New Dubai and - deeply uncomfortable

Dubai has always been ready to sell itself to anyone - available to the highest bidder. It's a tourist ad I assume but the reality of Dubai is that things are unpredictable. Yes you can drink alcohol at many many venues. Yes you can go to clubs and dance. All it takes however is one person to report you to the police and you are busted. This would normally involve a local emirati who didn't like something. You will always get " the pink ticket". You will get the blame. Nude swimming would be a no.

God what absolute nonsense. Why is Mumsnet such a weird hotbed of uninformed information about Dubai.

Of course you can hold hands in Dubai. Men hold hands in Dubai .

I guess Amnesty International are batshit too 🙄

Yes how liberal we are with free for all shoplifting. At least they have some strict laws.

Right!! The mass hysteria on MN in regards to Dubai is batshit.

I’m not disagreeing with you by the way, but this isn’t something that’s specific to the UAE.
I see lots of travel recommendations on here for countries where poverty is rife, and the difference between rich and poor is stark. Cambodia is one that springs to mind, but there are many others. I appreciate there is a class divide in the UK, but in comparison to many populations of the world, it is actually very minimum.

That is... Like 99% countries. Probably 100%.

The truth is that even though there is a lot of questionable human rights and some corruption it’s actually safe for everyone. People don’t mess with the law there.

edit to add. Obviously there will be exceptions but in our liberal society more people feel unsafe.

I agree with this, unless a country is safe for everyone, it's not safe at all!

Not safe for the gay people or the enslaved people.

And yet plenty of gay Westerners happily live there. "Flatmates"....

Dubai has decriminalised unmarried sex for over-18s so nothing is misrepresented by the advert.

I mean you specifically said you paused to see if those holding hands had no rings on. So yes, people will of course comment on it.

No, swimming naked is not ok (like in most places). Swimming with people you are not married to is ok..

Have you even been or have you just learnt about the Emirates on Mumsnet? You do not go to jail for holding hands! I’m actually laughing.

Dubai is the only country I’ve ever lived in where I’ve felt completely safe. I could go for a jog at 2am alone and know I’d be okay.

I would move back in a heartbeat if I wasn’t so happy where I am living now.

And for everyone else who commented saying “you only felt safe because you’re a white rich woman”… I’m black. I am bamboozled why race was even brought into the conversation. Very strange.

It is deeply wrong for the Dubai tourist board to market their country in a western way. It’s misleading and could get more young people into life changing trouble.

The guy below was sentenced to 1 month for drinking beer and 3 months for brushing past a local who complained to the police. You can never upset a local. Why would you pay good money to visit a country where you must walk on eggshells?

Even being accused of spreading gossip can land you in jail.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-41713718.amp

Well yes. They are different. I am more north/east fan.
Sharjah is still dry. RAK is getting casino. Weird times

If you think that was why he was arrested I have a bridge to sell you. 😂😂😂😂

Well, yes, but individual emirates have quite different ‘cultures’, or did when I lived there, and Dubai was by far the most liberal in terms of enforcement of decency laws, drinking in designated spaces etc, because it’s the one that needed to construct itself as a western tourist destination. Sharjah was much more conservative — we were living unmarried in Dubai but there were door to door searches in Sharjah checking marriage certs when we lived there. Some emirates are entirely dry.

Haven’t seen the ad.

But agree there are dangers when a tourist board markets a country as one thing (Marbella of the Gulf) when actually it has stricter expectations of its visitors, in both culture and law.

We should always be consciously aware of, and respect, the laws, traditions and cultures of the country we visit. For example, when visiting most Islamic countries, I’ve always dressed in keeping with social norms, e.g. trousers and long-sleeved tops, pulling a scarf over my head in religious establishments etc.

But not everyone does that. And when a country’s marketing suggests people can bring their own cultural norms with them (e.g. apparently unmarried couples holding hands in public) potential visitors can get the wrong message. Although, not all cultures wear rings to signify marriage.

Just to point out. Dubai is an Emirate in a country called United Arab Emirates.
It's like saying Bavaria and thinking whole Germany is the same.

Has anyone managed to find that ad?

I have been, many years ago - found it safe, friendly, loved the beaches, great food (love Middle Eastern food), a bit dull culturally as it's all manufactured vs e.g. Oman where they have the old buildings and goat markets etc. My friend who lived and ran a business there [done very well and it has been the making of her so she is very grateful for Dubai] was very cautious about certain behaviours (dress respectfully, be careful about eating, drinking during Ramadan, don't swear in public, be careful about boyfriend situation) and fully aware of how if you got on the wrong side of an Emirati in business, a tall story would pretty quickly be concocted to land you in jail. https://www.detainedindubai.org exists for a reason. It's far from being everyone's experience

Wedding rings are not a Muslim thing. Plenty of married couples there will not be wearing rings.

But hinting at naked sea frolicking being legal - perhaps a report to the Advertising Standards Agency?