Dubai in Summer: What It’s Really Like (Weather, Activities & Deals)
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Everyone knows that it gets hot in Dubai in summer. But after living in Dubai for a few years, I’m always surprised at just how many visitors book summer trips to the city without doing their research. So, if you’re wondering whether or not you should book a summer trip to Dubai, hopefully I can shed a little light on what to actually expect from those hot and humid Dubai summers!
Visiting Dubai in summer? Here’s everything you should know – from weather to seasonal closures, popular summer activities, and epic low-season discounts and sales.
Quick Dubai Travel Tips
UAE eSIM: Airalo is my go-to when purchasing eSIMS for my travels, and they have plenty of different options for the UAE. Use the promo code AIRALOESIM10 for 15% off!
Airport pickup: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting a taxi at the airport, you can easily arrange a driver through Welcome Pickups to wait for you at the arrivals hall and take you to your hotel.
Top 3 summer activities: Go to the top of the Burj Khalifa, ride the Ain Dubai Observation Wheel, get views from The View at The Palm.
Helpful posts:
~ The Best Areas to Stay in Dubai for Tourists (an Expat’s Guide)
~ Bucket List Activities Everyone Should Experience in Dubai
~ 14 Must-Have Apps for Expats & Tourists in Dubai
When is summer in Dubai?
When it comes to the weather in Dubai in summer, things usually start heating up in late April. As I’m writing this in early April, things are a lovely 27°C/80°F, with perfect beach weather. (Keep in mind that, from my experience, this is actually quite cool for April!).
Things will rapidly get hotter and more humid as we get into May and eventually enter the hottest months in Dubai, which are July and August. The scorching and sticky summer weather lasts from June through September, sometimes extending into October.
How hot does it get in Dubai in the summer?
The high temperature will usually range from 40°C/104°F to 45°C/110°F during the hottest months in Dubai, but things have been known to spike up to 50°C/122°F. To top it off, the low rarely goes below 30°C/86°F – yes, even in the middle of the night!
The humidity factor.
It’s also important to note that just because Dubai is in the desert doesn’t mean the city experiences a dry heat. Before I moved here, I had no idea that summers would be hot and humid, and man, I was pretty shocked when I experienced my first Dubai summer!
The humidity means that the “feels like” temperature will be significantly higher than the actual temperature. So you can basically expect to sweat it out if you spend any amount of time outside.
Can you go outside in the summer?
During the day, it’s just generally unpleasant to be outside for any amount of time, especially during the hottest months in Dubai. During the months of July and August, I tend to avoid going outside when the sun is shining and try to get out for a little exercise once it gets dark (the later the better). As a general rule, I don’t do any evening walks when the weather tops 39°C (103°F) – I’m not sure why, but that’s my cutoff!
Can you swim in the ocean in the summer?
While many pools, especially hotel pools, are temperature-controlled in the summer months, the ocean is definitely not. I made the rookie mistake of going to the beach in July during my first year in Dubai, and I almost got heatstroke while dipping into the hot tub-like waters. So no, I wouldn’t advise swimming in the ocean in the summer.
Swimming at the beaches after sunset is actually not allowed in Dubai. However, there are a handful of public beaches – including Kite Beach – that offer night swimming during the summer months, so residents can cool off.
Is it worth traveling to Dubai in the summer?
As long as you know what to expect and what your limitations are, it’s absolutely still worth visiting Dubai in summer. But if you’ve got your heart set on partaking in Dubai’s many outdoor activities, I highly recommend visiting from October to April.
OK, now we’ve established just how hot it gets in Dubai in the summer. Sorry if I’ve scared you, but it’s best to know what you’re working with!
If you’re going to be in Dubai in the summer, it’s not all doom and gloom. I mean, people do live and travel here year-round, and this is Dubai, which means there’s always something to do in an icy-cold air-conditioned space!
What’s closed in summer
You will find that some outdoor attractions and activities are not available in the summer season. Attractions like Global Village, Dubai Miracle Garden, and The Ripe Market will be closed, and popular activities like desert safari tours are either not offered or only offered at sunrise and sunset.
Popular summertime activities
That being said, Dubai has tons of bucket-list attractions and activities for you to tick off during the summer months. And if you do as the locals do, you don’t even need to set foot outside if you don’t want to.
- Dubai Mall: As one of the world’s largest malls, you can easily spend days exploring all its indoor attractions, including the epic Dubai Fountain Show, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Chinatown, Dubai Ice Rink, and Human Waterfall. (Read my full Dubai Mall guide)
- Burj Khalifa: In the summer, you can still take in the views from the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building). There are often hefty discounts for this attraction during the summer months!
- The View at The Palm: For more iconic views, you can also get bird’s-eye views of Palm Jumeirah from the 52nd floor of The View at The Palm.
- AURA Skypool: The Palm is also home to AURA Skypool, the world’s highest infinity pool. You’ll get the same bird’s-eye views of the Palm Jumeirah while getting the chance to cool off in Dubai’s most famous pool.
- Ain Dubai: With its air-conditioned cabins, riding the Ain Dubai Observation Wheel (the world’s biggest!) is the perfect summertime activity.
- Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark: Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark stays open through the summer and is the perfect place to spend the day splashing around with the various slides and rides.
- Ski Dubai: This is Dubai, so of course it’s possible to go skiing in a mall in the summer. You’ll find Dubai’s famous snowy slopes inside the Mall of the Emirates. Bundle up because it’s actually quite cold!
Perks of visiting Dubai in summer
- Low hotel prices: Because it’s the low season, hotel prices get slashed in the summer months. Summer is an excellent time to take advantage of accommodation deals and maybe even stay in a luxury hotel you wouldn’t typically be able to afford. An added perk is that hotel pools are almost always temperature-controlled, so you can swim all summer long.
- Mall sales: “Dubai Summer Surprises” is a citywide festival that takes place from June to September each year. Expect major sales and discounts at stores and malls all across the city.
- Discounts on attractions: With the low season comes major discounts on big-ticket items, ranging from brunches to top tourist attractions. This is the perfect time to get amazing deals.
