With a slower pace of life, nightly iftar meals and fewer queues, Ramadan is a wonderful time to visit Dubai. Ramadan 2025, taking place from 1–30 March, offers a unique opportunity for visitors to experience the city in a different light – where serene daytime moments give way to bustling evenings filled with culture, cuisine, and connection.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the most significant month in the Islamic calendar, marked by fasting, prayer, and acts of generosity. The Eid Al Fitr festival marks the end of Ramadan, with city-wide celebrations, family gatherings and gift-giving.
What is the atmosphere like in Dubai?
During Ramadan, Dubai embraces a more relaxed rhythm, making it a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in local customs and traditions. While afternoons are often quieter, all major attractions, malls and restaurants are open as normal. At sunset, ceremonial cannons are fired across Dubai, including near Burj Khalifa and City Walk, to announce the end of the day’s fast. The city springs to life, as people start iftar (a meal to break the fast), with many going to elaborately decorated tents and restaurants for sociable meals. After iftar the city gets very busy, with malls and shopping districts buzzing with energy until late into the night.
Iftar in Dubai
Dining is an essential part of Ramadan, and experiencing Iftar in Dubai is a highlight. Iftar is a time of togetherness and indulgence, with restaurants, hotels, and cultural centers hosting grand feasts wherever you go in the city. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditional Emirati dishes at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding to luxurious Iftar spreads at Atlantis, The Palm’s iconic Asateer Tent.
For those looking for a more intimate experience, Bab Al Shams’ Al Hadheerah restaurant offers a desert Iftar under the stars, complete with live music, falconry displays, and traditional dance performances. Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, is equally special, with elegant Ramadan tents and open-air lounges providing an atmospheric setting to enjoy light bites and shisha before the fast resumes.
For a more casual experience, the incredibly popular Ramadan Street Food Festival will return from 6 to 23 March. Free-to-enter for all, a specially curated selection of more than 55 participating restaurants, spread across 5 zones, will showcase a diverse mix of South Indian and Asian cuisine in a family-friendly festive ambiance bustling with live music, henna artists, calligraphy, caricatures, and roaming performers. The festival will be open daily for all visitors, until 2am.
Any important etiquette tips?
While non-Muslim visitors are not required to fast, it is advisable to be mindful of those who are. A traditional greeting of “Ramadan kareem” (“generous Ramadan”) will go down well, as well as being patient with those who are fasting.
Modest dress and behaviour are especially appropriate during Ramadan. Opt for loose-fitting clothes that cover shoulders and knees (swimwear is fine around private pools or beaches at hotels) and don’t go around blasting music from your phone.
What else can I look forward to?
While most of the city’s attractions will be open late, Ramadan’s quieter afternoons are a great opportunity to enjoy Dubai’s sights with fewer crowds. Foodies can join special Ramadan-themed walking tours with Frying Pan Adventures. Setting off at sunset, you’ll explore Dubai’s souks, learn their history, and join in a communal “pavement” iftar.
To experience the spirit of Ramadan, you can head to Expo City Dubai’s Hai Ramadan, a recreation of a lively Emirati neighbourhood, with workshops, activities, great food and live performances. And Jameel Arts Centre is hosting three Ramadan Nights, featuring wellness sessions, workshops, stories for children and more.
A Unique Time to Visit
Ramadan offers a different perspective of Dubai – one that is steeped in tradition, culture, and hospitality. It is an ideal time for visitors to broaden their horizons and visit record-breaking architecture, traditional neighbourhoods and white sand beaches. Combined with the spiritual and social elements of Ramadan, Aussie travellers can return home with plenty of tales to share.
Find out more at, visitdubai.com
