You are looking for the perfect place to begin your happily ever after and you are considering Dubai? Then you have come to the right place. We explain to you, why Dubai is an amazing place for a honeymoon. Let's go!
The Hotels
Dubai is home to some of the best hotels in the world. In fact, Dubai was the first place in the world that had a seven-star hotel. If you are after luxury indulgence, Dubai has got you covered like no other place!
And whatever your budget is, Dubai has the right hotel for you. From $27,000 per night in the ultimate luxury of seven stars to a more reasonable $500 a night in one of the many very good 5-star hotels. And even somewhat budget-friendly options at $100 a night are available.
The activities - What can you do in Dubai?
Oh my! There are so many fun things to do in Dubai, some of which revolve around the Arabian Desert.
Experience Adventures!
There are many fun activities that you can do with your newly wedded spouse in Dubai and the adjacent desert. Do you like snowboarding in the winter? In that case, why not try sandboarding on the dunes?
Or if you prefer to burn gasoline, then why not rent a quad bike and ride it through the sand? Maybe you like the bird's-eye view from up high. Booking a ride in a hot air balloon or a paramotor will get you that and might just be up your alley.
And of course, with Dubai being Dubai, you can actually also snowboard or ski here, while it is eighty degrees or more outside. Ski Dubai is the place for you to cool down if all that desert activity got you hot.
You might like horseback riding, but have you experienced the joys of the camelback? Dubai is the place where you can discover what it is like to ride through the desert on one of those majestic creatures.
Interact With Nature
The nature around Dubai is unique in a very particular way. Nowhere else in the world can you find the same kind of desert. There are a couple of different ways for you to explore the very beautiful landscape and unique scenery of the Arabian Desert.
Go on a desert safari
A desert Safari can be a great way to get to know the Arabian Desert either on Camelback or using a 4 by 4. Prices range from $40 on Camelback to $200 using a private Jeep.
Glamping
Glamping is camping in a semi-permanent structure. Because a glamping tent is usually big and has amenities (a proper bathroom, a kitchen) and a very comfortable bed, spending a night in the desert in this particular way is absolutely honeymoon compatible. Glamping is one of the single best ways to experience the beautiful nature of the Arab desert in a similar way as the local Bedouins do.
Night Sky Exploration
Dubai has some very good places for stargazing. People wouldn't usually think about that in the first place, with the big city and to light pollution from it there, but if you go a little bit inland you will be able to observe some very dark skies at night and the stars just pop! What better thing is there to do for newlyweds on a honeymoon than to look at all those stars and make plans for how to tackle married life together?
Do romantic stuff
Honeymoons are for doing romantic things with your spouse and boy oh boy, there's a lot of romantic stuff to do in Dubai! Cruises, picnics and couples massages are all worth considering. Or just watch the sunset together!
Cruise With Your Partner
Explore the twinkling city lights at night by doing a cruise of the local waters. First, enjoy the sunset over the water together with a drink and romantic dinner on a yacht and then just take in the incredible views of the city with your spouse.
A cruise around sunset is a very special thing to do in Dubai and there's no other place in the world with a similar experience. Dubai is uniquely suited to deliver these cruises with its combination of location, weather and the usual ocean calmness (unless there is a sandstorm).
Have a romantic Picnic between the dunes
A lakeside picnic at the Heart-shaped lagoons in the Al Qudra oasis in the desert on the outskirts of Dubai during sunset is a great way to kick off a new marriage.
The desert oasis is artificial in nature and has many man-made lakes which are nested in between large sand dunes and is one of the favourite spots for locals to experience nature.
Romantic sunrises and sunsets
Dubai is perfectly located to experience the sunrise over the desert year-round. Could there be a more romantic thing to kick off your new chapter? If you're not an early riser, then sunsets might be a better thing for you and in Dubai, you're in luck: Sunsets happen over the ocean every single day of the year!
A romantic couples massage
Dubai might internationally not be that well known for its spas, but we do not understand why. Because this place has amazing spas, which are luxury through and through. Do you want to pamper your newlywed spouse? Then consider this activity on your Dubai honeymoon. You won't be disappointed and your partner will remember the experience for years to come.
Explore great heights at Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world with a total height of 2,722 ft or 829.8 m. The observatory is located at a height of 1,823 ft (555 m) and the building houses the world's highest restaurant (At.mosphere) on the 122nd floor at a height of 1,450 ft (442 m).
Who can say they ate in the highest restaurant of the world during their honeymoon? Probably not many people!
Fun fact: Cleaning the windows of the enormous building takes 36 workers three to four months under normal conditions, when all building maintenance units are operational, according to wikipedia.
World-class Shopping
Dubai has some of the best shopping in the world. The Dubai Mall is the second largest shopping mall in the world by total area according to wikipedia. The mall is located right next to the tallest building in the world and the complex attracts between 40 and 80 million visitors a year.
It is home to 1000 retailers, a giant aquarium and underwater zoo, the fossil of a very large dinosaur (24 meters long) and it has the largest piece of acrylic panel in the world, measuring 105 by 27 feet and 29 inches thick (or 32 meters by 8.3 meters at 75 cm thick) weighing in at 245 tons.
Excellent Restaurants
For the foodies in the audience, there's some good news! Dubai has 67 restaurants that made it into the prestigious Michelin guide. There are excellent food options available here for every ethnic flavour. From local Arabic cuisine to French, Italian, Japanese, Greek, Indian, Chinese and Lebanese. Surely there's something here for you worth remembering!
Adrenaline junkies
Have you considered picking up kite surfing? Or maybe renting a supercar? Are you into skydiving? Adrenaline junkies find an activity to do in Dubai.
Dubai is known for having supercars everywhere. That goes so far, that the police are driving Porsches and Lamborghinis! Dubai is a great place to rent a supercar and experience what it is like, to cruise with a couple of hundred horsepower.
The Persian Gulf has some great waters to learn kite surfing, a water sport for which strong and constant wind is essential. The wind is best between February and August but even in the lower wind months (September to January), Dubai has better winds than many other places.
If you've always wanted to give kite surfing a try and you find yourself in Dubai for your honeymoon you're in luck! This is a great place for kite surfing lessons.
Not only is skydiving in Dubai exhilarating! Because of the warm to hot weather year-round, it is quite a pleasant activity to cool down. After all, it's colder up there in the plane. Did you know, that the US military trained their paratroopers in Arizona because of the great weather there which allows for almost year-round operations? Dubai is similar. Unless there's a strong wind, sky diving can be done every day of the year.
Sun-bath
The city of Dubai is located right next to the ocean and has some great beaches to offer with beautiful teal waters.
Ocean Beach is probably the most beautiful and famous beach in all of Dubai, with great views of Burj-Al Arab. Please note, that ocean beach is private property and only accessible to hotel guests. A public alternative is Jumeirah Beach.
Relax at Dubai Marina
Dubai Marina is a fairly new residential district in Dubai. It has some great views and incredible restaurants. The views from the rooftop bars are particularly stunning. Our favourite one is Pure Sky Lounge. Make sure to book a table, the place can get quite busy!
Dance The Night Away
Dubai has very good nightclubs, the best of which is BLU Dubai. The place is known for both the premier DJs and occasionally for international artists and stretches over multiple levels inside the W Hotel building. Of course, all of that means that it comes with a supreme price tag.
Watch Camel racing
Camel racing is a big deal in the gulf region. It is similar to horse racing in the US, England and Australia. Why not experience the local culture by spending a day at the races and watching camels compete with each other? It can be quite fun!
The best time of year to visit Dubai
So you're considering coming to Dubai for your honeymoon, but what is the best time of year to visit? Dubai can get scorching hot in the summer, 110 degrees (43 Celsius) happen regularly. That's why it is best to visit Dubai during the Fall, Winter and Spring in between September and April. In September, the maximum daily temperature drops to a more reasonable 100 F (38 C), which is still hot but at least more bearable. In January, the daily highs are 77 Fahrenheit (about 25 degrees Celsius) and the low comes in at around 60 degrees (15 C).
The Sweet Spot in terms of the best weather is around October, November, February, March and April. Keep in mind though that for the second stretch in Spring, the chances for rainy days increase significantly. Rain is almost impossible to experience in Dubai in the Fall, but can happen in the Spring.
If we do not want scorching hot days and we also do not want to have precipitation interfere with our daily activities, then the best months to pay a visit to Dubai are October and November.
Let's also not forget to mention sandstorm season. Sandstorms are anything but unusual in Dubai and happen most often in the summer months, another reason to prefer not visiting then. But sandstorms can also happen when the weather transitions between seasons, for instance when winter becomes spring and rising temperatures cause strong winds to form.
How much does a honeymoon in Dubai cost?
When it comes to the costs of your honeymoon in Dubai, that number can vary widely. Dubai is not a cheap place and caters mainly to more affluent travellers. That's especially true if you stay in one of the ultra-luxurious hotels and you fly in first class with Emirates or private.
But you do not need to be rich to enjoy a honeymoon in Dubai. For as little as a couple of grand, you can spend two unforgettable weeks here. Budget travellers will have it harder to make this place work. It might be better to go elsewhere instead if money is a constraint for you. Have you considered the more affordable, yet phenomenal options of Bali or Thailand?
Is Dubai a good holiday for couples?
Dubai is an excellent place for couples to visit. It has some of the best hotels in the world catering to your every need as well as some amazing spas for couples massages. Do you like to enjoy fine dining on a date night? Dubai has got you covered with one of its many Michelin-rated restaurants and views to die for. There are many couple-friendly activities to do in Dubai.
Which is better for a honeymoon? Dubai or Maldives?
Dubai and the Maldives are very different places that offer very different activities to you. Dubai is all about the desert: You can explore the dunes like nowhere else. Dubai is all about luxury too and has some amazing hotels and restaurants as well as world-class shopping.
The Maldives, on the other hand, is an archipelagic state which offers a plethora of different ocean activities. There is just no desert to be found here but some excellent water with year-round pleasant temperatures and great visibility.
In terms of luxury indulgence, there's probably not much between the two places: Both are very luxurious and known for that fact around the world. So ask yourself: Would you rather explore a busy city with an adjacent desert or would you rather stay in a bungalow over the water and do some world-class ocean activities like snorkelling or scuba diving?
If it is the former, then Dubai is for you the better place to spend your honeymoon. If it is the latter, then the Maldives should be where you commence the first trip of your happily ever after.
Conclusion
Dubai is an excellent place for a honeymoon so much so that we would say that it is one of the better places in the world to start your new adventure with your newly wedded spouse. From the luxury hotels to the many pampering spas and the incredible restaurant options: It is hard to think of a place that is better suited than Dubai for a perfect honeymoon - if you can afford it.
We would highly recommend you to not visit during the summer months because of the enormous heat outside during that time of the year. The spring fall and winter months are much better suited for a visit.