Night swimming in the UAE: Three beaches open in Dubai for after-dark dips

Shorelines in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim are now open for post-sunset dips, while Sunset Beach continues to remain open for night swimming

Swim from sunset to sunrise at beaches in Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim in Dubai. Getty Images

Beachgoers in Dubai who aren’t quite ready to call it a day once the sun goes down have three new options for after-dark swims.

Dubai Municipality has designated three beaches as official shorelines for night swimming.

In Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim, each of the 800-metre-long beaches has strong floodlights that illuminate the sea, allowing residents and tourists to swim safely after dark.

The beaches also have electronic displays where important safety information will be displayed.

Qualified lifeguards are on duty after dark at each of the beaches, where swimming is permitted from sunset to sunrise.

#Dubai expands its beach tourism offering with the opening of three new beaches for night swimming@DMunicipality pic.twitter.com/0DocLAdzNM

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 14, 2023

“The new night-swimming beaches are part of Dubai Municipality’s efforts to contribute to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the emirate the world’s best place to live and visit,” said Dawoud Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality.

“The new facilities will further raise Dubai’s status as a beach-tourism destination. Dubai Municipality will continue to develop the emirate’s picturesque beaches into some of the city’s most compelling outdoor attractions.”

The news comes as temperatures across the Emirates begin to rise ahead of summer. Post-sunset beach visits allow residents and tourists to enjoy slightly cooler weather.

While Dubai has dozens of beaches, most are not officially open for swimming after dark.

Dubai has three new beaches for night swimming with round-the-clock lifeguards on duty. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Beachgoers are permitted to venture into the ocean after sunset only in designated zones, although many of the city’s beaches remain open until evening for those who are happy staying on the sand.

The three new spots aside, Sunset Beach in Dubai is also open for night swimming, with after dark dips allowed until midnight.

Dubai Municipality encourages visitors to comply with beach rules and regulations at all shorelines across the city, including making sure children are always supervised, disposing carefully of rubbish and respecting instructions given by official lifeguards.

Can you swim on the beach at night in other emirates?

Hudayriyat beach is open in the evening, but swimming is not permitted after dark. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Officially, no public beaches are open for night swimming in Abu Dhabi, but many of the capital's shorelines remain open after dark.

This includes the Corniche, which is open until 10pm, and the beach at Hudayriyat Island, which is open 24 hours, although swimming is not permitted after sunset.

In Umm Al Quwain, Kite Beach is open until 10pm with swimming allowed.

Some private beaches at hotels across UAE remain open after dark.

Updated: May 15, 2023, 12:54 PM