like your fish grilled, fried or boiled, the choice is yours. This special offer is available daily for lunch and dinner.

Welcome to the ideal exotic venue with an abundance of legendary “Tabu” cocktails, shooters and specialty drinks. Enjoy a large selection of Cuban cigars, relaxing with cool tunes and a hint of tropical vibes. Tabu offers Happy Hour every day from 6pm – 8pm (50% off on selected beverages) ad step in and boogie to the tunes of our new resident band “Creole Stars” at the most happening bar on the East Coast from 6pm – 1am. For further information please contact 971 9 2449888.

Grand HyattTake your family on

a special journey to Italy at Andiamo! to enjoy the taste of our Easter buffet, especially prepared for the occasion. The celebrations commence with a fantastic selection of antipasti, followed by fresh, handmade pastas. Enjoy live gelato and tiramisu stations, while your children play at the special Kidz club Easter party with the Easter Bunny. Prices at AED 150 per person or AED 240 per person with free flowing sparkling wine, beers and wines from Italy and AED 75 for children (6-12) incl. soft drinks.

Manhattan Grill will play host to a truly luxurious Easter lunch and dinner with a five course set menu featuring succulent Spring lamb dishes created for those who like to experience the finer things in life, followed by deluxe chocolates and a complimentary glass of champagne especially selected by our head sommelier. Starting Friday 21st of March to Sunday 23rd of March for AED 400 including one glass of champagne.

Get yourself and your children excited for the Easter Bunny with Grand Hyatt Dubai’s very own patisserie,

Panini. Stocking a selection of handmade goodies such as luscious chocolates in all shapes and sizes and many other sweet treats for you all to enjoy! Whether you give these goodies as gifts or simply want to pamper yourself with some tasty delights, call into Panini and you will be sure to find the perfect delicacy.Daily 8:00am – 1:00am. For reservations, please call 04 317 2222.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Enjoy Easter festivities with a real family feast at Beachcombers restaurant. Guests can enjoy a sumptuous Asian-Malay style brunch and dinner, whilst soaking up the panoramic views of the beach and the stunning Burj Al Arab from 21st - 22nd March 2008 for AED 200 per person.

Guests who come for brunch on Easter Sunday can enjoy the sounds of traditional Cuban band, Banda Nueva, and will receive access to the special Events Arena which will host a range of exciting entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Price at AED 400 per person and AED 200 per child.

Latitude will be getting

in the festive spirit with a selection of chocolate themed cocktails for their Easter brunch to accompany the electric variety of cooking stations. Children will be kept entertained by the range of activities on offer including a magician, face painting and balloon shaping. From 21st to 23rd of March from 12:30 to 4:00 pm for AED 325 per person (with selected alcoholic beverages); AED 245 per person (with selected fruit juices) and AED 65 per child.Celebrate Easter at Dhow and Anchor with a celebration for the whole family to enjoy. On Good Friday, feast on roast beef followed by a unique desert, and on Easter Sunday enjoy a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings and a special range of luxurious chocolate deserts. For more information, please contact Jumeirah Beach Hotel at Tel: +9714 406 8999 or Email: [email protected]

Le Meridien Abu Dhabi

On Sunday March 23rd, 2008, Le Méridien Abu Dhabi will host a family day filled with entertainment to celebrate the Easter festivities. So bring the children and tell

Grand Hyatt

Sheraton Deira

Al Bustan Rotana


62

leaves the adults to enjoy an afternoon of pure indulgence and relaxation. The brunch is priced at AED 169 per person with seven to twelve year olds half price and six years and under for free.

On 17th March join the Irish of Dubai in celebrating all things Irish at the Somerset’s pub in the Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai! The pub grub in Somerset’s will take a Celtic twist with an Irish menu to include favourites such as Irish stew. Of course the Guinness and uisce beatha will be flowing and it is only AED 60 for one main course and one Irish Drink.

Friday 21st March will be dedicated to Mothers across the UAE as we celebrate the national Mother’s Day. Our weekly Friday brunch will have a maternal focus with Mums being number one! From 12 noon until 3pm let our chefs create your favourite dishes at our live cooking stations or choose from the international buffet boasting dishes from across

the globe. A glass of bubbly awaits the grown ups and special give always for the mums! The brunch costs AED 149 per person with children aged seven to twelve half price and under six years for free. For bookings please call 04 336 6000.

Moevenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba

As of March 13th 2008, the Bridge Café is again open from 9am until midnight. Enjoy the warm Aqaba nights with magnificent views over the city and Ayla archeological site during a game of Backgammon and the company of our Oud Player.

An exciting Pasta Promotion is being organized at Al Sufra Restaurant & Terrace, our Mediterranean Fine Dining Restaurant & Te5race as of March 15th, 2008. A selection of local and imported wines is available.

The famous BBQ candle light dinners every Thursday at Palm Court Restaurant & Terrace will be re-organized as of March 13th, 2008. Enjoy the delicacies from several exciting live cooking stations and live entertainment by hotel’s music due and the belly dancer. For JD 18++ per person.

The Red Sea Grill is located right at the hotel’s

your friends to join a family day of Easter theme in the Village Gardens.

Children will enjoy bunny characters, face painting, bouncing castle and amusing prizes for egg hunting and drawing competitions. Brothers Three at the center garden will play your tunes from 1:00 till 4:00 pm. Easter lunch buffet at La Brasserie and at the Village. Lunch begins from 1:00 to 3:30pm.

Prices for adults AED 165 net, children (6-12 yrs) AED 85 net including soft beverages.Easter goodies takeaways, chocolate eggs & bunnies will be available at Al Finjan. Book your tickets from 15th of March between 7:00 and 11:00pm at the Village booth or call 02-644 6666.

To all meat lovers, March is the month of Beef at our infamous Italian restaurant Pappagallo, whether you prefer it grilled, braised, pan-fried or together with our fresh pastas and fresh vegetables, our expert chef

will happily make your beef to your preference. Outdoor seating always available.

Moevenpick Hotel Bur Dubai

This Easter make your chocolate gifts a little more special with a personalised message or name. At the Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai you can order handmade Easter Eggs with a specific message which will be carefully written in icing onto the Eggs by our skilled pastry chefs. These Eggs will make the ideal treat and are available from Café Espresso through the month of March.

The Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai will host an eggtastic Easter Brunch on Sunday 23rd March in the Fountain restaurant and Liwan Garden. The Liwan Garden will be transformed into a rabbit’s paradise with an Easter Egg hunt for all the children. Face painting, bouncy castle and crafts will keep the youngsters busy with video games and DVDs for the older children. This

Renaissance Dubai Hotel

Movenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba


63

private beach with a magnificent view of the Red Sea. Serving some of Aqaba’s best fresh seafood specialties with an Afro Arab twist, including the famous fish Sayadieh, the Red Seal Grill will re-open of March 13th, 2008 for dinner only and remain open throughout the year until the end of November.

Moevenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea

On 21st March, mums of all ages will love our special Mother’s Day lunch and dinner specials at Al Saraya. One mother per table will eat for free at Al Saraya. As an option, you can treat your mother to the special set menu dinner at The Grill, the hotel’s gourmet eatery.

From 16th to 23rd March, Swiss master fine chocolate maker Udo Gastel travels especially from Switzerland to demonstrate the production of fine Swiss chocolate. Enjoy the taste of Switzerland. Combine the Swiss style with Arabian ambience every Friday throughout March. Our Swiss Bumper Lunch Buffet features a wealth of imported delicacies such as original Swiss cheese, meat or Lindt chocolate. In the evenings,

try a taste of Arabian Nights with our dinner buffet offering mezzas, mixed grill and Arabic sweets. For more information, call +962 53561111.

Radisson SAS Hotel Dubai Deira Creek

From March 3rd-12th, the Radisson SAS Hotel Dubai Deira Creek hosts its very own Scandinavian Food Festival! With guest Chefs Thorbjørn Thorsen of the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel and Fredrik Lindholm of the Radisson SAS Hotel, Alesund flying in all the way from Norway, the event promises to complement Dubai’s growing culinary scene and is set to provide an authentic taste of Scandinavia.

Thorsen and Lindholm put forth their insider knowledge to present diners with an array of traditional Scandinavian specialties in three of the hotels’ venues. Boulvar, our 24-hour bustling International restaurant, features Scandinavian specialties including the famous Salmon preparation, Herring and Smorre Bròd alongside its regular buffet for lunch and dinner.

At our contemporary steakhouse Palm Grill, savour

a four-course dinner menu of Scandinavian specialties for only Dhs. 250 per person. Fish Market, our award-winning seafood restaurant, presents a fresh Scandinavian seafood selection including crab, salmon and cod fish alongside the regular picks for lunch and dinner.

Dine at any of the participating restaurants throughout the event and you will automatically be entered in a raffle for a chance to discover Sweden! The lucky winner will walk away with two round trip tickets to Sweden- courtesy of SAS Airlines - and a complimentary 4- night stay for two including breakfast at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Stockholm. For bookings and information, please call 04- 205 7333/ 7444.

Raffles DubaiSet within the glass

capstone at the pinnacle of Raffles Dubai, Asiana Restaurant offers traditional and authentic dishes from the Far East, such as dim sum, noodles and satay. Beautifully located on the 17th floor, the restaurant enjoys striking panoramic city views, and offers the ideal setting for informal and relaxed dinners. Asiana restaurant will open for lunch starting March 2008 onwards, from 12:00 hrs – 15:00 hrs. Daily a la carte menu.

Celebrate Easter with your family and friends at Azur All Day Dining restaurant and feast on an array of mouth-watering dishes from live cooking stations and a choice of dessert treats from our special Easter buffet. Azur All Day Dining is overlooking the Raffles Botanical Garden, which offers the perfect backdrop to enjoy a relaxed

afternoon soaking up the sun. Take on our Easter Buffet on Friday, March 21 and Good Sunday Brunch on March 23 from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm for 350 AED net per person, excluding beverageJoin us at Raffles Dubai to celebrate the arrival of summer and enjoy a barbecue by the pool every weekends, with live cooking and grilled stations for 450.00 AED net per person, excluding beverages from 19:00 pm to 23: 30 pm. For enquiries, call 971 4 314 9828.

Renaissance Dubai Hotel

Throughout the month of March at Sails Mediterranean restaurant, in addition to our regular theme night buffets, savour mouth watering fresh oysters cooked in front of you by our chefs every Wednesday and Thursday for dinner only.

Theme nights are priced at: From 5th March to 19th March, 2008, Spice Island brings home the vibrant tastes from Vietnam at a special tribute paid to the cuisine this month. Get ready to enjoy a magical experience that features the choicest sumptuous meats and vegetables accompanied by unique fusion sauces and reductions.

Bud and a Shot go together like bread and butter. Harry’s Place offers an ice cold Bud to chase your favourite shooter, all for a special price, throughout the month of March. So what are you waiting for, get in on the action, knock back your favourite shooter and wash it down with an ice-cold Bud. We have a healthy lunch at Aquarium Lounge for those on the run! Enjoy a fresh home-made sandwich, choice of pastry and coffee to go at

Raffles Dubai


64

49/- Dhs per lunch box from March 1st to 25th, 2008. Please call 04 2625555 for more information.

Shangri-la Hotel Dubai

Enjoy the sights, sounds and flavours of Vietnam as Hoi An offers traditional hawker-style dishes which are simple in preparation yet profound in flavour. For the month of March, sample Coconut crusted prawns served with tamarind sauce, Crispy beer-battered calamari coated with panko crumbs with sweet citrus dipping sauce as well as Chicken sate served with warm peanut dipping sauce. Available daily for dinner from 19h00 to 23h00.

Delight in the delicious and the divine at Shang Palace. Resident Chinese Chef Ken revisits the kitchen of his childhood to bring you delectable dishes reminiscent of home cooking. Memories of his mother’s warm kitchen is the inspiration behind his special offerings for March which includes Steamed abalone with “unicorn” chicken, Deep-fried crispy banana and shrimp balls, Steamed “Qiong Shan” bean curd with seafood and a lot more. Available daily for lunch from 13h00 to 15h00 and dinner from 20h00 to 23h30.

Indulgence is all sweet talk. A homage to a temptress. Wicked yet gratifying, scrumptious cheesecakes take centrestage during teatime at the Lobby Lounge. Sample these velvety delectations such as New York style – plain with a golden brown patina fresh from the oven or blanketed in a warm glaze of apricot or apple. Available daily from 15h00 to 18h00. The Lobby Lounge is open 24 hours.Celebrate Easter Sunday at Dunes Cafe, where hearty appetites will be delighted in its mouth-watering cuisine. For AED 155 ++, indulge in an array of scrumptious international dishes from tempting appetizers to heavenly desserts. For enquiries on the room promotion, please call 04 343 8888 and for restaurant promotion please call 04 405 2703.

Sheraton Deira Hotel

You are running out of time and want to appease your hunger quickly. Visit The Terrace Restaurant- located in the Sheraton Deira Hotel –which features the Express Combo Business lunch being part of our daily lunch buffet in March 2008 from 12 noon till 3pm for Dhs. 40 net per person.

Feel the ‘Mediterranean’

while you enjoy the Friday Brunch at the Terrace restaurant at Sheraton Deira Hotel from 12 noon till 1600 hrs. The lavish Friday Brunch serving Mediterranean specialties offers an array of International hot and cold dishes, soups, veggies, salads, cold cuts, seafood, meats, rice, noodles, sweets, all for Dhs. 115 net per person. Furthermore you can eat as much as you like – no limit. Another option is to go for Dhs. 89 net, which accompanies soft beverages. For reservation or more information, please call 04-2078615.

Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers

The lobsters found at the Creekside Japanese Restaurant this March are there for a more delicious reason than as an exhibit. Check out how Chef Narit cooks up a mouth-watering spread of lobster delicacies using fresh ingredients and traditional Japanese recipes.

Sample lobster dishes like Lobster Salad (Lobster and mixed salad with spicy lemon dressing) or Lobster Tempura (Deep fried lobster with tempura batter), to

name a few. Prices start from AED108 per dish. For reservations, please call 04 207 1750.

In March, Chef Andrea features the best of shellfish delicacies cooked in special recipes at Vivaldi. Look forward to Canadian lobsters, clams, mussels, sea scallops, King crab legs, grey shrimps and more. On offer will be 3 set of seafood platters – the Seafood Towers Deluxe , the Royal Menu or the Seafood Platter Menu. There is also a la carte option for those who prefer to individual portions. Price from AED68 net per dish on the a la carte menu. For reservations, please call Vivaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar at (04) 207 1717.

A mystical aura of Indian cuisine and the essence of Chef Gaurav’s creations beckon at the award-winning Ashiana restaurant. With a touch of wizardry, Chef Gaurav combines aromatic herbs, pungent spices, a variety of lamb chop dishes and a dash of Indian culture, to offer an authentic Indian culinary experience from 5th – 14th March. Price from AED75 net per dish. For reservations, please call Ashiana Indian Restaurant at (04) 207 1733.

The Ritz Carlton, Dubai

Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai


65

Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort & Towers

Hop on over to Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort & Towers for an ‘eggshilarating’ day out with the family on Sunday, 23rd March 2008. Celebrate Easter Sunday at The Palm Garden Restaurant. Chef Engelbert has prepared a wide variety of food in our extravaganza buffet featuring live cooking stations and tempting selection of desserts. And for the little ones we have a special menu especially designed to tease their appetite.

While you are enjoying our sumptuous buffet, our trained staff will entertain your children with a wide range of stimulating activities designed to unleash your child’s imaginations. They are assured of an enjoyable time by joining our bunny on the Easter Egg Hunt and some other fun activities indoor and outdoor such as Volleyball, Soccer and PlayStation Contests. It’s a great family day out for just AED 195 and if you want to enjoy the sun in our beach after your Lunch it’s only AED 330. Not to forget children between 6 o 12 years old get 50% discount. For reservation please call 04-315 34 00 or 04-399 55 33

The Fairmont DubaiFrom 26 to 28 March

2008, The Fairmont Dubai welcomes Michelin star Chef Christoph Rueffer of Haerlin Restaurant at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Germany to the award winning Exchange Grill. The culinary mastermind behind the internationally renowned restaurant will present an exquisite menu lineup for this limited engagement.

Guests will be introduced to a uniquely designed five course degustation menu

reflective of Chef Rueffer’s ‘haute cuisine’ culinary style. Highlights include quail breast and leg served in the ‘à la francaise’ style; tarragon crusted rack of lamb with aubergine puree and salsa verde; and spiced coffee mousse with mango papaya tartar and raspberries. This limited engagement is priced at Dhs 650 per person. Dinner reservations can be made by calling 04 311 8316.

The Palace

Asado, The Palace’s Argentinean concept restaurant is now open for lunch. Through out the week, Asado will offer a delicious three course lunch menu along with a house beverage from 12 noon to 3 pm for AED150 per person.

The lunch menu served during lunch includes an appetizer, main dish, and dessert. All three courses are served within the perfect hour, giving customers the complete experience of Asado and taking into consideration the value of their time.

During the weekends, along with its lunch offer, Asado will offer a limited menu which will have a variety of traditional dishes. The restaurant resumes its full menu dinner in the evening which offers mouth-watering food, a wide selection of Argentinean and new country wines from the Bodega (Wine Cellar) and tango music and dancers ensuring that all guests feel like they are dining in a typical Argentinean country farmhouse.

The Palace’s fine dining restaurant Ewaan is now giving people the chance to kick off their Fridays on a special note with family and friends. Ewaan is offering a brunch that proves to be an exclusive gastronomic journey that serves a perfect blend of

old and new influences and simply taking the best from the east and west, creating the perfect dining experience.

The brunch ranks second to none by offering live cooking stations serving up waffles, crepes, fajitas, pancakes and a variety of other delicacies. Ewaan’s brunch also succeeds in quenching thirst by offering free flowing bubbly, tea, coffee, and soft drinks.

Throughout the week, the restaurant offers guests the option of sampling the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean live buffet or the à la carte. Friday Brunch is from 12noon – 4pm (Free bubbly offered until 3pm) for AED 390/ per person. For further information please call (04)428-7888

The Ritz Carlton, Dubai

Splendido is the setting for a delightful brunch-time buffet this March 23 at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai. Easter classics feature, together with a fresh seafood bar, innovative mezze and starters, and numerous live cooking stations to tempt the taste buds. From the live cooking stations, choose from a classic

eggs, bacon and sausage brunch with the freshest crusty home-baked bread, or help yourself to something a little more exotic at seafood station which serves the finest oysters, stuffed mussels and shrimps, together with sushi and a DIY Caesar salad station.

But don’t forget to leave room for something sweet. If freshly cooked pancakes and waffles drizzled in honey and fruit compote seem a little too much by now then pick out the lightest French pastry – perhaps a tiny chocolate mousse or a perfectly formed little cheesecake of forest fruits.

Little ones can enjoy an exhilarating Easter egg hunt and will be well taken care of as they look under bushes and behind trees for a chocolate reward.

If you prefer an evening celebration, then why not feast on steaks, sizzling kebabs and fresh seafood that are flamed to perfection at the poolside venue of Gulf Pavilion Easter evening. Mingle with friends and family while a guitarist provides a lively accompaniment to the scene. Advance bookings are highly recommended, as places are

Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers

Millennium Towers Hotel

The Palace


66

limited. Brunch is available from 12.30 to 3.30 p.m. and the price is AED 235 net per person, or AED 373 net including a half bottle of champagne per person. The barbeque starts at 7 p.m. and is prices at AED 265 net per person. Call 04 399 4000 to reserve your table.

Millennium Towers Hotel Dubai

Plan your family gathering this Easter at the Millennium Towers Hotel Dubai with an EGG-citing Easter lunch buffet at the Atrium Restaurant.

From EGG hunting to face painting, chocolate bunnies to Easter EGGS – we will ensure you are in the Easter mood.

With a special treat for the little ones as they munch for FREE (up to 5 years) and the bigger kids (up to 10 years) as they eat for half of the price. EGG – treme Easter at the Millennium inclusive of soft drinks and water for just Dhs 150/- per person. For details, contact 971 4 4299999.

Sheraton Abu DhabiTradition is invited. This

Easter, Flavours Restaurant is transforming into an Easter paradise. Easter Brunch in

Flavours gives you time for the people that matter most. A special visit by a clown and a magician lights up young faces, and creations by Executive Chef Peter, make the day memorable. Our resident pianist Margarita will for sure puts a spell on you with her repertoire. Buffet Opens at 12.30 hrs. Price is AED 125 per person – Adults .AED 60 per child – 6 to 11 years. Children below 6 years eat free.

Napoli is the capital of Campania, the most densely populated region of Italy. It is the nation’s third largest city after Rome and Milan and has a culinary tradition that is second to none. Because Napoli is right on the Mediterranean Sea, it has always been favoured with spectacular seafood, everything is at the peak of freshness and full of flavour, so that very little complicated cooking is required.

Apart from this Napoli also contributed spaghetti, pizza and macaroni to the world, which are legendary. Come to La Mamma and let Chef Rakesh show you the beauty and freshness of this wonderful regions cuisine. For reservations or take away Pizza orders, please call 02 697 0258

Mussel Mania prepared the Spanish way taste

fantastically good. The Il Paradiso kitchen team has come up with some traditional specialties dishes just for you. So do not wait, hop over to Il Paradiso for some delicious mussels. For reservations, please call 020 697 0279

If you fancy a healthy life style with a meal to remember, during the month of March Bravo is offering fantastically healthy salads in accordance to Dr. Atkins diet but with Spanish touch. To enhance your salads a selection of meat, poultry and seafood items will be made available all seasoned according to Chef Mostafa’s Spanish recipes. For reservations, please call 02 697 0235.

Courtyard by Marriott Green Community

Awaken your senses and pamper your taste buds with a myriad of flavours at the Courtyard by Marriott Green

Community. The rich aroma of delicious cuisine is simply irresistible as the restaurants have so much to offer in terms of variety.

The Express Lunch at Cucina is perfect when you are on the go. The lunch is fast, easy and healthy. With different soups, selection of breads and salads, pastas and pizzas, changing everyday, each showing their calories count and health benefits, lunch at Cucina will be the boost you were looking for to get back into shape this year. The Express Lunch is only Dhs 49 per person including a small bottle of house water.

Express SSS Lunch at Rendezvous Lounge is interesting to try. Indulge in freshly made Soups, Salads and Sandwiches. There is no need to skip lunch anymore as Cucina and Rendezvous Lounge has tasty options to offer. Express SSS Lunch is Dhs 39 per person for soup,

Courtyard by Marriott Green Community

Sheraton Abu Dhabi


67

salad and sandwich and a small bottle of house water. The Express Lunches are available daily from 12 noon to 3.00pm daily.

It is a flavour explosion at the Pine Grill every night as you can go on a culinary tour to experience a multitude of dishes. It is British on Sunday and Mediterranean takes place on Mondays. Go hot and spicy on Indian Night on Tuesdays and enjoy a sumptuous spread of Far Eastern dishes on Wednesdays. We all love BBQ’s and that is why Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays have been reserved for BBQ nights. All these and more for Dhs 125 per person including unlimited soft drinks, water, chilled juices, coffee and tea. Dhs 189 per person including unlimited house beverages.

Don’t miss out on the Friday Brunch with a side order of Free Wheels at Cucina from 12 noon to 4.00pm. The regular adult package is Dhs 140 per person including unlimited soft drinks, tea, coffee, water and chilled juices. It is Dhs 65 for kids aged 6 to 12 years old and free for children below 6 years old. It is play time at the Friday Brunch with face painting, balloon bending, movies and the resident clowns will make you laugh with your hilarious acts and jokes.

The Free Wheels is actually to and from the hotel when you pay Dhs 250 for the Friday Brunch with unlimited house beverages. For reservations or more information, please call 04 – 885 2222 or log onto www. Marriottdiningatcy.ae

JW Marriott Hotel Dubai

On Easter Day which is on Sunday, 23 March 2008, our Easter activities come nicely wrapped in an egg shell.

Bring the entire family for a fun-filled afternoon where the parents can enjoy a vast spread of delicious food and Easter goodies at the Market Place, Bamboo Lagoon and Hofbräuhaus and Piano Lounge while the kids are kept busy at the Town Square searching for Easter eggs and taking photos with funny bunny.

You will be spoilt for choice as Market Place offers a wide variety of international fare. The appetizer and the fresh seafood counter is a must try. If you are looking for something hot and spicy, head on to the Indian station and the aroma coming from the mixed grill station is simply irresistible. You can’t get enough of grilled lobsters, chicken, fish, prawns, beef and lamb. For more, tuck into the different types of pastas cooked a la minute or the delicious fried rice made on the spot. There is so much of food to go around but make sure you save room for desserts.

After you have tried the dishes at the Market Place, then venture into traditional Bavarian cuisine at the Hofbräuhaus. Drink, eat and be merry. Relax and head over later to the Bamboo Lagoon where an array of Far Eastern delights awaits you. Treat yourself to the inviting Korean barbeque and at the tempting sushi corner. You will also

like the Thai Tom Yam soup and the Indonesian curries and vegetables. The best is of course is the seafood section, fried to your liking. You can’t leave without having a go at the desserts which consists of a medley of Indonesian, Thailand, Japanese and Korean sweet homemade delicacies.

To enjoy all three extensive buffet spreads at the three restaurants, the price is only Dhs 205 per person, food only and Dhs 295 per person inclusive of regular spirits, beers, house wines, cocktails, fresh juices, soft drinks, water, coffee and tea. For Dhs 395

per person, you will have free flowing bubbly till 4.00pm and one bottle at night, regular spirits, beers, house wines, cocktails, fresh juices, soft drinks, water, coffee and tea. Children from four to fourteen years old will be charged at Dhs 125 inclusive of food and soft drinks.

Check out an array of mouth-melting Easter chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies, freshly baked buns and multi-coloured boiled eggs at the dessert counter at the Market Place. For reservations, please call 04 6077977/7009/7588 or log onto www.marriottdiningatjw.ae

JW Marriott Dubai

Moevenpick HotelBur Dubai


68

GREAT FLAVOURS

68

Ultramarine


69

Illuminated only by burning torches and candles, our

table was set out beneath the stars with a mild breeze and the sound of the sea as our soundtrack. It beats any

luxury restaurant.

There are two sides to the Il Paradiso restaurant at the sheraton Abu Dhabi. If you choose to be seated inside, the atmosphere is one of clean functionality. The lighting is subtle: pleasant without being either too bright or dim. The interior décor has an almost scandinavian simplicity which suits it well and incorporates an open kitchen area and the seafood Market from which diners can select the very fish or shellfish they wish for their main course, as well as the method used to prepare it. or they can request the knowledgeable staff to suggest an ideal preparation.The other side of Il Paradiso is the terrace seating outdoors. Here the atmosphere is much more romantic with subtle lighting to complement the moonlight, a beach view and plenty of space between tables for privacy. To add to the air of romance are the calming strains of the harp being played live inside.but while atmosphere is important, the mark of a quality restaurant is obviously in its menu. Il Paradiso was last year voted Abu Dhabi’s best restaurant by the cities hoteliers, so it has a reputation to live up to. scanning the seafood Market display you can see at least some of the reasons for Il Paradiso’s attraction. on display on the evening we dined were eight different types of fresh fish ranging from local hammour and sole to norwegian halibut, and Australian pink snapper, as well as a selection of shellfish which included French oysters and clams, and a pick from your own lobster tank.Alternatively, there is also an a la carte menu with starters, soups, surf & turf and vegetarian mains, and of course desserts. so we plumped for a selection of the two. our starters were seafood risotto with scallops tempura and the arugula salad with Japanese nashi pear, sesame pecan nut and lemongrass dressing. of the two, the salad was the most stimulating with a delicious balance of sweet and sour flavours, and while the risotto was perfectly textured and flavoursome as well, the scallop wrapped in seaweed and then tempura’d lacked a little ‘kick’ in the taste.What did not lack taste and was a surprising hit with our party was the aubergine cappuccino soup. As a segueway into the mains it was smooth, light and flavoursome with a frothy topping which added to the texture and lightness.

The mains consisted of the a-la-carte roasted Chilean sea bass with braised veal chick and a recommendation from the maitre d’ to try the grilled hammour. The sea bass was prepared perfectly, remaining moist and tender, but it really benefited from the full flavour of the veal and smoky sauce accompaniment, while the grilled hammour again was delicious with roasted potatoes, sautéed seasonal vegetables and a rich buttery hollandaise sauce.If ‘surf’ is not your favourite dish, then you may prefer the roasted organic chicken, grilled Angus beef or roasted lamb on the ‘turf’ menu.Desserts were refreshing combinations of, for example, vanilla and citrus crunch cake, strawberry basil smoothie and mandarin sorbet, which are varied in flavour, texture and style, but which complement each other delightfully.but if you are expecting to see all of these dishes on the menu six or twelve months from now, then you might be disappointed – or pleasantly surprised, because Il Paradiso regularly changes its signature dishes in an attempt to always offer their guests something original and interesting to the palate. With an extensive wines and spirits list to round off the evening’s enjoyment, Il Paradiso will leave you pleasantly satiated and looking forward to a return visit to sample the new additions to its already eclectic menu.For more information or bookings, call 026970279.


Virnee espiritu pours oil and coca-cola sauce onto raw onion rings, asparagus, broccoli and carrots carefully stacked on a grill, which he sets afire. Later, like a fighter armed with a sword, he tosses and catches his spatula creating a clicking and powerful sound enough to attract your attention.espiritu, sous chef at sakura restaurant in Taj Palace Hotel, typically entertains guests with his cooking show while they enjoy good, fresh and healthy food. He performs this at one of the two tables called “teppan” in the Japanese-theme restaurant.but sakura’s approach to teppanyaki is more on entertainment and art. executive Chef bernhard Koenig explains that sakura restaurant is not about sushi or raw food, which Japanese restaurants are known for.“Here we would like our guests to be entertained. everything that the chef does while cooking or grilling the food is about art and entertainment. even the plate arrangements are done in a way that the guests will be satisfied and at the same time have a wonderful time eating their food,” he said.The idea of entertaining guests is all part of Koenig’s innovativeness and creativeness. His philosophy is that good food should be simple, exactly prepared with the freshest ingredient and beneficial to the health of the eater.“We all know that everybody is busy and most of the time tired after a day’s work so the chef at the teppan table is there to entertain the guests. He might for example give some trivia or tricks to entertain them. other nights, he

70

Eating comes with entertainment at

Sakura

Executive Chef Bernhard Koenig


could flick a broccoli toward the open mouth of a guest. It could hit the chin because the chef can make mistakes and he could do it again but the fun that it creates is what we want our guests to have. We want them to have a good time and that’s what it’s all about,” he added.“A meal means sitting with friends, family or colleagues. The tradition is to be sitting right at the counter and see how your raw food is displayed, prepared and cooked in a healthy way right before your eyes. And the order is served and presented in small portion over a span of time,” he noted. Like a typical Japanese teppanyaki tradition, the grill and chef are on one side while the customers sit on the other. In between is an artistic display of vegetables and meats. Guests select their dishes from the offerings of chicken, salmon, prawn, beef, lamb and lobster all served with vegetable.A guest can also select from the set meal of vegetarian, meat and seafood. The set meal is complete with soup, appetizer, salad, fried or steam rice and fresh fruits.“With teppanyaki cooking, the chef monitors your food consumption so you will notice that the waiter only comes to gather your plate or refill your drinks but the chef is the one who gauge whether the guest is ready to take the next course so with this atmosphere, you feel

like you’re a king because the chef becomes your personal chef,” added Koenig.Aside from teppanyaki, guests at sakura can savor a wide selection of sushi, sashimi, shabu, sukiyaki, traditional noodle dishes, tempura and teriyaki while being inspired by the authentic ambience.sakura restaurant is a Pan Asian restaurant so expect to see other Asian food selection like Chinese, Korean and Thai cuisine. Complementing its comforting setting, dishes are served in the typical attractive Japanese art of presentation, not just delightful to the senses, but as well delicious and appetizing.Lovers of Japanese cuisine will truly take delight with the extensive selection of authentic and delicious delicacies and the homey, fun and personalized cooking atmosphere available at sakura, the Japanese restaurant located at the Taj Palace Hotel Dubai. You have to check it yourself to savour the experience. For reservations, call 9714 2113050.

71

“Teppan” is a Japanese word for “iron pan” and “yaki” means

grilling. Therefore, the word “teppan-yaki” refers to the

Japanese way of cooking where dining and preparation happen

in the same place. It is a culinary experience from the mystical

oriental way of life, an art that transforms the casual dining Japanese fare into a dynamic

display of tossing and catching.

Sous Chef Virnee Espiritu


7272

Al Osaimi Investments and Real Estate, a leading Kuwait-based developer, launched ‘Dusit Emirates Saray - Palm Jumeirah Hotel Resorts & Residence’, an AED 1.5 billion luxury resort, spa and residence project located on the Crescent of The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.

The prestigious project, which is targeted for completion in 2010, comprises ‘Dusit Devarana’, ‘Dusit Thani’ and ‘The Residence’. Naser Abdul Rahman Al Osaimi, Vice Chairman, Al Osaimi Investments and Real estate; Saleh Ahmed, General Manager, Oriental Constructions; Octavio Gamarra, Senior Vice President, Dusit International; Safwat Ghali, Head of Concept Design, Khatib &

Alami; and Nader Kamal, Project Manager, PROJACS International made the announcement during a press conference last month. The launch follows an earlier agreement between Al Osaimi and Dusit International for the management of the project.

Spanning one million square feet, the mega project is highlighted by ‘The Residence’, a 178-unit Arabian themed residence, which lies amidst the luxurious backdrop of the Arabian Gulf and the astounding architectural marvels within ‘Dusit Emirates Saray – Palm Jumeirah Hotel Resorts & Residences’.

Encompassing two-storied townhouses, three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom penthouses, each

Al Osaimi Investments & Real Estate launches inaugural projects in UAE

INDUSTRY NEWS

Gates visits Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District Expo

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been given a glimpse of the future of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, when he visited an exhibition at Emirates Palace devoted to the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island, the 27 square kilometre natural island lying 500 metres offshore Abu Dhabi city.

Touring the exhibition with His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the name behind the transformation of Saadiyat into signature leisure, cultural and residential destination, Gates saw the pioneering design concepts for the museums planned for the district.

Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District will be home to the largest single cluster of world-class cultural assets including the Sheikh Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum, the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum, a maritime museum, performing arts centre and arts pavilions.


7373

unit will boast of a spacious terrace, pool, garden and parking so as to offer maximum exclusivity for residential investors. Within close proximity to the high-class community will be a water sports facility and four freestanding restaurants, which will provide a wide array of culinary experience to residents such as the oriental-inspired ‘Majilis’.

“The launch of ‘Dusit Emirates Saray – Palm Jumeirah Hotel Resorts & Residences’ marks the dawn of a new age in luxurious property developments, as we set a new level of standard in terms of luxury, uniqueness and quality, which future projects will try to equal,” said Naser Abdul Rahman Osaimi, Vice Chairman, Al Osaimi Investments and Real Estate.

“It brings us tremendous pride to finally introduce the fruit of our hard work and dedication to the region, through the launch of ‘The Residence’,

and with this comes our confidence that our first residential development in Dubai will highlight all our previous accomplishments. As the newest landmark in Dubai’s highly dynamic real estate landscape, ‘Dusit Emirates Saray – Palm Jumeirah Hotel Resorts & Residences’ will stand proud and true to its core inspiration of excellence, beauty, luxury and relaxation.”

Capturing the grandeur of traditional Indian architecture and design, the seven-star ‘Dusit Devarana’ hotel will offer 116 guestrooms and suites with breathtaking views of the ocean, two restaurants, a large ballroom, a seven-storied light filled atrium surrounded by a tiered colonnade and a rooftop terrace overlooking the Indian domed follies among other lavish and state-of-the-art amenities. In addition, the hotel will also host the world-renowned Dusit Devarana Spa, which

is located on the second floor and will provide guests with authentic Thai relaxation through age-old therapies combined with modern knowledge.

‘Dusit Thani’ is a five-star Moroccan-themed family resort, which will boast of 292 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, fine dining restaurants and a business centre with state-of-the-art meeting rooms. The development will feature three pools situated around the ‘Palm Lagoon’, which will comprise 10 free standing chalets offering magnificent views of the ocean, and business centres with a roof terrace that will provide a 300-degree view of the beach. The five-storied resort will also house retail spaces and separate children’s play area, in addition to a courtyard, which will be surrounded by the lobby bar and lounge.

Emirates begins daily service to Houston

Fresh off the heels of announcing its non-stop service from Dubai to Houston, Emirates has increased its thrice weekly service to a daily frequency. In its first two months of service out of Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) the airline has experienced a high percentage of occupied seats.

“As predicted, the Emirates non-stop service between Dubai and Houston has been popular among business and leisure travellers alike,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Emirates Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide.

The new service has also proved to be popular for shippers, particularly those from the oil and gas industry which account for over 70% of the service’s cargo. The operation is currently handling about 16 tonnes of cargo out of Houston and about 10 tonnes into the American gateway.

“Emirates SkyCargo is pleased with the success of our Houston

service and our confidence in the operation is demonstrated through the introduction of daily flights starting next month. For shippers, this has meant a more efficient and cost-effective option,” said Peter Sedgley, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Cargo Commercial Operations.

Outstanding inflight services have distinguished the Emirates experience which stands out among passengers looking for the highest levels of comfort, particularly on long haul flights.

The airline’s award-winning ice Digital Widescreen product (information, communication, entertainment) now boasts over 1000 channels of entertainment in all classes and nearly 1,700 hours of video and audio entertainment. Emirates’ guests enjoy the latest technology in widescreen personal televisions (23” in First Class, 17” in Business, and 10.6” in Economy) offering unparalleled clarity of images and sound quality, delivered on the airline world’s most comprehensive entertainment system.

To further enhance the inflight experience, Emirates recently introduced My USB for viewing holiday photos onscreen during the flight home and My Playlist for creating personalised compilations

from the nearly 10,000 tracks of music available. Passengers can even get a glimpse at the world around them during take-off and landing through one of the aircraft’s two external cameras.

For communications inflight, passengers can keep in touch with the world below by seatback phone, email or sms as well as being able to catch live text news from the BBC, updated throughout the flight.

Houston is Emirate’s second U.S. gateway, offering business and leisure travellers the fastest link between the UAE and Texas with a 17 hour flight from Dubai to Houston and a return of approximately 15 hours. The route follows on the success of Emirates’ first destination in the United States, New York, which has been operating since 2004 and has since grown to become a three-flights-a-day service.


7474

The Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi was honoured for its performance by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in The Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award ceremony held in the capital in its 8th.cycle.

In the tourism sector, the Hotel won the Quality Appreciation Certificate and Mr. Moine Kandil the General Manager of the Hotel received the award on behalf

of the Hotel’s management and staff.“The certificate was our roadmap

in our journey towards quality and excellence where we will use this model as a practical tool for areas of improvement and enhance our points of strength and will act as a guide in our day to day operation to blend harmoniously in the expansion and growing fame of Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector which is witnessing a rapid growth on the world’s tourism arena “, elaborated Kandil.

Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi Na

ndo’

s ex

pand

s m

enu

In a significant initiative aimed at catering to diverse tastes, Nando’s, a pioneering name in fast casual dining with a chain of Peri-Peri chicken restaurants in the UAE and abroad, has expanded its Afro-Portuguese flavour to include other meat varieties like lamb and beef. Additionally, Nando’s will also add more inspiring options for vegetarians to its menu.

Giving his comments about the expanded new menu and the inspiration for it, Suhail Gidwani CEO of Nando’s, said: “As the virtuoso of Peri-Peri recipes, Nando’s chain of 600 restaurants across 32 countries, including four in the UAE, have been serving the world with our lip-licking chicken dishes for approximately two decades. Now with our expanded menu we want to broaden our reach to include all meat-lovers across the globe.

“Nando’s new menu includes appetizing meat and vegetarian dishes like Lamb Espetada, Beef Trinchado, Gourmet Veggie Pita besides other all-time favorites. Other titillating delights on our new menu will include ‘Appeteasers’ like Peri-Peri Hommous and Chilled Cucumber Sticks with Yoghurt Dip. Significantly we also plan to open more restaurants in the UAE.”

Reflecting the immense popularity of the tantalizing flavour of Nando’s cuisine and the wide recognition gained by the restaurant chain in the UAE as a casual dining destination, the group boasts of outlets in Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Ghurair Centre and The Greens in Dubai and Qanat Al Qasba in Sharjah.

Respecting local customs and traditions, Nando’s uses only fresh, A-grade halal chicken, which is then butterfly cut and marinated for 24 hours using a top-secret age-old recipe that ensures that the flavor penetrates right to the bone. This chicken is then flame-grilled and thoroughly basted with Nando’s ravingly famous flavours - lemon and herb, mild, hot and extra

hot peri-peri, a native African chilli-flavoured sauce. This meal is considered healthy because the fat

is trimmed and the chicken is not fried. Nando’s offers the health-conscious

consumer the convenience of getting healthy and tasty food

fast.Nando’s has been

positioned as a fast casual restaurant, a fact which is reflected in its menu that includes a selection of starters, desserts and beverages besides the main course, as well as its impressively individualistic design and

decor.The Peri-Peri recipes

with which diners identify Nando’s restaurants, has been

passed down from generation to generation in a combination of

old-world mystery and fiercely guarded secrets. It traces it origins to the tiny

Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville in South Africa in 1987, where a 27-year-old Robert Brozin visited his friend Fernando to sample the unique Portuguese style chicken. That “love at first taste” inspired the friends to launch Nando’s, which has over a period of time become one of the world’s most talked about food brand.

recognized for its performance


7575

Etihad Holidays, a division of Etihad Airways, has opened its first Holiday Shop in Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda Mall.

The new Holiday Shop aims to provide customers with a complete travel sales experience offering holidays to key Etihad destinations as well as the full range of Etihad Airways products and services.

Customers will be able to experience the convenience and comfort in the true retail environment of the Al Wahda Mall Shopping Centre, as well as the innovative high-tech holiday displays throughout the shop.

Tony Gauci, Etihad Holidays’ general manager said: “The launch of our first Holiday Shop is a momentous occasion for Etihad Holidays because it brings us much closer to our customers, beginning a new and exciting chapter for the company”.

“Holidays are such an important time for everyone and we hope that the innovative visual displays and the enthusiasm and expertise of our sales staff, will provide our customers with a real taste of what their holiday will be like.”

The Etihad Holidays shop in Al Wahda Mall will shortly be followed by the opening of a second Holidays Shop at the new Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi.

Mr Gauci continued: “Opening two Holiday shops in Abu Dhabi will not only help us communicate with our customers in a more convenient and comfortable environment, it will also enable us increase the brand-awareness of Etihad Holidays especially with the ever increasing range of holiday destinations now serviced by Etihad.”

Silverjet to Grow In Step with Dubai

Silverjet – the all-business class British airline – has said that it fully expects its number of passengers to grow in step with Dubai’s own expected tourism growth, as detailed in a recently released independent travel and tourism report.

The new report from Fast Future, entitled The Future of Travel and Tourism in the Middle East: a Vision to 2020, details the growth of the Middle East tourism and travel market from now until 2020 in all travel and hospitality sectors.

The report compiles information on the major projects and acquisitions of the region’s leading airlines and airports to give a detailed and realistic picture of the next decade of industry expansion.

Fast Future’s research program draws on a range of methods to explore potential scenarios, challenges and opportunities for travel and tourism and to provide practical advice on how decision makers can factor these insights into their planning.

Silverjet expects the increased growth in tourism and travel throughout the Middle East to bolster the growth of its service-focused, all-business class airline, flying daily from London to Dubai via private terminals in both cities.

“This Fast Future report highlights how rapidly the travel and tourism market in the region is developing and emphasises the importance of the business class travel segment, which is where we operate so successfully. More growth in high-end traffic in and out of Dubai should mean more traffic for Silverjet into the future,” said Silverjet CEO, Lawrence Hunt.

Silverjet plans to capitalize on the investments in airport development worth an estimated USD 39 billion according to the GFF report, which expects the major Middle East airports to expand capacity to handle an overwhelming 320 million passengers regionally.

“The region is experiencing dramatic growth in both demand and capacity for aviation. The UK is a key target market – particularly for Dubai. New and existing customers in the region have demonstrated themselves to be highly demanding in terms of end to end service, efficiency and value for money. Silverjet has clearly positioned its offering to address all three requirements and has built a loyal and growing fan base – as evidenced through positive customer testimonials and the regular international awards it is receiving,” said Rohit Talwar the report’s author and CEO of Fast Future.

Etihad launches holidays shop in Abu Dhabi

Gold Coast Airport is set to continue its domestic passenger boom as Virgin Blue announced it would commence daily direct flights between Canberra and the Gold Coast from March 4.

The service will add more than 1,000 extra seats a week directly into and out of the Gold

Coast with Canberra becoming the airport’s 10th direct destination in addition to Sydney,

Melbourne, Adelaide and Newcastle plus Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

“This is tremendous news for the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales and we

congratulate Virgin Blue for taking up this sound initiative,” said an ecstatic Gold Coast

Airport Chief Operating Officer Paul Donovan.

“From a Gold Coast tourism perspective, it opens direct access to a population of more than 500,000 people within the Canberra capital region.

“For our outbound passengers, this is a win for both business travelers heading to our capital city and holiday makers wanting to hit the ski slopes or enjoy the many attractions of the Canberra region.”

More than 3.9 million passengers passed through Gold Coast Airport in 2007, making it the sixth busiest airport in Australia.

Gold Coast Airport welcomes daily Canberra services


76

The new ‘Zen the spa at Rotana’ in Fujairah

Fujairah rotana resort & spa has announced the opening of ‘Zen the spa at rotana’ in April 2008. The jewel of the property is the largest, most modern and best equipped spa on the eastern Coast of the uAe, combining treatments derived from holistic Asian philosophies surrounded by décor which is dedicated to relaxation and wellbeing.

‘Zen the spa at rotana’ is 1400sqm and comprises of 17 treatment rooms and one VIP suite equipped with a luxurious built in hydro-therapy jet bath and relaxation areas. All of the treatment rooms and relaxation areas are designed to enhance the spirit of tranquility and calm. The extensive menu includes an array of treatments to promote relaxation, cure ailments, relieve tension and encourage wellbeing and harmony. The team of dedicated professionals will provide the perfect therapy to recover from a stressed week at work or hustle bustle of the city.

Zen the spa at rotana has designed special 3, 4 and 5 day packages for health conscious guests ranging from complete detox to relaxation programs. Guests will emerge feeling pampered, rejuvenated

and revitalized. To complement the spa treatments and special packages, the executive Chef has created a light, vitality spa menu, which is available throughout the resort.

Jean-Francois Laurent, the General Manager of Fujairah rotana resort & spa, brings extensive knowledge of the spa industry. He commented: “Zen is a holistic philosophy portrayed as a retreat and a complete heaven for the mind, body and spirit. our goal is to provide each guest with ‘me time’ to rebalance and rejuvenate. our highly skilled therapists will serve a wide range of treatments, including body relaxation techniques, facials and hand & foot massages, various hammam and rasul program and last but not least the first ‘Ice cave’ in Al Aqah.”

Fujairah rotana resort & spa is beautifully sheltered between the Hajar Mountains and the majestic Indian ocean. This captivating beachfront resort is a secluded retreat in a magnificent setting. The lush tropical landscape of Fujairah rotana resort & spa is the perfect coastal getaway with genuine Arabic hospitality, award-winning cuisine and impeccable 5 star service. The waterfront includes a water sports center and two luxury massage cabanas, a perfect way of indulging yourself. In addition there is an extensive recreation facility, whether it is playing tennis/squash to snorkeling or diving in the pristine waters of the Indian ocean. This fantastic resort will leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and revitalized.

As usual - the Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi - came up with a new and most different festival to start the series of events planned for 2008 - a Sri Lankan week for food, dance, ayurveda in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Embassy where the event came as part of the nation’s 60th Independence Day celebrations.

Mr. Moine Kandil, the General Manager of the Hotel and H.E. Mohamed Nabavi Junaid, the Sri Lankan Ambassador, welcomed all the guests where they were offered Thambili, the coconut welcome drink, and Mr. Kandil elaborated that he is always keen to host such kind of events which strengthen the relations between countries and introduces the

locals and the expatriates to other cultures and traditions.

The setting of Citrus was set with all Sri Lankan decorations and special chefs were invited to present a range of traditional dishes with a tantalizing buffet from all the regions of Sri Lanka.

The famous Channa dance group performed traditional dances that reflected the history and traditions of the country as the peacock dance, the tea dance, Cleopatra dance and others. Stalls were set up at the hotel displaying the authentic Sri Lankan ayurveda medicines where visitors can try the treatments with natural herbs. In addition, the famous Sri Lankan tea was also available for tasting.

Sri Lanka at the Millennium HotelAbu Dhabi


77

TAMAnI Hotels and resorts, a member of KM Holding, in association with Al rostamani Group has opened the Group’s first managed hotel; the TAMAnI Hotel Marina, at the Group’s iconic 55-storeys Marina Tower.

H.e. Khalid A. bin sulayem, Director General, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) inaugurated the hotel. VIPs and leading personalities from the hospitality and tourism sectors along with media representatives from Dubai and uAe were given a tour of the all-suites hotel. Mr.bin sulayem was accompanied on his tour of the tower, by Mr. Marwan Abdulla Al rostamani, Chairman of Al rostamani Group, and Mr. Hassan Al rostamani, Vice-Chairman of Al rostamani Group.

“This is truly another beautiful landmark hotel to rise in Dubai Marina. I am happy to note that TAMAnI is the first branded uAe Islamic hotel operator promoting Arabic hospitality and Islamic values. From what I have seen during the tour there is no doubt that this is a new brand of hospitality which will be recognised in the market,” commented Mr. bin sulayem.

The first and tallest all-suites hotel in the upscale Dubai Marina area features 209 luxurious rooms designed by the TAMAnI Art and Design Team. each room is decorated with impressive Arabic art masterpieces designed by local and international artists in the region and the world exclusively for the TAMAnI Hotel Marina.

“The Al rostamani Group in opting for an Islamic hotel product for this property and as such has selected TAMAnI Hotels and resorts, to manage and operate it on our behalf. We look forward to establishing TAMAnI Marina as a destination

for business and leisure travellers,” said Marwan Abdulla Al rostamani.

“TAMAnI Hotels and resorts brand is committed to offering owners and developers unique hotel product offerings in terms of business operation as well as product design. We are proud to say that TAMAnI Hotels and resorts is equipped to take on board hotel projects from inception in terms of market feasibility and financial study, to design conception, construction and delivery. We stand by our brand proposition of adding value without necessary opting to sell alcohol”, stated Khulood Abdulla Al rostamani, Chairman of TAMAnI Hotels and resorts and Co-Founder and executive Director of KM Holding, the parent company of TAMAnI Hotels and resorts.

“Part of our brand value revolves around our vision to promote Islamic and Middle eastern Arts, the TAMAnI Hotel Marina will exemplify this brand promise in showcasing exclusive and unique artworks”, she added.

“TAMAnI was launched in May 2007 during the Arabian Travel Market and announcing to open 15 hotels in the next 5 years. We are currently working on many developments and will announce more of it at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market in May of this year, where we will participate for the second time. outside of Dubai, we are looking at Abu Dhabi, Doha, and saudi Arabia, and are exploring opportunities to develop a three- to four-star star chain of modern style hotels in other cities under study,” said Mr. Alain Guernier, Ceo of TAMAnI Hotels and resorts.

reservations at the TAMAnI Hotel Marina can be booked by visiting the hotel website, www.tamani.com .

TAMANI Hotel Marina is now open for business

Miss Lebanon at the Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers

Mr. Freddy Farid, Area Vice

President - Emirate of Abu Dhabi/Al Ain & General Manager of the hotel, welcomes Miss Lebanon 2007, Ms.Nadine Njeim during her stay at the Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers Abu Dhabi.

The Millennium Hotel Sharjah held an Indian Food Festival at Citrus Restaurant from February 24th to 28th. Dressed in the native Indian clothes, the staff headed by Food & Beverage Manager Oukba Nafai and Senior Executive Chef Wassim B. Fakhreden treated the guests with an array of delicious Indian dishes prepared by renowned chefs from North and South India. Live Indian music is played while guests enjoy their dinner, a true Indian dining experience.

A taste of India at the Millennium Hotel Sharjah


78

Dubai’s best kept secret revealed

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) opens its doors to the public, with the first phase of DIFC Lifestyle. Inaugurated by Sheikh Mayed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and and attended by His Excellency Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Governor of the DIFC, DIFC Lifestyle offers a unique environment comprising high-end retailers, world-class restaurants and the best in international contemporary art and entertainment.

Beyond the landmark Gate building lies ‘The Gate District’, an eclectic mix of art, culture and stunning architecture, alongside chic eateries and fashionable shops. This unique integration of iconic buildings and contemporary living is fast becoming the epicenter of Dubai and a lifestyle people aspire to. Within a welcoming and relaxing environment, DIFC Lifestyle will provide an experience to fulfil every aspect of weekday and weekend life.

His Excellency Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman, Governor of the DIFC, said: “DIFC Lifestyle signals the beginning of a new era at the DIFC, which promises an avant-garde experience for Dubai’s residents and visitors alike. Originally created as a financial district, through DIFC Lifestyle, the DIFC will ensure the centre is accessible for all to enjoy and will act as an exciting retail and cultural magnet for the city. In line with the Dubai Strategic Plan, social development through creating a world-class environment, provides a better quality of life and an

enriched cultural environment. As such, the DIFC is committed to contributing to the development of Dubai as a lifestyle choice as well as a professional hub.”

Considered “Dubai’s best-kept secret”, the exclusive, self-contained precinct currently includes high-end retailers, as well as artistic exhibitions and performances. The public are invited to enjoy the unique environment at the DIFC which is open on weekdays from 10am to 10pm and on weekends from 10am to midnight. Parking will be provided and will be free after 5pm and on weekends.

Mr Abdulla Bin Sugat, Executive Director of Retail for the DIFC added: “DIFC Lifestyle is more than just a concept; it is a way of life. As the fastest emerging financial centre in the world, the DIFC has established itself as a leading international destination for those wanting to do business in the region. However, there is more to the DIFC than just business.”

“DIFC Lifestyle offers 360˚ living, with high end fashion, fine dining, rich culture and entertainment; there is something for everyone at the centre. With over 175 nationalities working in a variety of sectors within the DIFC community, this diversity will be reflected in the assortment of activities and experiences on offer. As such, we are confident that DIFC Lifestyle will no longer remain Dubai’s best kept secret but will be appreciated by everyone living in and visiting the city.”

Rotana Hotels honors the media corps

Rotana Hotels hosted the UAE media corps, as part of its group-wide Rotana Rewards Exclusive Press Club Membership, during a prestigious event, which took place at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai.

The evening started with a speech from Mr. Imad Elias Executive Vice President and COO for Rotana thanking the press members for their support and enthusiasm towards the company in celebration of the 3rd year anniversary of the Rotana Press Club. Elias also shared with the media the expansion plans of Rotana and the properties openings which will take place during 2008 in Dubai and Northern Emirates. The press members gathered for a cocktail reception, which was followed by dinner and an evening filled with entertainment, an interactive quiz and a grand raffle draw.

Rotana Rewards Exclusive Press Club Membership offers up to 50% discount in all Rotana’s Food & Beverage venues, a dining certificate of Dhs. 250, a discount of 15% on beverage when dining, a preferred room rate for up to 60% on room rates, late check out until 6 pm, VIP treatment and 2 points for every for every AED 1 spent in Food & Beverage venues and when staying in rooms.

In addition, the programme offers ‘Double Earnings’ with the members earning miles and points when staying at Rotana properties from our partner airline’s Frequent Flyers Programmes (FFP) with over 650 reward gifts that members can choose from.

Members will also have access to dedicated press and media pages on the new-look Rotana Hotels website - rotana.com - where they will be able to interview top Rotana executives on line, find information about the company and individual properties and download images from the digital photo library.

With the re-launch of the Rotana Rewards Exclusive Press Club Membership, Rotana acknowledges and rewards the contributions of members of the Media throughout the Middle East.


80

ALGerIA

Argentina7 rue Hamani 718683 643843Australia7 rue Jean rey, 75724 Paris cedex, France 40593300 592081AustriaLes Vergers,rue no.2 DZ-16330 bir Mourad rais 562699 567352Bangladesh14 Ave.des Frères oughlis 594805 603629Belgium22 Chemin Youssef Tayebi,el-biar 922446 925036Brazil48 boulevard Mohammad V 749575 749687Bulgaria13 boulevard bougara,el biar 691514 691787Canada18 Mustafa Khaled st.,P.o.box 48 914951 693920China34 boulevawrd Des Martyrs 692724 693056Colombia7 Avenue Malika Gaid,el-biar 922090 923817Cote D’ivoireParc Paradeaux P.o.box 710,Hydra 692828 693683Czech RepublicP.o.box 999,Villa Malika 692274 693031Denmark12 Ave.emile Marquis,Hydra 692234 692846EgyptP.o.box 297,Hydra 691807 692952FinlandP.o.box 256 Hydra 691212 691637France25 Chemin Gaddouche,Hydra 692488 691369GermanyP.o.box 664,165 Chemin sfindja 741956 740521Greece60 blvd.Col.bougara 600855 691655Holy See1 rue noureddine Mekiri 16090 bologhine 623430 572375HungaryP.o.box 68 ,el-Mouradia 691709 694431India14 rue Des Ambassades 923444 924011Iraq4 rue Arezki Abri,Hydra 603125 601097Italy

18 rue Mohammad ouidir,Amellal Al-biar 292330 793766Japan1 Chemin Al bakri,el-biar 912004 912046Jordan6 rue Chenoua,Hydra 692031 691554Korea Repub21 rue stambuli el-Mouradia 692076 693014KuwaitChemin Abdel Kader Gaddouche 693408 693037Lebanonrue Du Hoggar,Hydra 594977 692397Libya15 Chemin sheikh bashir Ibrahimi 921502 924687Mauritania107 Lot baranes,Air de France, bouzareah 792139 784274MexicoP.o.box 329,el –biar 924023 923451NetherlandsP.o.box 72 el-biar 922828 923770NigeriaP.o.box F629,Hydra 691849 691175Oman126 rue Didouche Mourad 941310 941375PakistanP.o.box 621,Djeann el-Malik,Hydra 693781 692212Poland37 Ave.Mustafa Ali Khodja,el-biar 922553Portugal12 Lot el-Feth el-biar 925313 92541QatarP.o.box 118,bin Aknoun 922856 922415Romania24 rue Arezki Abri, Hydra 690871 693642RussiaChemin Prince D’Amman el-biar 783134 782882Saudi Arabia4 rue Arezki Abri,Hydra 603518Spain10 rue Azil Ali 922713 922719Swedenrue olof Palme nouveau Paradou,Hydra 692300 691917SwitzerlandP.o.box 482,27 boulevard Zirout Youssef 737310 738158Syria11 Chemin A.Gaddouche Hydra 912026 912030Tunisia11 rue Du bois De bologne Hydra 691388 692316Turkey

Embassies & Consulates

Chemin De La rochelle, blv Col.bourgara 691257 693161UAEP.o.box 454 el Mouradia 692574 593770UKP.o.box 8,7 Chemin Des Glycines 230068 230067USA4,CHeMIn sheikh bashir el-Ibrahimi 691255 693979YemenVilla 41,Ave.Les Verges 693085 691758VenezuelaChemin du Kadous Hydra 693846 607555Zaire5 rue saint Georges,Kouba 591227

Area2,381,741 sq.Kms

Population31,19 million (2000 est.)

Capitalel-Djazair (Algiers)

Main CitiesAlgiers, Wahran/oran,

qacentina, Annaba Al-boulaida,

si di bel-Abbes, setif, Tizi ousou.

Temperature/climatesummer: 27 to 32C

Coast temperature,13 to 24C

Winter:Temperature variations

inland,dropping to as little as 10C

in the sahara at night

LanguagesArabic (official)

French (commercial)

berber (in rural areas)

Airports Algiers (920 Km from city centre)

Annaba (12 Km from city centre)

Constantine (9 Km from city

centre)

Wahran 910 Km from city centre)

Tlemcen (20 Km form city centre)

no airport tax on departure

PortsAlgiers (principal), Annaba, oran,

skikda, Mostaganem, bejaia

Business HoursGovernment offices and state

enterprises

08.00 to 17.00 sat to Wed

0800 to 12.00 Thu

Banks09.00 to 16.00 sat to Wed

08.00 to 12.00 Thu

Electricity220 volts (110 volts in some

areas).

A continental adapter is

necessary 127 volts or 3-phase

127/220/380 AC 50 cycles.

Hotels may have a mixture of 127

and 220 volts.

VisasVisas are required by all except

nationals of egypt, Iraq, Jordan,

Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,

Mauritania, Morocco, sudan,syria,

Tunisia, Yemen, Andorra Denmark,

Finland, Guinea, Iceland, Ireland,

Italy, Leichenstein, Mali, Monaco,

norway, san Marino, sweden,

switzerland

Customs Regulations200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or

400 gr of tobacco and 1 bottle of

wine are admitted free of Duty

Currency regulationsAny amount of foreign currency

may be taken into Algeria but is

prohibited to take any Algerian

currency into or out of the country.

Proof of all foreign exchange

transactions must be presented

on departure.All foreign visitors

must change a minimum of AD

1000.

Currency1 Algerian dinar (AD) =100

Centimes

General Information

ALGERIATRAVEL DIRECTORY


81

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 26402,Manama 713669 713662BangladeshP.o.box 26718,Manama 714717 710031BelgiumP.o.box 5820,Manama 224631 229994ChinaP.o.box 3150,Manama 723800 727304DenmarkP.o.box 997,Manama 725119 826582EgyptP.o.box 818,Manama 720005 721518FranceP.o.box 11134,Manama 291734 293655GermanyP.o.box 10306,Manama 530210 536282GreeceP.o.box 5790,Manama 259211IndiaP.o.box 26106,Adiliya 712785 715527IranP.o.box 26365,Manama 722400 722101IraqP.o.box 26477,Manama 786929 786220JapanP.o.box 23720,Manama 716565 715059JordanP.o.box 5242,Manama 291109 291980Korea RepP.o.box 11700,Manama 291629 291628KuwaitP.o.box 786,Manama 534040 536475LebanonP.o.box 2102,Manama 786994 784998LibyaP.o.box 26062,Adliya 714162MoroccoP.o.box 26229,Manama 740566 740178NetherlandsP.o.box 350,Manama 224320 212295New ZealandP.o.box 5881,Mnama 210284 210271NorwayP.o.box 10580,Manama 531480 530158OmanP.o.box 26414,Manama 293663 293540PakistanP.o.box 563,Manama 244113 255960PalestineP.o.box 1102 276099 276054PhilippinesP.o.box 26681,Manama 710200 710300PortugalP.o.box11030,Manama 531533 530445RussiaP.o.box 26612,Manama 725222 725921Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 1085,Manama 537722 533261SudanP.o.box 5438,Manama 252546 252578SwedenP.o.box 412,Mnama 531085 530063SwitzerlandP.o.box 795,Manama 227811 224623TunisiaP.o.box 26911,Manama 714149 715702TurkeyP.o.box 10821, Manama 533448 536557UAEP.o.box 26505, Manama 723737 727343UKP.o.box 114, Manama 534404 531273USAP.o.box 26431, Manama 273300 272594YemenP.o.box 26193,Manama 277072 262358

Area707 sq.Km

Population(200 estimate) 642.000

CapitalManama

Main CitiesManama, Muharraq Town, Isa Town, Jidhafs, rifaa.

Temperature/climatesummer: 40 to 45 C,hot, humid.

Winter: Warm, dry, 10 C to 20 C.

LanguagesArabic (official), and english (commercial).

AirportMuharraq (505 Km from Manama)

Taxis, hotel reservations, duty free shop Airport tax

on depature bHD 3.

PortsMina sulman

Business HoursGovernment offices

07.00 to 13.00 sat. to Wed.

Commercial offices

07.00 to 13.00 and 15:30 to 18:00 sat To Thu.

Banks8.00 to 14.00 and 16.00 to 18.00 sat. to Thu.

Electricity220-240 volts, single-phase AC and 400 volts,

three-phase AC.

VisasVisas required for all except GCC and uK

nationals.

Tourist visas available at bahraini embassies or on

arrival at entry points-bahrain Airport or the King

Fahd Causeway from saudi Arabia.Visas cost bD

10 for 72 hours or bD 15 for 7 days.

Customs regulations400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or _ 1

bs.tobacco,some perfume,2 bottles of wine or

spirits.

Currency regulationsThere are no restrictions on the amount of

currency bring in/take out of bahrain.

Currency1 bahraini dinar (bHD)=1.000 FILs

qatari riyal and uAe dirham are exchangeable at

rate of DH 10 or qr 10=bHD 1.

General Information

bAHrAInKINGDOM OF BAHRAIN


82

eGYPT

Embassies & ConsulatesAfghanistan59 el ourouba st. Heliopolis 4177236 4177230Algeria14 Al-brazil street, P.o.box 39, Zamalek 3407671 3414158Argentina8 Al-saleh Ayoub street,Zamalek 3401501 3414355Australia1191 Corniche el-nile, boulaq 5750444 5781638Austria5 Wissa Wassef st.Giza 5702974 5702979Bahrain15 brazil street,Zamalek 3407996 3416609Bangladesh47 Ahmed Heshmat str.Zamalek 3402642 3412631Belgium20 Kamel el-shinnawi st.Garden City 1125 3547494 3543147BrazilCorniche el-nile Maspero 5756938 761040Bulgaria6 el-Malek el-Afdal street, Zamalek 3543110 3563548Canada5 el-saraya el-Kobra square,Garden City 3543110 3563548China22 bahgat Ali street,Zamalek 3411219 3409459Cyprus23 A Ismail Mohammad street,Zamalek 3411288 3415299Czech Republic4 Dokki st.,Giza 3485469 3608089Denmark12 Hassan sabri street,Zamalek 3402505 3411780Finland3 Abdul Feda sreet,Zamalek 3411487 3421376France29 el-Giza street, Giza 5703920 5710276Germany 8 Hassan sabri street,Zamalek 3410015 3410530Greece18 Aisha el-Taimouria st.Garden City 3547200 3563903

Holy SeeApostolic nunciature 5 Mohammad Mazhar street 3402250 3406152Hungary29 Mohammad Mazhar street, Zamalek 3408634 3408648India5 Aziz Abaza street,Zamalek 3413051 3414038Iraq9 Mohammad Mazhar st.,Zamalek 3408087 3415075Italy15 Abdel rahman Fahmi st. Garden City 3543194 3540657Japan2 Abdel qader st.,Garden City 3553963 3563540Jordan6 el Guhaini street,Dokki,Giza 3485566 3601027Kenya7 el-Mohandis Galal st.Mohandisin 3453628 3443400Kuwait12 nabil Al-Wakad street,Dokki 3602661 3602657Lebanon5 Ahmad nesim street,Giza 3610623 3610463Libya7 el-saleh Ayoub,Zamalek 3402487Mauritania14 Mohu el-din Abou el-ezz st.,Dokki 3490671 3489060Mexico6 Ahmed shawki street,Giza 5716156 5783040Morocco10 salaheddine street,Zamalek 3409849 3400937Netherlands18 Hassan sabri street,Zamalek 3401936 3415249Norway8 el-Gezira st.Zamalek 3413955 3420709Oman 52 el-Hegaz street, Mohandiseen 3031708 3036464Pakistan8 Al-salouli st. Dokki 3487504 3480310Portugal

57 el- Giza st.,Giza 3363950 3363952Qatar10 el-Themar st.,Dokki , Giza 3604693 3603618Romania4 Aziz Abaza street, Zamalek 3410107 3410151Russia95 Giza st,Giza 3489354 3609074Saudi Arabia2 Ahmad nessim st., 3490797 3494590Singapore40 babel street, Dokki 3490468 3481682Slovakia4 Dokki st. Dokki 3486550Spain44 Ismail Mohammed st.Zamalek 3406397 3547359Sudan3 el Ibrahimi street, Garden City 3545658 3542693Sweden13 Mohammad Mazhar st.Zamalek 3411484 3404357Switzerland10 Abed Al Khalek sarwat st. 3402250 5745236Syria18 Abdel rahim sabri st. Dokki 3358320 3358232Thailand2 Malik el-Afdal st.Zamalek 3408356 3400340Tunisia26 el-Gezira street,Zamalek 3408962 3412479Turkey 25 el-Falaki street,bab el-Louq 3563318 3558110UAE4 Ibn sina st.,Giza 3609722 5700844UK 7 Ahmed ragheb st.,Garden City 3540850 3543065USA5 Latin America str.,Garden City 3557371 3573200Yemen28 Amin el-rifaii street,Dokki 3614225 3604815

EGYPTArea997.738 sq.Km

Population(2000 est.) 68.5 million

CapitalCairo

Main CitiesCairo,Alexandria,Ismalia,Port

said.

Temperature/climatesummer 22 to 35 C in Cairo,

Winter: 9 to 22 C in Cairo.

More temperature along

Mediterranean coasts “Khamsin”

(hot,dry wind in spring)

LanguagesArabic, ( official),english and

French ( commercial).

AirportsCairo (22.5 Km from city centre).

Coaches/taxis,duty-free

shop,airport tax on departure.

Alexandria (8 Km from city

centre)

Local airports at Aswan,

Hurghada, Luxor, sharm el

–seikh.

PortsAlexandria (principal), Port said,

suez, Damietta, safaga.

Business HoursGovernment: 08.00 to 14.00

sat.to Wed,08.00 to 13.00

Thu,10.00 to 12.00 sun.

businesses: Variable (some

closed on Fri, others on sun.)

Banks09.00 To 13.30 Mon.to

Thu.,10.00 to 12.00 sun.

Electricity220/240 volts 50 cycles AC in

Maadi and Heliopolis some 110

volts, 50 cycles AC.

VisasVisas are required by all foreign

visitors except most Arab

nationals.

Customs regulationsCurrency,jewellery and other

valuables must be declared

on entry.

Goods valued up to £e100 may

be exported.200 cigarettes or

25 cigars or 200 gms tobacco,1

litre wine or spirits.

Currency regulationsThe import or export of egyptian

currency is prohibited.All receipts

for the exchange of foreign

currency into egyptian pounds

should be kept to be presented

on departure.

Currency1 egyptian pound(£e)=100

piastres=1.000 millimes.

General Information


83

IrAqEmbassies & Consulates

915/222/8278, Hay al -Jamia 7765496Malaysia6/14/929 Hay babel 7762622MauritaniaAl Mansour, baghdad 5518261Mexico601/11/45 Al- Mansour 7198039MoroccoP.o.box 6039,Lane 11 5421779NetherlandsP.o.box 2064, Lane 35 7767616New ZealandP.o.box 2350 7768176Norway20/3/609 Hay-Al Mansour 5410097OmanP.o.box 6180, Lane 13 5518198PakistanAl-Mansour 14/7/609 5415120PalestineP.o.box 3122 7183146PhilippinesP.o.box 3236,Lane 3 7193228PolandP.o.box 2051, Lane 13 7190297PortugalP.o.box 2123,Lane 25 7764953QatarP.o.box 2445,Lane 46 5412186RomaniaP.o.box 2571 7762860Russia4/5/605 Al-Moutanabi 5414749SomaliaP.o.box 2078, Lane 1 5410088SpainP.o.box 2072, Lane 1 7192852SudanP.o.box 213, Lane 15 5424889SwedenP.o.box 720, Lane 41 7195361SwitzerlandP.o.box 2107, Lane 5 7193091ThailandP.o.box 6062, Al-Mansour 5418795TunisiaP.o.box 6057,Al Mansour 5517786TurkeyP.o.box 14001,Waziriya 2220021 2228353UAEP.o.box 6192, Lane 13 5417026YemenP.o.box 13037,Lane 28 7760647

General InformationArea438.317 sq.Km

Population21.7 million(2000 est.)

Capitalbaghdad

Main Citiesbaghdad, basra, Mosul, Kirkuk

Temperature/climatesummer 24 to 42C in baghdad,humid,hotter and more humid in

basra

More temperature in north.Winter:4 to 16 C in baghdad.

LanguagesArabic (official and commercial).

Airportbaghdad (17 Km from City Centre)

Coaches/taxis,duty free shop-airport tax on departure

Portsbasra (principal),Fao (oil)

Government offices: summer 08.00 to 14.00 sat.to Wed & 08.00

to 13.00 Thu.

Winter: 08.30 to 14.30

sat To Wed. and 08.30 to 13.30 Thu.

shops and Firms: summer 08.30 to 13.00 and 16.00 to 20.00

sat.To Wed.& 08.30 to 13.00 Thu.

Winter:08.30 to 14.30 and 17.00 to 19.00 sat To Wed and 08.30

to 13.30 Thu.

Bankssummer 08.30 to 12.30 sat to Wed. and 08.30 to 11.30 Thu.

Winter: 09.00 to 13.00 sat To Wed. and 09.00 to 12.00 Thu.

Electricity220 volts,50 cycles AC.

VisasVisas are required for all visitors except nationals of egypt, Jordan,

and sudan.

Visa applications should be made well in advance and supported by

a written invitation from a government organization.no admission

granted to visitors holding passports showing evidence of travel to

Israel.

Visitors must register for stays exceeding 14 days and exit visas

are required for visits exceeding 30 days.Apply to Directorate of

residence,52nd street baghdad, Tel:92377 Test for HIV (The Aids

Virus) is required.

Customs RegulationsCountry under un embargo,The import of most goods is prohibited.

Currency1 Iraqi dinar (ID)= 1.000 FILs

AfghanistanP.o.box 674 5560562AlgeriaP.o.box 444, Lane 35 5372181ArgentinaP.o.box 2443,Lane 24 7768140AustraliaP.o.box 661, Al Masbah 7193434AustriaP.o.box 294,Lane 2 7199033BahrainP.o.box 27117, Lane 7 5428945Bangladesh75/17/929 Hay babe 7196367BelgiumHay babel,Mahallat 929 7198297BrazilP.o.box 2088, Lane 16 5411365BulgariaAmireyah embassies quarter 5568197CanadaP.o.box 323,Lane 1 5421459ChinaP.o.box 225 5562741Czech RepublicMansour st., Lane 37 7767367 5430275DenmarkP.o.box 2001, Alwiyah 7717052 7170635EgyptP.o.box 6315,Lane 11 5430572FinlandP.o.box 2041, Alwiyah 7766271 7760488FranceP.o.box 118 7196061GermanyP.o.box 2036, Lane 2 7192037 7180340Greece63/3/913Hay Al-Jamia AL-Jadiriya 7766572Holy SeeP.o.box 2090,Lane 2 7195183 7196520HungaryP.o.box 2065 7765000IndiaP.o.box 4114, Adhaiyah 4222014 4229549Indonesiast. 2, Houre 77, P.o.box 420 7198677 7198680ItalyP.o.box 2043,Lane 73 7765058JapanP.o.box 2369, Lane 17 7195157 7196186JordanKindi quarter 1 sec.213 5412892Korea Rep.

IRAQ


84

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 1223,3rd Circle,Jabal Amman 4641271 4616552Australiabet.4th & 5th Circles,Zahran st. 5930246 4616552AustriaJabal Amman 4644635 4612725BahrainJabal Amman 5664148 5664190BelgiumHawari boumedienne st.,near 4th Circle 5931859 5930487BrazilJabal Amman,3rd Circle 5925416 4612964BulgariaAmman 5529391 5539393CanadaP.o.box 815403,PC 11180 5666124 5689227ChinaP.o.box 2023,PC 11181 5931530 5932607EgyptJabal Amman,3rd Circle 5605175 5604082FranceP.o.box 5348,Mutanabi st. 4641273 4659606GermanyJabal Amman 5930351 5932887GreeceP.o.box 35069 5672331 5696591Holy SeeAmman 5929934 5694059HungaryAmman 5925614 5930836IndiaP.o.box 2168,1st Circle 4623175 4619172Italy5/7 Hafez Ibrahim st.,Jabal el Webdeh 4638185 4659730JapanAl-Aqsa street,Jabal Amman 5930486 5931006KuwaitJabal Amman 5675135 5681971Lebanon2nd Circle, Amman 5929111 5929113LibyaAmman 5693102 5693404MoroccoJabal Amman 5921771 5925185OmanJabal Amman 5686155 5680404PakistanJabal Weibdeh 4624680 4611633PhilippinesAmman 5518134 5518441QatarJabal Amman 5607311 5607350RomaniaJabal Amman, P.o.box 2869 5667738 5684018RussiaJabal Amman 4641158 4647448Saudi ArabiaJabal Amman, 5th Circle 5924154 5921154SpainJabal Amman 4614167 4614173SudanJabal Amman 4644251 4644187Sweden12 embassy st. Jabal Amman 5931177 5930179Jabal Amman 5931416 5930685SyriaJabal Amman, 4th Circle 4641935 4651945TunisiaJabal Amman 5674307 5605790TurkeyP.o.box 2062,PC 11181 4641251 4612353UAEJabal Amman 5934780 5932666UKP.o.box 87, Abdoun, Amman 5923100 5923759USAP.o.box 354,PC 11181 5920101 5920121YemenJabal Amman 4642381 4654717

Area92.000 sq.Km

Population(2000 est.) 5 million

CapitalAmman

Main CitiesAmman, Aqaba, Irbid, Zarka

Temperature/climatesummer 18 C to 22 C in Amman,Dry,

Winter 4C to 12 C in Amman,dry.

LanguagesArabic (official), english (commercial)

AirportAmman (32 Km from city centre. Taxi, duty free

shop,airport tax on departure.

PortAqaba

Business HoursGovernment offices:

08.30 to 15.30 sat to Thu

ramadan: 09.30 to 13.30 sat to Thu.

Commercial offices:

summer:08.00 to 13.30 and 15.30 to 19.30

sat to Thu.

Winter: 08.30 to 13.30 and 15.00 to 18.30

sat to Thu.

Banks08.30 to 15.30 sat. to Thu.

electricity

220 volts,50 cycles AC.

VisasVisas required by all and can be obtained from

any Jordanian consulate.

some visitors may acquire visas on arrival at

International airports.

Customs regulations200 cigarettes,25 cigars or 200 g tobacco,1

bottle of spirits.

Currency regulationsexport of currency equal to the amount declared

on entry is permitted.

Currency1 Jordanian dinar(JoD)=1.000 fils.

General Information

JorDAnJORDAN


85

Embassies & ConsulatesAfghanistanP.o.box 22944 safat,13015 2433075 5326274AlgeriaP.o.box 578,safat 2427185 2519497AustriaP.o.box 44180,Hawali 32056 2467421 2449993BahrainP.o.box 196,safat 13002 5318530 5330882BangladeshP.o.box 22344,safat 13084 2542688 5722018BelgiumP.o.box 3280,safat 2561029 2562153BrazilP.o.box 39761,safat 2561029 2562153BulgariaP.o.box 12090,Kuwait City 5314458 5321453CanadaP.o.box 25281,safat 13113 2563025 2560173ChinaP.o.box 2346,safat 13024 5330165 5333341CubaP.o.box 23685,safat 13124 5382024 2402971Czech RepublicP.o.box 1151,safat 2529015 2529021EgyptP.o.box 11252,safat 2519955 2563877FinlandP.o.box 26699,safat 5312890 5324198FranceP.o.box 1037,safat 13011 5319850 2571058GabonP.o.box 1230,Hawali 32013 4830975GermanyP.o.box 5930,safat 13060 4817055 2520763

HungaryP.o.box 5671,safat 13057 5312600 5313782IndiaP.o.box 1450,safat 13015 2530600 2525811IndonesiaP.o.box 21560, safat 13076 2514588 4819250IranP.o.box 4686,safat 2560694 2529868ItalyP.o.box 4453,safat 13045 2445120 2445124JapanP.o.box 2304,safat 13024 2518155 5326168JordanP.o.box 5242,safat 13053 2533500 2570894Korea Rep.P.o.box 20771,safat 13068 4814004 2526874LebanonP.o.box 253,safat 2562103 2571682LibyaP.o.box 21460,safat 13075 3529172 2575182MoroccoP.o.box 784,safat 13008 4813700 5317423NetherlandsP.o.box 21822,safat 5312650 5326334NigerP.o.box 44451, Hawali 32059 5316802 5652943NigeriaP.o.box 6432,Hawali 32039 5320794 5320834OmanP.o.box 21975,safat 13080 2561962 2961963PakistanP.o.box 988,safat 1310 5327649 5327648PhilippinesP.o.box 26288,safat 13123 5329315 5329319

PolandP.o.box 5066,safat 13051 2510355 2534760QatarP.o.box 1825,safat 13019 2513599 2563428RomaniaP.o.box 11149, Dasmah 35152 4843419 4848929RussiaP.o.box 1765,safat 13018 5646277 5659044Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 20498,safat 13065 2400250 2420654SpainP.o.box 22207,safat 13083 5325827 5325826SwedenP.o.box 21448,safat 2523588 2564224SwitzerlandP.o.box 23954, safat 13100 2551872 5340176SyriaP.o.box 25600,safat 13112 2531164 5396509ThailandP.o.box 66647,bayan 43757 5317530 5317532TunisiaP.o.box 5976,safat 2522416 2528995TurkeyP.o.box 20627,safat 13067 2531785 2560653UAEP.o.box 1828,safat 13019 2518569 2526382UKP.o.box 2,safat 13001 2403335 2426799USAP.o.box 77,safat 13001 2424151 2407368YugoslaviaP.o.box 20511,safat 13066 4818872 5327568

General Information

Area17.8182 sq.Km

Population(2000 estimate) 2 million

CapitalKuwait City

Main CitiesKuwait City, Ahmadi, Hawali, Farwaniya, Al-Jahra

Temperature/climatesummer 40 to 45 C, dry, dust, storms.

Winter cool, some rainfall in november to January.

LanguagesArabic (official), english (commercial).

AirportKuwait (16 Km or 30 mn from city center).

Taxis, duty-free shop, no airport tax.

PortsMina Abdulla (oil)

Mina Al Ahmadi (principally oil)

shuwaikh (container,ro-ro, slipway) shuaiba

Business HoursGovernment offices:

Winter 07.30 to 13.00 sat to Wed.,

07.30 to 11.30 Thu.

summer 07.00 to 13.00 sat.to Wed.

ramadan 08.30 or 09.00 to 13.00 sat to Thu.

Commercial offices:

08.00 to 12.00 and 15.00 to 18.00 sat.to

Wed.08.00 to 12.30 Thu.

ramadan 08.00 to 14.00 sat to Thu.

banks

08.00 to 12.00 sat.to Thu.

ramadan 8.30 to 12.30 sat to Thu.

Electricity240 Volts single-phase

50 cycles AC

VisasVisas or entry permits are required in advance by all

visitors except for nationals of the GCC states.

Transit visas are not required by passengers

continiuing their journey to a third country bt the same

aircraft,or by passengers transiting within 24 hours.

However,passengers must have tickets with reserved

seats and valid documents for their onward journey.With

visas for a visit sponsored by a kuwaiti resident a form in

duplicate must be validated by the Ministery of Interior.

For a visit without a sponsor, form in duplicate can be

obtained from a Kuwaiti consulate.some nationals

require a no objection Certificate issued by Minister

of Interior.

Customs regulationsno alcohol,500 cigarettes,2lb tobacco.

Currency regulationsThere are no restrictions on the import or export of

currency

Currency1Kuwaiti dinar(KD)=1.000 fils

General Information KuWAITKUWAIT


Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 4794,Jnah 01/826711 826712ArgentinaP.o.box 11-5245,starco Area 01/987900 987903Armeniarabieh 04/418860Australiabliss street,ras beirut 01/374701 374709AustriaTabaris ,Ashrafieh 01/217412 217772

Bahrainbliss street,Itani bldg 03/611936 367952BelgiumHebu building,baabda beirut 05/920551 923987BrazilP.o.box 166175,rue Des Antonins,baabda 05/921138 923001Bulgariaraoucheh 01/861352Canadasheraton Hotel,Damascus 0211/6116851 611803Jal elDib Highway 04/713900 710595Chilenaccache 04/418670 418672Chinaramlet Al-baida 01/850315 822492DenmarkAin Mreiseh 01/364264 372970Egyptramlet el-baida 01/867917 863751FranceHazmieh,beirut 01/420000 420013GermanyP.o.box 2820,rabieh 04/914444 914450GreeceP.o.box 309,naccache 04/521700 418774HungaryFanar 01/898857 IndiaP.o.box 113-5240,Kantari st. 01/372811 373538Iranbir Hassan 01/821230 821224ItalyCentre Ville,beirut 01/985200 985305JapanP.o.box 3360,baabda 01/989751 989754Jordan

baabda 05/922500 922502Kuwaitbir Hassan,Jnah 01/822515 842220LibyaVerdun,beirut 01/806314 805349Mexiconew naccache 04/418870 MoroccoAin-el-Tineh 01/862966 865194Pakistanshell bldg,raoucheh 01/863041 864583Philippinesraoucheh,beirut 01/791093 791095Polandbaabda 05/468152 746620QatarP.o.box 6717,Chouran 01/865271 810460Romaniabaabda 05/924484 924747RussiaMar elias,beirut 01/300042 303837Saudi ArabiaKoreitem, beirut 01/860351 861524SpainPalace Chehab, Hadath Antounieh 05/464120 464030SudanMme Curie st. 01/353270 Sweden Achrafieh 01/339505 339394SwitzerlandAve.Fouad Chehab, Achrafieh 01/324129 324167TunisiaHazmieh,Mar Takla 05/457431 950434Turkeyrabieh,Area 2,str.3 04/412080 407557UAEWafic Tabbara bldg,Jnah 01/857000 857009UKZkak el-blat 01/990400 990420USAAoukar,beirut 04/542600 544136VenezuelaZalka,P.o.box 603 01/888701 403670Yemenbir Hassan,P.o.box 114-5097 01/852682 821610YugoslaviaP.o.box 742, sanayeh 01/739633 739638

Area10.452 sq.Km

Population(2000 estimate) 3.6 million

Capitalbeirut

Main Citiesbeirut, Tripoli, Jounieh, Zahle, sidon, Tyre

Temperature/Climatesummer 23 C to 32 C in beirut, humid.

Winter 11 C to 17 C in beirut,moist, rainfall, especially in January.

Highlands are cooler, with winter snowfalls.

LanguagesArabic (official), French and english (commercial)

Airportbeirut ( 16 Km from city centre) Coaches/taxis,duty-free shop-airport tax

on departure.

Portsbeirut (principal), Tripoli (main port for north), Jounieh, sidon (main port

for south)


08.00 to 14.00 Monday to Thursday.

08.00 to 11.00 Friday, 08 to 13 saturday.

Commercial offices08.30 to 18.00 Mon.to Fri.

Banks08.30 to 12.30 Monday to Friday.

08.30 to 12.00 saturday.

Electricity110 Volts,50 cycles AC and 220 volts,50 cycles AC.

VisasVisas are required for all visitors except nationals of syria.Telex/Fax

invitation required from sponsor to be sent to embassy.

Westerners wishing to visit Lebanon can get instant visas at beirut airport

,seaport or at Lebanese border checkpoints.

Customs regulationsVisitors should check with airport duty-free shops on current regulations.

Currency regulationsno restrictions.

Currency1500 Lebanese pound(£Leb)= 1 us dollars.

General Information

LebA

non

LEBA

NON

8686


87

Embassies & ConsulatesAfghanistansharia Al-Aftas 4771183,4775192 4775192Algeriasharia el-Kairouan 4440052 4447042Argentinasharia Ibn Mufarrej 4770588 TX20190AustriaDahra 4443393,444 4440838BangladeshHadbe el-Khadra 903807 900856 901866 TX 20970BelgiumTower no.4,5th Floor 3333660 3333771 75618Beninquartier Gout-shaal 830990 Tx 20357Bosniaben Ashour 602406 602162Brazils.ben Ashour 607969,608 3614895Bulgarias.benin Ashour 609690/4444Burkina FasoGergaresh 4771221 4772626ChadDahra 4443955 TX 20341ChinaAndalous 4775131 4775689China-TaiwanGergaresh 4775052/478 4774980CubaAndalous 4771346 4776294Cyprusben Ashour 609728/6015 609547Czech Rep.ben Ashour 361543/37 600839DenmarkAndalous 606848 TX 20978Egyptsharia-el-shatt 4444945 4448909 4449262FinlandGhot eshaal 830559 830559FranceAndalous 4778267 4773807 4778266Germanys.Hassan el-Mashai 4448552 4448333 4448968GhanaAl-suwae Khetumi 4444256 TX 20879Indias.Mahloud shaltut 4447899 4441835 3337560 IraqGourgi 4770487 4770780Iranel-Jamahiriya 606871 6069 602687Italias.uahran 3334131/2/3 3333447 3331673JapanTower no.4 Hall 13/14 607462/3 607462Korea Gergaresh 833484/ 8331 833503Kuwaitben Ashour 4440282/ 444 607053Lebanonben Ashour 3333733/ 334 TX 20609MalaysiaAndalous 833693/ 8337 833692Malirue Dahanal 33313304/ 44 3331304Malta

Area1,757,000 sq.Km

Population(2000 estimate)5.1 million

CapitalTripoli

Main CitiesTripoli,benghazi,Misurata,surt,sabha

Temperature/Climate

In Tripoli:summer:22 to 38 C,dry.

Winter:8 to 20C,most rainfall in January.

LanguagesArabic(official),english and Italian(commercial)

AirportsTripoli(25 Km from City Centre)

benghazi(main port for east)


Winter:(1 nov.to 31 March)

08.00 to 15.00 sat.to Thu.

summer:07.00 to 14.00

sat.To Thu.

Commercial offices

07.30 to 14.30 sat.To Thu

16.00 to 17.30 sat.To Wed.

banks

Winter:08.00 to 13.00 sat. to Thu.

summer:08.00 to 12.30

sat.to Thu.and 16.00 to 19.00 sat.to Wed.

Electricity220 volts 50 cycles AC.

Visas

Visas are required for all visitors except nationals

of all Arab countries.Passport may need Arabic

Translation.Invitation from Libyan company

required.

Customs regulationsno alcohol.200 cigarettes,250 grams

tobacco,0.25 litre perfume.

Currency regulationsA maximum of 20 Libyan dinar on entry and

departure.no restrictions on other currencies

though the amount taken out must not exceed

that taken in.

Currency1 Lybian dinar(LD) =1.000 dirhams.

rue Dahanal 3338081/ 334 4448401Mauritanias.eysa Wokwak 4443223/444MoroccoApril str. 611101Nicaraguas.Al nassr 3330800 TX 20346PakistanManshia ben Ashour 608269 333600411PalestineTripoliPhilippinesTripoliPolandben Ashour 607619/ 6076 TX 20049RuandaAndalous 4772864/ 4772865 4770317Romaniaben Ashour 607904/ 6079 TX 20482Saudi ArabiaTripoli 3330485/333Slovak RepJallal bayar st. 3332568/ 3332805 3332568SomaliaGurji 4773124/ 477 TX 2205Sudan

Gergaresh 4772728 4774781SyriaMohamed rashed st. 3337955/ 333 TX 20218Switzerlandben Ashour 607365/ 607366 607487TogoKhalid Ibn Al Waleed 4449565 3332423TunisiaTripoli 33.310.613. 331.052 TX 20217UAEGergaresh 4773146/ 47 TX 20189Ugandaben Ashour 4448006 TX 20219UNDPTurkiya street 3330852/ 3/4/5/7 3330856UNICEFAdr.unDPUNICAndalous 4770251 TX 20733Venezuelaben Ashour 3600407/ 36 3600408VietnamGergaresh 833704/ 8307 830994

General Information

LIbYALIBYA


88

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeria46 boulevard Tarek Ibn Ziad 765474 762237Argentina12 Mekki bitaouri str.,souissi 755120 755410Austria2 Tiddas,rabat 764003 765425Belgium6 Marrakesh Ave., rabat 764746 767003BrazilCadi benjalloun st.,rabat 755291 755291Bulgaria4 Ave.de Meknes 765477 763201Canada13 bisr Jaffar Assadik 672880 672187China16 Ahmad balagies Ave 754056 757519Czech RepublicAte.Zaers,Km 4,souissi 755421 755420DenmarkP.o.box 203, 4 Khemisset st. 769293 769709Egypt31 Alger Avenue 731833 706821Finland16 Khemisset street,rabat 762312 463925France3 sahnoun street,rabat 689700 689750Germany7 Maduine st. 709662 706851Greecerte. Zaers,souissi 638975 702270Holy SeeP.o.box 1303, souissi 772277 756213Hungary21 bisoulad Jerrar,soussi 750757 754123India10 Michlifen street,Agdal 671339 671269Indonesia122 Ambassador quarter rte.Zaers 757861 757859Iranroute des Zaers,bin Kasem quarter 659121 659118Iraq2 oukaimdem st.Agdal 754466 754572Italy2 Idriss Al Azhar st. 706598 706882Japan39 Ahmed balafrej Ave., souissi 631782 750078

JordanVilla Al-Wafae, soussi 751125 758722Korea Rep41 Mehdi benbaraka blvd 751767 750189Kuwait300 Iman Malik street, Km 4 751775 753591Lebanon19 Fes Avenue, rabat 760728 766667Libya1 Chouaib Doukkali street 707400 705200Oman21 Hamza street, Agdal, rabat 673788 674567Pakistan11 Azrou street, rabat 661611 766742Portugal5 Thami Lamdouar street 756446 756445Qatar4 Tarik Ibn Ziad blvd. 765681RussiaKm 4, route des Zaers 753509 753590Saudi Arabia43 Place de L’unite Africaine 730171 Spain3 el Fath st. 268000 707387Sudan5 Ghomara Ave, souissi 752863 752865SwedenP.o.box 428 759303 758048SwitzerlandP.o.box 169,berkame sq. 706974 705749Syria5 rte., Zaers, Km 1, souissi 757521 757522Tunisia6 Fez Avenue 730636 Turkey7 Fez Avenue 762605 704980UAE11 Alaouines Avenue 707070 742145UK17 Tour Hassan boulevard 720905 704531USA2 Marrakech street 762265 765661Yemen11 Abou-Hanifa street, Agdal 674363 674769

Area710,850 sq.Km

Population30.20 million(2000 estimate)

Capitalrabat

Main Citiesrabat, Casablanca, Fez,Marrakech, Meknes ,Tangier,Agadir

Temperature/Climatesummer 35 to 45 C in the interior,dry

18 to 28 C along the Mediterrenean,dry.

Winter wide daily variation in the interior,dry,8 C to 17 C in the north,

With frequent frosts,rainfall in December.

LanguagesArabic, French (commercial), berber

AirportsTangier (15 Km from City Centre)

rabat (10 Km from City Centre) Casablanca (30 Km from Town Centre)

Agadir (20 Km from Town Centre)

PortsCasablanca (main sea port)

Tangier (sea port for the north)

Business HoursGovernment

Winter 08.030 to 12.00,14.30 to 18.00 Mon to Fri 08.00 to 13.00

sat.

summer 09.00 to 14.00 Mon to Fri. 08.00 to 12.030 sat.

ramadan 09.00 to 14.00 Mon to sat.

businesses

08.00 to 12.30 and 16.00 to 19.00

banks

Winter 08.15 to 11.30 and 14.15 to 16.30 Mon to Fri.

summer 09.00 to 15.00 Mon to Fri

Electricity110V.,127V or 220V/50 cycles AC in rabbat,

Casablanca and Tangier.

115/50 cycles AC in Marrakech,110V/50 cycles AC in Fez.

VisasVisas required except by nationals of Andorra, Argentine, Australia, Austria,

bahrain, belgium, brazil, Canada, Chile, Congo, Côte D’ivoire, Denmark,

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Monaco,

netherlands, new Zealand, norway, niger, oman, Peru, Philippines, Porto

rico, Portugal, qatar, romania, saudi Arabia, senegal, Korea, spain,

sweden, switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, uAe, uK, us, Venezuela.

Customs Regulations400 grammes of Tobacco, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars are admitted free

of duty.1 litre of wine or spirits.

Currency regulationsno Moroccan currency may be imported or exported.

Currency1 Moroccan Dirham (MD or DH)=100 centimes

General Information

MoroCCoMOROCCO


89

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 216, Madinat sultan qabous 601698 694419AustriaP.o.box 2070, ruwi 112 793135 793669BahrainP.o.box 66, P.C., 115 605912 605072BangladeshP.o.box 3959, ruwi 112 707462 CanadaP.o.box 1275,ruwi 112 ChinaP.o.box 315, Muscat 112 696782 602322EgyptP.o.box 2252,ruwi 112 600411 603626FinlandP.o.box 84, Muscat 113 702133 703826FranceP.o.box 208, Muscat 115 604222 604300GermanyP.o.box 128, ruwi 112 702482 705690IndiaP.o.box 1727, ruwi 112 702960 797547IranP.o.box 3155, ruwi 112 696944 696888IraqP.o.box 1848, ruwi 112 604178 605112ItalyP.o.box 3727, Muscat 112 560968JapanP.o.box 3511, ruwi 112 601028 698720JordanP.o.box 2281, ruwi 112 786350 619495Korea Rep.ofP.o.box 2220, Madinat sultan qabous 115 691490 KuwaitP.o.box 1798, ruwi 112 699626 600972LebanonP.o.box 67, ruwi 118 595844 695633MoroccoP.o.box 3125, ruwi 112 696152 601114NetherlandP.o.box 3302, rruwi 112 705410 799020NorwayP.o.box 89, ruwi 112 703289 793892PakistanP.o.box 1302, ruwi 112 603343 QatarP.o.box 802, Muscat 113 701802 794588RussiaP.o.box 80, Muscat 112 602893 604189Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 1411, ruwi 112 601744 603540SudanP.o.box 3971, ruwi 112 697875 699065SyriaP.o.box 85, Madinat sultan qabous 115 697904 603895TunisiaP.o.box 220, Madinat sultan qabous 115 603486 697778TurkeyP.o.box 417, Muttrah,115 697050 697053UAEP.o.box 551, seeb 115 600302 604182UKP.o.box 300, Muscat 113 693077 693087USAP.o.box 202, Muscat 698989 699189Yemen

P.o.box 105, Madinat sultan qabous 115 600815 605008

General Information

Area309.500 sq.Km

Population(2000 estimate) 2053 million

CapitalMuscat

Main CitiesMuscat-Muttrah-ruwi-seeb,salalah

Temperature/Climate

summer: 35 C - 47 C, Very humid

Winter: 20.7 C men minimum

LanguagesArabic (official), english (commercial).

Airportsseeb (40 Km from City Centre).

Taxis,airport tax on departure,duty-free shop.

salalah (domestic)

PortsMina qaboos, Muscat (principal), Mina raysut,

salalah (main port for Dhofar)


Winter:7.30 to 14.30 sat.To Thu.

summer:7.30 to 14.30 sat Top Wed.

businesses

08.30 to 13.30 and 16.00 to 18.00 sat.to

Wed. 08.00 to 11.30 Thu.

banks

08.00 to 12.00 sat.to Wed.08.00 to 11.30

Thu.

Electricity

220/240 volts 50 cycles AC

VisasVisas are required for all visitors except nationals

of the GCC.

Customs regulationsno alcohol.no Limit for Tobacco products.

Currency regulationsno restrictions on the amount of currency taken

into or out of oman.

Currency1 omani riyal(ro)=1,000 baizas

General Information

oMAnOMAN


90

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 2494 4831186 4836452Bahrain 4839360 4831018bangladeshP.o.box 2080 4671927 4671190Brunei 4884202 4873959ChinaP.o.box 17200 4884202 4873959EgyptP.o.box 2899 4832555 4832196FranceP.o.box 2669 4832283 4832254GermanyP.o.box 3064 4876959 4876949IndiaP.o.box 2788 4672025 4670448IranP.o.box 1633 4835300 4831665IraqP.o.box 1526 4672237 4673347ItalyP.o.box 4188 4667842 4664644JapanP.o.box 2208 4831224 4832178JordanP.o.box 2366 4832202 4832173Korea RepublicP.o.box 3727 4832238 4838264KuwaitP.o.box 1177 4832111 4832042LebanonP.o.box 2411 4477773 4478817LibyaP.o.box 547 4667546 4660548MauritaniaP.o.box 3132 4836003 4836015MoroccoP.o.box 3242 4831885 4833416OmanP.o.box 3766 4670744 4670747PakistanP.o.box 334 4832525 4832227RussiaP.o.box 1540 4329117 4329118Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 1255 4832030 4832720SudanP.o.box 2999 4423007 4329118SyriaP.o.box 1257 4832409 4832139TunisiaP.o.box 2707 4832645 4832649TurkeyP.o.box 1977 4835204 4835206UAEP.o.box 3099 4885111UkP.o.box 3 4421991 4438692USAP.o.box 2399 4884101 4884298YemenP.o.box 3318 4432555 4429400

Area11.437 sq.Km

Population(2000 estimate) 700.000

CapitalDoha

Main CitiesDoha, rayan, umm said,

Al-Khor, Al-Wakrah, ras Laffan

Temperature/Climatesummer 36 to 40 C, in Doha very humid

especially mornings

Winter 13 to 23 C in Doha, very humid, wide

diurnal range

LanguagesArabic (official), english ( commercial).

AirportDoha (8 Km from city centre). Taxis, no

Duty- Free shop, no airport tax.

Portsras Laffan (Gaz and ind.)

Doha, umm said (oil and petrochemicals)


07.30 to 13.00 sat To Thu.

businesses

07.30 to 12.00 and 15.30 to 18.00 sat to

Thu.

banks

07.30 to 11.30 sat to Wed.

07.30 to 11.00 Thu.

Electricity

220/240 Volts 50 cycles AC.

VisasVisas are required for all visitors except nationals

of bahrain, Kuwait, saudi Arabia, and uAe.

no objection certificate required from qatari

Minsitery of Foreign Affairs. other businessmen,

if their visit is sponsored by a reputable qatari,

may obtain a 72- hour visa at Doha Airport.

Customs regulationsAlcohol is prohibited.no limit for Tobacco

products.

Currency Regulationsnone

Currency1 qatari riyal (qr)= 100 dirhams

General Information

qATArQATAR


91

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 94388, riyadh 11693 4887171 4887616ArgentinaP.o.box 94369, riyadh 11693 4652600 4653057AustraliaP.o.box 94400, riyadh 11693 4887788 4887973AustriaP.o.box 94373, riyadh 11693 4801217 4801526BahrainP.o.box 94371, riyadh 11693 4880044 4880208BangladeshP.o.box 94395, riyadh 11693 4195300 4193555BelgiumP.o.box 94396, riyadh 11693 4882888 4882033BrazilP.o.box 94348, riyadh 11693 4880018 4881075CanadaP.o.box 94321, riyadh 11693 4882288 4880137DenmarkP.o.box 94398, riyadh 11693 4880101 4881366EgyptP.o.box 94333, riyadh 11693 4658425 4652800EritreaP.o.box 94002, riyadh 11693 4801726 4827537FranceP.o.box 94367, riyadh 11693 4881255 4882882GermanyP.o.box 9941, riyadh 11693 4880700 4880660GreeceP.o.box 94375, riyadh 11693 801974 4801969IndiaP.o.box 94387, riyadh 11693 4884144 4884750

IranP.o.box 943394, riyadh 11693 4881916 4888890 IrelandP.o.box 94349, riyadh 11693 4882300 4880927 ItalyP.o.box 94389, riyadh 11693 4881212 4886590JapanP.o.box 4095, riyadh 11491 4881100 4880189JordanP.o.box 7455, riyadh 11693 4880039 4880072KenyaP.o.box 94358, riyadh 11693 4882484 4882629Korea(Rep of)P.o.box 94399, riyadh 11693 4882211 4881317KuwaitP.o.box 2166, riyadh 11451 4883500 488368LebanonP.o.box 94350, riyadh 11693 4197000 4192767LibyaP.o.box 94365, riyadh 11693 4544511 4567513MexicoP.o.box 94391, riyadh 11693 4828218 4828379MoroccoP.o.box 94392, riyadh 11693 4826382 4827016NorwayP.o.box 94380, riyadh 11693 4881904 4880854OmanP.o.box 94381, riyadh 11693 4823120 4823738PakistanP.o.box 6891, riyadh 11452 4887272 4887953PhilippinesP.o.box 94315, riyadh 11693 4880835 4883945

PortugalP.o.box 94328, riyadh 11693 4644688 4044419QatarP.o.box 94353, riyadh 11461 4825544 4825694SingaporeP.o.box 94378, riyadh 11693 4657007 4652224SpainP.o.box 94347, riyadh 11693 4880606 4880400SudanP.o.box 94337, riyadh 11693 4887728 4887729SwedenP.o.box 94382, riyadh 11693 4883100 4880604SwitzerlandP.o.box 9265, riyadh 11413 4881291 4880632SyriaP.o.box 94323, riyadh 11693 4887481 4826196ThailandP.o.box 94359, riyadh 11693 4880300 4881179TunisiaP.o.box 94368, riyadh 11693 4887900 4887641TurkeyP.o.box 94390, riyadh 11693 4887721 4887823UAEP.o.box 94385, riyadh 11693 4826803 4827504UKP.o.box 94351, riyadh 11693 4880077 4882373USAP.o.box 94309, riyadh 11693 4883800 4883278YemenP.o.box 94356, riyadh 11693 4826764 4881757

General InformationGeneral Information

Area2.240.000 sq.Km (approx)

Population(2000 est.) 20 million

Capitalriyadh

Main Citiesriyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran,

Dammam, Al-Khobar, qatif, Makkah,

Medina, Abha, Khamis Mushayat,

Taif

Temperature/Climatesummer 38 to 45 C in riyadh dry

diurnal range up to 20 C.

35 to 42 C in Jeddha, very

humid.35 to 45 C in Dammam,

very humid.

Winter 8 to 30 C in riyadh, night

frosts rain in March.19 to 33 C

in Jedah,humid 15 to 30 C in

Dammam, very humid

LanguagesArabic (official), english

(commercial).

AirportsDammam (28 Km from City Centre)

Jeddah (24 Km from City Centre)

Medina (12 Km from City Centre)

riyadh (35 Km from City Centre)

Taxis-no duty-free shops except at

Jeddah-no airport taxes.

PortsJeddah(main port for Western

province and the Kingdom’s

principal port)

King Abdel-Aziz, Dammam (main

port for eastern province)

Jubail(industrial port for eastern

province)

Yanbu(industrial port for Western

province)


07.30 to 14.30 sat to Wed.

ramadan 09.30 tom 14.30

businesses

Variable from business to business

but generally,07.30 to 13.00 and

14.30 to 20.00 sat to Thu.

banks

08.30 to 12.00 and 16.30 to

18.30 sat to Wed.08.30to 12.00

Thu.

ramadan 10.00 to 13.30

Electricity220 Volts and 110 Volts,60

cycles AC.

VisasVisas are required for all visitors

except GCC nationals.

Applications have to be applies for

by sponsor in saudi Arabia

To the Ministery of Foreign Affairs

who will inform saudi embassy

on approval.Assistance from trade

associations and chambers of

commerce is advised.

Marriage certificate for travelers

accompanied by spouse required.

Customs regulationsno alcohol,600 cigarettes,100

cigars or 500g tobacco.

Currency regulationsno restrictions

Currency1 saudi riyal(sr)=100 halala

sAuDI ArAbIAKINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA


92

Embassies & Consulates

Area2,505,813 sq.Km


CapitalKhartoum

Main CitiesKhartoum, oumdurman, Khartoum north, Port

sudan, Wadi Medani

Temperature/Climatesummer : 26 to 45 C, in Khartoum,sandstor

ms,humid,

rain in August and september,hotter and more

humid in south.

Winter : 15 to 32 C in Khartoum, dry, wide

diurnal range, Chilly nights.


AirportKhartoum (4Km from city centre).

Coaches/taxis, Duty-free shops,airport tax on

departure.

PortPort sudan


Khartoum :08.00 to 14.00 sat to Thu.

other centres :08.30 to 14.00(with breakfast

interval)

sat to Thu.

businesses

08.30 to 13.30 and 17.00 to 20.00 sat.

to Thu

banks

08.30 to 12.00 sat to Thu.

Electricity240 volts,single phase AC

VisasVisas are reqiured for all visitors

Customs Regulations200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 1 lb tobacco

Currency RegulationsImport or export of sudanese currency is illegal

Currency1 sudanese Dinar(sD)=100 piastres=1,000

millimes

AlgeriaP.o.box 80 451084AustriaP.o.box 1860 77170BelgiumP.o.box 969,st.33,House 15 489229 4899230ChinaP.o.box 1425 272730 271138Czech RepublicP.o.box 1047 43448DenmarkP.o.box 2758 80489EgyptP.o.box 1126 72836FranceP.o.box 377, st.3, Plot 29 471082 465928GermanyP.o.box 970 77990Holy SeeP.o.box 623 74692IndiaP.o.box 707, 61 Africa rd. 451031 452266IranHouse no.8, square 2, Mogran 81490 78668Iraqburri, Garden City 271863ItalyP.o.box st.39 Khartoum 2 451614 451217JapanP.o.box 1649, st.43, House 67 75875 77668 Jordan25 sreet number 7 451164 451038KenyaP.o.box 8242 440386 452264 Korea(Rep of)P.o.box 322 451136KuwaitP.o.box 1457 81525 81142LebanonP.o.box 1407 45008LibyaP.o.box 2091 2235358MoroccoP.o.box 2042 451603 451053Netherlandsst.47 House 76 471012 471204OmanP.o.box 2839 451605 451027PakistanP.o.box 1178 222000 QatarP.o.box 223 451620 451036RomaniaP.o.box 1494 338114 761113RussiaP.o.box 1161 451042Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 258 452583 451069SpainP.o.box 2621 45072Sweden(Consulate)P.o.box 2206 71913 SwitzerlandP.o.box 1707 451010 452804SyriaP.o.box 1139 451152 451066TunisiaP.o.box 3533 75906Turkeyst.2, House 31 471197 472542UAEP.o.box 1225 451100UKP.o.box 801 777105 776457USAP.o.box 699 74700YemenP.o.box 1010 451623 451020YugoslaviaP.o.box 1180 41252

General InformationsuDAnSUDAN


93

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriarawdah street, nass bldg ArgentinaP.o.box 116 3334167 332732ArmeniaMalekie-Ibrahim Hanano st. 3732992 3711757AustriaP.o.box 5634 3327691 3329232Belgium76 Ata Ayoubi street 3338098 330426BrazilP.o.box 2219CanadaP.o.box 3384 6116851 6114000CyprusP.o.box 9269 6130812 6130814DenmarkP.o.box 2244 3331008 3337928FranceP.o.box 769, Ata Al Ayoubi st. 3327992GermanyP.o.box 2237 3323800 332812GreeceP.o.box 30319, Mezzeh 2233009 2233035Holy SeeP.o.box 2271, 82 Masr street 3337966 3327550HungaryP.o.box 2271, 102 al Fursani st. 3337966 6667917IndiaP.o.box 685 3719580 3713294Indonesia17 Assalam st., bldg 10 6119630 6119632IranP.o.box 2691 6117675 6110997Italy82 Al Mansour Ave 3332621 3320325JapanAl Mindi bin baraka st. 3339181 3339920Jordan

Abu roummaneh street 3334642KuwaitIbrahim Hanano street NetherlandP.o.box 702 3336871 3339369PakistanP.o.box 9284, Al Farabi st. 6662391 3339369PolandP.o.box 501, M.ben baraka st. 3330101QatarP.o.box 4188 3336717Romania8 Ibrahim Hanano st. 3327570 3327572Russiaomar ben Khattab st 4423155Saudi ArabiaAl-Jala’ Avenue SlovakiaP.o.box 33115 6669043 6616714Spain81 Al-Jala’ AvenueSudanAl-Jala’ street 3332126SwedenP.o.box 4266 3327261 3327749SwitzerlandAl-Mahdi ben baraka st. 3715474 3321137TunisiaP.o.box 4114 6660356TurkeyP.o.box 3738 3331411 3339243UAE62 rawda street/Abu rummana st. 3333038UKP.o.box 37, Malki 3739241 3731600USAP.o.box 29, no.2 Al Mansour st. 3332184 3319678

General InformationGeneral Information

Area185,180 sq.Km


CapitalDamascus

Main CitiesDamascus, Aleppo, Homos, Latakia, Hama

Temperature/Climatesummer : 30 to 42 C, in Damascus, occasionally humid.

Winter : 0 to 20 C in Damascus, occasional snowfalls

LanguagesArabic (official), French (widely understood in business and government)

english (sometimes used in business)

AirportDamascus (32 Km from citycentre).

Coaches/taxis, duty-free shop, airport tax on departure.

PortsLatakia (principal), Tartous, banias (oil).


08.00 to 14.00 sat to Thu.

ramadan :08.00 to 13.oo

businesses

Winter :09.00 to 14.00 and 16.00 to 19.00 sat to Thu,

summer (May to october) :08.30 to 13.30 and 17.00 to 20.00 sat

to Thu.

banks

08.00 to 14.00 sat to Thu.

Electricity220 volts

50 cycles AC in Damascus.

115/220 volts in Aleppo

VisasVisas are required by all except nationals of Algeria, bahrain, Djibouti,

egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, oman,

PLo Gvt, qatar, saudi Arabia, somalia, sudan, Tinisia, united Arab

emirates And Yemen.

Appilications should be accompanied by supporting letter from employers.

Transit(for Visits up to 3 days), entry (for visits up to 2 weeks)and visit(for re-entry

from neighbouring countries) visas are available.

Customs Regulations200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco and 1 bottle of wine

and one bottle of spirits.

Currency regulationsup to £syr 100 in local currency may be brought into or out of the

country.Currency declarations are necessary for more than us$5000 in

local or foreign curency.Visitors are advised to keep adequate amounts

of bank notes on hand since it is sometimes difficult to cash travelers

checques

Currency 1syrian pound (£syr)=100 piaster or qirsh.

sYrIASYRIA


Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeria18 niger street 783166 788804Argentina10 H.Hassan street 231222 750058Austria16 Ibn Hamdis st., Menzah 751091 767824Bahrain72 bin Abi soufiane, Menzah 231811 766549Belgium47 1st January st. belvedere 781655 792797Brazil37 Africa Avenue, Menzah 232538 750367Canada3 senegal street, belevedere 796577 792371China22 Dr. burnett st., Mutuelleville 792107 792631Czech RepublicP.o.box 53, 1002 Tunis 280486 793228Denmark5 Mauritania street, belevedere 792600 790797EgyptAve.Med V, Mont Plaisir, belvedere 792233 794389Finland61 H.bourghiba Ave., Carthage 721700 721670FranceIndependence square 358000 358001Germany1 al Hamra st., Mutuelleville 786455 788242Greece9 Imp.Atlas, belvedere 288411 789518Hungary12 Achtart st., Al-Menzah 780544 781264India4 Didon square, notre Dame 787819 783394Iraq10 ben Ashour Ave. Menzah 890347 799949Iran10 Doctor burnett st., Mutuelleville 791015 783177Italy37 Jamal Abdel nassr st. 321811 324155Japan9 Apollo st. Mahrajenne 791251 786625Jordan10 Chankatti st., Mahrajene 780875 784661Korea Rep

Area164,418 sq.Km


CapitalTunis

Main CitiesTunis, sfax, Ariana, bizerte, Djerba, sousse

Temperature/ClimateWinter:13∞ with frequent rain.

summer: 35∞C,hot and dry

LanguagesArabic (official), French (commercial),

berber (in rural areas).

AirportsTunis (8 Km from Tunis)

skanes (8 Km west of Monasrtir)

Melita (6 Km west of Djerba)

Tozeur (south oasis area)

PortsTunis (main port), Zarzis, sfax,

sousse, bizerta

Business Hours

Government offices

Winter :08.00 to 13.00 and 15.00 to 17.45

Mon.to Thu.08.30 to 13.00 Fri.and sat.

summer:07.00 to 13.00 Mon.to sat.

businesses

Winter:08.300 to 12.30 and 14.00 to 16.00

Mon to Fri.

summer:07.30 to 13.00 Mon to sat.

banks

Winter:08.00 to 11.00 and 14.00 to 16.00

Mon to Fri.

summer:07.00 to 13.00 Mon. to sat.

ElectricityDomestic 220V and 110V.

Industrial 220V 50 cycles AC

VisasVisas are required by all except nationals of

Angiulla, Antigua, Austria, bahrain, barbados,

belize, bermuda, brunei, bulgaria, Canada,

Cayman Is, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, egypt, eire,

Falkand Is, Fuji, Finland, France, Germany,

Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Giunea, Hong Kong,

Iceland, Italy, Ivory coast, Japan, Korea(south),

Kuwait, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Malaysia, Mali,

Malta, Mauritania, Mauritus, Monaco, Montserrat,

Morocco, nevis, niger, norway, Pitcairn Is.,

Porugal, romania, st.Helens, st.Kittis, san

Marino, saudi Arabia, senegal, spain, sweden,

switzerland, Turkey, Turks,& Caicos Is., uAe, uK,

usA, Venuatu, Virgin Is,(britsih) and Yugoslavia.

Customs Regulations200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 400g tobacco

and 1 litre of alcohol are admitted free of duty.

Currency regulationsThe import or export of Tunisian currency is

prohibited.o departure all Tunisian currency must

be converted into foreign currency on production

of exchange slips from Tunisian banks. This can

be done at the Airport .The amount of excess

currency exchanged back must not exceed 30

per cent of foreign currency originally exchanged

or 100 dinars, whichever is the greater.

Currency1 Tunisian Dinar(TD)=1,000 millimes(m)

16 Caracalla st., notre Dame 893060 791923Kuwait32 Mansoura st., Ariana 754811 767669Libya48 bis., rue du 1er Jiun, belvedere 781913 795338Morocco39 rue du 1er Jiun, belvedere 782775 795338Netherlands6/7/8/ Mercen st.Mahrajene 799442 785557Pakistan7 Ali bin Abi Talib street, Al-Menzah 234366 752477Portugal2 sufetula st., belvedere 893981 791008Romania18 Africa Avenue, Al- Menzah 766926 767695Russiabergamate st., ManarII 882446 882478Saudi Arabia16 Jugurtha Ave., belvedere 781722 783235Spain22 Conseil Avenue, Cite jardin 782217 786267Sudan30 Afrique AvenueSwedenberges Lac, Mhiri 860580 860810Switzerland10 echenkiti st., Mutuelleville 783997 788796Syria119 A. rebai st., Manar II 888018 887989Turkey30 Ave. Africa 750668 767045UAE9 Ashtart st., belvedere 783522 783507UK141 Liberty Ave., belvedere 793322 792644USA144 Liberty Avenue, belvedere 782566 789719Yemen9 A.Ibn Abi Taleb st., Menzah 237933

General Information

TunIsIATUNISIA

94


95

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 3070, Abu Dhabi 4448949 4447068ArgentinaP.o.box 3325, Abu Dhabi 4436838 4431392AustraliaP.o.box 58010, Dubai 3217444 3212677AustriaP.o.box 35539, Abu Dhabi 4766611 6715551BahrainP.o.box 3367, Abu Dhabi 6657500 6674141BangladeshP.o.box 2504, Abu Dhabi 4465100 4464733BelgiumP.o.box 3686, Abu Dhabi 6319449 6319353BrazilP.o.box 3027, Abu Dhabi 6320606 6327727BritainP.o.box 248, Abu Dhabi 6101100 6101518CanadaP.o.box 6970, Abu Dhabi 6940300 6946399ChinaP.o.box 2741, Abu Dhabi 4434276 4436835Czech RepublicP.o.box 27009, Abu Dhabi 6782800 6795716EgyptP.o.box 4026, Abu Dhabi 4445566 4449878FinlandP.o.box 3634, Abu Dhabi 6328927 6325063FranceP.o.box 4014, Abu Dhabi 4435100 4434158GermanyP.o.box 2591, Abu Dhabi 6446693 6444942GreeceP.o.box 5483, Abu Dhabi 4492550 4493119HungaryP.o.box 44450, Abu Dhabi 4470100 6667877IndiaP.o.box 409, Abu Dhabi 4492700 4444685IranP.o.box 4080 4447618 4448714ItalyP.o.box 46752, Abu Dhabi 4435622 4434337JapanP.o.box 2430, Abu Dhabi 4435696 4434219JordanP.o.box 4024, Abu Dhabi 4447100 4449157KenyaP.o.box 3854, Abu Dhabi 6666300 6652827Korea RepP.o.box 3270, Abu Dhabi 4435337 4435348KuwaitP.o.box 926, Abu Dhabi 4477146 4477675LebanonP.o.box 4023, Abu Dhabi 4492100 4493500LibyaP.o.box 5739, Abu Dhabi 4450030 4450033MalaysiaP.o.box 3887, Abu Dhabi 4482775 4482779MauritaniaP.o.box 2714, Abu Dhabi 4462724 4465772MoroccoP.o.box 4066 4433963 4433917NetherlandsP.o.box 46560 6321920 6313158

Area90,559 sq.Kms

(including offshore islands)

Population(2006 est.)4.10 m

CapitalAbu Dhabi

Main CitiesAbu Dhabi, Dubai, sharjah,ras Al-Khaimah

Ajman, Fujairah, umm Al-qaiwan

Temperature/Climate summer:35to 40C peaks up to 48C along Gulf

Coast,very humid in Dubai, more temperate

along eastern(Gulf of oman)coast. Winter : 20C,

very dry in Abu Dhabi, Wet in ras el Khaimah

LanguagesArabic (official), english ( widely spoken in

business and government)

AirportsAbu Dhabi International (19 Km southeast of

City), duty-free shop

Abu Dhabi new International Airport (nadia, 35

Km form city centre), duty-free shop

Al Ain International,Duty-free shop

Dubai International (4 Km east of city),

duty-free shop

Fujairah Int’l, Duty-free shop

ras Al Khaimah International (20 Km south of

Town), duty-free shop

sharjah International (10 Km southeast of

sharjah town and 25 Km north of Dubai Town),

duty-free shop

PortsJebel Dhanna/ruwais Abu Dhabi

Mina Zayed ( Abu Dhabi town, 20% uAe

tonnage)

Mina Jebel Ali (Dubai)

Port rashid(Dubai Town), 50% uAe tonnage

Ajman, Fujeirah

Mina saqr (ras Al Khaima) Khorfakan (sharjah/

east coast), container terminal.

Mina Khalid (sharjah Town), 20% uAe tonnage


08.00 to 15.00 sat. To Wed. And 08.00 to

12.00 Thu.

businesses

08.00 to 15.00 and 16.00 to 20.00 sat.

to Thu

ElectricityAbu Dhabi 220/240 volts, 50 cycles AC,

northern emirates

220/380 volts, 50 cycles AC.

VisasVisas are required by all except GCC nationals.

uK Citizens will be granted 30-day visa at

International Aiports.other Will be required to

obtain visas through sponsorship.

Customs Regulations200 cigarettes or one half pound of

Tobacco(Abu Dhabi), 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars

or 500 gm tobacco(Dubai) are allowed duty-

free.However locally retailed tobacco products

are as cheap as duty-free goods.

Alcohol, drugs, pearls and firearms are

prohibited

Currency regulationsnone

Currency1 uAe Dirham(Dh)=100 fils

General Information

NorwayP.o.box 47270 6211221 6213313OmanP.o.box 2517 4463333 4464633PakistanP.o.box 846 4447800 4447172PalestineP.o.box 841 4434048 4434363PhilippinesP.o.box 3215 6415922 6412559QatarP.o.box 3503 4493300 4493311RomaniaP.o.box 70416 4459919 4461143RussiaP.o.box 8211 6721797 6788731Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 4057 4445700 4448491SpainP.o.box 46474 6269544 6274978

SudanP.o.box4027 4446699 4490530SwitzerlandP.o.box 46116 6274636 6269627SyriaP.o.box 4011 4448768 4449387ThaiP.o.box 47466 6421772 6421773TunisiaP.o.box 4166 6811331 6812707TurkeyP.o.box 3204 4453330 4452522UKP.o.box 248 6326600 6318138USAP.o.box 4009 4142200 4142469YemenP.o.box 2095 4448457 4443691

uAeUAE


96

Embassies & ConsulatesAlgeriaP.o.box 509, 67 Amman sT. 209689 209688BelgiumP.o.box 2616 285865 289568CanadaP.o.box 340 208814 209523ChinaAl Zubeiri st 275337Czech RepublicP.o.box 2501, safia Janubia 247946 244418DenmarkP.obox 5302,Taiz 215170 212334EgyptJamal Abdul naser st. 275948 274196FranceP.o.box 1286, Al bounia 268888 269160GermanyP.o.box 41 413179 413179India12 Jiboti street 508084 508105IndonesiaHadda Area, house 16 414633 412956IranP.o.box 1437, Hadda street 412690 414139IraqP.o.box 498 244153ItalyP.o.box 1152 269164 266137JapanP.o.box 817, street 38 house2 207356 209531JordanP.o.box 2152 413279Korea(PDR)P.o.box 1209, Al Hasaba 232340 KuwaitP.o.box 17036 216317 LebanonP.o.box 2283 203459Morocco P.o.box 10236,Westy safia 247964OmanP.o.box 105 208933 PakistanP.o.box 2848 248812Poland P.o.box 16168 413523 413647RomaniaP.o.box 2169 205515 214100RussiaP.o.box 1087,26 sep.street 278719 283142Saudi ArabiaP.o.box 1184 240429SudanP.o.box 2561 265231 265234SyriaP.o.box 494, Hadda road 413153TunisiaP.o.box 2561,Diplomatic Area 240458 TurkeyP.o.box 18371, Al safia 241395 241395UAEP.o.box2250 248777UKP.o.box 1287 264081 263059USAP.o.box 22347 238843 251563

Area527.970 sq.Km


Capitalsanaa(political), Aden(economic)

Main Citiessanaa, Aden, Hoddeida, Taiz, Ibb, Dhamar, Hajjah

Temperature/Climatesummer:35 to 40 C,peaks up to 47 C in Hodeida,Very humid, rainfall

cooler and drier in sanaa.

Winter: 26 C in Hodeidah,Humid, much cooler , with occasional frosts,in

sanaa.

summer:average 35 C in Aden, very humid,hotter but wideDiurnal range

and drier inland.

Winter: average 28 C in Aden, humid, much cooler inland.


AirportsAl-rahaba(10 Km north of sanaa).

Hodeida

(6 Km southeast of city)

Al-Janad

(4 Km northeast of Taiz)

Khormasakar International

(10 Km from Aden).

no duty-free shop.sanaa

PortsHodeida(principal), Aden, Mokha, saleef(relief port for Hodeida)


08.00 to 13.00 sat.to Thu.

businesses

08.00 to 13.00 and 16.00 to 19.00 sat.to Thu.

banks

08.00 to 12.00 sat.to Wed. and 08.00 to 11.30 Thu.

Electricity220 volts, 50 cycles AC

VisasVisas are required for all visitors.one application form and 2 photographs

must be presented with employer’s supporting letter.

Processing of applications takes 3 to 6 days.

Visitors must register within 5 days to obtain an exit visa which can

sometimes also be arranged by hotels.

Customs regulations200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or _ lb tobacco and 1 qt wine are admitted

duty-free.

Currency regulationsbecause the exchange of riyals is difficult abroad, visitors exchange all local

currency before departure.

Currency1 Yemeni riyal(Yr)=100 fils

* Whilst every effort is made to provide totally accurate information, no responsibility is taken for inaccuracies and omissions contained herein.

General Information

YeMenYEMEN


travel arabia mar 08

Documents

paintings of horses

strongest horses

fond of horses

way women

dwc andthe horses of

glorythe dubai world

horse racing

horse lovers