DUBAI

[Question10]

I have booked a holiday to Dubai in a 5 star hotel on the palm. The plan is to stay in the resort for the week & enjoy the pool etc. AIBU to worry about going to Dubai? One of my friends has told me that she would never go there because of their strict laws and she’s got me worried. I’ve done some googling and I’m still a bit worried. Will I be able to wear a swimming costume at the pool? Do I need to cover up? If you have been to Dubai before, I would really appreciate your opinion.

You do realise that the fact that as women "We've all held our keys walking home" is outrageous? As is the fact that I can't get home from the closest city to my own home (after a night out at the theatre) without planning my route, watching my back and eventually deciding a taxi is the safest option? The fact that the taxi is not risk free is also totally unacceptable.

Cardibach would you go to China , Malaysia or Iran for example?
They are all beautiful countries with lots to see but their human rights are not in accord with liberal western views.

Because of this I really felt like going back, asked my dh who looked up flights straight away and are now booking to go for 10 days this autumn. 😬 I can already feel the sun..

Currently under fog (and dust) cloud with rain and wind😂

Agreed. The whole place is built on exploitation

I saw that too 😂

You don’t have to stay in resorts to be safe there. That’s so far from how it is.

The oppression is in the laws about behaviour.

I went in March and stayed on the Palm, absolutely fine to wear normal holiday attire in the resort /on private beach.

As for safety, my DD has just moved out there for work, she's 21, in her own apartment and I genuinely believe she is a lot safer there than she would be in UK in a big city alone. I sleep soundly at night because she's there

Funnily nor I nor my DH had to change how we behave in public. Because we didn't cause scenes or did pdas in uk anyway.

Only on MN can you ask a question about clothes and get a lecture that nobody, not a single soul, asked for.

From mostly women anyway, for mostly men there's Reddit bores.

Hearmeout · Today 11:16
Only on MN can you ask a question about clothes and get a lecture that nobody, not a single soul, asked for.

Yes - and there’s so much hypocrisy here about travel. People rave about Cuba - “oh the people had nothing but they were so happy” with no mention of Cuba’s appalling human rights record.
I asked a poster upthread if she’d go to Iran, China or Malaysia to name a few and no answer.

I lived there for a while.
No other comment to make, but as a western holidaymaker you will be fine.

I have a friend whose daughter lives and works in Dubai. She is always swimming, out drinking and eating - moreso than anyone else I know on sm. I have presumed this is because its all done within certain hotel or resort confines.

I've never been there because there doesn't seem to be much to attract me (I can't sit in the sun for long and don't like shopping) but I'm.all for trying anywhere once and probably will go one day. The hotels look fabulous.

I have presumed this is because its all done within certain hotel or resort confines.

Most buildings here have pools. There are restaurants on every corner, it's amazing. You can find anything from 10 dirham shawarma to expensive restaurant. Lots of happy hours (though in many cases the prices still give me eye twitch). I think there are 4 places with alcohol licence within 15 min walk from mine. Not that I walk now in summer anywhere but building's gym😂
It's very social place ime. I have ME inlaws and there is always something going on.

It's fine. We nor married either bur in resorts there are no issues. Obviously no drugs, don't get drink outside the resort, if you go shopping then cover legs to knees and cover arms to be respectful, wear ehatever at the pool but cover to go inside. I've always found it very safe.

You will be fine. You are a westerner not a migrant worker from the Indian subcontinent. Your privilege will keep you safe.

If someone starts a thread about Dubai people are going to give their opinions on Dubai.

Are the same posters who are raving about Cuba also the ones criticising Dubai?

Go visit the malls and the old part of Dubai. All the gold is a sight.

I understand the need for sun and a complete rest, staying in the resort and enjoying the facilities etc. What I don't get is why go all the way to Dubai for that? Is it the price? Is a 5 star there better and cheaper than Europe ... or possibly the time of year? When are you going?

Anyone been to the museum of the future, what was it like and was it worth it?

Ok read on tripadvisor, doesn’t look very interesting apart from the beautiful building.0

I generally wore t shirts with short sleeves and cropped trousers below the knee, going out and about in Dubai. If I wanted to go into a mosque, I had to wear long sleeves and trousers, and a head scarf. Alternatively, the mosque lends women visitors an abayeh (spelling?); but it’s very hot on top of clothes! Actually, we went to Oman recently and I wore the long trousers, sleeves and head scarf in the grand mosque. I felt cooler than in short sleeves, cropped trousers, a sun hat and loads of sun cream!

I didn’t swim, but I have no doubt if I had wanted to, I’d have been ok in a swimming costume, so long as I covered up, outside the pool area. (We stayed with a relative in an apartment block with its own pool).

I would have been more worried about swearing and PDAs in public! You can drink in the big hotels, but our relative warned us, we had to be able to walk down the street in a straight line afterwards. Not that it was a problem, as we got a taxi there and back. I recommend going for brunch in a big hotel on a Friday! It’s fantastic!

This. Absolutely this

Was trying to reply to @SpottyWindow ’s post about privilege, to agree that you’ll be fine as a holidaying westerners, just don’t be poor and brown.