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In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) New Year 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 month of Muharram according to the Islamic calendar.
New Year January 1
The customs of the European New Year have spread among local population thanks to the large influx of tourists.
The largest celebrations are held in Dubai. During the New Year holidays, the city experiences a large influx of tourists. To cater to the tastes and customs of guests, streets, shopping centers and hotels are luxuriously decorated in European style. IN New Year's Eve Dubai hosts a grand fireworks show and laser show. Fireworks of extraordinary scale and beauty attract hundreds of thousands of citizens and tourists. Events take place near tall skyscraper the city of Burj Khalifa, the Burj Al Arab and Atlantis hotels, throughout the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah. The large-scale New Year's fireworks display 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 over a festive dinner. Young people have fun in bars, clubs, and take part in mass celebrations and parties on the beaches.
On the eve of the holiday, streets, squares, shops and restaurants in the UAE are decorated with shimmering garlands and elegant artificial Christmas trees. You can see unusual New Year's decorations in the windows. Santa Clauses in disguise walk around shopping centers and invite children to visit their residences.
Cities and resorts
The New Year in the UAE will bring new emotions and immerse you in an atmosphere of warmth and exoticism.
Holidays in largest cities- Dubai and Abu Dhabi - will delight you with a rich program of events. On New Year's Eve, restaurants, hotels, bars and nightclubs offer entertainment shows with a luxurious dinner and performances by popular pop music groups. At beach parties you can party until the morning with the fiery music of star DJs. Dubai and Abu Dhabi host midnight fireworks shows where you must reserve a seat in advance.
Romantics will love New Year's cruises on the Persian Gulf. To do this, you need to reserve seats on an Arabian dhow 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. Riding ATVs, jeeps or camels will bring new emotions. You can celebrate midnight in a Bedouin settlement with a festive dinner and colorful dancing.
Feel yourself in winter's tale will allow indoor ski resort Sky Dubai in the center of Dubai. Visitors can expect a variety of entertainment: snowboard and bobsleigh tracks, a snow shooting range, ice cave with a frozen waterfall. You can rent at the resort 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.
Shopping lovers will be delighted by the large shopping festival, which begins in Dubai on January 2 and lasts for a month. During the festival, big discounts and sales are held in shopping centers and stores. In boutiques you can purchase exclusive items at low prices.
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 New Year, Al-Hijara, in accordance with the calendar based on lunar cycles, “floats” throughout the year. In 2014 it fell on October 25, and in 2015 - on October 15.
“Hijara” translated from Arabic means “relocation”. In the meaning of this word lies the central event that marked the beginning of the Muslim calendar. 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 Al-Hijjar holiday lies in the voluntary renunciation of material values in favor of serving Allah. The Muslim New Year is not celebrated magnificently and vigorously in the United Arab Emirates; the first day of the first month of the year - Muharram - is dedicated 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, are a very important time in which it is customary to enter into marriages and begin new significant affairs.
The Secular New Year, celebrated on the night of January 1, is celebrated in the UAE mainly to please the numerous tourists and emigrants living in the country. One of the most popular offers from the tourism sector, which is thriving in the country, is New Year’s tours. Hotels are preparing banquets with their own performances and fireworks, discounts are starting in stores, and if you stay a little longer, you can visit a shopping festival. But the opinion that, apart from a holiday in a hotel, it is impossible to find a decent activity on New Year’s Eve is wrong.
In the center of the largest and most luxurious city in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, near the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the city authorities annually organize a fantastic fireworks display. The only thing you should not forget when gathering for this magnificent celebration, for example, from neighboring emirates, is that the city center can be flooded by about a million people at the same time and streams of people will begin to flock there already in the afternoon of the 31st, forming many kilometers of traffic jams. Another equally 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 mesmerizing 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. Water in Persian Gulf most often it also stays around 25 degrees. So, in the absence of stormy weather, New Year's days can be safely spent on the beach, remembering, however, that Wednesdays and Saturdays are women's days, and men are strictly prohibited from entering the beach. Among others cultural characteristics The way of life of the United Arab Emirates, which a foreigner simply needs to know about, is a special dress code that does not imply revealing and provocative clothing, the presence of prohibition in some emirates, the need to definitely agree to an invitation to visit, and many others.
The indigenous population of the United Arab Emirates does not celebrate Christmas and New Year, because they are Muslims, and their chronology is not based on the Gregorian calendar, but according to lunar calendar Hijras. According to him, the New Year comes in the fall and depends on the phase of the moon. The New Year celebration in the Emirates is less of a secular than of a religious nature; most Arabs simply pray fervently on this day.
But, despite the fact that the main income of the state is oil trade, the tourism business brings in considerable profits. And the prosperity of the Emirates as a global tourist center, depends on how hospitable the locals are to foreigners and what they do for the convenience of tourists. Therefore, now New Year and Christmas in the Emirates can be celebrated with extraordinary joy. And the atmosphere of the holiday in the country is no different from the atmosphere of the holiday in countries where the main religion is Christianity, and chronology is carried out according to the Gregorian style.
Now during the New Year and Christmas holidays in the Emirates there is such an expectation of a miracle, as everywhere else on the eve of these dates. All the necessary paraphernalia, including spruce or pine trees, a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere - this is how New Year and Christmas are now celebrated in the Emirates. The only thing you won’t find everywhere there is snow, and is it even necessary if you specifically went to this country to celebrate the beginning of the year?
The end and beginning of the year is a busy time for Emiratis, but at the same time it is also the most profitable time for the country. Many shops, bars, hotels - all of this is simply filled with tourists, and the owners of these establishments are waging a serious struggle to attract customers. Therefore, in anticipation winter holidays The widest range of goods is laid out on the shelves, and entertainment venues offer the largest selection of entertainment.
Now New Year and Christmas in the Emirates are beautiful sparkling streets with bright garlands, Santa Clauses, deers and gnomes; culinary establishments that compete for the title of “Best Christmas Pie”; not a single cafe in Saransk will offer such abundance before the New Year; enchanting shows; unrivaled fireworks displays; all kinds of holiday treats; unforgettable concerts of world-famous stars and much more.
In recent years, there has been a large influx of tourists to the UAE precisely on the eve of the winter festivities, and this makes its own adjustments in relation to the holidays local residents. People of older generations try to celebrate with their families, while young people find any reason to have fun. Nowadays, young Arabs' favorite pastimes are calling friends at night and participating in midnight car parades.
New Year's holidays are just around the corner, it's time to think about how to spend these days. Do you want this New Year to be an unforgettable and enchanting holiday? Do you want to get a lot of vivid impressions and unforgettable memories? Then choose New Year's tour to the unrivaled UAE!
When is New Year celebrated in the UAE?
In the Emirates, New Year is celebrated twice. The first New Year is celebrated according to the lunar calendar and is considered religious holiday, therefore it takes place quietly, measuredly, without unnecessary fuss and stormy celebrations. The UAE celebrates the second New Year together with the whole world on January 1, and it is celebrated with joy and on a huge scale!
Five arguments in favor of the UAE for the New Year
New Year's holidays for each of us are a mixture of magic, good mood, and expectation of miracles. It is the onset of another year that makes both adults and children believe in a fairy tale. If you want to get a real fairy tale on New Year's Eve, then treat yourself to an unusual holiday in the United Arab Emirates.
We can safely name five reasons why you should celebrate New Year 2016 in the UAE:
1. New Year's holidays and summer weather. Many people are interested in what the weather is like in the UAE for the New Year? Excellent! Isn’t it magical to celebrate the coming year not in the snowy cold, but in warm weather by the sea? Unique climate The UAE will allow you to fully enjoy the pleasant sunshine, average temperature the air temperature there at this time is 26-28 degrees, you can get a light, beautiful tan and even possibly swim in the sea, at a time when icy winds are raging in your homeland.
2. Wonderful animation and active entertainment . In the United Arab Emirates, they prepare carefully for the New Year holidays. You definitely won't be bored on your holiday night. You will be entertained by Russian-speaking presenters, you will see an enchanting show, spectacular fireworks and, of course, you will be able to take part in fun competitions.
Previously, in hotels, as a rule, New Year's Eve ended with the chimes, but the Slavic soul asks for more and people demand a “continuation of the banquet.” That is why recently most hotels have been offering a New Year's program designed for tourists from Russia with the participation of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, songs, dances and other entertainment. Such celebrations end only at 3-4 o'clock in the morning.
3. Entertainment for children. Professional animators, real Santa Claus and Snow Maiden will keep your kids busy. Thanks to this, you can relax and unwind. And with your kids you can visit the residence of Santa Claus and make a cherished wish.
For children, grotto residences of Father Frost, or, as he is called here, Santa Claus, are opened in many shopping centers. They entertain children along with the whole family, reading New Year's fairy tales and letters with wishes, dancing and singing, and taking photographs with Santa as a souvenir. For example, in the Sky Dubai complex all this is done completely free of charge.
4. Carefree holiday. You can take a break from household chores, pre-holiday bustle and just enjoy the holiday. You will get a unique opportunity to escape from everyday problems and recharge yourself with positivity for a long time to come.
5. Oriental fairy tale. You will receive a lot of positive emotions, imbued with the spirit of real oriental fairy tale, you will buy wonderful souvenirs and wonderful gifts for family and friends.
What kind of entertainment is there in the UAE for the New Year?
New Year holidays in the Emirates are celebrated for more than ten days. Therefore, a festive atmosphere and a great mood are guaranteed to you.
Hospitable Arabs offer tourists a variety of programs to celebrate the New Year, from a classic feast accompanied by the chimes to an extreme New Year's safari. Just like in the famous fairy tale “12 months”, you will spend the New Year by the New Year’s fire, except that instead of snow there will be sand, and instead of the brothers-months there will be friendly Bedouins along with their constant companions - ships of the desert - camels.
What about a beach New Year's party in the UAE? For example, recently the Sandance club at the Atlantis Hotel held a beach party with the participation of famous DJs Axwell, Paul Oakenfold, Emeli Sande.. The price of entry to such parties is very high - more than $100!
To make your vacation unforgettable, you can easily diversify it. In Dubai you can visit an excellent water park where you can have a lot of fun. And if you want extreme sports, then plunge into winter and visit a unique ski park at Ski Dubai.
A nice bonus for celebrating the New Year in the Emirates is the Shopping Festival, which starts on January 1-2 and lasts about a month - it's time to make great purchases!
Solar United Arab Emirates will give you a real New Year's fairy tale. Treat yourself to an original and unforgettable holiday - a tour to the UAE!
It's nice to go from cold winter to summer, so tourists like to spend new year holidays in the UAE. We talk about the weather, places to celebrate the New Year 2020 in Dubai, prices for tours and hotels. We share reviews and tips from tourists.
Weather in Dubai for New Year
New Year 2020 in the UAE will bring you many pleasant experiences. The weather in Dubai in the middle of winter pleases residents middle zone, northern regions Russia and Siberia. This is not surprising! When we have frosts, Arab country daytime temperatures do not fall below +24°C. Rains are very rare here, and they are not prolonged.
In the evenings in Dubai the air cools down to +13...+15°C, and in the desert - to 0°C. 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 residents accustomed to cool water Northern Europe They go into the sea with pleasure. In addition, many hotels offer guests the opportunity to 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 the world, it's huge modern city offers guests a variety of New Year's entertainment.
Watch fireworks and salutes. Colorful light shows are staged in different parts of Dubai. The most spectacular are the fireworks over artificial island Palm Jumeirah and. Pyrotechnic shows turn into amazingly beautiful light and music performances!
The area in front of tall building The world is filled to capacity with tourists. Up to 1 million people come to see the bright New Year's extravaganza at Burj Plaza! Great view fireworks opens from entertainment complex Souk Al Bahar, from the Dubai Canal, from the trendy City Walk shopping center and nearby hotels. To enjoy full review fireworks show in Downtown, some tourists from the center go to the Meydan Race Course or celebrate the New Year in hotels that line Sheikh Zayed Road.
To admire the light show on Palm Jumeirah, you need to come to the Atlantis complex. Multi-colored fireworks are clearly visible from the long Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk and from the island's hotels.
(Photo: Armin Rodler / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
Dance in nightclubs. Do you want to spend New Year 2020 on the dance floor in Dubai? Incendiary dances are held in nightclubs and lounge bars in the city. Famous DJs are invited here, and the most popular establishments organize concerts of world famous bands and performers. Ticket costs from 590 AED.
Please be aware that it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age in Dubai! Some nightclubs set a stricter limit - 25 years.
Have fun at the New Year's party. Festive banquets and entertainment programs offers most of the city's restaurants and beach clubs. 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 a children's party.
A pleasant evening in budget restaurants will cost 770-1250 AED per person. Celebrating the New Year in one of the five restaurants of the luxury Burj Al Arab hotel costs from 8,000 AED. Don't forget about the stylish and elegant dress code!
According to tourists, the brightest New Year in the UAE happens in the famous Atlantis complex. People come here to show off their best outfits, enjoy delicious food, dance to live music and watch the pyrotechnic show. Entrance to the party for adults costs 2900 AED, and for guests 12-20 years old - 2030 AED. Children under 12 years old can attend a free themed party.
Many tourists strive to get to the At.mosphere restaurant for a holiday, which is located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa. From here the whole city is visible at a glance! From 19:00 to 1:00 the restaurant holds two New Year's programs- for families with children and 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. Marine vessels cruise along Creek Bay, while their passengers are entertained by a DJ and try delicious dishes prepared in the city's restaurants. From the water you can clearly see the new city blocks and the fireworks over the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. 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 in 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 from the airport. The hotel complex was built in the style of an exotic Arabian fort and has green gardens and cozy courtyards with fountains.
Tourists can ride jeeps or camels into the desert or relax at the Satori Spa. On the main night of the year, the hotel restaurant Al Hadheerah Desert 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 during the holidays
Tourists who come to the UAE for New Year can easily find entertainment to their liking. Some people are shopping recklessly and trying to profit from New Year's sales. Others, despite the middle of winter, enjoy swimming and sunbathing.
Desert Safari. For those who are not indifferent to Arabian exoticism, trips to sand dunes on SUVs and ATVs. Such excursions are organized by several travel companies, for example, Platinum Heritage. During your 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) it is clearly visible big dune Big Red. It offers rides on boards similar to snowboards. This is exciting entertainment for fans active recreation! Local tour operators offer full-day excursions that include desert driving and sandboarding lessons.
(Photo: Daniel Jo / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)
Alpine skiing. To everyone who came to winter holidays to a hot country, it’s hard to imagine that in big city UAE is real ski center. Ski Dubai is located in a modern shopping center Mall of the Emirates. At 22.5 thousand sq. m equipped with five tracks and a freestyle area. There is a snow park with caves and slopes for sledding, a real alpine cafe and a small penguinarium.
Amusement parks. It is interesting to visit the Global Village, a city seasonal park, with a child. During the winter holidays there is a festive parade, stunt performances, theatrical performances under open air, fountain shows and other entertainment for adults and children. A visit to the park per family will cost about 100 AED.
For family vacation great rides theme park Riverland Dubai. It is located on the territory of Dubai Parks and Resorts. To look at the animals from different corners world, it’s worth going to Dubai Safari.
Last minute tours search on services and they will find best offers among different tour operators. Want to save money? Explore our.
Winter trips to the UAE are in demand among vacationers, so prices for tours to Dubai for the new year 2020 cannot be called cheap. At the end of December, trips 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 when staying in a 5* hotel - from 184 thousand rubles.
If you want to save money, buy tours in advance or, conversely, look for last-minute tours.
(Photo: Sarah_Ackerman / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Hotels
Search hotels with discounts on Hotellook. Here are the main ones.
We recommend booking a hotel several months in advance - this will allow you to find best option in terms of price and quality. According to reviews, housing prices in Dubai jump closer to the New Year. Here's the cost double room on New Year's Eve in hotels of different categories:
