8 Reasons Why the UAE is the Best destination for Solo Female Travellers
As a Canadian woman expat living in the United Arab Emirates, I totally get it.
There are so many pre conceived notions about the U.A.E.
Some are without a doubt obsolete whereas quite a few others are straight up myths.
The internet is packed with misinformation about Dubai and Abu Dhabi. So many people are spreading false informations. What makes it worse is that you can tell so many have never ever set foot in the UAE.
So as someone who has been continuously traveling to the UAE for the last 10 years before finally relocating here, I am very qualified to paint an accurate and realistic version of life in the UAE.
Funny enough, I believe The UAE to be one of the best destination for women looking to travel solo for the first time.
So in this blog, I will cover many of the reasons why I believe the UAE is safe for your first solo female adventure.
I am linking my youtube video that did go viral on my channel. It’s a great resource covering “Why every woman should travel solo”
Safety
I am very fortunate to have lived most of my life in relatively safe countries.
Montreal, Canada is your usual level safe but the UAE takes it to the next level.
We’re talking about overall safety as in you don’t have to worry about any wars or anything like that.
Without getting into politics, that says a lot especially coming from the region.
Burj A lArab
Dubai
Women Safety
As a woman, I never felt unsafe.
These things are taken very seriously in the UAE.
If you are an attractive lady, of course you might have the usual man trying to approach you at the mall to try his luck.
I would say it would be the same as anywhere else, no different than your typical inter gender dynamic from Canada.
This episode from my podcast “She thrives with Stef Barti” talks about some very important aspects of solo travel as a woman.
UAE is your easy intro to the Middle East
I want to make this guide as honest as possible.
So let’s not deny the fact that the middle East can be a bit of a volatile area.
Moreover, it has its own sets of added challenges, especially for women.
While I’m all about positive thinking, at the same time let’s not stick our head in the sand and pretend it’s all rainbows and unicorn.
All you have to do is turn on the TV to see what is happening in the world.
So it is normal for us ladies to be preoccupied for our safety.
I will not lead you astray but but if you ever wanted to set foot in the Middle East, trust me when I say that the UAE is as easy of an introduction as it gets.
Limited Cultural Shock
The UAE being a muslim country, of course you will notice a difference. For example, this might be your first time hearing the call to prayer.
This is especially true if you are coming from places like Canada or the USA.
However, besides a few cultural differences here and there, everyday life is just as modern as in the West.
Maybe if you visited 30 years ago, it would have been drastically different.
However today, with the advent of globalization, your experience as a traveler won’t be anywhere close to what those fear mongering articles on the internet tell you.
Lots of activities to do
Let’s be real, this place gets a lot of hate on the internet.
On top of that, I know people only think about the big shiny buildings but there are so much more to do in the UAE.
For instance, I am a hiking enthusiast and I’m always amazed by the hiking possibilities.
There’s lots to discover.
The only thing I would say is to come during the winter months.
To play it safe, from late September to early May, you will be spoilt for choice with the unspoilt beauty of this country.
Beautiful Outdoors and nature
Abu Dhabi is often overlooked at the expanse of Dubai. Yet there is so much pristine beauty in Abu Dhabi alone.
One of my all time favorite are the Mangroves National park .
So I always make sure to admire the beautiful Sheikh Zayed mosque and then make my way to the absolutely stunning Mangroves .
So much to do over there.
On the weekends, I often go for Kayaking, swimming. It is an oasis of peace right smack in the middle of the capital city.
Tolerance
People can be so negative on the internet.
But everything is relative.
As a Canadian expat living in Abu Dhabi, I am still bamboozled by the level of tolerance.
Somehow you have all these various cultural backgrounds, ethnicities and faiths, all co-exist together.
Not only it is peaceful. There is also a sense of curiosity and respect.
It is such a beautiful thing to witness. And humanity needs more of this tolerance all around the world.
Women at the forefront of innovation
I really love the direction in which the UAE is moving. They really take great pride in their local Emirati women and go to great length to support them and give them great opportunities.
ecstatic dance workshop
FAQ about visiting Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Do you have to cover your hair?
No you don’t have to cover your hair in the UAE
What about the dress code for women?
As a tourist, this is definitely not something that you have to worry about. Unless, you try to frolic outside in your birthday suit, the dress code is exactly the same as most places.
Th only exception is when you go in official government buildings and religious places such as mosques, then you are understandably expected to dress modestly.
Then again, women are still not expected to wear an abaya.
If you plan to visit the magnificent Sheikh Zayed mosque for example, there is a dress code where you have to cover your arms and legs.
Both men and women are required to dress modestly on the premises.
You don’t even have to worry about it too much because they can also lend you an abaya set in the tourist centre.
Do you have to wear an abaya?
Again, I really want to drive this point home.
No you don’t have to wear an abaya unless you want to.
Is it worth visiting the UAE?
Of course it is worth visiting. After visiting over and over again, I fell in love so much with the place, that I ended up moving there.
The internet loves poking at the UAE but I really do believe there is so much more than meets the eye.
Of course everyone knows about the shiny buildings and all the extravagant world record titles that put Dubai on the map over the years.
That said, if you show up with just a little bit of curiosity, interest and an open mind, you will be surprised to see how much culture there is.
Don’t want to travel alone?
Solo Female Travel Group Tour
Yerevan’s Republic Square – Next women tours coming up
I am an avid solo woman traveler. But I am also the first one to sign up for women group travels.
So much that I started offering my own women travel. You can join my upcoming women group travel in Iceland where we will go chase the Northern lights.
Feminine Embodiment Wellness retreats
And for my fellow ladies who want to go on a self exploratory journey, I am beyond thrilled to host a wellness retreat in the beautiful island of Malta.
We will dance and embody our highest divine feminine. All while staying together in our private villa, getting spoiled by our own chef and sipping refreshing drinks by our own private pool.
It’s all about that soft life glow 🙂
Sum Up
The UAE is awaiting for you to discover. As a solo woman traveler, you can rest assure that it is as safe as it gets and there is so much fun to be had.
While you are in the capital city, you can even check to see if the dates coordinate and drop by for one of my dance classes. As someone who loves to do active traveling, it is such a fun way to meet local residents.
More blogs covering the UAE
Here are more articles I wrote that will help you plan your trip in the UAE