New Year’s Eve in Dubai
If you're looking for a place close to home to celebrate New Year, then Dubai has a lot to offer. With a win to host the Expo 2020 under their belt, the city is ready to mark the New Year with some of the most spectacular celebrations you are likely to find anywhere.
New Years Eve, Dubai - Photo Courtesy of Flickr - Sarah Ackerman We've picked the best places to spend New Year in Dubai and suggested some hotels that will be ideal for watching the celebrations. Palm Island
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai - Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons - Imre Solt Dubai isn't a city that would let an opportunity to break a Guinness World Record pass them by and the celebrations for winning Expo 2020 have provided the perfect excuse. The attempt to break the record for 'Largest Fireworks Display' will take place across the whole of The Palm Jumeirah and the islands of The World. The six-minute display will cover a distance of around 100km of seafront and will involve nearly half a million fireworks, all set to music specially arranged for the event. The display will be easily visible from vantage points across the whole of the city, but the hotels on the Palm Jumeirah will enjoy the best views and all are hosting parties or events to celebrate the world record attempt. A stay at any of the hotels below will make sure you have a mind-blowing view of the celebrations:
Atlantis the Palm
Fairmont the Palm, Resort & Spa
Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah
Jumeirah Beach
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai - Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons - Imre Solt Once the six-minute world record attempt is over, your attention should be firmly focused on Jumeirah Beach as the fireworks continue with a 15 minute display taking place over a kilometer stretch of the beach. The fireworks are bound to impress with famous sights such as the Burj Al Arab as a backdrop. Cameras at the ready! Unsurprisingly, the best hotels for enjoying this display include:
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Madinat Jumeirah Hotels - Mina A'Salam, Al Qasr or Dar Al Masyaf
Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort
Burj Khalifa
View from the Burj Khalifa, Dubai - Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons - Patano Images of the fireworks at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, are being broadcast around the world each year much in the same way as those in New York's Times Square and Sydney's Harbour are. Due to this, it is now the most popular place to spend New Year's Eve. Before you decide to head downtown be sure you are not afraid of crowds, as another 500,000 people are likely to be headed to the same place. Whilst a record breaking attempt is taking place at Palm Island, the residents and visitors in Downtown Dubai can watch fireworks cascading down this beautiful building. This will be an extremely memorable, yet crowded, place to spend your New Year's Eve. Downtown hotels that will put you in reach of the best vantage points for watching the fireworks are:
Armani Hotel Dubai
The Address Downtown Dubai
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Wherever you choose to spend New Year's Eve 2013, if you're spending it in Dubai make sure you're not relying on public transport, the metros will be extremely busy, as will taxis so get where you want to be as early as possible. Related links: