Everything you need to know about visiting Dubai in July – climate, tours, events and attractions in summer
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Heat is the first thing that immediately jumps to everybody’s mind when you mention Dubai in July.
Visiting Dubai at the peak of summer, are you crazy? Not always! As long as you go in with your eyes wide open on what to expect, you will still find plenty of indoor attractions to keep you entertained, even at the hottest time of year in Dubai.
Dubai is completely open to tourism in July 2022 without a PCR test or proof of vaccine status. See all the latest information on travelling to Dubai post-COVID.
Dubai Weather in July
You are reaching peak summer temperatures for Dubai in July.
The average daytime maximum temperature for July is 41.3°C (106.3°F), however, maximum daytime temperatures can reach up to 48.5°C (119.3°F) – the “feels like” temperature often exceeds this!
Overnight the temperature only dips as far as 30.4°C (86.7°F).
Swimming in the sea waters brings little reprieve from the outside air temperature in July as water temperatures rise up to highs of 34.7°C (92.4°F).
You can read our complete guide to Dubai Weather in July here, as well as our suggested ideas of what to pack for Dubai in July.
The good news is, that you will find little if any rain in Dubai in July. The bad news; expect to spend most of your days inside. Things do perk up in the evenings but anything outdoors is still likely to bring on an immediate sweat.
There is little temperature difference between the start and end of July, but the humidity does rise over the month making the “feels like” temperature much greater than the air temperature.
You are certainly not choosing Dubai in July for its weather, but there are plenty of ways the city can still be enjoyed in summer.
Dubai Special Events July 2022
Although large events tend to be scaled back in Dubai over the hottest summer months, post-COVID Dubai is certainly doing its best to still allure visitors to town over the hottest months with some tantalising indoor ideas to keep things interesting.
- Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) – From 1 July to 4 September 2022 enjoy unbeatable sales, special offers and prize draws citywide.
- Dubai Sports World – at the Dubai World Trade Centre there’s a huge number of individual and team sports on offer throughout July – Ninja Warrior courses through to basketball, indoor football, parkour, and loads more for all age groups keeping active indoors over summer.
- Ripe Markets – Dubai’s beloved farmers market moved indoors in the hottest months; on the 1st Sunday each month you’ll find Ripe Market at the new Circle Mall at Jumeirah Village Circle
- Arafat Day & Eid Al Adha – these special religious occasions celebrated by the Muslim community are expected to occur from July 9 to 12, subject to moon sighting.
Suggested things to do in Dubai in July
Time to test some of Dubai’s biggest and best indoor attractions that will keep you active in the summer. Why not try:
- Indoor skiing at Ski Dubai – hit the slopes with your skis or snowboards and try out the 400m entirely indoor slope at Mall of the Emirates.
- Take an underwater journey through Deep Dive Dubai, the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world.
- Explore the newly opened Museum of the Future, get a glimpse of what life might be like 50 years from now in this wonderfully interactive and thought-provoking museum.
- Day trip up to Abu Dhabi for two adrenaline-pumping indoor experiences – the world-famous Ferrari World Theme Park housing the fastest roller coaster in the world, and right next door try the newly opened CLYMB Abu Dhabi – home to the largest indoor climbing world AND largest indoor flight chamber for skydiving.
- Enjoy nearby theme park thrills at Dubai’s very own entirely indoor theme park IMG Worlds of Adventure – from Cartoon Network favourites to the dinosaurs of the Lost Valley and Marvel experiences – there’s a load packed under one roof here for a full day of indoor entertainment
- Infinity des Lumières – An intriguing new temporary gallery that can be found in Dubai Mall. Cutting-edge technology helps visitors experience the works of Van Gough, the Verse – a hypnotic, metaphysical journey by Thomas Vanz and Dreamed Japan.
- Enjoy the incredible indoor show at Al Habtoor City, La Perle by Dragon; a stage spectacular sure to impress and keep your cool in Dubai! Top your evening off with a walk along Dubai Canal after dark.
With the kids – July in Dubai
It’s all about scouting out the best in indoor entertainment with kids in July, and don’t worry there is PLENTY! Happening around town. Here are just a few unique ideas you could try:
- Explore the Green Planet biodome, wind your way from the tree top canopy to the forest floor with plenty of interesting animals along the way from creepy crawlies to sloths!
More Frequently Asked Questions About July in Dubai
Dubai can reach extreme temperatures of up to 50°C in the month of July. Whilst this makes it extremely unpleasant to be outside during the peak times of the day, the city has been designed in such a way to cope with the heat and life largely moves indoors.
The temperatures in Dubai are marginally hotter in August than they are in Dubai. By the end of August, you will experience increased humidity too, so it can feel hotter towards the end of summer than at the start.
In both July and August in Dubai, you should expect the daytime temperature to be well over 40 °C and the overnight temperature will not drop below 30°C.
You will find that the sea water of the Arabian Gulf brings very little reprieve from the heat during the month of August. Expect average sea temperatures in Dubai in July of 35°C.
If you’d still like to take a swim in July, we recommend you choose a hotel with a temperature-controlled pool.
Don’t forget the sand can be extremely hot in summer too, to the point it will burn your feet during the middle of the day. Always wear something to protect your feet on the extremely hot surfaces by the pool or beach in Dubai.
You could certainly try but would absolutely want to avoid being in the direct sunlight during the peak of the day without quickly seeking chilled water or shade.
If you have a high tolerance for heat, you could venture out early in the day and late in the afternoon, but you will almost certainly prefer to be under an umbrella in July than directly in the sun’s rays.
It used to be the case that you could get extremely good flight deals to Dubai in July.
We have found this to be less the case now, with the religious holiday of Eid in Dubai attracting a lot of domestic and GCC tourism, and generally, tourists becoming more accepting of the boiling temperatures and encouraged to still enjoy the city’s vast array of indoor attractions. Coinciding with the northern hemisphere school holidays, Dubai in July isn’t necessarily a bargain.
We have found the best Dubai deals can be found in June and September when it’s still very hot but off the peak school holiday times.
Yes, the vast majority of Dubai attractions remain open in Dubai. Most al fresco dining venues will move indoors during the day and may only be open for limited hours in the evenings.
Seasonal events such as markets and some sporting events may stop over the hottest summer months.
The vast majority of businesses in the city stay open all of July in Dubai but may adjust opening hours to accommodate later starts and being open in the evening.
The only places you may see closures are glamping and camping venues beyond the city. For example, many places in Hatta close for summer.
Yes, most desert safari operators now continue to run throughout the summer months to cater to demand, albeit on a reduced schedule and possibly with later evening start times.
Just be warned you may find it intensely hot, we’d only recommend doing a desert safari in July if you have an extreme tolerance for the heat. You can learn more about how to appropriately dress for the heat of a desert safari here.
Before you go… More important things you should know when planning a trip to Dubai
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