TOURISM IN UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) lies along the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula (between 22º 50 and 26º north latitude and between 51º and 56º 25 east longitude). Qatar is situated to the north-west, Saudi Arabia to the west, south and south-east, and Oman to the south-east and north-east. Occupying an area of about 83,600 sq. km (32,400 sq. miles), the UAE is roughly the size of Portugal. Its coastline (which used to measure 1318 km before land reclamation projects extended this figure) stretches along the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, the UAE is warm and sunny in winter and hot and humid during the summer months. Winter daytime temperatures average a very pleasant 26°C, although nights can be relatively cool, between 12–15°C on the coast, and less than 5°C in the depths of the desert or high in the mountains. Local north-westerly winds frequently develop during the winter, bringing cooler windy conditions. Summer temperatures are in the mid-40s, but can be higher inland. Humidity in coastal areas averages between 50 and 60 per cent, touching over 90 per cent in summer and autumn. Inland it is far less humid.

Rainfall is sparse and intermittent. In most years it rains during the winter months, usually in February or March, but occasionally earlier. Winter rains take the form of short sharp bursts, which, if occurring in the Hajar Mountains, run off rapidly into wadis and onto the down washed gravel plains. Localized thunderstorms occasionally occur during the summer. Generally appearing over the mountains of the south and east of the country, these rumbling cloudbursts can give rise to severe flash floods.

Some years are totally dry and it is only through the regular formation of dew that vegetation and wildlife can survive. This applies even to those places that experience a relatively high annual rainfall: at the Hajar Mountain town of Masafi, for example, 350 mm may fall in a ‘wet’ year, whereas as little as 30 mm may be recorded in a ‘dry’ year.

When to visit

The very best time to visit the UAE is between September and May.

By September the summer heat is abating, although humidity can still be relatively high, blue skies are the norm and the evenings are warm. At this stage the tourist season is well under way.

Daytime temperatures are ideal during November, December, January and February (around 24 C), although the evenings can be a little cool. North-westerly winds sometimes blow during these winter months, bringing choppy seas. Most of the annual rainfall occurs between December and March, but this tends to be in the form of short heavy downpours that rapidly clear away. Indeed some winters are totally dry.

By March–April, temperatures are beginning to increase during the day, but humidity is still low and the evenings are warm.  The mercury continues to rise during May, peaking from June to August. July and August can be quite hot and humid. However hotels and golf clubs and other facilities offer very good deals during the summer months and it is worth remembering that hotels, shopping malls, in fact all buildings, cars, buses etc.