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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take the DC on holiday to Dubai?

333 replies

FudgeBrownie2019 · 29/12/2019 14:16

We have two DC, 14 and 9. We've travelled fairly regularly with them but haven't ever done anywhere like Dubai/UAE. DH has found some summer holidays in those areas but I have a little weird feeling about going there - no idea why, no rational reason, I'm just uneasy but can't really put it into words.

Would you go there with DC? Have you been there with DC? Is it somewhere you'd be willing to visit?

OP posts:
IcedPurple · 29/12/2019 18:22

It's a million. Easy to check.

It's not really crucial, but have you got a source? Because no source I've seen mentions a million natives in that one city.

I've not just been there on holiday I have had family living there so we didn't just visit resorts

Right. So your experience isn't really relevant to tourists who are very unlikely to have much by way of interaction with the locals.

user764329056 · 29/12/2019 18:25

Not if you paid me

babasaclover · 29/12/2019 18:30

Look at ras al khaimah. Next emirate up. 1 hour drive. We stayed at doubletree by Hilton and they sent a free driver to collect us. Most immensely beautiful beaches and all inclusive. Book through BA or emirates. I have been to Dubai several times over the last few decades and it has completely ruined, it's like Benidorm on speed. Ras al khaimah is as yet unspoiled and children very welcomed. The sea is full of beautiful fish for snorkelling and lovey temperature

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 29/12/2019 18:41

It's not really crucial, but have you got a source? Because no source I've seen mentions a million natives in that one city.

I was talking about the UAE not just Dubai.

You could always google...

SaintEyning · 29/12/2019 18:42

I took DS at Easter 4 years ago and we stayed on the Palm, he loved it and wants to go back. Went to Abu Dhabi the next Easter, I preferred that tbh as less hectic, but still lots to do. Was 40 degrees both times on a few days but we went to the water parks with full sleeve rash vests on and water shoes as the floor was so hot. I’m not a fan of the human rights records of either country but I had air miles and we wanted sun and water slides at that time of year. I doubt we will return but it was what we wanted at the time.

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 29/12/2019 18:42

So your experience isn't really relevant to tourists who are very unlikely to have much by way of interaction with the locals

Wouldn't this be the same on any holiday in any location where you just stay on the resort and don't make the effort to get out there?

audweb · 29/12/2019 18:44

I would go to Oman instead of Dubai if you want to see the Middle East. . It’s an absolute gem of a country, although in summer time probably too hot. Just took my six year old and we had an amazing time. Beautiful place beautiful people, and only a short hop from Dubai.

Padamae · 29/12/2019 18:45

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

bettybattenburg · 29/12/2019 18:49

We loved it but mainly because we were at a hotel with a water park and we did very little all week

You see you could do that on a Greek island which is a shorter flight, less oppressive culture and not so awful for women.

LadyAllegraImelda · 29/12/2019 18:50

Absolutely not, even if it was free. If you get raped make sure you don't go to the police. Don't accidentally touch anyone in passing and don't give any one a rude gesture if they cut you up on the road. Despicable country.

babasaclover · 29/12/2019 18:51

@audweb can fly direct with BA to muscat. I've booked for next November. Steal of a deal as well

thegreylady · 29/12/2019 18:51

My son is on a 5 year contract to Dubai and he likes it. His wife is Turkish and very happy there. Like anywhere else you have to abide by the laws of the land and some of them stick in his throat. I would not visit him there though I went to Turkey regularly when he worked there.

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 29/12/2019 18:51

Is this the place where the princess has gone missing after trying to escape from her controlling family?

I wouldn't go there. I couldn't relax in a country where you can unknowingly cause offence and be chucked in prison for an unspecified term for it.

SaintEyning · 29/12/2019 18:52

*i realise they are in the same country, btw, I meant emirate.

babasaclover · 29/12/2019 18:55

@LadyAllegraImelda are you being sarcastic? I've been almost yearly since the early 1990's and never encountered any trouble. It's a stunning country full of cultural opportunities - not to mention diving and snorkelling delights.

IcedPurple · 29/12/2019 19:07

*I was talking about the UAE not just Dubai.

You could always google...*

No need to google. We were talking at cross purposes and were both correct.

Wouldn't this be the same on any holiday in any location where you just stay on the resort and don't make the effort to get out there?

Not really, no. Even if you go to one of those all-inclusive resorts on the Costa, pretty much all the waiters, cleaners, receptionists drivers, etc will be Spanish. Ditto if you go to a resort in, say, Turkey or Portugal - almost all the staff will be local. Not so in this case . You could easily spend your entire holiday without having even superficial interactions with the locals.

IcedPurple · 29/12/2019 19:09

It's a stunning country full of cultural opportunities

What 'cultural opportunities'? 100 years ago it was little more than a village. Unless you consider the Disneyfied 'Arabian experience' to be a 'cultural opportunity'?

Maltesefalcon · 29/12/2019 19:12

No I wouldn't go with or without kids. I couldn't support a country with such an appalling attitude to human rights. I don't know why anyone would go, plenty of other places to go on holiday

This ^.

Interesting to see how half the posters on here extolling the virtues of this awful place, totally ignore the human rights situation.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 29/12/2019 19:15

Love it! Luxury and good weather- has got very expensive recent years due to popularity. we used to pay c 2.5k for a week for the two of us in April- that’s near on doubled now.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 29/12/2019 19:17

Tbh I think many of the negative reactions to Dubai comes from a middle class snobbery associating Dubai holidays with the likes of Towie rather than a deeply moral objection.

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 29/12/2019 19:24

Who are very unlikely to have much by way of interaction with the locals

@IcedPurple

You seem determined to prove me wrong with regards to interaction with locals in the UAE. I've been there both on holiday and to stay with family, multiple times. It just isn't my experience that there is no interaction with Emirati citizens. Maybe I just made more of an effort? Locals are in the shops, the petrol stations, restaurants, parks, cinemas, bowling etc. You get talking to them in the same way as anywhere else. You go to cafes and shisha lounges and they're there. There are groups of teens/youngsters hanging around in the malls just as there are youngsters here. It's easier to get talking if you have children I suppose as it's such a child centred place and the kids break the ice, as is common all over. The indoor theme parks and amusement arcades in the malls are full of Emirati families.

You do understand that people can have different experiences to you don't you? And that just because I went there to visit family as well as on various holidays this does not discount my experience? I'm sorry if YOU personally have found it difficult to interact there but MY experience tells me that sweeping generalisations about vastly outnumbered Emiratis means that it's near impossible to interact with any, is just not true. You don't need to be irritated about being wrong. Because you are wrong in my experience, which is perfectly valid, as is the other poster that said it.

IcedPurple · 29/12/2019 19:25

Tbh I think many of the negative reactions to Dubai comes from a middle class snobbery associating Dubai holidays with the likes of Towie rather than a deeply moral objection.

Leaving aside 'moral objections' what is so great about the place? You can get beach holidays in Spain or Portugal or any number of other places which are cheaper, closer to home, have milder climates and a more interesting social and cultural environment. Who wants to spend 5K for a week in some tacky, soulless hotel being waited on by indentured labour?

audweb · 29/12/2019 19:25

@babasaclover ah yes you can, i flew from Scotland so just changed in Dubai, as have to change somewhere anyway flying from Scotland. Time before I flew KLM but they go Amsterdam/Saudi so it’s bit longer. Not expensive to fly there at all though. Love it there.

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 29/12/2019 19:26

Not really, no. Even if you go to one of those all-inclusive resorts on the Costa, pretty much all the waiters, cleaners, receptionists drivers, etc will be Spanish. Ditto if you go to a resort in, say, Turkey or Portugal - almost all the staff will be local.

Is interaction with locals only valid if they're serving you then?

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 29/12/2019 19:27

Tbh I think many of the negative reactions to Dubai comes from a middle class snobbery associating Dubai holidays with the likes of Towie rather than a deeply moral objection

Agree.