Here is a piece of advice from a seasoned UAE resident: the summer is not your enemy.
With the mercury rising, so does the worry from friends and colleagues about handling the sweltering temperatures. My answer to such pangs of anguish over the years is simple: be cool.
I am not only referring to ramping up the air conditioner at home or in the workplace, but also to discarding the concerns and embracing the languid rhythms that summer presents.
The relatively slower pace of UAE life over the next few months provides plenty of opportunities to recalibrate, reorganise, explore and, yes, also have plenty of fun.
I did not realise this immediately, of course. Instead, I gradually adjusted over the 14 years I have called the UAE home.
Each summer presented new opportunities to strengthen my bonds with the country, in addition to appreciating the calmer pace of life before the frenzied hustle and bustle returns in the cooler months.
Here are some tips that helped me and, now, hopefully yourself in making this a summer to remember.
1. Embrace the morning
If you ever aspired to be a morning person, this is your chance. This is a lesson passed on by my parents when I was living in Abu Dhabi as a child.
My parents, both night owls, would switch up their routines. My dad would see his friends for breakfast while my mum and her crew changed their daily evening strolls to the morning hours. Our night-time visits to our Emirati friends also changed to the morning in order to have tea and a chat on the patio.
That golden hour, beginning from sunrise, is also the perfect time to exercise. If you are lucky, you may get kissed by a cool breeze or two.
2. Check out some amazing indoor venues
A decade ago, I used to exchange notes with friends on which malls had the most impressive air conditioning systems (Al Wahda Mall remains my go-to), and I would head there to roam aimlessly while keeping cool.
Fortunately, the UAE now boasts a growing number of great indoor venues to visit that are not shopping centres. These include the majestic Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, the Museum of the Future in Dubai, and the mega House of Wisdom library in Sharjah.
Not only are they beautiful to experience and engrossing for children, but their indoor temperatures are cool at all times, too.
3. Catch a concert, musical or comedy show
There was a time when big pop concerts in the UAE summer felt like the stuff of pure fantasy.
Fortunately this has transformed over the years with the arrival of first-class indoor venues such Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai Opera and The Agenda.
Not only has this made the UAE concert calendar open for all seasons but has allowed organisers to tap into the busy European summer festival market and bring high-profile acts to the UAE.
Scan the UAE event listings between now and September. There is a show for everyone this summer.
4. Check out the various UAE theme parks
While Disneyland Abu Dhabi is highly anticipated, the UAE already boasts an enviable number of family theme parks – many of which are situated in sprawling indoor spaces.
Take the kids to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, while film buffs should visit Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi. If you've watched F1 The Movie, you'll know Abu Dhabi played a big part in the film starring Brad Pitt - so make time to visit Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, as it's an ideal spot to indulge in the splendour of the competition.
Dubai is also home to its own suite of attractions, such as IMG Worlds of Adventure, featuring rides inspired by Marvel characters, and Motiongate, which showcases pavilions inspired by popular children's films, including Madagascar and Hotel Transylvania.
Adventureland Sharjah is a family-friendly affair with rides, musical performances and dining options.
5. Book the hotel deal of a lifetime
The summer is a time when even the most popular resorts experience a steep decline in room reservations. As a result, many launch eye-catching “summer staycation deals” where you can stay at the most lavish hotels at a discounted price.
If you have a bucket list of resorts you want to visit, now is the time to make those bookings.
6. Taste test Michelin-starred and newly opened restaurants
Those who love to eat out also have a lot to look forward to during the hotter months.
With the industry’s “off season” already underway, this is a time when you will find new venues quietly opening up as part of their soft launch phase.
This is also a great time to embark on your very own UAE Michelin restaurant trail before you're faced with a waiting list during busy season.
7. Go on that great UAE road trip
The UAE is blessed with seven distinct emirates, all accessible by car. This is what makes the country a perfect location for a family road trip.
With the motorways less congested during these times, it is recommended to set aside a week or a number of weekends to visit the hidden gems, such as the coastal city of Khorfakkan in Sharjah and the UAE's oldest functioning mosque, the 100-year old Al Bidyah Mosque, in Fujairah.
8. Volunteer and thrive
Such is the community and social benefits of volunteering that UAE authorities have designated it as a service that can qualify for a golden visa.
There are plenty of official online portals and organisations where you can register your interest in volunteering as an individual, groups or organisation. These include the Emirates Red Crescent, which conducts numerous local campaigns and projects.
Dubai Volunteering Centre and its Sharjah counterpart also provide opportunities in their respective emirates.
9. Do the things you have been putting off
Summer is the ideal time to tick off personal admin work.
A few friends of mine use the summer to undergo an annual health check in clinics, give cars a service, and declutter their homes and workplaces.
It may not sound like much, but ticking off those important boxes will bring you satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.
10. Enrol in that class you always dreamt about
It sounds simple, but sometimes we get so swept up with work and other commitments that we don’t have time for new experiences.
With most major entertainment and cultural festivals on ice until winter, you can use the weekend or post-work time to learn and take on new skills.
The UAE has a thriving vocational sector and institutions offering classes for everything ranging from cooking to DJ courses to robotics for children.
With more time on our hands, this is the opportunity to upskill and have fun along the way.
11. Chill with a pool pass
The off-season in UAE resorts means more opportunities for local residents to savour the lavish sites. An ideal and cost-effective way to do this is to take advantage of the pool and beach pass offers at leading UAE hotels. The best part of all is that the cost of passes often includes redeemable food and beverage items.
12. Catch a summer film
The UAE’s cinemas are not only well air-conditioned but also increasingly creative with their programming. In the summer months, venues like Cinema Akil in Dubai often run themed film festivals or retrospectives, from global cinema to cult classics.
Even multiplexes like Vox and Reel occasionally offer throwback screenings or discounted weekday showings. It’s the perfect way to escape the heat for a few hours and discover a new favourite film – or revisit an old one.
13. Explore indoor wellness and fitness options
While outdoor workouts can be limited in the summer, indoor wellness centres flourish. This is the time to sign up for trial classes at boutique studios offering yoga, Pilates, indoor cycling or even martial arts.
Many gyms and studios run summer packages at reduced rates to attract new members. It’s also an ideal season to book a day pass at a spa or try out wellness offerings such as salt rooms, cryotherapy, or hammam treatments. Places such as The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery run affordable 24-hour retreats during the summer months too, if you need more than just an hour-long session to unwind.
14 . Discover lesser-known cultural spaces
Beyond the big-name museums, the UAE is also home to numerous hidden cultural gems. Visit the Etihad Museum in Dubai for a deeper understanding of the country's founding, or explore Alserkal Avenue’s many contemporary art galleries and studios.
Sharjah’s Heart of Sharjah district offers a historical experience indoors, with traditional architecture and museums such as Bait Al Naboodah and Sharjah Calligraphy Museum. Many of these spaces also offer workshops, exhibitions and talks throughout the summer.
15. Finally … relax and be still
There is always that temptation to fill your time in the summer by constantly travelling abroad.
While many don’t have the financial means to simply book a flight and leave, the reason to resist the urge is not only monetary but mental as well.
In addition to the daily pressures of working in the peak season, UAE residents have also been blessed with a packed winter season of events and countless concerts, festivals and conferences.
While fun and stimulating, all that action is exhausting. So take it easy, unwind and enjoy these quiet days of relative calm.
Considering the heightened anxiety of our times, we surely need it.
An earlier version of this story was first published on June 20, 2024
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
The five pillars of Islam
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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More from Neighbourhood Watch
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Summer special
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
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All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
