Yes, it’s hot, but you know what? It’s not all bad…

We’re smack bang in the middle of the most scorchio months in the UAE, and we still have peak-heat August coming up and then glasses-fogging-up-incessantly September to live through.

But, you know what? It’s not all slog. As a long-time Dubai resident, I actually don’t mind the summer. Yes, if you go to a meeting and have to find street parking, you’ll have an awkwardly sweaty encounter upon arrival, and yes, your fingers swell to sausage size when you attempt to go for a run outside.

But, you know what? There’s actually a lot to love about Dubai’s quietest (and most arid months).

Here are five reasons I actually like summer in Dubai…

#1: I can binge on bad TV without feeling guilty

One of the few downfalls of living in a place with weather as glorious as Dubai’s in December is that you feel like you need to be outside all of the time. While I really want to be the kind of person who wakes up at 6am, bounds down to the beach and spends the whole morning running/swimming/paddleboarding before going to a cafe for an açaí bowl, my bag is more rolling-out-of-bed at 9am and spending 90-minutes watching House Hunters International before even brushing my hair.

When this glorious free beach is just minutes from your home, it can be hard to justify binge watching House Hunters all day in winter. But not in summer!

And, you see, the beauty is that when it’s 40 degrees Celsius outside I feel much more justified wallowing in my blissful sloth.

#2: My commute is far less stressful

The combination of summer holidays and the fact that most people try and get out of the city for a few months in July and August mean that the roads really free up over summer. And I welcome any natural phenomenon that makes Defence ‘Roundabout’ between 5pm and 7pm easier to handle.

*ALSO READ: 5 types of Dubai drivers*

#3: Work tends to be more relaxed

In October/November and then January to March Dubai is go-go-go. There are world class events every weekend: big trade conferences, multiple gigs, fun runs, big sporting events, etc etc. The city is amazing over the winter, but as mentioned above, all of the fun activities can really get in the way of my House Hunters habit (and watching people in mid-western America hunt for homes in the early noughties is a top priority for me).

The Sevens, the races, so many festivals – it’s hard to get a minute to yourself during Dubai’s winter for fear of missing out. But not in summer!

And, with a busy city comes a busy work schedule too – so, instead of being frustrated at the moment that you can’t seem to book any meetings with any companies because most of the key decision makers are off sitting in a breeze in Spain, just embrace it.

Wallow in the calm, get your admin done and mentally prepare yourself for the silly season, because it’ll be here sooner than you think.

#4: You can find cheap deals

Sure, a staycation at a beach hotel doesn’t have quite the same appeal when it may physically harm your feet taking a stroll along the sand, but guess what? Most UAE hotels have marvelous chilled pools that one can definitely while away a few hours in and everything is far cheaper over summer…

Here are 12 food and wellbeing deals, a bunch of staycation offers, a theme park ticket offer, summer fitness deals and some pool and beach access daycation deals that you can work your way through.

ALSO READ
*10 most unexpected side effects of summer in Dubai*
*So when is the hottest time of year in Dubai?*

#5: Dubai is well set up for the heat

When I was about 17 my family and I spent Christmas in glorious Sydney. We borrowed a mate’s house, cooked a roast, and it was 35 degrees outside (at least). Sounds amazing, right? Well, in many other spots around the globe, air conditioning isn’t a guarantee. On a hot summer’s day your house becomes a breeze-less box that is far from a sanctuary. The pictures of us that Christmas in Sydney have all been put out of commission due to the fact the dye from the Christmas cracker hats started running down our foreheads because we were sweating that much (no exaggeration). Plus, this was before digital cameras, so we didn’t even know how bad we looked until after we’d actually paid someone to develop the evidence. Devastating.

But, in Dubai, everything’s set up for the heat. You can have drive thru Starbucks, find drive-thru ATMs, get your pharmacy goods delivered and you can almost always park underground.

Not only is this Dubai Costa drive-thru, it’s also open 24/7 for when you need that coffee kick at 4am on a Sunday.

Yes, summer is harder here for those who have to work outside at times (bar the banned period from 12.3pm to 3pm), but if you don’t, let’s be honest, there’s not much to complain about.

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