United Arab Emirates : Safety by CityDubai is one of the seven emirates that the United Arab Emirates is made of.
It is a relatively new destination that became popular during the recent years when its infrastructure started growing exponentially.
It can be considered something of an independent city-state and hands down the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE.
For years now, it has been an incredibly fast developing place, where tourist arrive in hordes to see the new technological and architectural marvels and enjoy the never before seen shopping malls.
Given that it is located just five hours from Europe and three hours from most of Middle and Near East, as well as the subcontinent of India, Dubai is an excellent short-break destination where you can relax and rest from your travels with a little bih of shopping, sunbathing, dining and enjoying many social events.
Warnings & Dangers in Dubai
OVERALL RISK: LOW
Dubai is a very safe city to travel to. Many say that the UAE is among the safest countries in the world. Overall, safety should not be an issue if you plan on traveling to UAE.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
There is some risk of an accident happening while you are on the road due to unpredictable driving behaviour. Driving off-road is definitely not recommended since it can lead to dangerous accidents. Be sure that your vehicle is well-equipped and that you have enough water with you.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Even though pick-pocketing is expected to be rare since the residents of UAE are mainly foreigners, it still does happen due to the fact that there are as many as 14 million tourist visits a year. It is recommended that you pay attention to your surroundings at all times, especially when around Jemeirah Beach, a known pickpockets spot.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
Among the natural disasters threatening Dubai are very high temperatures, reaching higher than 50C. Sand storms are also a common occurrence in this country, as well as thunderstorms. If you wish to acquire some more information on natural disasters, visit the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
As mentioned above, UAE is a country where the biggest part of the population is made of foreigners, so occurances such as mugging and kidnapping, in Dubai especially, is fairly low. Foreigners avoid crime as such, because it would immediately lead to them being deported.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
Terrorists are still issuing statements threatening to attack the Gulf region. These attacks could be carried out on military, oil, transportation and aviation interests as well as crowded places such as restaurants, hotels, beaches, shopping centers, and mosques. Make sure that you are aware of your surroundings at all times.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
Since this country is known to be rich and prosperous, there are almost no scams in this territory. Avoid scammers in shopping malls who will try to get you to answer some questions to win a prize. They do this to sell a travel package to you.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Female travelers are faced with the same amount of risk as they do when traveling to European cities, Canada, the USA or Australia. Take normal precaution measures and avoid going too dark areas and walking down the streets late at night.
So... How Safe Is Dubai Really?
Dubai very safe to travel to.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t any crime, there is, especially around main tourist attractions, but tourists are rarely targeted.
More often than not, violence in Dubai is domestic.
The reason it is so safe is that most of the people (employees) in UAE, in general, are from other countries, and most locals are pretty well off so they’re probably not going to pickpocket you.
Apart from that, the fact that the majority of people you’ll interact with are foreigners means that if they try to commit any crime, they will immediately get deported, and that fact alone prevents crime.
The biggest risk you might encounter when it comes to street violence and crime is pickpocketing, around landmarks and tourist destinations such as Jumeirah Beach and poorer areas like Sonapur, Shindagha, and Satwa.
Other risks that you should take into account when you plan on traveling to UAE, are natural disasters such as sandstorms and thunderstorms, and a constant risk of a terrorist attack, mainly in the Gulf region.
How Does Dubai Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Dubai | 80 |
| Abu Dhabi | 82 |
| Belize City (Belize) | 37 |
| La Paz (Bolivia) | 52 |
| Sao Paulo (Brazil) | 45 |
| Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | 43 |
| Sofia (Bulgaria) | 73 |
| Siem Reap (Cambodia) | 63 |
Useful Information
Visas
Visa is not required for any stays shorter than 30 days. Be sure that your passport is valid for at least six months from the day of your return. However, if you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.
Currency
Dirham is the official currency in the United Arab Emirates. Dirhams have a constant exchange rate, in which 3.67 = 1 USD. This is the only currency that never fluctuates and is constant.
Weather
With extremely high temperatures that goes as far up as 50C, the United Arab Emirates are infamous for its very hot spells. The hottest months are from June to September, so if you're planning your trip during those months, be sure to avoid direct long-term sun exposure and drink a lot of fluids.
Airports
Dubai International Airport is the primary international airport serving Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic. It is located in the Al Garhoud district, 4.6 km east of Dubai.
Travel Insurance
Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to Dubai, since it covers not only medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.
Dubai Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 24 | 26 | 29 | 33 | 38 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 39 | 36 | 31 | 26 |
| Low °C | 15 | 16 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 17 |
| High °F | 75 | 79 | 84 | 91 | 100 | 104 | 106 | 108 | 102 | 97 | 88 | 79 |
| Low °F | 59 | 61 | 64 | 72 | 79 | 82 | 88 | 88 | 82 | 77 | 70 | 63 |
United Arab Emirates - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | 82 |
| Dubai | 80 |
Dangerous
This information is incorrect: women’s are frequently assaulted, followed and molested in Dubai. We don’t know the statistics as Dubai refuse to release them. The chances of being imprisoned (whether or not a crime has been committed) are high. You have little/no legal recourse in UAE, don’t take the risk.
Dangerous
Women will be arrested if she just report their assault.most dangerous country in the world no law for women . reporting assault may lead to sentence behind bar so careful
Don’t go, you can get arrested and sent to jail for years for accidentally touching someone or calling someone a horse… it just isn’t worth the risk!!! Think about it, it is safer not to go!!!!
Uae safest please
Dubai and UAE the safest place in the world you can do whatever you want but no drugs or breakrule . You can walk at night no problem . No tips in resturant or any where . Very cheap and extremly clean. Quiet please at night little traffic at 2-6 pm some please
UAE just show off...don’t believe it.
Dear friends,
UAE is not a safe place to live, without any reason government or police catch and put in the jail. Nobody have right to ask for the reason if ask they will put them too. The investigation of CID’s very pathetic. No more secure.
I suppose to start few businesses but god grace i made some study before and now I changed my plan. They just do some show off. Am gonna take back my relatives from there soon.
Guys trust me UAE is no more secure.
Dubai is a nice place for law abiding people. Millions of western people living there in absolute peace and harmony. Don’t believe the people who are making negative comments here.
Dubai and any UAE is not safe to travel for a westerner. They’re laws are backwards and idiotic. HIGH RISK of being jailed for anything. Do not go this piece of s$&@ country.
Dubai vacation
I went last year and had a blast. The place is so clean and beautiful. Please go.
Next to Heaven
I’m sorry these people had a bad experience, I go to UAE every 5 months and spend 3 weeks on Jumeriah Beach in a rental condo and it is next to HEAVEN. I’ve done the Hotels and my experience was just as wonderful. From the airport, to the taxis, restaurants, beaches, shops and spice souks, the people are friendly, helpful, courteous, and polite. I am always treated with the utmost respect and dignity. I feel safer in UAE than I do in my own backyard.
Thanks Kay
Intending visitor
I’m planning a trip with my fiancé, can You recommend some average price restaurants and nice places to visit?
Dubai Safe & Secure Place
This is incorrect. I am staying in Dubai for 10 Years. Its extremely safe place with complete law and order in place and helpful police, as tourism is a large revenue earner for the city. For Females, I would say its the safest place on the planet. The entire city is on Police Surveillance and hence completely safe. The best weather time though is December to March. June to October is very hot to roam on the streets. You have to be confined to the malls. It’s difficult to believe that you are in a desert, with the finest infrastructure in place – metro, taxi, bus service, Uber, etc. More than 100 nationalities, although the highest percentage being Indians, and quite successful too.
Safe Within Certain Parameters
Dubai is extremely safe in the law-and-order sense. Police and the authorities are genuinely courteous and sincerely interested in public safety and preserving the peace. The city and country are also extremely diverse culturally, meaning anyone from anyplace in the world can find a way to fit in and feel at ease, whether a visitor or resident. That said, modest and respectful behaviour in public is expected in terms of one’s activities and speech–including online. In addition, the justice system is complex and sometimes erratic. People can get caught up in it, which is more often than not the result of unfortunate happenstance or having displayed extremely offensive behavior. Come to Dubai, let your hair down, enjoy all it has to offer, but at the same time be courteous and respectful and you will experience the same, in an atmosphere of comfort and safety.
Dubai is safe . Anybody go correct way , nothing to afraid. Police , Cid will not disturb if you are correct. I m safe in Dubai . I like UAE country .
Beware of the mirage
Corrupt and sleazy.
not corrupt
21st least corrupt country in the world (CPI 2020)
Beware of the mirage
Get the impression it is a racist and sleazy country. If you are a Westerner or ‘Westernized’ you’re seen as wealthy and thus treated well because that would encourage you to spend! A lot of corrupt money is funnelled through its ‘tax-lax’ banks because of Neo-Colonialist US-Western Europe-racist and fascist Hinduvta-Israeli influence. In fact the Israeli deal is very dangerous- a direct import of manufactured terrorism & corruption right into the Corniche. Why do Twitter hashtags particular to dubai come up as #dubaigirls #dubaimassage if there isn’t regular illegal flesh-trade going on? That is really gruesome, destructive and harmful for any civilised, healthy tourist destination. Certainly has no merit in Islam! Plus their slave treatment of labour workers including trafficking of young boys from South Asia to be bound as camel jockeys is cruel and inexcusable, especially by and for a wealthy regime.
Dangerous
Very dangerous place in the world. Women can be arrested if they report assault .no legal recourse .
Amazing
Anyone saying Dubai is dangerous has not been. Safest place you can visit. Clean, friendly and safe. The whole city is amazing, exciting and great for both tourists and residents.
I am a car salesman and I won a trip for two to Dubai for having the highest sales in my region (East Midlands). My wife and I couldn’t believe it. One week in the sun and amazing glitz of Dubai, business class travel and a 5 star hotel. It was a dream come true. Our first two days were amazing. I went to the top of the Burj Khalifa. My wife stayed on the ground. She has no head for heights. I had to queue for two hours, but the view was worth it. Astonishing!
The hotel was fantastic and the people were friendly. It was all going well, ….until the third day. While getting into a taxi a man approached my wife, he grabbed her wrist and tried to talk to her. I’d been a few feet away at the time trying to shake off a persistent street beggar when this happened and the man clearly believed my wife was alone. I stepped forward and shouted at him to leave her alone ad f**k off. He got very angry and started shouting in Arabic.
I ignored his shouting, managed to climb in the taxi with my wife and we set off for our hotel. Seconds after arriving the police showed up. Apparently the man had called the police and reported us for our behaviour. The police took us both to a police station and held us all afternoon. Eventually my wife was allowed to return to the hotel but they kept me a further three days.
By then it was the last day of our ‘holiday’. I was offered the chance to pay a 1,500 Dirham fine, ( about £3,000 ) and leave the country immediately or face trial and possibly 6 months imprisonment. Naturally I paid. I have never been so relieved to see the back of a foreign country and return to England.
Never again.
Safe and chock full of stuff to do
I honestly can’t put into words how many scenarios I had before finally landing in Dubai and seeing with my own eyes that this city is way, way safer than I hoped.
Biggest word of caution here: don’t do drugs. And I’m referring to anything that can be categorized as a drug, from cbd pills for better sleep to high-class drugs. If you get caught you will most likely spend years in jail. All the news you read about this are true, they take their drug policy very, very seriously.
If you like to force your alcohol limit intake this is one of the places where it is simply not tolerated.
In fact, just to be on the safe side, since we’re all unique individuals, I would simply google for lists of things you can’t do in the UAE. After quitting smoking I resorted to ecigs, they keep me going most of the time. It was a huge shock to discover that you can’t do this there.
Just as you would expect, this is not the place you go to for a budget trip. Everything from drinks to a taxi ride can be drastically overpriced but they do make up for this when it comes to the overall experience. Everything around you is pristine, clean, and well maintained.
We went there for a family trip with our toddler, you never run out of activities, no matter the time of day. They have a LOT of theme parks, we’ve explored legoland and IMG worlds of adventure, with both being a hit with our kiddo.
My wife didn’t experience even a single incident despite having to go out alone quite a few times. Saw quite a lot of solo female travelers, especially in the Downtown to Marina area so I’m assuming things are safe as long as you’re courteous and polite.
SAFER than any other place
I am really surprised that people are rating UAE, Dubai low when everyone knows that it is one of the most safest cities in the middle east and the world.
If you come to a country and don’t abide their rules and regulations don’t expect them to respect you!
this is not america where you can be a bumb on the street.
this is a place where you can work and be safe. and the police are taking their job 100% serious. they dont kid around about it.
i would like to explain somethings after reading the comments
if you think that by coming here you can start for example living with your bf and having s** like normal life this is not normal in their rules. as they abide islamic law which is understandable.
if you are pregnant with no marriage thats an issue too.
just understand that they are conservatives and their whole country is really amazing and safe to be. you are not worried someone would stab you for no reason or murder you. people dont walk around carrying guns. no mass shootings.
I’d rather be here a 1000000 times than live a second in a place where i could be killed.
#conservativeisthekey
What are these reviews!!!
Amazing city very safe
the government like to lock up foreigners as they become bargaining chips