February has the best weather of the Dubai year – about 25°C by day and 16°C at night, warm sun without the heat. In 2027 it also carries Ramadan, expected to begin around 8 February, which changes the rhythm of the city substantially. Visiting during it is entirely possible and in some ways better, but only if you know what to expect.
The weather, precisely
February is the peak of the comfortable season. The one number to note is the sea at about 21°C – the coolest of the year, because water lags air by a couple of months. Hotel pools are generally heated in winter; confirm yours is if swimming is part of the plan.
Ramadan in Dubai, 2027
Ramadan is expected to run from about 8 February to 9 March 2027, confirmed by local moon sighting, so the start may move by a day. Eid al-Fitr follows.
Dubai is far more relaxed about it than most of the region, and the rules changed materially a few years ago. What is actually true now:
- Most restaurants and cafes stay open during daylight. Since 2021 they are no longer required to screen off their dining areas, and food courts and hotel restaurants operate normally. This is the single most out-of-date piece of advice you will read elsewhere.
- You should still not eat, drink or smoke while walking around in public – on the street, in the metro, in a taxi. Do it seated in a venue. Water in hand on the pavement is the thing to avoid.
- Working hours shorten by two hours across both public and private sectors, so offices, some government services and a few attractions run reduced schedules.
- Live music is paused and nightclubs largely close for the month. Bars in licensed hotels generally serve, but from later in the evening and quietly.
- Alcohol is not served during daylight hours in most venues.
- Iftar at sunset is the event of the day. Hotels and iftar tents run large buffets; they book out, and they are one of the best ways to experience the month. Suhoor, the late-night meal, runs until the early hours.
- Traffic in the hour before sunset is genuinely dangerous – everyone is hurrying home to break their fast. Do not schedule an airport run then.
- Malls, souks and the city stay open very late, and the night-time atmosphere is the best of the year.
Hotel rates often soften during Ramadan even though the weather is excellent, which makes it one of the better value windows in the high season.
What February is for
- Everything outdoors. This is the month to walk Al Fahidi, ride an abra across the Creek, do the souks, and spend a full day on the beach without suffering.
- The desert. Peak safari conditions, with cold nights – take layers.
- Global Village and the Miracle Garden, both in their cool-season window.
- Outdoor dining and rooftops, which are unusable for half the year.
- The Dubai Jazz Festival usually falls in February; dates announced annually.
February and January are also the two months with any real chance of rain, which arrives hard, floods roads and clears quickly.
Prices and crowds
High season, with a Ramadan wrinkle: rates that would normally be at their peak often ease once Ramadan starts, and then climb again for Eid. Book desert tours, brunches and restaurants in advance regardless.
What to pack
Summer clothing plus a jacket for the evenings, and warm layers for a desert night. Modest clothing matters more during Ramadan – covered shoulders and knees in public areas, malls and older districts. Swimwear for beaches and hotels only. Sunscreen, and a light waterproof for the small chance of rain.
The February 2027 calendar
- Around Monday 8 February – Ramadan expected to begin; confirmed by local moon sighting.
- Through Ramadan – shortened working hours, no public eating or drinking in daylight, no live music, late-night malls and souks.
- Each evening – iftar at sunset; heavy traffic in the hour before, then empty streets.
- Through February – best weather of the year; peak desert-safari conditions.
- Through February – Global Village and the Miracle Garden open.
- Usually February – the Dubai Jazz Festival; dates announced annually.
- Around 10 March – Eid al-Fitr, closing Ramadan.
Read alongside
- Dubai in January – the coolest month and peak rates.
- Dubai in March – Eid al-Fitr and the last of the good weather.
- Best time to visit Dubai – all twelve months compared.
- Dubai itinerary – how to structure the days.
- Things to do in Dubai – indoor and out.
- Dubai trip cost – what high season costs.
- Dubai travel guide – the districts and how they differ.
Frequently asked
When is Ramadan in Dubai in 2027?
Expected to begin around 8 February and run to about 9 March 2027, with Eid al-Fitr following. The start is confirmed by local moon sighting and can shift by a day.
Can tourists visit Dubai during Ramadan?
Yes, and it is a good time to. Attractions, hotels and most restaurants operate, rates often soften, and the night-time atmosphere is the best of the year. You simply adjust: no eating, drinking or smoking while walking in public, modest dress, and no live music.
Are restaurants open during Ramadan in Dubai?
Most are. Since 2021 restaurants are no longer required to screen off their dining areas during daylight, and food courts and hotel restaurants run normally. Much of the advice online on this point is out of date.
Can you drink alcohol in Dubai during Ramadan?
Only in licensed hotel venues, and generally not during daylight hours. Nightclubs largely close for the month and live music is paused.
How hot is Dubai in February?
About 25°C by day and 16°C at night – the best weather of the year. The sea is around 21°C, its coolest, so check whether your hotel pool is heated.
Is February a good time to visit Dubai?
For weather, it is the best month. Everything outdoors works, the desert is at its peak, and in 2027 Ramadan brings both a distinctive atmosphere and softer rates.
Does it rain in Dubai in February?
Occasionally. January and February account for most of Dubai’s few rainy days a year. It comes hard and briefly, floods roads and snarls traffic, then clears.
What is iftar?
The meal breaking the daily fast at sunset. Hotels and dedicated tents run large iftar buffets through Ramadan – they book out, and they are one of the best things to do in the city that month.
You Might Also Love
Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
