Dubai can be visited and enjoyed any time of the year. This incredible city offers a perfect combination of city and beach life, with a plethora of luxury hotels and endless things to do on top… oh and let’s not forget the year round sunshine! However, if you’re planning a visit to Dubai anytime soon and wondering when to visit, our month by month guides have you covered.
This post provides a brief overview at visiting Dubai during each month of the year. Once you’ve found a month you want to know more about, simply click through to our complete month guide.
Dubai in January
January is the coolest month of the year in Dubai and presents perfect weather for getting around the city and sightseeing. No days are usually too hot for getting out and about. The average daily high in January is 24°C; great exploring weather.
As for events, The Dubai Shopping Festival is the most popular amongst many others. The day times are still warm enough for relaxing by the sea too, for anyone into their water sports.
January is also a great time to avoid crowds in Dubai. December is by far the most popular time to visit but shortly after the New Years Eve celebrations the city does calm down a fair bit with tourist footfall.
The only downside to visiting Dubai in January is hotel prices. January is the second most expensive month of the year to visit based on hotel prices alone.
For an in depth guide to visiting Dubai in January, read our full guide.
Dubai in February
Next, on to the second month of the year, February. The weather in February doesn’t alter too much to January, although a touch warmer with average daily highs of 25°C. Dubai in February usually offers great shopping deals on designer brands, as the end of January signals the end of the Dubai Shopping Festival; there are usually flash sales.
Similar to January, February in Dubai offers milder weather than most others months and so getting out and about is pleasurable. For events, there aren’t too many headline attractions but for Golf and Tennis enthusiasts there is the Dubai Tennis Championships and Omega Dubai Desert Classic (final day 1st February).
When it comes to the cost of stays, February presents cheaper hotels on average than January, December and October. It isn’t the cheapest month of the year to visit (The Hot Summer Months are), but nevertheless, more affordable.
To read more on visiting Dubai in February, check our full guide.
Dubai in March
Dubai in March offers nearly perfect beach weather. The sea temperatures begin to warm, and so do the day time highs. The average day time high in March is 29°C. Hotels are reasonably priced too, just a touch below the yearly average.
With regards to events, there is plenty going on. There always is in Dubai to be honest! But specifically for March, horse racing enthusiasts can watch The Dubai World Cup, or if the open sea is more your thing, Dubai’s Traditional Dhow Sailing Race takes place. Furthermore, the Dubai Food Festival runs from late February and into March, which cannot be missed.
If March is the month for you, check out our more in depth view of Dubai in March.
Dubai in April
April brings the Dubai water sports festival as well as your last chance to visit Global Village, which is seasonal, although a must on your visit. The weather really starts to ramp up from April, and it’s not unexpected to see the odd day hitting 40°C, although the average daily high is 33°C.
The average cost of a hotel in Dubai in April 2020 was 790AED/£155/$215, which is just above the average nightly rate for Dubai as a city in 2020. Although April is a great time to visit Dubai, flights can also be expensive. Easter break usually falls in April, and with many schools in the UK and USA on holiday, prices naturally increase.
For a full guide on Dubai in April make sure to read this.
Dubai in May
May is the cheapest time of the year to grab a hotel in Dubai. However, if you’re not used to a lot of heat you may need to reconsider. Tourists from warmer climes will have no issue visiting Dubai in May; but if you’re from the UK, you better make sure you can handle the heat before getting too excited about how amazingly low the cost of a hotel is!
The average cost of a hotel in Dubai during May 2020 was just 530AED/£104/$144 based on figures from the previous year (2020).
The average daily highs during May sit at a whopping 37°C! However, if you’re comfortable with the heat you can grab a real bargain trip to Dubai!
For more on visiting Dubai during May and a full guide of things to do, read our guide here.
Dubai in June
38°C is the average daily high during June. Visiting Dubai during June is well and truly for the beach lovers and sun worshippers! However, do not worry if you aren’t a fan of the heat. Dubai has endless indoor attractions to explore, year round, plus, vising in June is one of the cheapest months to go!
For a full round up of Dubai in June read the guide here.
Dubai in July
What does visiting Dubai during June, July and August have in common? Plenty of sunshine and great value deals on hotels and flights to be had! Now we are into the middle of summer, so be prepared for 38°C.
Dubai in August
The last of the peak summer months is August. Visiting during August almost guarantees less crowds, giving you the perfect chance to explore amazing attractions such as Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall without too many queues.
Again, you need to be ready for 40°C heat, so make sure you hit the beach to cool off and make the most of the water sports on offer such as Jet Skiing and Fly Boarding.
Dubai is never truly experienced without taking part in one of the many Friday Brunches. Despite the heat, the city makes sure to put on late brunch during the hot summers, meaning that you can stuff your face with as much incredible cuisine and drink as possible on an evening, when it is cooler; rather than the traditional time of 11am, when it’s too hot!
Dubai Summer Surprises also takes places in July and August. Aimed at encouraging tourism through fun things to do indoors as well and incredible deals on shopping and experiences.
Learn more by reading the full Dubai in August guide
Dubai in September
September is the month of Saudi National Day which see’s many celebrations take place across the city. Do not be surprised to see many amazing firework shows and Saudi Arabian Flags displayed across the city. For more in the way of events, Destination Dubai offers various activities spread over 7 days which includes water parks, comedy shows and yacht cruises!
Although the weather now begins to cool in the emirate, still expect 38°C most days! However, due to the heat, you can still find incredible deals in comparison with the other months of the year. In fact, we found September to be the cheapest month to visit Dubai!
For a full guide to visiting Dubai during September, make sure you read this.
Dubai in Ocotber
Dubai offers the best of all worlds! Prices aren’t too much, the weather isn’t too hot, and there aren’t too many tourists spoiling your excursions! For those reasons alone, we recommend October as one of the best times to visit Dubai.
For the weather, you can expect daily highs of around 35°C, cooling to a bearable 24°C overnight. If you’re visiting during 2021 then Dubai Expo is due to start, sparking celebrations and one-off events city wide. Other than this, there is Beauty World Middle East, Dubai Muscle Show and GITEX Technology Week. But for more on visiting Dubai in October grab the full guide.
Dubai in November
The penultimate month of the year, and another great time to visit Dubai. Pleasant temperatures of 31°C during the day and amazing events such as Diwali and The Dubai Airshow make November another fantastic month to visit.
For hotel prices you can expect 608AED/£119 /$165, which is the third cheapest time to visit Dubai based on hotel prices.
For more on visiting Dubai during November get the full breakdown here.
Dubai in December
Christmas and New Year in Dubai, yes please! The weather is glorious (Average Highs of 26°C), there’s so much going on and it is the festive period. Who wouldn’t want to visit during December!? However, hotels don’t come cheap, being the most expensive time to visit, but if you plan ahead it is still possible to grab a good deal. The main hike in price is usually between boxing day and new year day.
In the way of events, check the full guide here. Alternatively, read our post on How to Spend Christmas in Dubai.
Conclusion
So there you have it, our brief month by month guide to Dubai. For more information make sure you check each of the monthly guides. For everything Dubai & Abu Dhabi head back to the main site to check the other articles. You can also follow us on Pinterest and Youtube too!