Dubai public beaches 2026: night swimming, hours and rules
Dubai Municipality's public beaches are free and open around the clock, with lifeguards from sunrise to sunset. Night swimming is allowed only at Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1, from sunset to sunrise, and Al Mamzar Beach Park opens daily from 8am to 10pm.
Dubai's public beaches run by Dubai Municipality are free to enter and open around the clock, with lifeguards on duty from sunrise to sunset. If you want to swim after dark, go to one of the three night-swimming beaches at Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1, which are lit and staffed by lifeguards from sunset to sunrise. Al Mamzar Beach Park, the one beach area with set hours, opens every day from 8am to 10pm.
Entry and opening hours
Dubai Municipality says its beaches are service centres that charge no entrance fee, apart from fees for any service you ask for. Jumeirah 1 Beach and the Al Mamzar beach are listed as open to the public around the clock. Al Mamzar Beach Park keeps its own hours: 8am to 10pm, every day. For anything the pages do not answer, the municipality's number is 800900.
Jumeirah 1 Beach
The municipality describes Jumeirah 1 as one of the quietest beaches in the city, used mostly by people who live nearby. The whole beach is set aside for swimming, and a jogging track runs along it for 1,350 metres. Trained lifeguards sit at fixed posts and patrol the length of the beach from sunrise to sunset. Its Makani number is 2366190075.
Al Mamzar Lagoon Beach
At the northern end of the city, the Mamzar Lagoon Beach stretches for 3.5 kilometres and is the one the municipality recommends for families. It is kept entirely for swimming, away from water sports. Along it you will find outdoor gym equipment, a walking and jogging track and a cycle track, plus beach access paths for people of determination and older visitors. Lifeguards are on duty from sunrise to sunset. Its Makani number is 3389399208.
In January 2025 the municipality said a second phase at Al Mamzar Corniche would add a gated beach for women with night swimming, a seasonal events area, a skate area and 1,000 metres of running, walking and cycling paths, with completion expected by the end of 2025. Its beaches page does not yet list hours for these new areas, so check on 800900 before you go.
Night swimming
Dubai Municipality opened three night-swimming beaches in May 2023, at Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1, each an 800-metre stretch. Night swimming runs from sunset to sunrise. The beaches have floodlights, screens with safety messages and a team of lifeguards with rescue equipment and beach bicycles. The municipality said in December 2024 that about 1.5 million people had used them in their first 18 months.
At night, swim only inside the marked night-swimming zone. The municipality asks swimmers not to go into the sea from any other part of the beach after dark.
Beaches for families on public holidays
On busy public holidays the municipality sets some beaches aside for families only. For Eid Al Adha in 2025 it named Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1 and Umm Suqeim 2, and it did the same for the UAE National Day holiday in 2024. The list is announced before each holiday, so look for the municipality's notice in the days before.
People of determination and older visitors
The municipality's public beaches have ramps, accessible toilets, reserved parking, beach wheelchairs and floating wheelchairs, and lifeguards are trained to help visitors who need support. The night-swimming beaches also have floating chairs and a rest area for people of determination and older visitors. In October 2024 Dubai's public beaches were certified as a Certified Autism Center by IBCCES, and the accommodations at each beach can be looked up in the IBCCES Accessibility App.
Camping with a caravan
Jebel Ali beach is the one beach where the municipality allows camping with a caravan or trailer. You need a permit first, issued free on the municipality's website for 30 days, with a copy of the caravan's ownership papers and your Emirates ID, or your passport if you are visiting. The site is at Makani number 0001864652.
The rules to know
Swim where lifeguards are on duty, and follow their instructions. 2. After dark, swim only at the three night beaches and only inside the lit zone. 3. Keep children in sight the whole time. 4. Leave the beach clean.
Common questions
Do I pay to go to a public beach? Not to Dubai Municipality's beaches; fees apply only to services you ask for.
What about parking? The municipality's beach pages do not publish parking fees.
Can I swim at night anywhere? No. Only at Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1, between sunset and sunrise.