New Year Celebrations in Dubai

Are you curious about how New Year celebrations unfold in Dubai, the most popular city in the United Arab Emirates? As someone who has been living in Dubai for a long time, I wanted to take a closer look at this topic and share the celebrations with you.

Dubai is a city famous for its wealth and luxurious lifestyle. Therefore, New Year celebrations in such a city are undoubtedly grand. Before delving into the details of activities, let’s share some information about Dubai.

New Year Celebrations in Dubai: Weather

In Dubai, where desert climate prevails, temperatures can rise to 50 degrees Celsius between June and September. However, for the rest of the year, the weather is always like summer. December is a month with an average temperature of 26 degrees in Dubai. It offers a delightful atmosphere with a spring breeze during the day and a slight chill in the evenings, requiring you to bring a light jacket. Therefore, December is one of the best months for temperature in Dubai. Who wouldn’t want to welcome the New Year in flip-flops, shorts, and a T-shirt? 🙂

Dubai General Situation

With the ideal temperature and extravagant celebrations, Dubai attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists for New Year. Therefore, December is a month when the population of Dubai significantly increases, and the density of tourists is felt in daily life.

New Year Celebrations in Dubai: Celebrations

1. Burj Khalifa

Undoubtedly, the most famous New Year celebrations in Dubai take place at Burj Khalifa. Planning for the New Year show at the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, starts months in advance. This magnificent fireworks display and light show last for minutes and are watched by millions of people.

Due to the show at Burj Khalifa, the region is closed to vehicular traffic on December 31st. Burj Park, located just in front of Burj Khalifa, is a free and public place. People start gathering in this park from daytime to witness the show at Burj Khalifa. Many individuals spend their entire night in this park, eagerly awaiting the performance.

2. Burj Al Arab

One of Dubai’s iconic buildings, Burj Al Arab, celebrates the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display that lasts for minutes. Situated on an artificial island on the coastline, the best places to watch this show are the nearby beaches. Usually, close to midnight, Dubai residents jump into their cars and head to the beach to watch this show.

3. Palm Island and Atlantis

Lastly, the most extravagant and enthusiastic celebration takes place at the Atlantis hotel on Palm Island. Atlantis, with its exterior resembling a castle from fairytales, takes New Year celebrations very seriously. The minutes-long fireworks display can be seen from almost every part of Palm Island and is also visible from Marina and JBR.

New Year Celebrations in Dubai: Venues & Prices

You can check out some of the New Year’s events and ticket prices in Dubai here.

1. Venues with a View of Burj Khalifa

If you want to celebrate your New Year with a view of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, prices can vary significantly. Although the price range can go very high, generally, the cost of sitting in a venue in this area is a minimum of 1000 AED per person. For example, even to sit in a Starbucks with a view of Burj Khalifa, you need to make a reservation and pay a minimum of 1600 AED.

2. Venues with a View of Burj Al Arab

You can watch this show at Madinat Jumeirah, right next to Burj Al Arab, or at venues on the beach. Similar to venues in this area, these places also require a minimum spending guarantee of 1200 AED per person.

3. Venues on Palm Island

Atlantis pays special attention to New Year celebrations. In this globally renowned hotel, there is always a performance by a famous artist on the evening of December 31st. Both the performance and dining are included in the New Year celebrations at Atlantis, starting from 5900 AED per person. You can check here for details.

You need to spend a minimum of 1200 AED per person at venues in Palm Island, Marina, and JBR where you can watch the fireworks display at Atlantis. This fee may include both food and beverages or just drinks and snacks, depending on the venue you choose. Ultimately, all of this varies according to the chosen venue.

New Year Celebrations in Dubai: Christmas Market

If you arrive in Dubai just before New Year, you can visit Christmas markets open until December 25th. Set up at different points in the city, these markets attract a lot of attention. Here, you can find everything from exhibitions to hot mulled wine, from hot dog stalls to artificial snow play areas. Although the warm weather may not fully put you in the Christmas mood, these activities will surely excite you.

1. Madinat Jumeirah Christmas Market

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2. Habtoor Palace Christmas Market

At the Festive Garden set up in front of the W hotel in the Downtown area, you can find almost everything you need for a Christmassy experience.

3. Expo City

Winter City is set up in Expo City, built for Expo 2020, during December, creating a festive atmosphere in a very large area. In the large dome within Expo City, there is a lively festival ambiance with live music. Before heading to Winter City, you can purchase your tickets here. The ticket price may vary depending on the week you check, and generally, it tends to be a bit more expensive during the Christmas weekend compared to other weeks.

New Year Celebrations in Dubai: Notes & Tips & Conclusion

• If you plan to come to Dubai from another country for New Year celebrations, you must, without a doubt, arrange your flight and accommodation months in advance. Prices increase as the end of the year approaches in every country, yes, but accommodation and flight prices in Dubai can really skyrocket. You can check Dubai accommodation options here.
• Every free place becomes incredibly crowded. If you don’t want to spend your night at Burj Park, experiencing the crowd, my recommendation is to open a live broadcast on YouTube. If you are very interested, watch the New Year celebrations at Burj Khalifa from there; we have been doing this for about 5 years.
• You can find my other articles about Dubai here.