Going to Dubai - What to be aware of?

[Pommygranite]

With threads running on bikini wearing women, and transporting Valium, what are the customs and issues to be aware of when visiting (i.e do's and dont's)?

I've put this in lounge rather than travel to experience an influx of doom mongering Daily Wail report links posted

[cal72]

Camels.

HTH

[JCB123]

Oh for fks sake - how many times?

If you got to Dubai - act like a normal, sensible human and you'll be fine.

Don't take the piss, don't walk around in your speedos, don't have sex on the beach, don't drink beer whilst walking around the streets - pretty much anything you wouldn't normally consider doing here at home....

This whole UAE scare-mongering is getting ridiculous! It's a fabulous place with great people who are, on the whole, very welcoming and understanding - afterall, Dubai is one of the most harmonious cities in the world.....just resepct the fact you are in somebody else country which has slightly stricter laws than we have.

[Smashed]

you need a prescription for ANY medication you take into the country.

but as the above poster said act sensible and don't worry.

[mrmr96]

UAE Travel Advice from the British Foreign Office:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/...

[mr_tony]

JCB123 said:

Oh for fks sake - how many times?

If you got to Dubai - act like a normal, sensible human and you'll be fine.

Don't take the piss, don't walk around in your speedos, don't have sex on the beach, don't drink beer whilst walking around the streets - pretty much anything you wouldn't normally consider doing here at home....

This whole UAE scare-mongering is getting ridiculous! It's a fabulous place with great people who are, on the whole, very welcoming and understanding - afterall, Dubai is one of the most harmonious cities in the world.....just resepct the fact you are in somebody else country which has slightly stricter laws than we have.

This. I go a couple of times a month and I love the place. Dont take porn or drugs with you and as a savvy traveller learn to say thank you in arabic. Oh and its Ramadan, so if you have booked a remarkably cheap break shortly then get used to being hungry.

Do go into the desert.
Don't buy an ed hardy t shirt.

[mrloudly]

fk Dubai! Brother in Law got in a whole lot of hot water for kissing his wife in public!! (Very lucky to get away with it from what I believe!!)
IMHO the whole place is a cynical Raghead attempt to grab more cash from Westeners, they don't really want us, just more of our hard earned....
"Must do this, mustn't do that, don't do that, do this" then the bar stewards come here and behave as they please!!!! Makes me fume!!!!

Rant over

[thinfourth2]

mrloudly said:

"Must do this, mustn't do that, don't do that, do this" then the bar stewards come here and behave as they please!!!! Makes me fume!!!!

Rant over

So who is in the wrong?

[mel]

mrloudly said:

fk Dubai! Brother in Law got in a whole lot of hot water for kissing his wife in public!! (Very lucky to get away with it from what I believe!!)
IMHO the whole place is a cynical Raghead attempt to grab more cash from Westeners, they don't really want us, just more of our hard earned....
"Must do this, mustn't do that, don't do that, do this" then the bar stewards come here and behave as they please!!!! Makes me fume!!!!

Rant over

But have you been there or are you just quoting from second hand experiences?

[Jumpy Guy]

I'd take lots of books etc, since there isn't very much to do after a couple of days.

If you're happy to sit around an artificial pool on the hotel roof, then great.

They take ramadan very seriously; police stopping cars to issue tickets to passengers eating a sandwich in the back

As said before, the people are very friendly though

Edited by Jumpy Guy on Friday 6th August 08:03

[mel]

From my experience it's a very nice and welcoming place, not so much actually in the city but try and get out into the rest of the UAE and experience a bit more, afterall the city is a city and exactly the same (just a bit more bling) as every other city in the world it's a hotch potch of cultures & races where everyone is too busy with their own lives to care about you. Only issues I've ever had have been on the land border crossing with Oman when I had a bit of a grilling and had to have retina scans etc, priciple reason was an Israeli stamp in my passport so not really suprising when you take into account the trouble they've had with "British" passport holders, the officials were polite but firm, exactly as I would expect infact.

[sday12]

mel said:

not really suprising when you take into account the trouble they've created with "British" passport holders.

EFA

Tell that to the girl that spent 2 weeks being interrogated after being raped by a UAE man.


Or the people tortured after the moonshine 'enquiry'


or the women arrested for wearing western clothing in a shopping mall in Dubai


And ... etc etc etc.


They want your acceptance and tourism but not your culture. Stay away.

[Chrisgr31]

sday12 said:

or the women arrested for wearing western clothing in a shopping mall in Dubai

Do you mean the woman who stripped down to her bikini?

The reality is that there are Brits and other Ex Pats who have lived their for years, managed to either be married, or find girlfriends there, go out, have parties, drink too much etc all without being arrested.

If you do something illegal or against their culture and then draw attention to yourself you are likely to run into the trouble. So if accussed of being immodestly dressed, rather than arguing accept their culture is different, and cover up.

If a woman be very careful about been chatted up by men, especially nationals, and even more careful if asked to go anywhere with them. Remember the cultures are different.

[GT03ROB]

sday12 said:

mel said:

not really suprising when you take into account the trouble they've created with "British" passport holders.

EFA

Tell that to the girl that spent 2 weeks being interrogated after being raped by a UAE man.


Or the people tortured after the moonshine 'enquiry'


or the women arrested for wearing western clothing in a shopping mall in Dubai


And ... etc etc etc.


They want your acceptance and tourism but not your culture. Stay away.

You've been there right? You've experienced all this?

Listen if you want to go and act like you are in Magaluf, you'll have problems. If you want to go out have a load of beer and behave no probs. You do NOT get arrested for wearing normal Western clothes in a mall, you will be told to cover up if you are bearing too much flesh.

The Emiratis for the most part are warm, friendly, respectful people. They only ask the same of you.

[Jumpy Guy]

The behaviour of the locals can depend on whether youre male or female.

I wouldnt be female, alone, and outside a hotel/restaurant in the evening.

[ukwill]

sday12 said:

mel said:

not really suprising when you take into account the trouble they've created with "British" passport holders.

EFA

Tell that to the girl that spent 2 weeks being interrogated after being raped by a UAE man.


Or the people tortured after the moonshine 'enquiry'


or the women arrested for wearing western clothing in a shopping mall in Dubai


And ... etc etc etc.


They want your acceptance and tourism but not your culture. Stay away.

Meh, pick a country, any country and you could level the same type of accusations. Take our very own green and pleasant land: from photographers being unlawfully arrested for daring to take photos, to families being dragged through the "justice" system after several months of covert espionage, carried out by their own borough councils, all in the name of RIPA, and all to no avail. Sorry, but methinks you read too much st press.

I've been to Dubai several times with my wife, and not once have I ever had any dealings with their police force. Not once have I ever had issues with any locals, and not once have I thought I was in a bloody warzone whilst walking through a downtown area at roughly 11pm.

[Pommygranite]

My issues i am concerned with is:

Physical displays of affection in public by an unmarried couple such as at a shopping mall e.g. kissing (not full on tonsil testers though)
Displays of cleavage and what is acceptable
Should arms and legs be covered?

These are areas that i have heard have created issues and those certainly arent issues in the UK, so i would like to think the potential fears are well founded and not simple stupidity.

[sday12]

ukwill said:

sday12 said:

mel said:

not really suprising when you take into account the trouble they've created with "British" passport holders.

EFA

Tell that to the girl that spent 2 weeks being interrogated after being raped by a UAE man.


Or the people tortured after the moonshine 'enquiry'


or the women arrested for wearing western clothing in a shopping mall in Dubai


And ... etc etc etc.


They want your acceptance and tourism but not your culture. Stay away.

Meh, pick a country, any country and you could level the same type of accusations.

Denmark.

[GTIR]

Jumpy Guy said:

The behaviour of the locals can depend on whether youre male or female.

I wouldnt be female, alone, and outside a hotel/restaurant in the evening.

What if you're a woman who used to be a man?

(just covering all the basis)

[ukwill]

Pommygranite said:

My issues i am concerned with is:

Physical displays of affection in public by an unmarried couple such as at a shopping mall e.g. kissing (not full on tonsil testers though)
Displays of cleavage and what is acceptable
Should arms and legs be covered?

These are areas that i have heard have created issues and those certainly arent issues in the UK, so i would like to think the potential fears are well founded and not simple stupidity.

Been there married and not married. Acted in the same manner both times. People aren't looking at your every move out there. For the most part, people don't care too much. You know, much the same as if you were walking around a mall here. Treat it just the same. (Unless you like to get your leg over your mrs in the malls here).

Displays of cleavage? What exactly do you mean by that? Getting your baps out is a no-no. A tasteful evening dress (or somesuch) is perfectly acceptable.

Arms & legs covered? If you plan on visiting any mosques, then yes. Otherwise, no. (again, hotpants in a mall are also a no-no - just apply common sense).