Abu Dhabi is quite cosmopolitan. Yes, they don't allow you to have sex on the beaches and it's advisable to keep covered up unless in designated areas, but the hotels are as luxurious as Dubai hotels and there are some world class restaurants & bars.
Of course it is full of humans of different colour/culture/religious belief. If that puts you off international travel, Southend is nice.

They should offer the opposite for anyone visiting the UK - if you experience any less than 5mm of rainfall during your stay in UK............

Terms and conditions: Prices are per person and are based on a twin share. The Sunshine Guarantee is operated by Etihad Holidays. For every booking made with Etihad Holidays for a flight and hotel inclusive package holiday in Abu Dhabi taking place between May and September we will provide a Sunshine Guarantee. This Sunshine Guarantee means that if you experience more than 5mm of rainfall during your stay in Abu Dhabi, we will provide you with another holiday free of charge, subject to the restrictions and conditions set out in these Sunshine Guarantee terms and conditions. To qualify for the Sunshine Guarantee, you must have purchased and travelled on an Etihad Holidays flight and hotel inclusive package holiday to Abu Dhabi between the dates of 1 June 2017 and 31 August 2017. All flights and flight-inclusive holidays are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.



Nice but they may as well include a Godzilla offer, if he turns up then you get another holiday.

Oh behave mate! We don't care about human rights when we are bombing them to fulfil our needs, and killing innocent children, Give it a rest.

Terms and conditions: Prices are per person and are based on a twin share. The Sunshine Guarantee is operated by Etihad Holidays. For every booking made with Etihad Holidays for a flight and hotel inclusive package holiday in Abu Dhabi taking place between May and September we will provide a Sunshine Guarantee. This Sunshine Guarantee means that if you experience more than 5mm of rainfall during your stay in Abu Dhabi, we will provide you with another holiday free of charge, subject to the restrictions and conditions set out in these Sunshine Guarantee terms and conditions. To qualify for the Sunshine Guarantee, you must have purchased and travelled on an Etihad Holidays flight and hotel inclusive package holiday to Abu Dhabi between the dates of 1 June 2017 and 31 August 2017. All flights and flight-inclusive holidays are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.



Nice but they may as well include a Godzilla offer, if he turns up then you get another holiday.

Seems a good deal of you like beaches or have loads of money for shopping, but somewhere that has not really appealed to me.

Still hot though even if it's not for me. :smile:

Very true

They should offer the opposite for anyone visiting the UK - if you experience any less than 5mm of rainfall during your stay in UK............

:laughing:

Abu Dhabi is quite cosmopolitan. Yes, they don't allow you to have sex on the beaches and it's advisable to keep covered up unless in designated areas, but the hotels are as luxurious as Dubai hotels and there are some world class restaurants & bars.
Of course it is full of humans of different colour/culture/religious belief. If that puts you off international travel, Southend is nice.

I think they meant just countries where (for instance) you won't get locked up for having sex before marriage.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/news/3044009/tourist-couple-imprisoned-abu-dhabi-sex-before-marriage/amp/

It snowed in the UAE this winter so anything is possible!

It's a good deal, but the odd are very low on you getting a free holiday.
For those who don't agree with the laws/rules/customs of a country then no one is forcing you to go. I'm not sure that most people are interested in your thoughts on the matter, tbh.

The problem with stereotypes is that they're generally true :wink:

Awesome deal! Delicious food, great airline, lots to do, class, luxury and opulence everywhere, guaranteed sunshine! Dubai next door never sleeps. I've been once every year the last 3yrs this is tempting despite the low probability of rain! Thanks OP!

Wouldn't mind but don't like the offer of "if it rains..."

Make sure you practice this prior to leaving = Free Holiday :stuck_out_tongue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri2SC5Uoua8

Never seen so many people jump to defend the archaic beliefs of a culture half the world away based on a light hearted comment.

I think there maybe a fatwa against me now.

Saudi Arabia don't allow The Flintstones but Abu Dabi doooooooo!!! :smile::smile::smile:

Different culture is one thing, but we're talking about human rights violations. A different culture doesn't automatically deserve respect, for all the people jumping to there defense with the tired old when in Rome attitude, I'm sure your white knight badges are in the post.

Southend is full of humans of different colour/culture/religious beliefs, except their poorer and it rains

Does sound a lovely place to go if you're a man.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/rape-victim-dubai-united-arab-emirates-uae-extra-marital-sex-report-detained-in-dubai-police-charity-a7422326.html

Saudi Arabia and other tyrant criminal states like Bahrain and Qatar exist because of European colonialism. Their demented Wahabi/Salafi ideology have the full military support from the U.K. USA and their allies to create a region in perpetual war financing the arms trade and exploitation of natural resources. If your going to ignore all that and blame "archaic culture" and religion out of personal bias then your part of the problem and the effects it has on you domestically. Our hypocritical "leaders" don't live like us and don't care about anything other than elitism.

I'm sure a bit of creative video editing could swindle a free holiday?

And Iran just smells of roses.

So the Arabs give you a free ticket to visit them again if it rains. But the Americans say f*** off if you bring a laptop?

Lol

If it rains, we will provide you each with a complimentary holiday up to the same value or less!

Or less?!

So you'll get a 1* trip to Blackpool then? :smile:

You make some interesting points, but I'm not sure this is place for them.

Ridiculously hot in Jun to August though isn't it? Ok if you like ridiculously hot, but otherwise better to visit in the cooler months.

Why the sarcasm, because the people wanted to go back to a democracy through the revolution and not end up with the unelected colonial imposed Shah? Because they don't want a totalitarian trumped up monarchy imposing demented Wahabi/Salafi laws which people complain about as archaic and backward but fail totally in holding the Saudi-Colonial coalition responsible? Attacking Iran who are fighting ISIS/ISIL or whatever new name America are calling their horrible creation to fight the Soviets decades ago, just shows how susceptible people are to media wide propaganda whether it's your favourite US TV drama or UK news outlet.

Avoid AD at this time of year, FAR FAR FAR too hot, there's a reason all the expats leave over the summer :wink: 45/50 degress isn't fun!

Fair enough, I am not living in Iran or Saudi Arabia so don't have enough information to judge. However, I do believe you are oversimplifying things by totally ignoring long-standing shia-sunni conflict, which will continue regardless of the current U.S. foreign policy. Also it is quite convenient to blame other countries for everything without attributing any responsibility to the local population. Anyways, we are going off-topic.

​This includes being raped. Try to avoid that ladies or you'll end up in prison

Yeah, no, they'd have to pay me to go there.

Why go Abu Dhabi when you can go to Southend. I don't think they would want you there to be honest, you would probably get arrested at the airport and sent back :smiley:

He was making a joke by exaggerating the truth, but clearly you're too worried about causing offence to have a sense of humour about it.

that was exactly my take on the place when I went to visit a friend who works there. absolutely no character and too hot to enjoy the beach, for the money you could go somewhere nice with things to see and do like Greece for example, anywhere would be better really.

A beautiful example of what some of us was trying shed light on, but facts like theses will be stared at and ignored and ultimately blamed on our foreign policy by the seems of it, hilarious.

Everyone loves the place until something like this happens, & then they expect sympathy. I'd rather a week in the rain in Cornwall. :-)

​​the conflict exists because of colonialism, when the borders were created they'd intentionally divided cultures and beliefs, placed the minority in power with full military backing - setting up a situation if needed in future to cause civil war when needed. Couple of false flag operations, hey presto civil war begins. Libya is case and point.

as much as it has lovely hotels restaurants, I don't like the culture.

I have friends who work there purely for the money, infact for this airline.

Yes they have a lovely lifestyle children at private schools, have made a lot of money, but women are still classed as 2nd class, In this day and age the laws are crazy and I mean crazy.

even if I did go this is a really bad time of year, far to hot

I like to have sex on the beach, so not for me.

2nd class citizens? Care to elaborate, or is that just your subjective opinion?

I've first-hand lived in the Emirates, a state which is the most strict when it comes to appearance and conduct of both male and females. I never once witnessed women being treated as 2nd class. However, if you're an Asian immigrant living and working there, irrespective if your a Muslim your not seen as brother in faith but as a 2nd class citizen.

Never been myself but have had friends and family who have been to both.

From what I've heard and seen I'd give it a miss. It just doesn't compare to places like Tokyo, Hong Kong, San Francisco and New York.

I'm surprised that's not a flat Earth as your avatar :wink:

You answered your own question. Why would you want to go to a place where a whole race is considered subhuman?

I was in Abu Dhabi last month, and believe it or not, it was raining for 2 days.

Still, certainly a nice calm place.

Like in post-Obama USA?

No, not comparable.

Maybe if Trump had his way but you had US Judges overturning him.

Even if that did happen you can't compare a temporary travel ban on certain countries to full on exploitation and modern day slavery in the Gulf/Arab states.

It is....its a top down view :smiley:

It is like offering Holidays in Glasgow with 100% experience of rain and dampness and it it is sunny, they will give you another holiday for FREE!! ha ha

You are right that this conflict can be cultivated and used for political gain. But you can't cultivate anything if there is nothing there. Shia - Sunni conflict predates modern post-colonial states and is not limited to Middle East (look at Asia). The main root of the problem is in the religion itself, imho. How it is used by western powers and Middle Eastern states is another matter. Saying that it would not exist without foreign interference is wishful thinking.

The Latin American and Caribbean region is home to just 9% of the global population but accounts for over 30% of the world’s murders. Seven of the 10 countries with the world’s highest homicide rates are in the region, and of the 50 cities with the highest rates in the world, 42 are in Latin America, including the top 16.

Anyone rather go Mexico as opposed to the visiting the tyrants of Abu Dhabi? :laughing::laughing:

​how Iran rules is non of your business. my experience of democracy so far is its not all that is made out to be.

​You say "the women are classed as 2nd class"

stop being silly. have you even read some of the bra posts on hukd.

​that rules America out then.

Odd that it's only one culture threatening the others if they're not THEIR culture though

And the muslims DON'T do "colonialism" ?
They don't need help in making wars on others and were doing a LOT of it before oil was involved

I wouldn't be seen dead in that toilet of country, I find "a silk handkerchief draped over dog poo" is a suitable analogy for my views of that place.

Good deal if it floats you boat though.

What about if it snows? Does that count?

Great if you don't mind being told you can't eat in certain places because it is women only night ..I visited due to work and found nothing that that would cause me to want to holiday there.

How many of these crimes are commited in tourist areas? I'd be willing to bet the majority are in places like Mexico City, etc. Twisting stats to suit an agenda.

Well if it's in the country then it belongs to the culture of the place. In other words them places are hell holes but people happily flock to them. But a woman gets arrested in an Arab country and the whole of Islam is on trial :laughing: .... now that's twisting stats to suit agendas... you have to love these Islamaphobes :laughing:

Animals but it's ok because they're not Muslim right? Them cartels make Isis look good. But let's all go to Mexico everybody :laughing::laughing:

Give me Benidorm or Ibiza any day

Love how it says free holiday worth the same value or LESS.

European colonialism in Arabia???? When was that chap ?
Go check your history before you spout nonsense

Libya had colonialism and thus there's civil war there now? Da fuq?

Go to Blackpool if you don't agree with the laws of the UAE.

But Saudi leaders care about the poorest in their society or those who are homosexual or women who want to drive?!?
Saudi are the most moderate Muslim country in the Middle East which is why they are an ally but their moderation is relatively poor in global terms.

Such a con! It'll never rain that time of year and it will be flippin HOT! 45C+

Voted cold!

So glad that those who have a prejudice view are removing themselves from going there.
I've been going to the various Emirates of the UAE for a few years now, and the service there is on a different level to the 5* hotels in many other parts of the world.
I know that the kids will be safe, the weather will be good and now I won't be surrounded by bigots.
Roll on October holidays when we go and sample the delights of the Ritz Carlton for a little bit more than a luxury week in Tenerife ....

Avoid any Arab country for a holiday.

If you plan on going, Ferrari World on Yas Island is worth a visit and possibly mix it with the a trip to the water Park next door. Ferrari World definitely needs to be booked in advance to avoid the queues.

(P.S. to all the political posts, I'd love just once to visit this forum to read the deals. Yes it's fun to have a bit of banter but we all know you have opinions....they're just not necessarily shared (or even appreciated) by everyone. That's my soapbox done.)

The comment was neither ignorant nor unfounded.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-13-countries-where-being-an-atheist-is-punishable-by-death-a6960561.html

I've been to Mexico a couple of times, El Salvador, Guatemala, St Lucia, Colombia 4 times, Brasil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru 4 times and Ecuador and never had a problem. Colombia is the friendliest country I have ever visited and I have travelled quite a bit.

​Isn't Southend exactly the same in terms of people?

Take away food is very expensive but it is worth visiting for a week

well I'm only commenting on what friends who have lived their for over 15 yrs and family living in Dubai for 25 yrs have told me I think they have more of a insight than say a weeks holiday in the dessert.

Silly things like why is it when they check inn at hotel the wife asks a question and the receptionist acknowledges the husband and not the wife.

yes they live by their way and customs, they have too but do not agree with it. husbands are allowed to hit their wives to get them into shape and divorce them for the silliest things. then how many unreported rapes go unreported of muslim women not talking western women,

Yes they have a fantastic lifestyle, but they know the rules,but they their purely for making vast amounts of money.

and they also see how the workers who built the called 7 star hotels have to work and the conditions they live in not getting paid.,

I watched a programme on Dubai but not the 7 star hotels outrageous hotels and it was shocking to see, yes theres other countrys just as bad and I wont go there either but it makes you appreciate the uk a lot more

http://www.itv.com/news/2017-02-04/17-year-old-in-colombia-accused-of-more-than-30-murders/

Colombia is full of violence, drugs, gangs, domestic abuse, murders and corruption. Yet you call it the friendliest countries you have ever visited :laughing: typical to ignore the very brutal reality to suit you're own agenda. If the stats of South America were from a Muslim country you would be shouting the very opposite. Typical islamaphobe attitude :laughing:

At the end of the day it's all down to personal preference, no one is forcing anyone to go, every country has there own rules and customs which should be abided by. You can find articles or listen to friends or family as much as you want, unless your have been there and witnessed it for yourselves your comments are not applicable, and most of these comments are from the ones who can't even afford to go. Just to add I've just booked a 7 night stay in Dubai at the zabeel Saray on the man made palm, a week of pure luxury, lovely weather and with no chavs, beer swigging, smelly swearing brits getting drunk on the dirty pebble beaches of Southend which are full of used confirms and broken glass in sight. Can't wait. Oh and I've also planned a day trip to Abu Dhabi. Haters gonna hate as they say.

You seem to be very defensive about your decision to go there, suggesting that anyone who doesn't want to go there must be a poor, lager swigging, beer bellied smelly chav who has safe sex on the beaches of Southend. You seem to be a hater too. Why not just respect people's personal preferences of where and why they want or don't want to holiday in a particular country?

Hey buddy I did say it's all down to personal preference and you shouldn't downgrade a place if you haven't been there yourself, I've seen Southend and what goes on in the U.K., I live here and I can assure you the emirates is much cleaner safer place which is the point I'm trying to put across, and yes I put it down to most people can't afford to go there hence the negative comments based on hearsay. It's My opinion just like everyone's else's opinion. Not every one will agree. On the plus I can't wait to get away :sunglasses::sunglasses:

And please don't come back with "if you don't like the country then you know what to do". Blah blah blah

It is all down to personal choice, and I have no issue with your opinion of the place. Your opinion of people who choose not to go there stinks though.

Fair enough that's your opinion, but others opinions that they treat women as second class citizens doesn't stink? Very hypocritical, pick and choose what you want to hear. It's all about opinion, some people will agree and some won't. I've been to the UAE and it's not how the media portray or the comments on here , the same about Mexico and other countries. We just need to Stop jumping on the bandwagon and go visit these places. Otherwise stay in Southend :smiley:

No thanks. Might want to meet a girl and have sex with her. I'd be hanged as we wouldn't be married. Would never go to a Muslim country. Rules too strict

It's illegal for a woman to marry without getting permission from a male guardian, it is also illegal for a muslim woman to marry a non-muslim. Because the Emirates apply parts of Sharia in the law, it is illegal for women to work without their husbands permission, and husbands can hit their wives. Just because you don't see these things when you're on your jollies, it doesn't mean they don't happen. So people thinking women aren't treat fairly out there isn't an opinion, it's a fact. Floggings and stonings are acceptable punishments for crimes out there, crimes which include Alcohol consumption for muslims (80 lashes), premarital sex (100 lashes), and adultery (death by stoning). If someone doesn't want to visit these places with family, that should be respected.
As for Southend, I've never been. I have however, worked in Dubai.

It's not going to rain lol

Interesting, so they are all just one group according to you? when was the bombing campaign against abu dabhi? I most certainly have not ordered any bombs to be dropped, so fail to see how in your eyes im not allowed to have an opinion on the way citizens are treated in this region. Even if i accepted your premise we've bombed Abu Dhabi im not taking any responsibility just cause i happen to live in the west, but yes cause "we've" been mean to them in the past we must now allow them to subjugate women, sexual minorities etc to primitive behavior as it would be so hypocritical of us to point out such behaviors are obviously wrong.

It is not acceptable but it's the law of the country which needs to be respected just like the laws in our country. so brits peeing on the street, used condoms and broken glass on the pebble beaches, drug paraphilia in view of young kids on our streets, brits drunk and disorderly, swearing and abusive is also a fact which are also not acceptable. I live here and it's fact. Hence why I love the UAE where I can enjoy my holiday with my family in a safe and clean environment, and not having to think oh my cars been broken into or my house broken into. So me making my views felt is no different to what others on here are doing.

So the Emirates is a cleaner and safer place than everywhere in the UK? I suggest you spend some more time in areas of the UK that are safe , clean and also treat women as equals and have far more culture than you will ever get in a desert. For the record, I spend much more than this when i go abroad on holiday each summer just in case you think I caravan at Haven (well,actually I do that too).

For all those harping on about women's rights.... they need to look at lot closer to home. Sexual abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, trafficked prostitution, rapes are all commonplace in English cities.

It's nothing new either. From the political elite, tv celebs right down to the poverty drug fuelled estates it's happening. Save the moral heroics for your UKIP party conference :smiley:

Big difference between men breaking the law in the UK and the law in other country allowing what we in the UK deem as being abuse.

You explain that "Big difference" to the poor, innocent victims. I'm sure they'll understand. Muppet

​you missed the point, when they carved up the middle east they'd intentionally put opposing sects in one country and handed the power to the minority, typically a dictator - a recipe for disaster. pre colonialism there a were no borders or nationalism, no interfaith conflicts to point the Jews survived under Islamic rule for over 800 years. Morocco has the largest population of Jews outside Israel, this being just 1 example of many. its not to say there wasn't conflict in Islamic history but nothing compares to the West in terms of death and destruction.

I don't like playing whataboutary sometimes it's the only way to get the point across.

what you're describing is post colonialism. explain how there are Jews, Christians, zoastrians still living in the middle east, with a heritage spanning over millennia?

​right, so the majority of the 9/11 perpetrators were from Saudi Arabia yet there was no embargo, sactions or the government held to account despite evidence of it being so.

more damming is Trumps muslim ban of 7 countries doesn't include Saudi Arabia despite being the number 1 exporter of Islamic extremism - Wahaabism.

​you make some worthy points and highlight Saudi Arabia only partially implements the Sharia which you're right. Therefore, in practice what people witness or hear about is Saudi culture not islam in practice. The last caliphate was the ottomans and with that went the last Islamic governance and Shari'ah.

there is no country in the world that implements Shari'ah in its entirety or governs as an Islamic theocracy. Closest we have is Iran but that too falls short.

​what is it with you people and homosexuals? don't you have anything else to say? the Muslim countries see it as a crime. that is there society and if they want to protect society from such things then why do you have a problem with it? if you are gay then just don't hold your boyfriends hand in public when visiting.

women wanting to drive doesn't affect you. that is their culture. if everybody follows the same culture then there would not be anything interesting in the world.

live and let live. the Arabs probably see 100s of things wrong in western culture but you don't see them moaning about it non stop.

​what's your point? that is their culture. domestic violence is extremely high in UK. the divorce rates are shocking. the number of single parents raising kids is increasing by the day. you just need to look at posts on hukd on women's undies to realise they are just seen as pieces of meat. women are working aswell as raising kids and doing what a man is suppose to be doing whilst the guy is happily playing away with the mistress.

hmmm women's rights champions.

​can you enlighten me which parts you are referring to? all the places I've been in UK are full of grown men holding dogs and poo bags. great culture. lol. I rather go on holiday to somewhere warmer.

My point is, that I'm not comfortable personally taking my family to such a country. I'd never forgive myself if we somehow fell foul of the law and my girlfriend was subjected to some awful ordeal. That is my personal choice and should be respected. Instead, there are folk on here branding me an Islamophobe, or suggesting I'm a narrow minded bigot for these choices, which is utter rubbish.

So 'us people' should live and let live, but the the same shouldn't apply to the people of the Emirates and their attitudes towards homosexuality?

You would think the sentiment that everyone is equal and are entitled to the same rights couldn't be argued against, but here you are proving me wrong.

"9 out of 10 women in Mexico City have been victims of some form of sexual violence"

Realty is, women are treated as 2nd class citizens the world over and it's been like that since the beginning of time. To suggest it's somehow an Islamic problem is absolute bias and hints at Islamaphobia.

I never hinted that it was an Islamic problem. It's a problem with the lawmakers of that country. You're way too quick to point the finger and label people who don't agree with you.

​​​If the people are not happy about their government laws they can protest. They don't need us to butt in and save them from this "evil oppression" of women not being able to drive.

Why is the Queen not allowed to drive? maybe that culture prefers to chauffeur their women like how the Queen is chauffeured in the UK.

respect other nations beliefs, culture and laws. you can do what you like in your own country but it's against the law to practice homosexuality.

it was against the law in UK going back only a few decades. just because western society has gone against the Church and accepted this practice doesn't mean others have to change their culture or religion to suit.

so yes live and let live.

The statement I responded to claimed that the Emirates is a cleaner and safer place than the UK. Where I live in Scotland there is very little crime. Scotland is still in the UK.

What's your point? I think you've answered a point that wasn't made and then proceeded to show your lack of intelligence further by insulting me.

Just back and I found many of the stereotypes we were warned about to be rubbish. My partner and I are not married and I made the booking. The hotel always staff always addressed me, not my partner, indeed they decided to call him by MY surname, which I thought was funny as I'm used to being turned into his wife in the UK. The one thing that surprised me was that far from being down trodden, the women were very arrogant and rude. It was all I could do to bite my tongue at their behaviour. They walk straight to the front of lines, including at immigration and no one challenges them. They ignored lines waiting at restaurants and just went and sat at tables when they were vacated and then sometimes never even ordered anything. Just sat for about 30 mins, used toilets and left. It rained 2 of our 6 days, which was a bit disappointing but it was March so hey ho. I would go back if I got a cheap deal, but not in high season.

I wouldn't go there despite being a Muslim female myself!

I'm Muslim myself and totally agree with you!