Nightlife in Dubai
Dubai City Nightlife, by Dubai City Guide Summer 2008
Nighttime is when Dubai City truly comes alive, when the weather is cooler and the business world has come to rest awhile. A kaleidoscope of lights, music, crowds and eclectic cuisine, city of Dubai has a nightlife that’s completely different from what you see during the day. The pale grey highways transform in to fluorescent lit beelines to the most happening clubs and venues in Dubai. Neon lights are in abundance, with every possible signboard lit up with many different colors. It’s a bold spectacle and may not be for everyone, but for those who love to have an active social life, the Dubai nightlife is probably the most diverse in the Middle East.
Dubai is about ‘living it big’ and the nightlife is a heavy testament to that epithet. Numerous bars, clubs, restaurants, lounges and outdoor venues speak volumes about the liberal atmosphere provided for the city’s mostly expatriate crowds. But, because UAE is a predominantly Islamic nation, there are restrictions enforced on alcohol consumption. Alcohol is served in hotels and licenced nightlife complexes, but public consumption is strictly prohibited.
Most people consider the hotel nightclubs and bars as the ideal nightlife spots in Dubai, for several reasons. The hotel nightlife scene is generally inexpensive and yet keeps the crowd selective and private. Since they are licenced to serve alcohol, most Western and European socialites prefer the hotels. The Blue Bar at Novotel on Sheikh Zayed Road is especially popular among the chic crowd. The Irish Village at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, 3600 in Jumeirah and the Apartment Lounge & Club in Jumeirah Beach Hotel are also places to check out. Trilogy, at the Arabian Resort in Madinat Jumeirah was heavily popular, but has now closed down for renovations and will not reopen as a nightclub.
Dubai nightlife is usually themed, ranging from American and Irish to Arabic and Latin American. Happy Hours and Ladies’ Nights are popular and the nightlife is extremely crowded on Thursdays and Saturdays.
