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Dubai Is 2023 Best Winter Destination

2 January 2023 Written by silvana

Dubai has always been a dream destination for many throughout all seasons. But winter months hold a special place in travelers’ diaries, particularly for those who wish to treat themselves to a sun holiday or celebrate the festive season on the beach or in the mesmerizing Arabian desert.
Evolving from a dry desert to an epitome of modern infrastructure and a role model for rapid development, Dubai is one of the most happening cities in the world, and certainly a bucket-list destination for many.
​According to Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, more than 7 million visitors came to Dubai during the first half of 2023, a rise of 183% from the previous year. The momentum generated by Expo 2020 also attracted millions of visitors for its entire six months duration.

Ideal Winter Climate

As a desert country, Dubai typically experiences a lot of sunshine with some pleasant winter rain.
Below, we have broken down the season so you can have a better understanding of what to expect in terms of weather, top sights to see, festivals, and things to do in the city during the winter. The mild winter season begins in mid-October and lasts through early April. The city experiences most of its rainfall in the months of December, January, and February, with the latter remaining the wettest with about 3 to 4 days of precipitation in the month.
December and January are the coldest months of the year with temperatures ranging between 15 to 17 degrees at night and glorious sunshine throughout the day with temperatures reaching up to 24/27 degrees.
Generally speaking, the whole of Dubai is waiting for winter months to kickstart and enjoy the great weather. With summer months being quite harsh in UAE and temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees Celsius, it is no wonder that come October, residents, expats, and visitors in Dubai breathe a sigh of relief as they prepare to venture out and enjoy the great outdoors. This is not to say that summer months don’t offer much excitement in the emirate. On the contrary, malls, museums, art galleries, sports centres, and restaurants are fully packed with visitors and the AC is on at all times.

With so many places to explore and things to do, Dubai is filled with many possibilities and great adventure. In winter, the city reveals some of the most beautiful sunsets over Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, so don’t miss the magical moment of the sun setting over these incredible places. Winter months signal the season for desert camping, beach gatherings, cycling, hiking, sightseeing, and shopping festivals.

Desert

Cruising through the dunes on a safari adventure is an amazing sight and experience, and many will agree that is the best way to enjoy the beauty and vastness of the desert landscape. Whether you decide to do a dune dive across the red sands on the back of a 4x4 SUV or stroll at a more relaxed pace on the back of a camel, the desert will capture your senses with adrenaline packed as well as relaxing moments.
Nothing compares to drifting across the sand as the sun sets on another wonderful day, and the desert opens up in front of you. The dune-bashing roller coaster ride will leave you hungry for more, but also hungry for food.
​A desert adventure is incomplete without gathering in the Bedouin-style camp for a traditional feast and a live entertainment show that usually includes belly dancing, a fire show, and tanoura show. The mouth-watering Middle Eastern menu serves a variety of barbecued meats, salads, rice, Arabic bread, fruits, and desserts. Shisha smoking and henna tattoo drawing often complete the evening’s festivities.

Beach

The UAE is one of the few places where beaches get popular during the winter season, and with so much to offer, they are an ideal destination for sunbathing, swimming, hydro water sports, or waterparks. Warm sea temperatures and pleasant breeze are inviting and alluring, and the coastal area in Dubai has the finest stretches of sand, along with other fun activities and venues to eat, shop, and relax shoreside.
Palm West Beach at Palm Jumeirah and JBR have two of the most popular beaches in the city and are renowned for their cosmopolitan vibes, luxury hotels, and sophisticated venues. Reminiscent of a sunny beach resort with a modern Arabian touch, JBR is bustling with beachside restaurants, cinemas, and shopping outlets.
​At The Walk, visitors can even marvel at the supercars parading across the promenade each evening, as the area is famous for flashy fast cars driving up and down every day. For sunset chasers, Palm West Beach comes with a 1.6 kilometers promenade lined up with clubs, restaurants, and hotels from where you can soak in the best views of the sun setting over the Arabian Sea.

Al Qudra Lakes

The two man-made lakes in the middle of the desert merge beautifully into two heart-shaped lagoons and fauna that spell “Love” Al Qudra is a renowned eco-tourism location ideal for wildlife watchers who want to explore a true desert sanctuary, or those seeking a more serene landscape. The area is extremely popular with campers and is one of the best barbecue spots in Dubai.
​Love Lake in Al Qudra makes for a perfectly serene setting where you can relax and catch some of the most stunning sunsets in a spectacle of deep golden light mixed with golden sands and vibrant vegetation that go beyond beauty.

Dubai Shopping Festival

Dubai Shopping Festival is taking place from the 15th of December to the 29th of January 2023, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever before.
The event debuted in grand style with a cosmopolitan mix of festivities, lights, shopping, glamour, multi-cuisine food, sports, and music. The most anticipated festival in the emirate will offer the ideal shopping experience with more than 1,500 brands and 5,000 outlet stores participating in Dubai.
​The shopping extravaganza has the best offers in store for you with famous fashion brands being available at exceptional discounts throughout the festival. If you are a bit of a shopaholic, this will be your dream destination.

The Souqs in Dubai Creek

Dubai Creek is a serene, beautiful place that exhibits the brilliant past architecture and vibe of the old city. It is a destination you should consider for many reasons, especially if you love gold, spices, and other Arabian finds.
There is no other area in Dubai that gives you a taste of the traditional, old Dubai, as the Souqs in Dubai Creek do. From the textile souq to the spice souq and gold souq, the historic Bur Dubai area holds many hidden gems.
Dubai Creek waterway flows through the city and divides it into two districts: Bur Dubai and Deira, both offering stunning views of the city’s historic creek shores. The best way to explore the area is to hop on an abra – a water taxi that is a traditional wooden boat and typically runs every few minutes between various stations along Dubai Creek. What’s even better, an abra ticket starts from only 1 dirham for a ride.

​Winter or summer, Dubai never sleeps. The futuristic Emirati metropolis continues to grow and wow us all with an ever-changing skyline and hundreds of skyscrapers soaring up to the skies, while new developments are taking shape, transforming the emirate into one of the world’s most fascinating, burgeoning cities and a destination in its own right.