Staying in Dubai for the summer and not sure about what to do?
With temperatures over 40°C in Dubai, it might seem a bit daunting to venture out. However, even with the summer heat and social distancing rules in place, you can still have an amazing time in the emirate, whether you are a resident or a tourist. Here’s a list of activities that you can participate in with your family or friends, while staying safe:
1. Shop – With several weeks of mega discounts being offered on a range of retail brands, as part of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), there’s a lot for shopaholics to do across the city. If you want to update your wardrobe or redecorate parts of your home or get new electronics, this is one of the best times to do so. DSS started on 9th July and will run until 29th August 2020 so there’s plenty of time left for you to find a good bargain on the things that you need. Apart from availing discounts, shoppers can also take part in raffle draws and other competitions to win prizes.
2. Ski – Ski Dubai, the artificial snow world inside Mall of the Emirates, has several offers in place for those who want to beat the heat and go skiing.
3. Skydive – You can skydive indoors at I-Fly, which is a 10-metre double vertical glass wind tunnel inside Mirdif City Centre.
4. Go to the beach – It might seem impossible to enjoy the beach during this season. However, you can head to one of the various beautiful beaches in Dubai early in the morning or in the evening when the temperature drops. There is also a Beach Sports Week coming up this weekend at Kite Beach, in which you can participate or just watch volleyball, tennis and badminton matches.
5. Be adventurous – You can enjoy many thrilling rides inside the world’s largest indoor theme and amusement park, IMG Worlds of Adventure, while avoiding the hot sun.
6. Enjoy sea life – Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo — the 10-million litre tank inside Dubai Mall with over 140 species and more than 30,000 aquatic animals — is offering summer deals to visitors who want to experience the fascinating underwater world and learn about the shark conservation programme.
7. Go to the top – Visiting Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower (828 metres), is always a treat, whether you are an architect, designer or just interested in seeing aerial and 360 views of Dubai from the observation decks at levels 124 and 125.
8. Watch the fountains – During the evening, you can watch the mesmerising and musical dancing fountains next to Burj Khalifa and also enjoy a 30-minute calming boat (abra) ride on the lake.
9. Dive into water – Dubai has several water parks, such as Wild Wadi and Laguna Waterpark, offering many fun, water-based rides and activities, which can help you beat the heat.
10. Have new experiences – Along with shopping deals, DSS is also offering discounts on different leisure experiences, such as private cinema screenings, yoga at Burj Khalifa, cooking classes by top chefs, helicopter tours of Dubai and various others. Foodies can enjoy special menus at lower prices at various F&B outlets across the city. There is something for everyone and for people of all age groups.
While planning your activities, don’t forget about social distancing rules in the emirate which are necessary to maintain public health and safety. Everyone is required to wear a mask and observe social distancing in public places. A group of five people can be seated together and there needs to be a distance of four metres between two groups of people. Beach-goers need to maintain a gap of two metres from one another.
