Sunrise in Dubai Today - Sunrise Time Today

Sunrise, sunset, golden hour and daylight hours for Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai sits at 25.20°N, just north of the Tropic of Cancer, so its seasonal daylight swing is mild compared to higher-latitude cities. Around the June solstice the city sees roughly 13h 40m of daylight, with sunrise around 5:29 AM and sunset around 7:11 PM; around the December solstice that drops to roughly 10h 30m. Use the calculator below for sunrise, sunset, solar noon, and golden hour on any date of the year.

25.20°N, 55.27°E Time zone: GST (UTC+4, no DST) Longest day: ~13h 40m (Jun 21) Shortest day: ~10h 30m (Dec 21)

☀ Best Places to Watch Sunrise & Sunset in Dubai

Dubai's newer beachfront districts — Kite Beach, JBR, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina — have western and northwestern-facing waterfronts that give good views toward the Arabian Gulf as the sun goes down, which makes them the natural choice for sunset, while the desert to the south and the older Dubai Creek waterfront to the east give a more open, unobstructed horizon for sunrise, away from the high-rise skyline. The UAE observes Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4) year-round with no daylight saving changes, and Dubai's lower latitude (around 25°N) means the seasonal swing in day length is far gentler than in cities further from the equator: about 13 hours 44 minutes of daylight around the June solstice against about 10 hours 37 minutes around the December one. Even so, the sunrise/sunset extremes don't land exactly on the solstices — in 2026 the earliest sunset falls around November 29–30, while the latest sunrise isn't until around January 13.

Al Qudra Desert & Love Lakes Sunrise

An open desert cycling track around 40 minutes south of central Dubai by car, with rolling dunes, artificial lakes, and an uninterrupted eastern horizon — a favourite with cyclists who start before dawn to beat the heat. The track is open 24 hours and free to use, with bike rental available near the main car park. No public transport reaches the area, so it's a drive, taxi, or rideshare. In summer, early morning is generally the most comfortable time to be outdoors here.

Dubai Creek – Al Seef & Al Fahidi Sunrise

The historic waterfront where wooden abras still ferry passengers across the creek, with the Al Seef and Al Fahidi districts giving an old-Dubai contrast to the glass towers elsewhere in the city. Quiet and largely empty at dawn, with cafés opening as the morning gets going. Nearest transit: Al Fahidi or Al Ghubaiba Metro stations, both a walk from the creek.

Burj Khalifa – At the Top, Level 124/125 Sunrise

A special early-morning "Sunrise" ticket gives access to the observation decks well before the general daytime crowds, with a light breakfast included at The Café afterwards. It's a timed, prebooked ticket rather than walk-up access, and the specific days and opening times have varied, so check current availability and hours when booking. Entrance is via The Dubai Mall.

Kite Beach Sunset

A free public beach along the Jumeirah shoreline with an open, unobstructed view of the Gulf and the Burj Al Arab as a backdrop. The sand is accessible 24 hours a day; lifeguard supervision and swimming rules have varied by season and time of day, so check current signage before swimming after dark. Nearest transit: bus route 81 to the Manara or Enoc 1/2 stops, both a short walk from the beach.

Palm Jumeirah – Palm West Beach Sunset

The Palm's western promenade opens onto the Gulf, with Atlantis, The Palm forming a striking silhouette as the sky changes colour behind it. Palm West Beach is a free, open waterfront area. Nearest transit: the Palm Monorail from Gateway Towers; the Dubai Tram serves a Palm Jumeirah station near the monorail's mainland end.

Dubai Marina Walk & JBR Beach Sunset

A free waterfront promenade along the marina canal, open to walkers around the clock even though individual restaurants and shops keep their own hours, and connected by a short walk or tram ride to JBR's open beach. As the sun drops, the marina's glass towers pick up gold and copper light over the water — one of the most popular sunset settings in the city, especially in the cooler months. Nearest transit: Dubai Tram to Marina Towers or JBR 1/JBR 2.

◉ Best Times for Sun Photography

☀️ Longest day — around the June solstice (~Jun 20–21), with the earliest sunrise in the first half of June and the latest sunset not until early July

❄️ Shortest day — around the December solstice (~Dec 21–22), but the earliest sunset actually falls around November 29–30, and the latest sunrise not until around January 13

🌡️ Gentler seasonal swing — daylight runs from around 13h44m near the June solstice to about 10h37m near the December one, a much narrower range than at higher latitudes

🕰️ Golden hour — the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low and the light is softer and warmer; from roughly June to September, daytime heat makes sunrise the more comfortable window for being outdoors

📷 Quick Photography Tips

🎯A tripod helps on breezy or dusty days, especially on the open desert track at Al Qudra and at exposed beachfront spots

📷Shoot RAW and bracket exposures — the sun is far brighter than the sea, skyline, or desert around it, so blending frames in post gives cleaner results than a single exposure

🏙️A longer lens compresses the sun against the towers from Dubai Marina or Palm Jumeirah; a wide-angle suits the open dunes at Al Qudra or the historic waterfront at Dubai Creek

⏱️Arrive 30–45 minutes early if you want time to choose a composition and set up your equipment

🕶️Never look at the sun directly through a viewfinder or unfiltered lens — use live view/screen framing when the disc is above the horizon

🌡️From June to September, daytime heat builds fast after sunrise, so plan an early start and bring water rather than lingering once the light has passed

🕐 Timezone

Dubai operates on Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4) year-round — the UAE does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset never changes with the seasons, which makes it one of the simpler timezones to plan around.

🌐 Other Locations

For sunrise and sunset times in any other city worldwide, visit our sunrise/sunset calculator on the home page.

✓ Your Dubai Sunrise & Sunset Checklist

Before You Go

Check today's exact sunrise/sunset times above — GST doesn't change through the year, so at least the timezone offset is one less thing to double-check
For the Burj Khalifa sunrise session, book in advance and confirm the current days and time slot, since it isn't offered as a daily walk-up option
From June to September, plan any outdoor sunrise trip for the early morning — daytime heat makes the desert and open beaches uncomfortable soon after the sun is up
Al Qudra has no public transport access, so arrange a car, taxi, or rideshare in advance

What to Bring

Plenty of water and sun protection, even for an early start — temperatures climb quickly once the sun is up
A light layer for the desert at dawn, which can feel surprisingly cool before sunrise even in a hot climate
A longer lens for skyline shots from Dubai Marina or Palm Jumeirah; a wide-angle for the open desert at Al Qudra or the Creek waterfront
An RTA nol card for the Metro, Tram, and water bus

On the Morning or Night

Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to give yourself time to find a position and set up
Shoot RAW and bracket exposures to hold detail in both the sun and the sea, skyline, or dunes
At Kite Beach and JBR, the shoreline can get busy for sunset in the cooler months (October–April) — arrive early for an unobstructed spot
Lifeguard hours and swimming rules at Kite Beach and JBR can vary by season, so check current signage rather than assuming supervision after dark