10 Cool Things to Do in Dubai during Winter

How do you enjoy winter season in Dubai?

Winter is such a precious time in this part of the globe. It is when temperature drops up to 15 °C (Finally!) after a long and sweaty summer! This season of fine weather, cool breeze, and just enough sunshine is short lived. It lasts only for about three to four months, hence we need to make the most out of it! Agree? :)

I made a round up of the cool things to do in Dubai during winter. These are actually my favorite winter activities, so if there's something I miss, feel free to share it in comment section below.

1. Stop and smell the flowers in Dubai Miracle Garden.

Dubai Miracle Garden is a seasonal attraction. It is only to the public during winter time - usually from mid-November to mid-May. The 72,000 square meter garden is filled with 150 million flowers arranged in breathtaking patterns and sculptures. Indeed a miracle in the desert, Dubai Miracle Garden holds the Guinness World Records' largest vertical garden and largest floral sculpture in the shape of an Airbus A380!

For more details, read my blog post on Dubai Miracle Garden.

Dubai Miracle Garden

This should be on the top of your list if you're visiting Dubai at winter time.

2. Have a night out in Dubai Garden Glow.

Dubai Garden Glow is another outdoor attraction with an amazing concept. Set in Zabeel Park, DGG is a family destination that makes walking in the park more fun at night. The attraction features a glow in the dark garden, a dinosaur park, an ice park, and an eco-friendly art park where installations are made of recyclable items.

Park hours: Saturdays to Thursdays 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM / Fridays 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Entrance Fee: 65 AED for Dinosaur Park, Glow Park, and Art Park

Children up to age of 3 years are free.

Brighten up your winter nights in Dubai Garden Glow!

DGG photos were taken by my friend Aprille. Follow her on Insta: @aprillecass.

3. Tour the world in Global Village.

Global Village is an outdoor entertainment, shopping and dining complex. It has pavilions representing different countries showcasing unique cultures, traditional cuisines and handicrafts. True to its name, it is a village where the world meets!

For more details, read my blog post on Global Village.

Ready to go around the world in one night?

Global Village: Africa pavilion (2014 photo)

4. Shop til you drop during Dubai Shopping Festival.

Winter time is a time for shopping in Dubai! Dubai Shopping Festival is a month-long sale featuring unbeatable deals and bargains in the malls. Apart from that, shoppers (even those who are simply window shopping) are treated to free shows and amazing fireworks display.

Where to shop? In the UAE's largest mall of course! :)

5. See the flamingos in Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary.

Winter is probably the perfect season to visit the wildlife sanctuary in Ras Al Khor. It is a wetland reserve located not too far away from the heart of the city. The sanctuary has two watch towers - one in Mangrove Hide and the other in Flamingo Hide. The flamingos are quite elusive; they don't go near the viewing deck, hence bring a zoom lens if you're into photography.

Timings: Saturday to Thursday 9 AM to 4 PM / Friday 2 PM to 6 PM / Winter: 7:30 AM to 5 PM

Entrance Fee: Free for all

How to get there by public transportation: Take a cab or Uber/Careem. Inform the driver to drop you in Gate 2.

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

Aren't the flamingos pretty?

6. Feel the Christmas spirit in one of the Christmas Markets.

Yes! We do celebrate Christmas here! Although Christmas in the Philippines is way more special (because of the family), we also had wonderful Christmas celebrations in Dubai. Thanks to the festive events in shopping malls and hotels. I personally love to spend Christmas Eve in the Christmas Market. My all-time favorite is the Souk Festive Market in Souk Madinat; mainly because of the stalls selling seasonal treats like mince pie and uhmmmm mulled wine!

Souk Festive Market in Souk Madinat

Please note that the Souk Festive Market is only open during Christmas week.
Make sure to drop by if you're here in Dubai.

7. Be amazed with Burj Khalifa's New Year's Eve fireworks.

Dubai surely knows how to ring in the new year in the most awesome way... and that is by lighting up the world's tallest tower! The New Year's Eve fireworks in Burj Khalifa never fails to amaze me, whether I watch it live or just on TV. It's WOW. No words really, just wow! So, for those who are new in Dubai or visiting Dubai just in time for the new year, I highly recommend this.

For more details, read how we spent our 2015 New Year's Eve in Burj Park.

Hands down. One of the best fireworks display in the world!

8. Eat, eat, and eat (and buy organic produce) in Ripe Market.

Waking up early on a weekend to have breakfast at the Ripe Market is an annual winter ritual for me and my friends. It is an open air market for locally grown produce, and homegrown food and handicrafts. It used to be in Zabeel Park, but this season (2018-2019) it is held in Dubai Police Academy in Umm Suqeim every Friday and Saturday. Since the Ripe Market is a pop-up event, watch out for location and timing updates on their social media pages.

Ripe Market

Raclette! I had this at the Ripe Market 3 years ago. I hope they're still around this season.

9. Dine under the stars.

With the long months of dining indoors and not seeing stars in the sky, I giddy every time winter sets in. I'm a big fan of alfresco dining, and yes, star gazing! It's the time of the year when restaurant terraces are open for seating, usually after undergoing renovation during summer. Some of our favorite alfresco dining venues are View in Dusit Thani Dubai, Carluccio's in Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Boardwalk, and Arabian Tea House.

View in Dusit Thani Dubai

10. Spend a night camping with friends.

I am not into rough activities, but I found camping really fun (only during winter, for sure). Ed and I have been to a few camping trips with our friends. They are the experts and we usually just go with the flow. Hahah. There are several camping grounds in the UAE. So far, we have been to Al Aryam in Abu Dhabi, Al Qudra in Dubai, and Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah.

Important note: Make sure to check the current rules and regulations in the locations I mentioned.