#  >  > Non Asia Travel Forums >  >  > Travel the World Travellers Tales Forum >  >  Dubai - Friday Afternoon Booze Run

## natalie8

We did a booze run last Friday. Now you're probably wondering what this is. Yes, you can buy alcohol in Dubai but the taxes are very high and you're linited to the amount that you can buy. You also need a license for this which is a pain in the ass to get.

So what most people do is take a ride up to Barracuda Resort in Umm Al Quwwain. Here's a quote from a blog on this:

Getting Alcohol in Dubai unlicensed – Barracuda in Umm Al Quwain

Secondly, you can apply for a Liquor License and then get alcohol in Dubai Liquor shops, but they tend to apply a good 30% Tax on purchases, plus you have a quota on the amount you can buy.
Thirdly, you can drive to an Emirate where Alcohol is sold freely without licensing issues, but there is an issue of getting the booze back to Dubai.

the main problem is getting through Sharjah which is a 0% tolerance toward alcohol Emirate

Here's a pic of the inside of the booze shop. It has a huge selection. 



Here's a link to the blog: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.celifornia.com/gallery/albums/UAE/Daily-Life/normal_IMG_0385.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.celifornia.com/blog/2008/08/24/getting-alcohol-in-dubai-unlicensed-barracuda-in-umm-al-quwain/&usg=__S7zrR4qQv7gR0U0PNEHfnzDEDoc=&h=640&w=480&sz  =55&hl=en&start=25&sig2=xXwdBAwaM81eaiTyyViHwA&itb  s=1&tbnid=phKzebbXYyLBnM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbarracuda%2Bresort%2Buae%26start%3D20  %26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3D  isch:1&ei=4nTnS5evKMe6rAfHvbmEBA

Here's a map to give you an idea of the distance. It's about a 40 minute ride from where we live.



When you are at the cash paying, the is always a guy there who will take your purchase to your car if you want. We had him take ours. These guys bring black bags to wrap up the booze and they put it into your trunk so it is not "visible".



There is an abandoned plane right next to the road that goes into the resort. It was used by a former Soviet Union military guy to escape unseen. It has been turned into a restaurant.




This is the airport  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



If you squint really hard you can read the sign - It says Welcome To Barracuda. what's good is that they have many signs along the highway to guide you there.



As we were driving back, we saw 5 or 6 camels walking down the street. I wonder where they were going. They looked like they knew what they were doing. I was worried about the psycho drivers in the area.  :Confused: 







Our stash at home











I think we'll need to go back again soon for a couple more liqueurs.

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## slackula

> Yes, you can buy alcohol in Dubai but the taxes are very high and you're linited to the amount that you can buy. You also need a license for this which is a pain in the ass to get.


When I first worked in Dubai at the very end of the 80s my salary was too small to even apply for a license! I had to rely on friends and the Riviera club.

A few years later I found myself in a better position in Abu Dhabi and got a license, but it still had pretty draconian limits on what percentage of my salary I could spend in the booze shop and my boss was a raging alkie who used to nick my stuff.  :Sad: 

I don't remember Umm Al Quwwain being an option back then except for moonshine from Lebanon or somewhere like that.




> Our stash at home


So Tuesday is covered but what about tomorrow?   :Very Happy:

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## natalie8

Heh heh, that's why we need to go back. I'm not sure how long Barracuda has been open. Let's see.

Here's their site: Barracuda Beach Resort

Their latest news is from 3-9-2008.

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## slimboyfat

This time next week I will be in Dubai!

But I think I will get some beers in the hotel, thanks all the same for the advice.

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## kingwilly

Love the camels, thanks for the good info. I'm not certain several wines and a couple of bottles would last all that long. How often do you do this drive?

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## Bogon

> I'm not certain several wines and a couple of bottles would last all that long. How often do you do this drive?


Was thinking this too.
If I had a couple of mates round for a weekend session it would nearly all be gone except for an untouched case of Smirnoff Ice 'cos we don't know any girls and we wouldn't touch it.
Great thread by the way. :Smile:

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## Butterfly

Dubai is a good place to buy cigars, quite cheap for cubans

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## slimboyfat

> quite cheap for cubans


Yes, but I hope they do the decent thing and overcharge French people

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## slackula

> quite cheap for cubans


I heard that the Dominican Republic is better for that kind of activity.

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## Smug Farang Bore

I've had a few beers in my time but I have been more drunk in Dubai than Thailand.

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## dirtydog

No scotch, no jack daniels or jim bean, not going to be much of a party  :Sad:

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## slimboyfat

Hur hur hur.

Malibu  :Smile:

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## slackula

> 





> *No scotch,* no jack daniels or jim bean, not going to  be much of a party


Yeah, that Black Label beer is really shitty..

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## baldrick

^ only the Vodka is any good out of that lot.

the tequila is motocy fuel and the scotch is bilious

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## kingwilly

Natalie8 is going to love having her booze choices critiqued. That'll learn her to create a decent and interesting picture thread.

I noticed a little white bag of red bulls, are they contraband in the rest of Dubai also ?

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## slimboyfat

> Natalie8 is going to love having her booze choices critiqued.


I did try to green her but unfortunately I had no ammo left after giving her a green for being so nice about a pic thread I did.

So thanks Natalie8. For this thread and also for being the only other negative reviewer of the Anodard Hotel, Chiang Mai on tripadvisor  :Smile: 

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_R...hiang_Mai.html

I seem to remember that was you!

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## Butterfly

> I heard that the Dominican Republic is better for that kind of activity.


a bit too far, only to save a few Euros




> Yes, but I hope they do the decent thing and overcharge French people


and why would they want to do that ? the French are very popular in the ME  :Smile:

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## thehighlander959

I did the trip to the Barracuda a few times when I lived in Dubai. 
You can take Sharjah mostly out of the equation if you use the Emirates Road coming back, that means you only skirt around the edge of Sharjah. 

The reason for 100% ban on alcohol in Sharjah is that the Saudi Arabian government paid off Sharjahs debts in return for preaching the Wahabbi muslim faith and a 0% alcohol policy.

And its not a bad beach at the Barracuda Resort to swim on.

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## BosseO

> and why would they want to do that ? the French are very popular in the ME


Sure they are, the French I did know in Saudi rented out their wife's to the rich Saudis.

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## natalie8

Thanks for all the replies and the greens.  :Smile: 




> This time next week I will be in Dubai!


How long will you be here for? We could get together for lunch if you have time. For your beer stock I would suggest getting it from Duty Free.




> How often do you do this drive?


We've actually only done it a couple of times. We have friends who stock up and sell from home and we either go out to restaurants that serve alcohol or to friends' houses. We're not big drinkers so that helps.




> but I have been more drunk in Dubai than Thailand.


 :smiley laughing:  I believe it!




> not going to be much of a party


It's not for a party, it's just to have here.




> Hur hur hur. Malibu


Hee hee, brings back memories.....




> ^ only the Vodka is any good out of that lot. the tequila is motocy fuel and the scotch is bilious


The vodka is for me and the other two are for hubby.




> I noticed a little white bag of red bulls,


They're not Red Bull, they're sample sizes of different liquers including Amaretto, Chivas, Hennessy, Campari, Beefeater and a few others. Red Bull is widly available here and they sponsor alot of events.




> So thanks Natalie8. For this thread and also for being the only other negative reviewer of the Anodard Hotel, Chiang Mai on tripadvisor


That's not me! there's another natalie8????  :Mad: 




> The reason for 100% ban on alcohol in Sharjah is that the Saudi Arabian government paid off Sharjahs debts in return for preaching the Wahabbi muslim faith and a 0% alcohol policy.


I didn't know that. thanks for the info.

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## Smug Farang Bore

natalie8,

Fell through customs in Abu Dhabi off an Etihad flight. only thing holding me up was the trolley. The customs guys just laughed and waved me through. My mate said I was followed out by the chained up prisoners. Being the good egg that he is, my friend took me straight to a club when we were heading in to Dubai....drop bag off. Out into Dubai, many bars including some real classy joints (York) then back to his house to raid his bar.

All in a good night out. Repeated day two... ::chitown::

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## Smug Farang Bore

I'll be going through on the 24th but I'm hoping Tams working at that time. :Smile:

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## thehighlander959

^
I would give the York Hotel a miss. There are better bars to meet female players.
1. The Panorama is ok at night early on 6pm onwards.
2. Daytime session try The Astoria Hotel opens around mid-day until 1530pm.
3. Imperial Suites Bar and Disco (Night time) small bar and big disco.
4. Sea View Hotel (Night time)
5. Admiral Plaza (used to be good not sure about now it always changing)

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## Smug Farang Bore

^ Agree but I was not driving the train that night. We did go to some more rather up market places but the wheels fell off n  hey ended up in the York.

Thing about that place is you need three hands, ya don't know weather to hold on to ya balls, beer or wallet.
Real class place..! :Smile: 

I was being led by the Scottish. :Smile:  :Smile:

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## thehighlander959

^
Yep Scottish here!! I would go for wallet,beer and balls in that order. 
If your talking about trusting the female species it should be in this order in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

1. Chinese 8/10 (fear of deportation or jail tells them not to steal)
2. CIS/Russia/Kazakh/Khyrgistan 6/10 (will take a chance never pick up on street?)
3. Ethiopian, Kenyan or Somali. 2/10 (at your peril will lift anything and do a runner)

I had about 30 guys working for me in Jebel Ali Port all expats. Some of their stories of their nightly escapades would scare the shit out of you. As they say when the cats away........

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## kingwilly

> I had about 30 guys working for me in Jebel Ali Port all expats. Some of their stories of their nightly escapades would scare the shit out of you. As they say when the cats away........


I'm sure that's _exactly_ what Natalie8, a female married to an expat living in that region, wants to hear.....

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## Butterfly

forget the booze, Dubai is a very good place for whoring

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## Smug Farang Bore

^^ I'm sure she can deal with it.

The girl is posting on a mainly male dominated website  about Bangkok full of well rather dodgy posts and posters... :Smile:

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## natalie8

:smiley laughing:  No worries, guys, I'm having a good laugh. Hey, I did live in Thailand for four years - Bangkok for three and Phuket for one.

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## Smug Farang Bore

See Sir Wilson - I told you. I no many expat wives here they would feel patronized if I showed them your post. :Smile:

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## thehighlander959

Hey Nats I lived in Jumeirah 3 almost opposite the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Nice place but it was costing KBR a fortune.

Two weeks before I left my brother came out with his wife, daughter and son, we went to the Water Park next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. My niece came down one of the slides and ripped her left arm wide open she was taken to the American Hospital and had 13 stitches.. There was a piece of steel that had lifted on the flume.

Trying to get the Arabs to pay out via their insurance companies, is like getting blood out of a stone.

I liked Dubai the only problem was the arrogance of the Arabs living there, it was as if they were doing you a favour.

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## Smug Farang Bore

^ I don't live there but I recon it would have been better around 10 years ago, same as Thailand.
Just stop there to see Friends, go to the 7s and chill out.

Would like to go more but when I need to get out of Bangkok and act like a real grownup person , I go to Singapore.
$$$$$$$$ :Smile:

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## bazzersomjai

Hi 
  I worked just recently worked for i8 months in Dubia and even though I had a residents permit I did the Barracuda run on several occasions. But remember you can get 4 bottles of spirits at the arrials lounge in the duty free just at the side of baggage reclaim.

Bazzersomjai

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## Mr Lick

I will be in Abu Dhabi airport in a couple of weeks time, quite civilised the last time that i was there. Just passing through on this occasion but would love to stay a couple of nights, maybe on the return journey if can swing it.  :Smile:

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## paddymac

Hi.
I know Barracuda well. It's excellent. The wine selection is truly world class. 

If you go a bit farther, MMI has an outlet at Ras Al Kaimah which sells all the same products but is duty free. Obviously, the two big alcohol importers - A&E and MMI - hate the restrictions and will find any way they can to dodge them. So if you're in Dubai and your negotiating skills are good, you can go into any of the outlets, give them a nudge and a wink and they'll probably let you buy what you need. They won't do it during Ramadan though and, of course, you have to pay the thumping 30% surcharge. 

There are also a couple of real hole in the wall places in Ajman. They're suitably seedy and scruffy. I went to one once that was along a back alley, in a back yard with something like "Royal Furniture" on the front gate. Inside, they'd had a flood and you had to stand on upturned crates to keep dry. Not much wine but they had lots of major beer and spirit brands at incredible prices. Bung 5 dirhams to the doorman at the Kempinski Hotel and he'll explain to you where it is!

As an earlier poster mentioned, now that Emirates Road is opened, driving through Sharjah is not really a problem. But it used to be, seriously. I knew one Scottish guy who did get pulled over and put in jail for a week, then let out without charge or trial. There were also instances of local youths following drivers out of Barracuda, then pulling them over, pretending to be cops and either taking the booze or "fining" them. Personally I'd have told them to fuck off.

Welcome to the UAE! Cheers! Civil war or not, I'm so glad I live in Bangkok now....

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## natalie8

Thanks for your post, paddymac. Yes, those stories abound here.

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