Eleven Epic Ways to Beat the Heat in Dubai this Summer
People always go on about how amazing Dubai life is: Friday brunch, Skydive Dubai, the views from Dubai Marina high-rise buildings, Kite Beach, Burger Fuel (or SALT, or Tom & Serg), the Burj… The list goes on and on. But there is one thing you’ll NEVER hear anyone say they love about Dubai: August in it. Realistically speaking, it’s a nightmare. Forty-six degrees (and rising), nowhere to go and nothing to do! Or is there? Here are eleven things to do in Dubai to beat the heat this summer.
1. HIT THE SLOPES!
Even though it opened over ten years ago, we’re still not over the brilliance of Ski Dubai. An 85-metre high indoor mountain filled with ski slopes, giant snowballs and snow bullet rides IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT?! Bless you, Majid Al Futtaim Group!
2. SOLVE A MYSTERY!
Are you a fan of Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, puzzles or mysteries? Dubai has several mystery-themed role-playing games scattered around. How does it work? Well, you and your friends get locked inside a room and have to solve puzzles (or crimes) to get out. It’s dark, it’s cool, it’s fun – we love it!
3. GO SUB-ZERO!
How cool is this lounge?! Minus six degrees at all times, apparently! Besides the killer AC, Chillout Dubai has ice sculptures, hot chocolate, warm clothing for borrowing, and an altogether novelty ambience. Don’t expect ground-breaking food and service though – just enjoy the chill.
4. SEE A COOL MOVIE!
Have you noticed how the screening rooms in all Dubai cinemas are always a bit too chilly? If you have, please don’t go complaining to Reel’s or Vox’s management before mid-November (at the earliest). Also, Baby Driver, Dunkirk and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets are all ice-solid!
5. try CRYOtherapy!
Never heard of this, let alone tried it? Well, there’s no better time to give body freezing a chance than in August in Dubai. Apparently, Cryotherapy helps reduce signs of ageing, speeds up metabolism, helps improve your… Oh, whatever! Just dip us inside that smoking pod thingy!
6. or SHOPPING THERAPY!
It’s huge, it’s cool, and it’s got everything. From Apple Store to Bloomingdale’s, all the best brands have their spot in Dubai Mall. The most recent addition of note: Jacadi Paris premium clothes for toddlers and children aged 0-14. Shop ’till you drop! Or, in Dubai’s case, shop ’til you can do more things outside!
7. TAKE A PLUNGE!
Have you heard of Fit Republik in Sports City? It’s the fantastic relatively new sports centre with a 50-metres long indoor swimming pool that’s perfect for escaping the dreadfulness of the outdoors/improving your crawl. They also offer facilities for gymnastics, CrossFit, martial arts, spinning, weight lifting, and much more!
8. DINE IN THE DARK!
This one is for the cynics and the pluviophiles among you who wish for more variety of weather. We can’t exactly give you rain, but we can recommend a cool, dark place. Noire at Fairmont Hotel (Trade Centre area) is a restaurant set in pitch black dark where the waiters serve you a full course dinner wearing night vision goggles! It’s an hour or two of you and your crew fumbling around, dropping cutlery and trying to guess what you’re chewing for the comedy value!
9. GET YOUR SKATES ON!
Another cool Olympic-size facility on our list is the Dubai Ice Rink. Many of you don’t know this, but this venue offers much more than skates and ice. There’s the Emirates Hockey League Games, Family DJ sessions, Intensive Skate Course for kids, Disco Sessions, a skate shop and a snack bar. Try it!
10. mmm… eataly
After you’ve finished skating, take your family down to lower G floor of Dubai Mall and treat them to the perfect cool-down dessert – gelato. Alternatively, Eataly sells finest-quality Italian-style pastries, crepes, waffles, Tiramisu, chocolate… Ok, we’re drooling over the keyboard over here!
11. THE GAME IS ON!
Like Fitness Republik, this one is suitable for after the calorie bomb at Noire or Eataly. Dubai Sports World takes place at World Trade Centre every year. You can play badminton, basketball, cricket, football, volleyball, and much more, in chilled and fully-equipped lively facilities. It’s a great way to stay out of the heat and meet cool people!
There you have it – eleven ways you can avoid the UAE summer bummer. If you want to live in the epicentre of indoor action in Dubai, buy or rent an apartment in Downtown Dubai and be close to Dubai Mall, Reel Cinema, Dubai Ice Rink, Eataly, Dubai Sports World, and much more!
