Things Tourists Often Overlook When Planning New Year’s Eve in Dubai

Most visitors plan New Year’s Eve in Dubai like any other evening. A hotel booking, maybe a gala dinner with family and a fixed plan to reach Downtown by 11. Sounds easy, right? Well, the night is not like other nights. Roads are completely shut down and cabs literally crawl instead of speeding due to the crowds on the road. By the time you reach the area, ten thousand people are already standing in front of you – and the view is completely blocked. The fireworks are amazing, yes. But nobody tells you that Dubai turns into a different place on NYE night and the biggest problem starts from there itself.

So here are 10 things tourists usually miss, which can save you a lot of stress on the 31st.

1. Roads Close Much Earlier Than You Think

The streets around Downtown and Burj Khalifa are closed due to traffic on NYE. Not at night, but rather in the afternoon. Once closed, no taxis or private cars are allowed to enter the area. Many people are surprised to find out this when their taxi pulls up and the driver says that they will have to walk from this point on. It may seem like a minor detail, but it can make all the difference. If Downtown is your plan then be inside the area by early evening, not at night. Same goes for hotels in Downtown, the rooms with Burj Khalifa view are booked months before and many of them ask for minimum two or three nights stay on New Year.

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2. Metro Is Running But Very Crowded

The metro usually runs all night on New Year’s Eve which is a good thing, but the stations near Burj Khalifa get so busy that sometimes the metro doesn’t stop for a while.Top up your Nol card few days before, don’t wait for the night because the ticket machine lines are very long. And keep in mind that coming back after midnight is the hardest part.

3. Getting Back to the Hotel

Everybody thinks about reaching the fireworks, nobody thinks about leaving. After midnight lakhs of people want to go home at the same time, taxis are not available and Careem and Uber prices go very high. Some people walk for an hour. If your hotel is far, either plan to stay near where you watch the fireworks or wait somewhere for one or two hours till the rush goes down.

4. Restaurants With View Need Booking Weeks Before

Restaurants facing Burj Khalifa have special New Year packages with set menu and minimum spend per person, and they are fully booked weeks before. Walking in on the night is not possible. Even normal restaurants in Downtown are full, so if you are not booking anything then at least eat early.

5. Free Spots Get Full By Afternoon

Those free viewing spots near Dubai Fountain and Downtown? People grab them early, long before the main show. Some families come at lunchtime with mats and a big picnic. By the afternoon, the crowd keeps growing. And when you reach the spot at night, there is no good spot left. If you want a free spot then go early, carry water and some snacks, and be ready that washrooms are not easy to find once you are inside the crowd. With small kids or elders this is really tiring, so think twice. Also strollers are difficult to move in that crowd, a baby carrier is much easier.

6. It Gets Cold, Specially Near the Water

Tourists think Dubai is always hot. In late December the nights are actually cool, around 17 to 20 degrees, and near the sea or on a boat with the wind it feels colder. Carry a light jacket or shawl, specially for kids. People who come only in a t-shirt usually regret it by 11 o’clock.

7. Burj Khalifa Is Not the Only Fireworks

This one many tourists don’t know. There are fireworks at Atlantis The Palm, Burj Al Arab area, Dubai Marina, JBR and Global Village also. Global Village in fact does fireworks for different countries at different times through the night, so families can see a countdown earlier and go back to the hotel before the midnight rush. You don’t have to fight the crowd at Downtown to enjoy the night.

8. Watching From the Sea Needs Early Planning

Seeing the fireworks from a boat is the best way to avoid the crowd and traffic completely, and that is why a new year yacht party Dubai is one of the first things that sells out. Most good boats are gone by end of November. If you are a group, then new year yacht rental dubai for a private boat is worth checking because when the cost is divided between 10 or 15 people it is not that much more than a restaurant package, and you get your own space.

9. The Small Print on Yacht Bookings

You finalized the yacht booking for NYE in Dubai. But does that mean everything is done? Well, actually there is a lot to take care of. Boats depart early on the night of December 31st to allow time to reach the viewing area before the fireworks begin at midnight. It is important that you arrive at the designated boarding location on time. Sounds like a small thing, but people often miss this part. The captain doesn’t wait for latecomers. Ask the exact boarding time and place, which fireworks will be visible from the spot, what food and drinks are included and if the operator has license to serve alcohol. Carry passport or Emirates ID because it is checked at boarding, without it you cannot go on the boat.

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10. Phone Network and Meeting Point

Due to the massive crowd in just one place the mobile network becomes extremely slow. Calls do not connect. Even WhatsApp messages get delayed. Fix one meeting point with your group in case someone gets lost, and keep a power bank because your phone battery will finish fast with all the videos.

So enjoy the night, Dubai does New Year really well. Just plan the small things before, specially how you are reaching and how you are coming back, and book whatever you need as early as possible because in December everything gets full very fast.