Life’s a beach on women-only days

Life’s a beach on women-only days Sajila Saseendran / 22 April 2013 Hundreds of female visitors on Sunday enjoyed new levels of privacy in Dubai’s most visited beaches in Al Mamzar on the first day of women-only days. As exclusively reported by Khaleej Times on Sunday, the Dubai Municipality introduced two ladies-only days at Al Mamzar Beach Park (Sundays and Tuesdays) and added one more such day (Wednesdays) to Jumeirah Beach Park that already observes a women-only day on Mondays. No men and boys aged above four years will be allowed inside the two beach parks on these days.  Announced without much fanfare, the quadrupling of the ladies-only days came with the allocation of separate beach areas for tourists and local residents based on the purpose of their beach visit. When KT reported that separate areas have been designated for beach activities for female tourists and residents, some readers were confused if this actually meant that there is a separation of beach areas for expatriates and nationals. Clearing their doubts, the Director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department, Ahmed Abdul Kareem, said that the separate beaches have been designated based on the purpose of the beach visits. “It has got nothing to do with nationality or religion,” he told Khaleej Times on Sunday. “Some women come for getting more sunlight and some others come to the beach park for other activities. We know that 95 per cent of the European tourists love to enjoy the sun, whereas tourists from GCC countries come for other leisure activities, for barbecuing etc.” The official said separate beaches were allocated to allow the different categories of visitors to carry out their favourite activities in their own style or costume. By mid-day on Sunday, he said hundreds of Western tourists came to the beach park. “They came through different hotels. Since we had informed hotels about the introduction of the ladies-only day, they sent women in groups.” Though female tourists had a field day, there was less number of takers from local residents for the new offer. Officials said the number of female residents to visit the beach parks on ladies-only days may increase as the news spreads. “The weather was not very good and it is the first day. So, we are expecting more women to come next time,” said a staff at the park’s gate. He said he had to turn away some men who had accompanied their wives and families to the park. “But they were co-operative. I sent them to the open beach area which is away from the beaches under the park.” A group of Russian women who were seen taking their pictures said they liked the concept of ladies-only day to allow more privacy to women visitors to the beaches. However, some Dubai residents were not very happy with the move. Thara Abraham, whose son is six years old, said she could not leave her son behind when she hangs out with her female friends. “I faced the same problem when we took him to the swimming pool in Mushrif Park last week. Since they don’t allow boys aged above four years in the ladies’ pool, we had to send our friends’ daughters to the gents’ pool so that all three can play together.” – sajila@khaleejtimes.com Women-only days on Dubai beach parks From today Dubai will offer two days each a week at two prime beach parks exclusively for women — with female tourists and local residents separated to accommodate religious and cultural differences in swimwear. No males aged above four will be allowed entry in either the Jumeirah Beach Park or Al Mamzar Beach Park on the ladies-only days.  Sunday and Tuesday have been designated as ladies-only in Al Mamzar, while Jumeirah Beach Park will observe the same on Monday and Wednesday, Dubai Municipality Parks and Horticulture Department director Ahmed Abdul Kareem told Khaleej Times. Taylor Scott International