Traditionally New Year's United Arab Emirates meets with a wide feast and is celebrated during the first two weeks of January. It is typical for the natives of the Emirates to finish dinner with the last chimes, which for a long time was reflected in the opening hours of restaurants resort towns, which at 12 o'clock began to close. Over time, the owners of the hotel business took into account the peculiarities of the Russian people, for whom the main festivities, on the contrary, begin after midnight. Most hotels hold a special holiday program designed for Russian tourists, with competitions, songs, dances and the obligatory participation of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden. The event comes to an end at the beginning of 3-4 am. When purchasing a ticket to the Emirates for New Year's Eve from a travel operator or booking a hotel room on your own, be sure to check whether the festive program held at the hotel provides for the opportunity to watch the fireworks.
How to save money on vacation? First of all, choose the right tour to the Emirates.
Extraordinary New Year's Eve in the Emirates
For adventure lovers who can remember New Year's Eve for a lifetime, the UAE offers a lot of unusual places:
A distinctive feature of the celebration of the New Year in the UAE is the world-class fireworks, which is included in the Guinness Book of Records by the number of volleys. Fireworks are traditionally launched in the area of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and the Burj Al Arab hotel on Jumeirah Beach. Those wishing to celebrate the New Year under deafening volleys begin to gather on the beach at about 19:00, by 23:00 it is almost impossible to find a convenient place from where the salute will be seen in all its glory. Every year, a special musical accompaniment is developed to launch the salute. After the final salvo, a 10-minute performance is held using laser special effects. The rest of the Emirates also celebrate the New Year, but on a smaller scale. Another fireworks display that may be worth seeing is being launched in Abu Dhabi. In all other areas, salutes are identical in scale to those launched by residents. Russian cities in their yards.
New Year in Dubai, video:
Features of New Year's Eve in the Emirates
When planning to celebrate the New Year in the UAE, be sure to consider the features that are typical for the night from December 31 to January 1:
- Transport. If the accommodation hotel is located far from the center of Dubai or in a completely different area, be sure to think about how to get to the place where the New Year is celebrated and back. On the eve of the holiday, most of the roads in the Emirates are filled with traffic jams, where you can stand for several hours. Experts recommend giving preference to the subway.
- Alcohol. Drinking alcohol in the UAE on the street is prohibited, even on New Year's Eve. In Sharjah, there is a “dry law”, according to which it is impossible not only to drink alcohol, but also to appear drunk in public places and on the streets. Otherwise, tourists face a fine, up to deportation from the country.
Going to a distant country, it is advisable to get acquainted with the cuisine in the Emirates.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the New Year is celebrated twice. According to Western European tradition, it is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. The Muslim New Year falls on the first day of the Islamic month of Muharram.
New Year January 1
The customs of the European New Year spread among the local population due to the large influx of tourists.
The largest celebrations are held in Dubai. During the New Year holidays in the city there is a large influx of tourists. To cater to the tastes and customs of the guests, the streets, shopping centers and hotels are luxuriously decorated in European style. On New Year's Eve, Dubai hosts a grandiose fireworks show and a laser show. Fireworks of extraordinary scale and beauty attract hundreds of thousands of citizens and tourists. Events take place near high skyscraper Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab and Atlantis hotels, throughout the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah. A large-scale New Year's display of fireworks allowed Dubai to enter the Guinness Book of Records twice - in 2009 and 2014.
For the older generation, the New Year on January 1 is inferior in importance to the Muslim holiday. They spend it in a calm home environment at a gala dinner. Young people have fun in bars, clubs, participate in mass festivities and parties on the beaches.
On the eve of the holiday, streets, squares, shops and restaurants in the UAE are decorated with twinkling garlands, elegant artificial Christmas trees. In the windows you can see unusual New Year's decorations. Disguised Santa Clauses walk around shopping centers and invite children to visit their residences.
Cities and resorts
New Year in the UAE will bring new emotions and plunge you into an atmosphere of warmth and exoticism.
rest in largest cities- Dubai and Abu Dhabi - will delight you with a rich program of events. Restaurants, hotels, bars and nightclubs on New Year's Eve offer entertainment shows with sumptuous dinners and performances by popular pop music bands. At beach parties, you can have fun until the morning under the incendiary music of star DJs. Dubai and Abu Dhabi host midnight fireworks shows, where you need to take a seat in advance.
Romantics will love New Year's cruises in the Persian Gulf. To do this, you need to book a place on an Arab dhow boat or a comfortable motor ship. For a big noisy company good option rent a yacht.
Exotic lovers will be delighted with the New Year's safari in the Arabian Desert. Quad biking, jeep or camel riding will bring new emotions. You can meet midnight in the Bedouin settlement with a gala dinner and colorful dances.
Feel like in a winter fairy tale ski resort Sky Dubai in the center of Dubai. A variety of entertainment awaits visitors: snowboarding and bobsledding tracks, a snow shooting gallery, an ice cave with a frozen waterfall. At the resort, you can rent the necessary equipment and take advantage of the instructor's lessons. The residence of Santa Claus has been created for children, where interesting competitions, entertainment and gifts await the youngest visitors.
Shoppers will enjoy the big shopping festival, which starts in Dubai on January 2 and lasts a month. During the festival, large discounts and sales are held in shopping centers and shops. In boutiques you can buy exclusive items at low prices.
There is not much information on the net about how the New Year is celebrated in the United Arab Emirates. Someone will say that the country is an Arab one and the holiday, it seems, is not entirely theirs. But, in fact, it's not like that at all. New Year is a common holiday, and it occurs in many countries, regardless of the religious affiliation of the inhabitants.
How the New Year is celebrated in the UAE
It is worth noting that the New Year in the UAE occurs more than once! The people of the UAE respect Lunar calendar, according to which there are 354 days in a year, and all religious holidays are calculated according to this calendar.
- Muslim New Year
Reference: Muslim New Year- a religious holiday without reference to a date. The date of the celebration is constantly changing, moving back annually by 11 days. Therefore, according to the Muslim calendar, today we have 1439. This holiday is celebrated calmly and without great scope. In 2017, it took place - from 21 to 22 September.
- Traditional New Year
The second time the New Year in the Emirates is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1, traditionally, as in most countries of the world. This holiday is held with fun and great scope.
The biggest fireworks in the world
Residents of the UAE tend to shock the rest of the world with the size of their hotels, skyscrapers, parks for recreation and more. In 2009, the UAE conquered the whole world with the largest fireworks, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
It is customary to celebrate the New Year in the UAE with fireworks. The main events take place near the Burj Al Arab hotel on Jemeirah Beach, as well as at the Atlantis Hotel. Each hotel tries to make the maximum impression on the arriving tourists. And there are so many tourists these days that you have to take seats to watch the fire show in advance.
For those who are not eager to contemplate the amazing fireworks, there are entertainment programs V hotels with Christmas tree, Santa Claus and Snow Maiden. When choosing a hotel, pay attention to the duration of the New Year's program. In some hotels, the festivities end with the chimes, which very often discourages tourists from the CIS countries. Therefore, clarify this point in advance so that later there are no conflict situations.
By the way, prices for tours to the UAE during the New Year celebrations increase by an average of 2-2.5 times. Although, even this does not stop those wishing to celebrate this fun holiday in the Emirates.
If you're ready, there's still time to book your tickets and hotel!
New Year and spirits in the UAE
Remember - spirits in the UAE under strict ban and New Year's Eve! Even in relatively liberal Dubai, we strongly recommend that you do not consume anything on the street or in any other public place other than a hotel and restaurant where drinking is allowed.
Otherwise, your mood can be very badly spoiled by the police, and as a New Year's gift, there is a chance to get a night in the station and a substantial fine. And in Sharjah, you will have to do without alcoholic beverages - there, as you know, drinking is completely prohibited.
What other options are there for celebrating the New Year?
If you are not interested in fireworks, and gatherings in the hotel make you feel sad, then you can choose an alternative option for celebrating the New Year in the UAE. What else does the Emirates offer:
- New Year's safari in jeeps to the desert to the Bedouins. Exotic? - More than! Instead of snow, sand, gatherings by the fire and a bewitching belly dance. Most guides offer this program. Estimated cost is about 100 USD per person.
- Beach parties are another way to celebrate the New Year in Dubai in an interesting and exciting way. Discos from December 31 to January 1 on the beach with the participation of world-famous DJs. The cost of such parties varies depending on the hotel on the beach where they are held, drinks included, program and performing stars. The breakup can be from 100 to 1000 USD.
If you celebrate the New Year in other Emirates
Remember that Dubai celebrates the New Year in the most pompous way. Neighboring emirates do it more modestly. In Abu Dhabi, they also give fireworks in honor of the arrival of the new year. If you are in Ajman, Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah and decide to visit Dubai for the New Year, then take care of your departure in advance.
By noon on December 31, all highways at the entrance to the city will stop, and you have a chance to miss all the events by staying overnight in the car.
Weather in the UAE for the New Year
The UAE is a country of year-round summer, so worry about weather not worth it. For the new year, the weather here is as comfortable as possible: on average, about 22-27 degrees during the day. It can be 12-17 at night, so it makes sense to wear something over a T-shirt or shirt. The water temperature is about 20 degrees - not so cold and you can even swim. Rain is unlikely - the most "wet" month in the Emirates is February.
How to be parents with children
Many shopping centers are equipped with special rooms made in the style of Santa's house. You can have quite a lot of fun there: read poetry, sing, take pictures with Santa. The cost of visiting is on average from 10 to 20 USD. All children are given gifts - sweets.
What else can you do during the holidays?
If you like to combine business with pleasure, then you have a chance to save a lot even on the celebration of the New Year 2018 in the UAE. This year the world famous Dubai Shopping Festival started on December 26, 2017 year and will last for a whole month - until January 26, 2018. Discounts on many products during this period reach 70%! So there is a chance not only to meet the New Year in an interesting and exciting way, but also to make many interesting and bargain shopping during the holidays!
By the way, during the festival, many expensive prizes are raffled off. Last year there were Lexus, Nissan, several kilograms of pure gold, and even a helicopter! Who knows, maybe this year you will be lucky too?
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It's nice to get from cold winter to summer, that's why tourists like to spend new year holidays in the UAE. We talk about the weather, meeting places for the new year 2020 in Dubai, prices for tours and hotels. We share reviews and tips from tourists.
Weather in Dubai for the New Year
New Year 2020 in the UAE will bring you many pleasant experiences. The weather in Dubai at the height of winter pleases the inhabitants of the middle lane, the northern regions of Russia and Siberia. No wonder! When we have frosts, in an Arab country the daytime temperature does not fall below +24°C. Rains here are very rare, and they are not prolonged.
In the evenings in Dubai the air cools down to +13...+15°С, and in the desert - to 0°С. Therefore, take warm clothes and a windbreaker with a hood.
The Persian Gulf is warmed up to +18...+21°С. Heat-loving Arabs do not swim in the cold season, but Russians and northern Europeans who are accustomed to cool water go into the sea with pleasure. In addition, in many hotels, guests can swim in heated outdoor pools.
Preparations for winter celebrations in the UAE begin long before December 31st. A lot of tourists come to Dubai from different countries world, because a huge modern city offers guests various New Year's entertainment.
Watch fireworks and fireworks. colorful light shows arranged in different parts of Dubai. Fireworks are considered the most spectacular. artificial island Palm Jumeirah and. Pyrotechnic shows turn into amazingly beautiful light and musical performances!
The square in front of the tallest building in the world is filled to overflowing with tourists. Up to 1 million people come to see the bright New Year extravaganza at Burj Plaza! Beautiful views of the fireworks can be enjoyed from the Souk Al Bahar entertainment complex, from the Dubai Canal, from the trendy City Walk shopping center and nearby hotels. To enjoy a full view of the fireworks in Downtown, some tourists from the center go to the Meydan Racecourse or celebrate the New Year in hotels that line the Sheikh Zayed Road.
To enjoy the light show on the Palm Jumeirah, you need to come to the Atlantis complex. Colorful fireworks are clearly visible from the long Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk and from the island hotels.
(Photo: Armin Rodler / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
Dance in nightclubs. Do you want to spend the new 2020 in Dubai on the dance floor? Incendiary dances are arranged in nightclubs and lounge bars of the city. Famous DJs are invited here, and the most popular venues arrange concerts by world-famous bands and performers. The ticket costs from 590 AED.
Be aware that it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 21 in Dubai! Some nightclubs set a stricter qualification - 25 years.
Have fun at the New Year's party. Festive banquets and entertainment programs are offered by most restaurants and beach clubs in the city. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the New Year with friends or family. The restaurant menu includes unusual dishes from the chef. Guests relax with live music, while young children can play in the children's corner or have fun at the children's party.
A pleasant evening in budget restaurants will cost 770-1250 AED per person. Meeting the New Year in one of the five restaurants of the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel costs from 8000 AED. Don't forget the stylish and elegant dress code!
According to tourists, the brightest New Year in the UAE takes place in the famous Atlantis complex. People come here to show each other the best outfits, enjoy delicious food, dance to live music and enjoy the show put on by pyrotechnics. Entrance to the holiday for adults costs 2900 AED, and for guests 12-20 years old - 2030 AED. Children under the age of 12 can join the free themed party.
Many tourists tend to get to the holiday at the At.mosphere restaurant, which is located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa. From here you can see the whole city at a glance! From 19:00 to 1:00 the restaurant holds two New Year's programs- for families with children and for adults. A seat at a table will cost 2700-2900 AED.
Take a boat trip. A good solution is to celebrate the New Year in Dubai on board a large wooden dhow Rustar or a comfortable yacht Amwaj Al Bahar. Sea vessels cruise along the Creek, and their passengers entertain with a DJ and try delicious dishes prepared in the restaurants of the city. New city blocks and fireworks over the Burj Khalifa skyscraper are perfectly visible from the water. The holiday cruise lasts from 22:00 to 1:00 and costs 800-1500 AED.
Celebrate in the desert. Tourists who want to celebrate the New Year in the UAE with comfort, but in a more secluded environment, choose the 5 * Bab Al Shams Desert hotel resort and Spa. It is located in the sand dunes, 45 minutes drive from the airport. The hotel complex was built in the style of an exotic Arab fort and has green gardens and cozy courtyards with fountains.
By jeeps or camels, tourists can go to the desert or relax at the Satori Spa. On the main night of the year, the Al Hadheerah Desert hotel restaurant surprises guests with traditional Arabic cuisine.
Have a beach picnic. Pack a picnic basket and spend time with friends on New Year's Eve by the sea! The pyrotechnic show at the Burj Al Arab hotel is clearly visible from any of the beaches of Jumeirah.
(Photo: marcelocampi / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)
What to do on holidays
Tourists who come to the UAE for the New Year can easily find entertainment to their liking. Some recklessly go shopping and try to win at the New Year's sales. Others, despite the middle of winter, enjoy swimming and sunbathing.
Desert safari. For those who are not indifferent to Arabian exotics, trips to sand dunes on SUVs and ATVs. Such excursions are organized by several travel companies, for example, Platinum Heritage. During the trip, you can admire picturesque sunsets, take part in a falcon show, visit a Bedouin camp and taste Arabic dishes. A trip for adults costs from 2090 AED, and for children from 5 to 11 years old - 1740 AED.
On the sand on a sandboard. From the Dubai-Hatta highway (E44), the big dune Big Red is perfectly visible. It organizes skiing on boards similar to snowboards. It's exciting entertainment for fans active rest! Local tour operators offer full-day excursions that include a desert ride and sandboarding lessons.
(Photo: Daniel Jo / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)
Skiing. To everyone who came to the winter vacation to a hot country, it is hard to imagine that in the very big city The UAE has a real ski center. Ski Dubai is located in a modern mall Mall of the Emirates. On 22.5 thousand sq. m equipped with five tracks and a freestyle area. There is a snowy park with caves and slopes for sleigh rides, a real alpine cafe and a small penguinarium.
Amusement parks. With a child, it is interesting to visit the Global Village - a city seasonal park. During the winter holidays, they organize a festive parade, stunt performances, theatrical performances under open sky, fountain shows and other entertainment for adults and children. A visit to the park for a family will cost about 100 AED.
For family vacation the attractions of the theme park Riverland Dubai are perfect. It is located within Dubai Parks and Resorts. To see animals from all over the world, head to Dubai Safari Park.
Hot tours search on services and - they will find best deals among different tour operators. Want to save? Explore ours.
Winter trips to the UAE are in demand among vacationers, so the prices for tours to Dubai for the new year 2020 cannot be called cheap. At the end of December, vouchers from Moscow for a week for two cost from 92 thousand rubles. For similar all-inclusive tours, you need to pay from 117 thousand rubles, and for accommodation in a 5 * hotel - from 184 thousand rubles.
If you want to save money, buy tickets in advance or, conversely, look for last-minute tours.
(Photo: Sarah_Ackerman / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)
Hotels
Search hotels with discounts at Hotellook. Here are the main ones.
We advise you to book a hotel several months in advance - this will allow you to find the best option for price and quality. According to reviews, closer to the New Year in Dubai, housing prices jump. Here is the cost of a double room on New Year's Eve in hotels of different categories:
In the United Arab Emirates, the New Year is celebrated according to two calendars: secular and Muslim. The secular New Year is celebrated along with the rest of the world on January 1, but the Muslim, Al-Hijara, in accordance with the chronology based on the lunar cycles, “floats” throughout the year. In 2016, it fell on October 3rd, and in 2017, on September 22nd.
"Hijara" in Arabic means "resettlement". In the meaning of this word lies the central event that marked the beginning of the Muslim chronology. According to Islamic historical sources, on July 16, 622 according to the Julian calendar, the Muslim community of the city of Mecca, fleeing from opponents of the faith, was forced to abandon all their property and move to Yathrib, later renamed Medina. It was from this place that Islam spread throughout the world. The symbolic meaning of the holiday of Al-Hijar lies in the voluntary rejection of material values in favor of serving Allah. The magnificent and stormy Muslim New Year is not celebrated in the United Arab Emirates, the first day of the first month of the year - Muharram - is devoted to prayer, going to the mosque, good deeds and family meetings. Recently, it has become customary to congratulate relatives and friends, give cards and symbolic gifts. The first ten days of Muharram, one of the four holy months of the year, is a very important time when it is customary to make marriages and start new meaningful things.
Secular New Year, celebrated on the night of January 1, in the UAE, they celebrate mainly for the sake of numerous tourists and emigrants living in the country. One of the most popular offers of the tourism sector, which is flourishing in the country, are New Year tours. Hotels prepare banquets with their own performances and fireworks, discounts begin in stores, and if you linger a little, you can visit a shopping festival. But the opinion that, in addition to a holiday in a hotel, to find a worthy occupation on New Year's Eve night is impossible - erroneously.
In the center of the largest and most luxurious city in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, at the famous Burj Khalifa, Every year, the city authorities arrange a fireworks display of fantastic beauty. The only thing to keep in mind when gathering for this magnificent celebration, for example, from neighboring emirates, is that at the same time the city center can flood about a million people and flock there human flows will begin as early as the afternoon of the 31st, forming many kilometers of traffic jams. Another no less colorful spectacle is the enchanting Jumana show, which takes place in the middle of the desert. These are laser and pyrotechnic special effects and a bewitching performance of actors, dancers, acrobats, trained horses and camels.
The Arabian winter for a European or Russian is distinguished by a very comfortable temperature: + 23- + 28 degrees Celsius. The water in the Persian Gulf most often also stays in the region of 23-25 degrees. So in the absence of stormy weather, New Year's days can be safely spent on the beach. Among other cultural features of the way of life of the United Arab Emirates, which a foreigner simply needs to know about, are a special dress code that does not imply open and defiant clothing, the presence of dry law in some emirates, the need to definitely agree to an invitation to visit and many others.
As you know, The UAE is a country that always wants to be #1 in everything and constantly surprises with its luxury and scope.
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