Dubai’s floodlit night beaches get popular amid rising heat

During the scorching hot weather, Dubai has come up with a way to enjoy beaches during the summer. The city has opened its beaches during the nighttime with floodlights and lifeguards with night vision binoculars.

As one of the world’s hottest regions, the temperatures in the city rise too high for the beaches during the day amid climate change. According to an official, the idea has gained popularity since last year, with over a million people visiting the beach at night.

Every year, the metropolitan city of about 3.7 million peoplewitnesses temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius with high humidity during the summer season from June to October. This prevents the locals from having outdoor activities during the day.

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Locals enjoy the night beach

While the neighbouring region is gripped by the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Dubai locals enjoy nighttime beaches, especially on weekends.

"The temperature drops down in the evening after the sun sets. So, yeah, it's amazing," said Mohammed, 32, from Pakistan, who brought his children to enjoy the night sea without worrying about the burning sun.

"While you're... bathing inside the water, you can see the sand even on your foot and your hands and everything," said Mohammed, who has lived in Dubai for a decade.

The city has over 800 metres of designated beaches that are illuminated with large, bright floodlights, AFP reported. Shark nets have also been installed. The lifeguards, who are positioned 24 hours a day, also use night vision binoculars to keep a watch on the swimmers or kayakers. The authorities are also testing a camera system powered by artificial intelligence that would detect if someone is in distress.

While the locals visit the beach at night to enjoy and relax after work, authorities are using this as an opportunity to promote tourism in the city during summer.

"I believe we are one of the only cities in the world to have such infrastructure on public beaches at night," said Hamad Shaker, an official from the Dubai municipality.

Tourism amid extreme weather

Expats in Dubai used to vacate the city during summer to escape the heat, said Manuela Gutberlet, a tourism researcher at the University of Breda in the Netherlands. However, recent years have seen Dubai become "a year-round urban destination" with over 17 million visitors last year. The city has become a desired location for tourists due to attractions like the world’s tallest building, indoor amusement parks, and massive shopping malls.

However, climate change may harm tourism with extreme weather conditions such as torrential rains during April that disrupted life for several days.

Gutberlet highlighted the need to "adapt quickly to new risks" as such weather events can increase the temperature levels and put off some visitors.

Meanwhile, Frenchman Laziz Ahmed, 77, went to the night beach during his first holiday in the city while visiting relatives.

"During the day, I don't go out much," he said, adding that in the evening "I make up for it".

(With inputs from agencies)