After being in the UAE for over 7 years, I recently stumbled across a miracle – Dubai’s only surf beach. At first I thought it was a joke, after seeing this little shop called the Surf House on Jumeriah Road, with bunch of surf boards lined up out the front. Even after talking to Daniel (the owner) and hearing that there is 80 days of surf per year and the peak season is now, I didn’t believe him. But 200 meters later, with the Burj Al Arab setting the scene in the background, I got my first glimpse of Dubai’s hidden surf Mecca – Sunset Beach.
I love to surf and the discovery of Sunset Beach in Dubai is something we HAD to share. Read on to find out where to go, what to wear, how to learn and when you need to get down to the beach to catch some sweet Dubai swell.
SURF BOARD
If you’re surfing, you’re going to need a board. It’s a beach break and the waves are never too crazy, so a shortboard that’s a bit wider and fatter should do you good. You can also try out long boards, mini-mals and SUP (Stand-up Paddle Boards). Generally, the smaller the waves, the bigger the board you want to use.
If you don’t have your own board, don’t worry. Hiring a board can actually be better for the local conditions because you can take the right board size to suit the waves. Even if you have your own shortboard, you might still want to hire a long board or Mal for something different.
Visit the Surf House in Dubai to hire boards just around the corner from Sunset Beach.
HIRING BOARDS
Visit the Surf House in Dubai to hire boards just around the corner from Sunset Beach. Price: AED 75 for 1 hour, AED 100 for 2 hours and AED 25 for each hour after or AED 200 to take the board for the day.
BOARDIES/WETSUIT/RASHIE (swim top)
The other essentials are the clothes you’re going to wear. If you’re a guy, we recommend stretchy board shorts and a rashie. The water is almost always warm so you don’t need a Wetsuit.
WAVES
The best swells can be found during winter between December and March – with about 80 to 100 days of surf per year. November and April sees a few waves as well (like my morning session) but you can plan your surf vacation during June to September as the waves are flat and the weather is unbearably hot.
Waves are often waist to head high in winter. On the rare times when waves are bigger, the wind usually messes things up.
How do I know when there will be waves? (Where to check the swell)
If you’re planning to go out for a paddle at Sunset Beach in Dubai you have to plan ahead otherwise you’re leaving a lot up to luck. The waves are usually pumping on windy days when there are clouds in the sky. You can also check some great online sources to check the swell see when there will be waves: Surfing Dubai (managed by the Surf House), Magic Seaweed and Swellmap.
LEARNING TO SURF
If you’ve never tried surfing but you want to give it a go, you can learn to surf with surf lessons from super friendly crew at the Surf House.
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