Money: cards rule, a little cash helps
- Cards: accepted virtually everywhere, including small restaurants. Your tour balance can be paid by card or cash on arrival.
- Cash: AED 100–200 covers shawarma runs, souk haggling and tips. Airport ATMs in the arrivals hall give good rates.
- Tipping: appreciated, never demanded — round up at casual spots, ~10% at restaurants.
Staying connected
- Airport wi-fi is free at Zayed International — enough to WhatsApp us on landing.
- Free tourist SIMs have been available to arriving visitors at UAE airports (limited data) — ask at the kiosk in arrivals.
- eSIM travellers: UAE plans activate instantly; buy before you fly for maps all day.
📲 The only connectivity that matters: one WhatsApp message on airport wi-fi — "landed". We handle every coordination from there.