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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you go to the UAE?

227 replies

Sleepdeprivedbadger23 · 14/08/2025 16:57

I’ve always had zero interest in a holiday in Dubai because it’s not my scene - I am more a European villa or active holiday person and not into designer gear so politely nod along if friends tell me about their Dubai holidays.

I also know the human and women’s rights etc are generally very poor. I’ve heard from relatives who have lived there for periods and they also found migrant workers in the hotels they were working in were treated really badly.

My in laws have now moved there. I’m not keen on visiting, but obviously DP wants to see his family.

Would you go for a visit to family? There’s lots of places I would rather not spend loads of time in (the US at the moment to be honest!) but if someone bought me a trip to NYC I would probably go…!

OP posts:
OxfordQuestion · 15/08/2025 13:11

Keep reading this as UEA 🤣🎓👨🏻‍🎓👩🏻‍🎓

Rallentanda · 15/08/2025 13:15

I wouldn't go. I'd make it clear what my grounds were and I'd suggest we all meet up for a large family holiday somewhere that doesn't allow slavery.

FatherFrosty · 15/08/2025 13:20

OtherS · 15/08/2025 13:07

No interest in going there for a holiday, but I have a small company and as it becomes harder to run in the UK, and it becomes harder and less safe to live in the UK, I do idly wander about where I could move. And Dubai does come up both as a great place for business, and very safe. It has occurred to me how odd it is that many women report feeling far safer in a country that arrests rape victims and sees no issue with dv than they do walking the streets of our capital. But that's obviously just indicative of how bad Britain has become rather than how good the UAE is. I doubt I will move there, but I can understand why people do.

I’m not being goady.
genuine question. Less safe?
i Thought the latest crime figures showed crime was down

tuvamoodyson · 15/08/2025 13:36

No.

Judgejudysno1fan · 15/08/2025 14:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SomeLikeitSnot · 15/08/2025 15:16

User2346 · 15/08/2025 11:12

We could learn a lot from Dubai’s inclusivity to SEN and disability. They are referred to as “People of Determination” which says it all.

It’s interesting you say this as a friend moved back to the UK from Dubai as she felt the SEN support for her kids was poor. She had to pay extra, there’s a limit to how many ‘inclusion’ children schools would take and they didn’t offer anywhere near as much support as a bog standard Uk state school. I agree it’s better than it was but it’s not perfect
.

Meandmyguy · 15/08/2025 15:18

I used to live there, in Sharjah.

What emirate do they live in?

I wouldn't live there and it wouldn't be a holiday destination but I'd visit family.

Hiptothisjive · 15/08/2025 15:23

HotTiredDog · 14/08/2025 17:19

Holiday - No
Seeing friends - No
Seeing family - If I had to.

All because of their societal & religious attitudes; I can’t support any economy that does what these country-states do.

Agree totally with this. Same with the US. Very different to visit family than it is to ‘choose’ to go on holiday there. That for me is a hard line.

42wallabywaysydney · 15/08/2025 15:30

Charlthg · 15/08/2025 08:19

It’s always hilarious to see little islanders on an increasingly poor and irrelevant corner of the world taking the moral high ground over somewhere their own country folk are flocking to make new lives.

There is some kind of astonishing superiority complex in this country where people cannot afford heating in the winter, air con in the summer, pay taxes through the nose for almost nothing in return, get locked up for saying the wrong thing, forced to say that men can be women, and actual women’s safety being compromised in the name of diversity and ‘be kind’.

The UAE at least looks after its own. And doesn’t screw them over.

Quite. These threads always make me laugh I must say, all these people stuck on their high horse thinking their refusal to visit Dubai makes them somehow morally superior. I am originally from another country (with an lot less tolerance for crime) and right now I have a lot of friends who don’t want to travel to the UK as it’s seen as increasingly lawless/dangerous and run down. Can’t say I disagree with that, I wouldn’t choose the UK as a holiday destination even though I’m happy living here for the most part, though I would prefer a government similar to those in the UAE etc at this point.

OwlBeThere · 15/08/2025 15:44

justheretoread111 · 15/08/2025 11:45

What do you mean by ‘thinks my child shouldn’t exist’?

Show quote history

My child is gay.

kleverklogs · 15/08/2025 15:50

I would go, because the point of the trip is to see specific people, not to enjoy the place. But go for the minimum time that is reasonable. No extending it to ‘make it a holiday’, because you don’t want to holiday there.

adlitem · 15/08/2025 15:54

We've been to Dubai twice, it was lovely. However I watched a documentary about how the workers live and I don't know if I can go back in good faith now.

I would visit family though.

If you feel that's a step too far, I hope you have as strong morals on your other consumer choices too. Of course it's anyone's prerogative to draw their own lines, but refusing a visit to the in laws in UAE is pretty easy when "it's not your thing" and then blaming human rights. Some human right decisions are a lot harder.

CandidLurker · 15/08/2025 15:57

InterestedDad37 · 15/08/2025 09:13

I'd go to visit family (not that any are ever likely to move there!) but the idea of air-conditioned malls, casinos, etc and artificially-created environments is horrible - zero interest. Also, I'd bang on about human rights all the time and probably get myself arrested. So probably not a good idea 😀

Just a small point. They don’t have casinos.

Notmyreality · 15/08/2025 15:58

Timeforabitofpeace · 15/08/2025 10:42

I doubt it. I think their politics are scary, and I’m not sure I’d feel safe. It seems it would be so easy to accidentally land in trouble.

Never had any problems following the rules when I lived there for many years. It’s really not difficult.

CandidLurker · 15/08/2025 15:59

OtherS · 15/08/2025 13:07

No interest in going there for a holiday, but I have a small company and as it becomes harder to run in the UK, and it becomes harder and less safe to live in the UK, I do idly wander about where I could move. And Dubai does come up both as a great place for business, and very safe. It has occurred to me how odd it is that many women report feeling far safer in a country that arrests rape victims and sees no issue with dv than they do walking the streets of our capital. But that's obviously just indicative of how bad Britain has become rather than how good the UAE is. I doubt I will move there, but I can understand why people do.

We are a country that has a women’s refuge in virtually every town.

InterestedDad37 · 15/08/2025 16:00

CandidLurker · 15/08/2025 15:57

Just a small point. They don’t have casinos.

Show quote history

Ah, fair enough, thanks for pointing that out 😀

Cloudymonday · 15/08/2025 16:00

CandidLurker · 15/08/2025 15:57

Just a small point. They don’t have casinos.

Show quote history

Nearly do. I think 2026? In RAK

jeaux90 · 15/08/2025 16:03

No. I lived in Qatar for work and visited Dubai a lot. Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to the Gulf.

coxesorangepippin · 15/08/2025 16:06

Nope

Dh can go

But he can't take the kids

User2346 · 15/08/2025 16:13

SomeLikeitSnot · 15/08/2025 15:16

It’s interesting you say this as a friend moved back to the UK from Dubai as she felt the SEN support for her kids was poor. She had to pay extra, there’s a limit to how many ‘inclusion’ children schools would take and they didn’t offer anywhere near as much support as a bog standard Uk state school. I agree it’s better than it was but it’s not perfect
.

Show quote history

It is a lot better in schools from what friends tell me. In UK private schools you often have to pay for extra support plus they are not obliged to take your child and many won’t. I am also referring to employment and general disability access. As an example in the airport you are waved through immediately without question even with just a sunflower lanyard. I have never been to a hotel or public area that is not fully accessible with plenty of staff willing to assist. It is a brilliant place to holiday if you have mobility issues.

SirRodneyEfffing · 15/08/2025 16:37

I’ve been through Dubai airport several times when flying emirates to longer haul destinations. But now more than one of my kids are LGBT so wouldn’t even ask them to change planes there anymore

ToWhitToWhoo · 15/08/2025 16:39

No, too hot, and more importantly, not friendly to women..

flightissue · 15/08/2025 16:45

Charlthg · 15/08/2025 08:19

It’s always hilarious to see little islanders on an increasingly poor and irrelevant corner of the world taking the moral high ground over somewhere their own country folk are flocking to make new lives.

There is some kind of astonishing superiority complex in this country where people cannot afford heating in the winter, air con in the summer, pay taxes through the nose for almost nothing in return, get locked up for saying the wrong thing, forced to say that men can be women, and actual women’s safety being compromised in the name of diversity and ‘be kind’.

The UAE at least looks after its own. And doesn’t screw them over.

This.

TaupeLemur · 15/08/2025 16:47

Nope, and all the people I know who have moved there for the ‘lifestyle’ have been money grubbing twats who think it’s glamorous in some way and want to take advantage of the social hierarchy that allows them to have staff…

LadyWiddiothethird · 15/08/2025 17:00

I have holidayed in Dubai,loved it.Never felt safer.Perfectly OK to swim in Arabian Gulf at 2am and not a drunk in sight.

Hilarious that people live in this shit hole of a Country and think Dubai is beneath them!