Dubai gay places

Gay Dubai

The public beach in Jumeirah, or JBR Beach, dwelling to several Western chain hotels (see below) - ©

As you'd expect, the United Arab Emirates is not a particularly gay-friendly destination. It has sodomy laws punishable with imprisonment, but with such a diverse population everyone knows there's plenty of gay locals and visitors. It's also slightly more liberal than other Arab states, with no internet control, although many Western sites are blocked and foreigners have been jailed and deported for simply attending private "gay parties." It's strongly advised that you respect local customs and laws, and dodge public displays of affection.
The metropolis has a growing and exciting nightlife, mostly frequented by Western expatriates and wealthy Saudis. Obviously there are no gay bars and clubs in town, but everyone mixes at the highest spots, usually joint to hotels. Male lover crowds also position at the cafés of the Dubai Mall, using bluetooth connection on their cell phones to "connect" with others.

Gay-Friendlier Beach

The best beach for people-watching and conference people is

In this guide, we position out our practical tips for gay travelers to Dubai, as well as information about the (underground) gay scene, the leading places to stay, things to do, and more.

Dubai is regarded as the Vegas of the Middle East.

Just like Las Vegas, it's a raucous, glitzy, super touristic, and very modern city, with plenty of things to do. It's also a major transport hub, making it the perfect stopover to break up lengthy trips.

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We've been to Dubai several times, mainly to visit some of our gay friends living there. Before we went on our first trip, we had serious concerns about our safety because of the harsh anti-gay laws. Despite this, we've always had a fantastic time in Dubai, albeit taking extra care to avoid all public displays of affection.

In this article, we set out our practi

How can a sense of belonging be forged in a setting where one’s existence is forbidden? That is the question that LSE’s Dr Centner and his co-author Harvard’s Manoel Pereira Neto explore in their groundbreaking explore into Dubai’s expatriate gay men’s nightlife.

But it was not an easy topic to research. Dr Centner explains: “It's an illegal, or criminalised, identity and establish of behaviours and practices, so in a very general feeling, it's a taboo. And taboo subjects are very often under-researched, sometimes because people have a hard time gaining access, gaining that trust, but also because, even if people gain that access, there could be significant repercussions for themselves as researchers, or for the people who are the research participants.

“As two queer researchers, we were capable to enter the worlds of relatively privileged Western gay expatriates. Secrecy is often the norm, but the field was familiar to us, through previous visits and research projects.”

These were indeed ‘parties’ [but] not bars identified as gay. Not a

Dubai Gay-Friendly Bars
Dubai has no gay bars, as you may have assumed. It does, however, have an underground gay scene centred around private parties. That being said, there are a number of gay-friendly bars. Just be mindful that public displays of affection are ill-advised in Dubai, for both lgbtq+ and straight couples.
Dubai Gay-Friendly Bars
Level 43,Four Points by Sheraton - Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Although not a gay bar - there aren't any, it's Dubai - Level 43 Sky Lounge is a very Westernized drinking life. Located in Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, you'll be greeted with panoramic views of Dubai. The cocktail list is excellent. Most of the drinkers and staff are international.
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Last updated on: 28 Jan
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Last updated on: Jan
Grosvenor House Dubai, Al Emreef Street, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Located on the 44th floor of the