Things to do in Dubai at night

Cities often look best at night, when darkness conceals the worst of their architectural monstrosities and other questionable town-planning decisions. Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world so, even when you’re only on the 124th- and 125th-floor viewing platforms – a staggering 1,483 feet above terra firma – you’re still pretty high up. The city skyline twinkles gloriously after dark and – despite the shroud of night – you’ll easily be able to pick out the massive Ain Dubai observation wheel, the dancing Dubai Fountain and much more besides.

What you can’t really see, however, is the distinctive palm-tree outline of the Palm Jumeirah. So if aerial views of that are on your bucket list, you’ll want The View at the Palm Dubai, which hovers right above the famous peninsula. Both of these sky-high Dubai icons stay open until late, so you can easily visit before or after dinner.

Closing a little earlier, at 9PM, Dubai Frame isn’t quite so dizzyingly high, but offers pretty special views of the historic district and modern city skyline nevertheless. Likewise the Sky Views Observatory on the 53rd floor of the Address Sky View Hotel, which comes with the bonus hilarity/terror of a transparent glass slide that wraps round the exterior of the tower. Fun or folly? You decide.

There's nothing quite as stunning as seeing the bright lights of a big city bouncing off of the sea. Well, maybe there are, but in this instance we'll pretend otherwise. That's because one of the best things to do in Dubai at night is an evening cruise along the coast.

Boat trips are big business in Dubai. Very big business. And they come in all shapes and sizes: some with dinner, some without; some on modern vessels, some on traditional dhows and houseboats; some with, um, Jack Sparrow and his merry band of pirates, and many more without.

We’re all about the dinner cruises, as the sun sets over the city and the sky turns as deeply lobster-red and flamingo-pink as your own beaming sunburned face. Opt for the buffet-and-music variety if you’re the type who likes to pile your plate high with as many mismatched foods as you can fit, or take a two-hour dhow dinner cruise along Dubai Creek. Not flashy enough for ya? Make like a sheikh and book the full red carpet treatment on a Dubai Marina dhow experience that includes a 5-star dinner, Arabic dates and coffee and – yes – an actual red carpet.

Deserts can be unforgiving beasts. Miles upon miles with no water, no shade, and the delirious mirages of water fountains and freshwater streams are all things we'd rather avoid. However, a curated trip to the desert can actually be a blast, and that's what you'll experience on this desert safari and bbq dinner.

You'll commence proceedings by being driven from the city into the desert in a 4x4, where you can watch the stunning scenery turn pink and golden beneath the setting sun. Then, you'll reach a camp, where you and your fellow travelers can enjoy a delicious BBQ meal of grilled meats and other Arabic delights.

Next, settle in for the evening's entertainment. Belly dancing, shisha, sandboarding, camel riding, and more are all available to partake in, should you feel up for it after such a substantial feast. After all that, you'll be taken straight back to your hotel. Nights out don't get much more epic than that, and you’ll never have to worry about dying of thirst. Brilliant!

How does carving some sweet powder on solid ice sound for an evening? Is that what people call it? Carving powder? Who cares, because you can carve whatever you want when you take an evening trip to Dubai Ice Rink!

Head to the Dubai Mall, pull on your skates, and get ready for some pirouette action as you dazzle the crowds with your ice-skating moves. Or, crawl around the edge of the rink holding on for dear life as your feet betray you again and again. Whatever floats your boat. That wasn't an iceberg pun, simply a happy accident.

Also open late – and also absolutely freezing – Ski Dubai does away with any need to be graceful and balletic on the ice, with a whole winter wonderland of fun snowsport options to pick and choose from: tobogganing, snowboarding, giant snowball rides and snow-cavern snowball fights (yes, really) for the win.

Ever wanted to experience the world in microcosm? Global Village – as its name ably suggests – has your back. Step into its domed pavilions to experience all manner of food, fun, frolics and family entertainments, from magic shows and hip hop workshops to floating markets, acrobatic performances and gravity-defying thrill rides. More, in short, than we can usefully cover in just a couple of paragraphs. But we’ll try.

Open from October to April (because, well, it’s just too hot the rest of the time), Global Village brings together more than 90 different cultures from around the world across its vast complex, so it’s a bit of choose-your-own-adventure kinda place. You could shop Moroccan bazaars, dine on Mexican tacos and play old-school arcade games, or wander the waterfront with bubble tea before catching a high-octane motor show; ogle handpainted Turkish ceramics and gorge on sweet Yemeni honey or watch thrilling cultural dance shows over  Korean fried chicken and… well, you get the general idea.

The atmosphere here is electric and, fair to say, it’s unlikely you’ll ever run short of cool new things to see and do. Or indeed, to eat. Dig in!

Speaking of which, let's conclude our exploration of the best things to do in Dubai at night with everyone's favorite evening pastime: dinner. Nothing quite beats an epic meal to sign off your day, and you'll be pleased to hear that Dubai has a quite staggering number and variety of A-game restaurants within its opulent walls.

Even the fussiest eaters will find plenty of delightful places to sit down for a plate or three. In fact, there are so many that we wrote an entire article talking about them. If you don't feel like reading all that, don't worry, we'll break down the best of ‘em here.

If all-day brunch is your jam, check out the Bubbalicious brunch at the Marriott's Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, which is almost as much of a mouthful as the extravagant selection of dishes on offer here: it's all you can eat, and covers just about every earthly cuisine you can think of (and some you probably can’t), so you're bound to find some treats to enjoy.

Looking for something a little more lively? Try fancy French restaurant Bagatelle at the Fairmont, which serves up French and Mediterranean faves alongside live music and cocktails. 

Or, for a chic Italian spot, seek out Armani/Ristorante, and indulge in the likes of caviar, lobster, saffron risotto and all the other good things on this earth.

Was that a great night out or what? Yes? Good! Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re all tuckered out and ready to call it a day. Goodbye and goodnight!