Dubai’s dazzling white sands
The coming months bring prime beach weather to the Arabian Gulf, and we snag a lounger at Dubai’s finest beachfront havens, including the stunning new Address Beach Resort.
Surfers dotting the balmy waves, children building sandcastles and sunbathers lounging on golden sands beneath cloudless skies – this could be your view in Dubai this autumn and winter. With the mercury rising higher than the record-breaking skyscrapers in this city between the desert sands and the Arabian Gulf (aka the Persian Gulf), the cooler months are the ideal time to hit Dubai’s beaches, where holidaymakers enjoy pleasant daytime temperatures of around 25C. Catering to the seasonal sunbathing influx between around September and April, a string of glamorous beach clubs and resorts lines the peninsular coastline and artificial islands, the newest of which is Address Beach Resort in the Jumeirah Beach Residence area.
Typically for Dubai, the Address group’s first beach property launched with two impressive records: the world’s highest infinity pool, which comes close to the Eiffel Tower in height and two Olympic pools in length, and the planet’s highest occupiable skybridge floor, from the 63rd to 77th floors at a lofty 965.7ft. If these steel-and-glass realisations of architectural fantasies seem hard to comprehend, relax in a curvy lounge pod embedded in the pool – with an equally incredible view of artificial Bluewaters Island and its Ain Dubai Ferris wheel, the world’s tallest at almost twice the height of the London Eye.
Also on the rooftop is Asian fusion restaurant ZETA Seventy Seven, one of five dining options, while down on the 75th floor are a fitness centre and a well-being studio offering yoga classes, as well as an 8,673sq ft spa with a sauna, steam room, couple’s suite and outdoor cabanas. The beach in question is sandy Marina Beach, with the promenade and the wavy green channel of Dubai Marina at the foot of the sky-pierced rectangle formed by the resort’s two towers, skybridge and lower bridge.
With so many activities on the resort’s doorstep, most guests won’t spend much time in their room, but the property nonetheless offers 217 rooms and suites – plus 443 one- to five-bedroom serviced apartments and plush residences. Staying in pads such as the three-bedroom, 3,000sq ft Presidential Suite, featuring a balcony perfect for family sundowners with views of Ain Dubai, beach breaks just got a whole lot more stylish and luxurious.
Insider tip: The resort’s address is The Walk, which offers one of motorway-riven Dubai’s most pleasant experiences of street life, with a mile-long pedestrianised avenue of markets, pop-up stalls, boutiques, buskers and cafés.
The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence; addresshotels.com/en/resorts/address-beach-resort
Four spots to lounge by the sea in Dubai
Experience Dubai’s beach life at these hangouts on the sands, which give a sense of the diverse options for spending a sunny day on the Arabian Gulf.
Feel the beat at WHITE Beach
Dubai superclub WHITE opened this chic beach club at The Palm Jumeirah’s first landmark resort in November 2019, offering skyline views across the Arabian Gulf from its infinity pool with in-water sun loungers. Relaxing in a shaded cabana segues into brunch or dinner at the restaurant and sunset DJ sets.
Atlantis, The Palm, Crescent Road, The Palm Jumeirah; atlantis.com/dubai/atlantis-the-palm
Praia Dubai’s island in the sun
Travel the Mediterranean through the cuisine at this restaurant and lounge on a palm-shaped man-made island’s landward stem – it’s technically the petiole, but no one’s checking with those stunning views of seafront skyscrapers to enjoy. Palm West Beach’s bronzed sunbathers and sizzling sunsets are right outside.
FIVE Palm Jumeriah, The Palm Jumeirah; praiadubai.com
A beach that defies belief at The Terrace
In Dubai, even beaches can be stupendous engineering feats. Jumeirah imported 1,000 tonnes of white sand from Saudi Arabia to create the beach on the artificial island home of its sail-shaped hotel, the Burj Al Arab. Along with two pools, SAL Restaurant and more, the beach is part of the hotel’s 10,8000sq ft outdoor terrace, which was itself made in Finland and shipped to Dubai.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim 3; jumeirah.com/en/article/experiences/dubai/baa/burj-al-arab-terrace
Beach getaways at One&Only The Palm
Back on The Palm Jumeirah, the One&Only resort’s secluded beach helps create its dreamy Moorish ambience, which you can experience with an indulgent beach day on its oversized daybeds, in its 9,000sq ft infinity pool and at its al fresco restaurants. Air-conditioned cabanas, private showers and a butler service add further luxury, with high-energy water sports and treatments at Guerlain Spa also on offer.
West Crescent, The Palm Jumeirah; oneandonlyresorts.com/the-palm/experiences
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