Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi
If you are looking for a pleasantly warm climate for New Year’s Eve, Abu Dhabi is the perfect destination.
The weather forecast for New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi usually foresees mostly sunny days, with temperatures between 24 and 18 degrees.
That usually means: short sleeves in the morning, a sweatshirt in the evening, and a good chance of greeting the new year with a refreshing swim in the Persian Gulf.
What happens in the city on December 31st
On New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi, as all over the world, one of the most anticipated events is the fireworks show , which are definitely record-breaking.
In 2021, coinciding with the Golden Jubilee, the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the United Arab Emirates , all fireworks records were broken by Sheikh Zayed Festival, one of the most important cultural festivals in the United Arab Emirates.
The fireworks display of the Festival, which takes place in the Al Wathba region lasted 40 minutes, with a generous profusion of “fires”.
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Other fireworks locations in Abu Dhabi are on Yas Island and on the Promenade of Al Maryah Island.
… And of course you can’t miss the traditional fireworks on the Corniche
New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi with peace of mind
We have already recommended it to you in previous years: get out of your head to toast on the street or on the beach or pour out too passionate greetings on the streets of the city, because, whether you are an expat or a visitor, you are still guests of an Islamic country, albeit tolerant.
In times of pandemic, we add the strong recommendation to abide by the special measures required , and not only because of the heavy penalties.
Remember that the toast, and in general the consumption of alcohol, is allowed in places with a license for alcohol, and that for the most part these are bars and restaurants inside the hotels, accessible even to those who are not guests of the hotel, always in compliance with the anti COVID-19 security measures.
New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi: things to know, best wishes to do
Finally, a couple of curiosities. New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi is a typically “expat” celebration, imported by expatriates from all over the world who form the majority of the population in Abu Dhabi.
The New Year, in fact, does not belong to the Islamic tradition. In Islam, Ràs as-San , that is the beginning of the year, is an exclusively religious festival that recalls the Hegira, the journey of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD.
Islamic New Year falls on the first day of the month of Muharram . This date varies every year because the Islamic calendar is based on the phases of the moon.
In the daily public and social life of Abu Dhabi and the Emirates, for practical reasons the reference calendar is the Gregorian one.
In fact, January 1st is a public holiday in the Emirates and for New Year, regardless of religion and cultural traditions, we exchange greetings for the new year.
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