Dubai

Why Dubai

Dubai offers winter sun: in January, daytime highs hover around 24 °C and the sea stays at 22 °C. The city is a few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop. Within a few kilometres it brings together the Creek and its souks, the Burj Khalifa, the man-made islands and their resorts, and, less than an hour away, the desert.

The crowd is international. In 2025 Dubai welcomed 19.6 million international visitors who spent at least one night there, according to the DET (Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai's public tourism authority). Western Europe is the largest source region, with 4.1 million visitors or 21% of the total, and 78% of all visitors come for leisure. Western Europeans travel mostly from February to April: in 2025 they made up almost one visitor in four in those months, against 17% in June and July.

Travellers come for a winter beach holiday, a family trip built around water parks and theme parks, a three or four-day city break, the desert, or a long stopover on the way to Asia, covered in the guide Stopover in Dubai.

When to go: the heat calendar

Dubai's season runs from October to April. From November to March, average highs stay between 24 and 31 °C; October and April are hotter and suit a beach stay. From June to September, daytime temperatures pass 40 °C and nights rarely drop below 28 °C. Life then moves indoors, and many outdoor activities close, Hatta's in particular.

These figures are the 1991-2020 normals for the Dubai International airport station, published by the World Meteorological Organization. Rain is scarce, 79 mm a year, mostly from December to March.

Several events in the 2026-2027 winter call for early booking: the Dubai Shopping Festival, from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027; the two DP World Tour golf tournaments, the DP World Tour Championship from 12 to 15 November 2026 and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic from 21 to 24 January 2027; and the Dubai World Cup horse race at Meydan on 27 March 2027. Global Village is open from 14 October 2026 to 17 May 2027. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February; the exact date depends on the sighting of the moon, and the guide Ramadan in Dubai explains what changes during the month.

Three landscapes in one city

Dubai stretches along the coast from the Creek in the north to the Marina in the south, and reaches inland to the dunes and the mountains. Sabaro presents it as three areas.

The city, from the Creek to Downtown

Old Dubai is the city before the towers: the Al Fahidi historical district and its wind-tower houses, the fort, the Al Shindagha Museum on the history of the Creek, and the gold and spice souks of Deira. An abra, the public wooden ferry, crosses the Creek for 1 dirham. This is where the characterful hotels are, such as Al Seef Heritage or XVA Art Hotel, set in a traditional house. The Dubai Frame, a giant picture frame in Zabeel Park, links the old city and the new.

Downtown is the Dubai of the postcards: the Burj Khalifa and its observation decks on levels 124, 125 and 148, the Dubai Fountain, free to watch from the lakeside, the Dubai Mall and its aquarium, and the Opera. The district is about ten kilometres from Dubai International airport, around 30 minutes by taxi, and served by the metro. Hotels here are city palaces such as Palace Downtown or The Lana.

The coast, from Jumeirah to the Marina

Jumeirah is the original coast of villas and public beaches: Jumeirah Mosque, the only mosque in Dubai open to non-Muslims, with guided tours at AED 45; Madinat Jumeirah and its souk; Kite Beach; and three lit, lifeguarded beaches for night swimming. The resorts have the beach right outside the room, from Jumeirah Al Qasr to the Four Seasons.

Palm Jumeirah, the palm-shaped island, is home to the big resorts and family attractions: the Aquaventure water park and its 2.3 km river, The Lost World aquarium and The View observation deck on the 52nd floor. Atlantis The Palm is built for families, One&Only The Palm for couples.

Dubai Marina and JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) are a district of towers around a yacht harbour, with a long, lively beach, sunset cruises and tandem skydiving with Skydive Dubai. The DP World Tour golf courses are close by. An 11-stop tram links the Marina to the metro.

The guide Dubai beaches covers swimming and dress rules, and the Beach page gathers the waterfront hotels chosen by Sabaro.

The desert and Hatta

The desert begins less than an hour from the centre. The Al Marmoom reserve covers about 10% of Dubai's territory, with oryx and flamingos; the DDCR (Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve), the UAE's first national park, offers falconry, camel rides and walks. Evening trips with dinner at a desert camp leave from the hotel, with transfers; to go further, Al Maha and Bab Al Shams are set among the dunes. Serious accidents on buggies and quad bikes are frequent, and many local agencies do not insure their excursions: Sabaro recommends an insured operator and a 4x4.

Hatta, a Dubai exclave in the Hajar Mountains, is about 130 km away, a 1 h 30 to 2 h drive. Visitors kayak on the dam lake and visit the heritage village and the honey bee centre. The RTA (Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai's transport authority) H02 express bus runs there from Dubai Mall for AED 25. The JA Hatta Fort makes it possible to stay one or two nights, ideally from November to March.

How many days, and how to split them

Dubai works for short stays, but each area needs its own time.

• 3 to 4 days are enough for the city: one day for old Dubai and the Creek, one for Downtown and the Burj Khalifa, and an evening in the desert. That is the length of a long stopover.
• 7 days combine city and beach: 2 or 3 nights in Downtown or old Dubai, then 4 nights at a resort in Jumeirah, on the Palm or in the Marina. An evening in the desert fits in without changing hotel.
• 9 to 10 days open up the desert and the mountains: 2 nights in the city, 2 nights at a desert resort, 1 or 2 nights in Hatta, then the beach to finish, or a combined trip with Abu Dhabi.

Sabaro suggests ending on the beach, to rest before the flight home. For families, the two parks of Dubai Parks and Resorts, Aquaventure and Global Village easily fill a week; the Family and Theme parks pages present them. Getting around means metro, tram, taxi or a private driver; the guide Getting around Dubai compares them.

Adding Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, is about 130 km from Downtown on the E11 motorway, and about 110 km from the Marina. Since 30 September 2026, Etihad Rail trains have linked Al Yalayis station in Dubai with Mohamed Bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi in about 64 minutes; the Abu Dhabi station is far from the centre, so a taxi completes the journey.

A guided day trip with transport takes in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Qasr Al Watan presidential palace or the Louvre Abu Dhabi, from about €70 per person. An 8 to 9-day combined trip adds 3 nights in Abu Dhabi, on Saadiyat Island for its beaches and museums or on Yas Island for its theme parks.

Driving on the motorway between the two cities is dangerous, because of speeding and sudden lane changes: for this journey Sabaro recommends the train or a driver.

Budget, prices and taxes

The hotels chosen by Sabaro in Dubai are mostly five-star. For two people in March 2027, with taxes and fees as shown by the booking sites, prices recorded in October 2026 are:

Each hotel page shows its price with the note "nightly tourism tax may apply". This tax, the Tourism Dirham, is set by a Dubai government resolution at AED 7 to 20 per room per night depending on the hotel category, so AED 20, about €5, at a five-star hotel, for no more than 30 consecutive nights. The tourism support plan adopted on 21 May 2026 suspended its collection, along with sales fees on hotel rooms and restaurants, for establishments registered with the DET, for a limited period. The amount actually charged therefore depends on the travel dates, and Sabaro confirms it at the time of booking.

Some prices on the ground: the abra across the Creek costs AED 1, the Dubai Frame AED 50 per adult, the Burj Khalifa observation deck from about €45 for levels 124 and 125, a desert evening with dinner from about €60 per person and a hot-air balloon flight about €245. The UAE dirham (AED) is pegged to the US dollar at AED 3.6725 to the dollar, and cards are accepted almost everywhere.

What is closed right now

The Burj Al Arab has been closed since April 2026 for an 18-month restoration, until around October 2027: no stays, tours or meals, though its silhouette is visible from the Jumeirah beaches. The Museum of the Future plans to reopen in the first quarter of 2027, and the Armani Hotel and Park Hyatt Dubai, closed for renovation, in early 2027. For the Ain Dubai wheel, Sabaro checks that it is operating at the time of booking.

The regional situation

The UAE was targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes from 28 February to 8 April 2026, and new attacks have hit the region since July 2026. Advice differs between governments, as summarised in the box at the top of this page, and four of them warn that airspace can close without notice. Photographing or sharing images of impacts, debris or the security situation is a criminal offence. The guide Dubai and the regional situation sets out each government's advice, its date, and what it means for insurance and flights.

Before you go

• Entry. The visa and document required depend on nationality: the entry requirements table on this page gives the rule for your country. The guide Visa and entry to Dubai also covers passports, medication and customs.
• Time difference. Dubai is on UTC+4 all year, with no daylight saving time: 4 hours ahead of London in winter and 3 hours ahead in summer.
• Local rules. Alcohol is served to over-21s in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars, never in public; it is banned in the neighbouring emirate of Sharjah. Swimwear is for the beach and the pool, and clothing that covers shoulders and knees suits the city. The guide Alcohol, dress and rules of conduct brings these together.