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What is the worst time to visit Dubai? Is it summer? Is it winter?
We will describe in detail all the seasons, their pluses and minuses, and thus answer important questions about this city.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and attracts a huge number of people with its attractions, and skyscrapers like in Hong Kong. Every season has its own charm. Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you at what time of year you visit Dubai.
Planning to visit Dubai? How about getting inspired in our article 1 day in Dubai and find various activities.
Table of Contents
WHEN IS THE WORST TIME TO VISIT DUBAI?
In general, it is said that the worst time to visit Dubai is the months of July and August when many locals leave Dubai for other countries for summer holidays with their children.
Every coin has two sides, even though the weather during the summer in Dubai is very hot with high humidity and it will be almost impossible to walk around the city during the day, there are other indoor options available.
VISITING DUBAI DURING THE WINTER MONTHS
Dubai’s peak tourist season is full of events and is considered to be the period from November to March. For some people, it’s also the worst time to visit Dubai. During these months, a lot more tourists visit the city, which has a big impact on the prices of accommodation in the city, the prices of attractions, and plane tickets. If you are going to travel to Dubai during the main season, all attractions and tickets must be booked in advance.
Visit Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). An annual 1-month long event during the winter months with many fun programs, fireworks, family activities, and big discounts on products.
For the best accommodation, people tend to book hotels months in advance.
Probably the worst time to visit Dubai is December near the new year when is tourist season. Accommodations with a view of the highest fireworks set in the world disappear quickly, and you will pay a lot of money for this view.
➡️ Book your hotel in Dubai in advance here ⬅️
PROS
Undoubtedly, the advantage of the winter season in Dubai is the mild weather, which is suitable for many outdoor activities. Many cultural events take place right in the winter season around the end of the year.
➡️ Book top activities in advance in Dubai here ⬅️
CONS
A significant disadvantage in the winter season is the prices. December is considered the worst time to visit Dubai in terms of hotel prices. Another disadvantage is that most tourists come to Dubai during the winter months, so the city can be overcrowded.
VISITING DUBAI DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS
The main disadvantage of July and August is the temperature. On the contrary, the advantage is that the prices of hotels, even luxury hotels, go down by half. The attractions of the city, such as visiting the Burj
Khalifa, will not be as crowded as during the main season. Even the price outside the season is cheaper than during the season.
The advantage of an attraction like the Burj Khalifa is that it is very easy to get there by public transport if you are going to visit the skyscraper by subway, the corridors from the subway are often air-conditioned and
directly connected to the city’s attractions, so you don’t have to worry about the hot temperature outside.
Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS). Offers fun things to do, special offers, and many other activities during the summertime in Dubai.
PROS
The biggest advantages of visiting Dubai during the summer months are cheap plane tickets, hotels, fewer people at all attractions, and an overall quieter atmosphere.
➡️ Book your hotel in Dubai in advance here ⬅️
➡️ Book top activities in advance in Dubai here ⬅️
CONS
The biggest disadvantage of Dubai during the summer months is the hot weather with high air humidity, which adds to the temperature. At the same time, the sea is too warm, it has a temperature of around 32 °C, which is really not refreshing at all.
The water in the pool at your hotel will probably be more refreshing, especially during the morning hours.
When we visited Dubai (end of June/beginning of July), the water in the sea was 33°C!
THINGS TO DO DURING SUMMER
People often say that the summer months are the worst time to visit Dubai.
Dubai is not only about beaches and outdoor activities. The city offers activities all year round, and the summer months are suitable for visiting indoor activities.
Note: This city is adapted to high temperatures.
The best indoor activities in Dubai
Museum of the Future
The futuristic building of the Museum of the Future on the main street of Sheikh Zayed Road is definitely not to be missed. It is interesting not only from the outside but also from the inside. The exhibition offers a glimpse into the future with various interactive exhibits.
➡️ Book your ticket to the Museum of the Future here ⬅️
Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa is a landmark of Dubai and the tallest building in the world that you should not miss during your visit to the city. For stunning 360-degree views of the city, you should definitely visit this building.
➡️ Book your ticket for Burj Khalifa here ⬅️
Tip: We visited Burj Khalifa at the end of June. We got tickets for the earliest possible visit time of 7 in the morning. For the first few minutes, we were there completely alone and later came a handful of people whom we had hardly even met during our more than an hour-long visit.
Dubai Frame
Dubai Frame is a 150 m building that offers visitors a panoramic view of the new and old city. It also contains an exhibition where you can learn more about how the fishing village became a center of trade and culture.
➡️ Book your ticket for Dubai Frame here ⬅️
Dubai Mall
The second-largest shopping center in the world really has a lot to offer. Dubai shopping is a frequent activity. There you will find many shops and attractions such as an aquarium, a waterfall, Chinatown, an indoor ice skating rink, and also the entrance to the Burj Khalifa.
Mall of Emirates
Another shopping center that, in addition to shops and dining options, offers a cinema, the Magic Planet amusement park, Dubai Community Theater, and Art Centre. Probably the biggest attraction of the shopping center is the ski resort Ski Dubai, which is an indoor ski facility that offers snowboarding lessons, a children’s play area, and a cafe.
In the city, however, you will find many other indoor attractions such as museums, amusement parks for children and adults, escape rooms, mirror mazes, indoor theme parks, and others.
➡️ Book top activities in advance in Dubai here ⬅️
HOW DO YOU SURVIVE THE HEAT?
A good option is to stay in a hotel or apartment with a swimming pool.
Most accommodation has a swimming pool, often even a fitness center. All areas of hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and indoor attractions are air-conditioned. Even the corridors leading from the subway often directly to the attractions are air-conditioned.
➡️ Read also our article Where to stay in Dubai ⬅️
Plan your stay so that during the hottest part of the day you spend as little time outside as possible. Strong air conditioning can be an advantage as well as a disadvantage, if you sweat walking outside in the heat and then go to the shopping center, you risk catching a cold. It is therefore recommended to always have long-sleeved clothes or a scarf with you to cover yourself.
➡️ We recommend Staybridge Suites Dubai Financial Centre Hotel ⬅️
In the city, you can notice how the residents of Dubai protect themselves from the strong temperatures by mostly carrying umbrellas and some people carrying small hand fans to cool down. Do not forget to drink
plenty of fluids in high temperatures, there is a risk of heatstroke.
How to cool down on hot days, another option is to use public toilets or the toilet of your hotel and run cold water on your wrists for a few seconds.
Choosing the fabric of your clothing is equally important, choose natural materials that are breathable. In Dubai, you will mostly meet people who protect themselves from the sun with long sleeves and long pants, not only will you respect the local culture, especially in the old parts of the city, but the clothes will also protect you from excessive air conditioning everywhere in public transport shops, etc.
⬇️ Watch our video from Dubai Metro in Gold Class Cabin ⬇️
It is also a good option to plan your program from early in the morning if possible or late after sunset.
Therefore, plan your vacation in Dubai in such a way that during the hottest part of the day you spend time in the pool of your hotel or on other indoor activities.
➡️ Book your hotel in Dubai in advance here ⬅️
VISITING DUBAI DURING RAMADAN
PROS
If you want to avoid crowded attractions and monuments. Then it’s the right time to visit but some activities still can be affected due to restrictions.
Some hotels and accommodations offer discounts during Ramadan.
CONS
Ramadan is the fasting period of the year when Muslims fast. Therefore, it is forbidden in Muslim countries to eat, drink, and smoke in public until sunset. This includes chewing gum. Many restaurants may be closed which can also lead to the worst time to visit Dubai.
The hotel’s restaurants remain open for visitors from other countries, or you can order room delivery from the numerous restaurant options.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO GO TO DUBAI?
The best time to visit Dubai is considered to be the months from November to March when there is pleasant weather. However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is the milder weather and the disadvantages are the prices of hotels, and attractions also most people plan to visit Dubai at a similar time as you which can lead to the worst time to visit Dubai.
If you want to save money, it is better to visit Dubai during the summer months. June, July, August
➡️ Read also our article Where to stay in Dubai ⬅️
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION
What month is best to go to Dubai?
April, May, September and October
Which month is the cheapest in Dubai?
The cheapest prices in Dubai are during the hottest months in July and August.
Can you wear shorts in Dubai?
Shorts are commonly worn in Dubai. You have to be careful that the shorts are not too revealing, after all, it is considered more of a beach outfit.
Accommodation facilities are used by tourists so it’s not a problem there, in the older parts of the city it is recommended to dress modestly. This way you will not stand out from the crowd and at the same time you will respect the local culture.
What months is Dubai too hot?
The hottest months in Dubai are July and August. At the same time, it is considered the worst time to visit Dubai.
⬇️Watch our video how we got from Amsterdam to Dubai without flying⬇️
OUR FAVORITE TRAVEL RESOURCES
Accommodation: We use Booking.com where we always find great deals for hotels.
For hostels, we use Hostelworld where we find cheaper options and meet new people.
Rental cars: To rent your car with free cancellation check out Discover Cars.
Ferries: For cheap ferry tickets worldwide we use Direct Ferries.
All travel options in one place: Omio.com we use for easy travel planning where we can find trains, buses, ferries, and more.
Tours and other activities: Wherever we go we look at GetYouGuide to find the best tours and many other activities around the world!
Travel insurance: Never travel without travel insurance! Ekta works all over the world and has 10 years of experience in the industry. It is your right choice!
Reviews: Before we travel somewhere we always look at Tripadvisor, where we always find a summary of restaurants, places to visit, or hotels with current ratings and photos from people who have visited this place recently.
Luggage storage: Radical storage is such a helpful Luggage storage network! When we have a late check-in or an early check-out we don’t need to carry our luggage with us, we just simply put it in the Radical storage which operates in over 70 countries!
E-sim card: The best way how avoid all the stress of searching for local SIM cards or wifi signals and save time after you arrive in your new country is to get Airalo e-sim. Download and install a digital data pack from 200+ countries/regions!
