Here’s a literal hot take – Dubai has been named one of the prettiest cities to visit in summer. We did a doubletake too when we came across a study by long-haul travel specialists Travel Bag.
Dubai ranked a surprising #2 on the list of 10 picturesque travel destinations to visit this summer. New York ranked #1 and Chicago and Sydney ranked #3 and #4 respectively, despite having milder summers. A maximum temperature of 33°C (lucky Chicagoans) and 26°C (even luckier Sydnesiders, ugh) can never compare to the blazing 42-45°C we Dubaiites suffer through.
#SummerInDubai ranks high on Instagram
We know people love Dubai – it was voted the most popular travel destination of 2024. However, we always assumed tourists preferred visiting during winter. Even Dubai residents leave during summer. So this study stating Dubai has scenic summers is mildly, nay, wildly amusing to us!
Travel Bag’s experts came to this conclusion by analysing Instagram hashtag data and Google search trends. Dubai nabbed the second place with 56,674 Instagram posts hashtagged #SummerinDubai on Instagram. Dubai also has a Google search volume of 2,900 searches per month. We’re unsure if any of these images feature the wall of humidity that obscures Burj Khalifa most summer days.
Pretty sights to see in Dubai during summer
But we do know the study isn’t oblivious to the contradictory nature of Dubai’s title as the prettiest summer destination. What do you take snaps of when it’s too hot to step outside? The study recommends visiting Dubai’s big air-conditioned attractions, such as Dubai Mall. Compared to New York’s recommendation of lush green Central Park and the beaches of Chicago’s Lake Michigan, our city is short-changed.
Indeed, sweaty, fiery summertime Dubai doesn’t seem the prettiest but it’s got its merits if you know where to look. We’ve got some suggestions.
- Keep an eye out for the red-flowered flame trees that blossom across the city’s manicured footpaths and parks.
- Instead of Dubai Mall, head to Burj Khalifa’s At The Top for a dizzying bird’s eye view of the City of Gold.
- Enjoy the night beaches in Dubai for a dose of nature
- For more nature, head to the mountains of Hatta, one of the most beautiful small towns in the world.