Spending New Year in Dubai is the dream of many travelers and the best: it is much cheaper than you could imagine. I went to New Year to Dubai in 2019 and here all the practical details you need to know for the welcome celebrations of 2020.
New Year at the Burj Khalifa
The most emblematic New Year’s celebration in Dubai is the one with Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It is a show of about 15 minutes that combines a lot of technology. By popular request, in 2019 the use of fireworks was returned and the light and music show that started 2018 was left behind and that sought to guarantee the safety of the tallest building in the world. Explore 2020 Burj Khalifa Tours in affordable price here.
Although the play of lights and sound officially starts at midnight, the atmosphere of celebration starts from hours before in the different areas: some free and paid. In addition, live music, every 30 minutes the show of Dubai sources that you can enjoy while you wait.
Where do you see the show?
In the three points there are public areas to enjoy the shows, as well as the most exclusive where you can easily pay more than 500 USD per person. Paid sites range from restaurants overlooking the Burj Khalifa to a special VIP area that is installed around the fountains.
Where can I watch the Burj Khalifa show for free?
Although the Burj Khalifa can be seen from many parts of the city, the official areas for the public celebration are divided into an area for family and another for men only. The public area for women and families to see the fireworks is the Burj Park Emar. A place where it is forbidden to enter with food and drinks but where you will find food trucks from well-known fast food brands: KFC, Pizza Hut. The food packages are around 30 AED (less than 7 USD) and only cash is accepted.
It is a celebration with a very familiar atmosphere, where the groups put blankets in the grass to make picnics. In this way the wait for midnight is very comfortable and quiet. In addition, every 30 minutes you have the show of Dubai fountains from a very good site. And, among these shows there is music and other shows.
What time to arrive?
People start arriving around 6 pm in the afternoon and the party area closes as it fills up.
When the Burj Park Emar is at full capacity, people begin to be placed in strategic points to see the show from the boulevard.
Where else is the new year celebrated in Dubai?
In addition to the Burj Khalifa, there are also other important points of celebration in Dubai. Some of the free ones are:
- Just outside the Burj Al Arab, the famous 7-star hotel
- Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk: 11 kilometers from where you can enjoy the Atlantis shows
- Lake of the Dubai Marina.
- Kite Beach: it is one of the public beaches of Dubai where you can have a very special picnic, because you will have views towards the famous 7-star hotel in Dubai.
- Another beach that is transformed into a perfect spot to enjoy the New Year celebrations in Dubai with a family atmosphere.
All these areas have restaurants with excellent views, in this case it is important to book your pay site.
How much does a hotel night in Dubai cost for New Year?
I visited Dubai excursions tour during the last weeks of December (spending Christmas in the city) and early January. Therefore, it would be considered high season. The costs of 3-star hotels were around 80 USD and 4 stars 150USD. While the beds in the hostels cost about 20 USD.
However, from the night of 30 and until January 3 these prices tripled or even quadrupled for the night of December 31. Thus, if you were paying over USD 100 on December 23, you would pay USD 400 for the night of December 31.
Therefore, spending New Year in Dubai is not a cheap activity, although there are many free celebrations around the city.