Well deserved…

Last year, Dubai was named the world’s prettiest city at night by Travelbag, and the long-haul travel specialists have once again named the city the world’s prettiest city at night this year.

Last year, our capital, Abu Dhabi also appeared on the list at the ninth position, a spot it retains once again this year.

Travelbag is a part of dnata – one of the world’s largest air and travel services providers. Its study also took into consideration light pollution and safety levels. As many as 136 of the world’s most popular cities were analysed for the study.

Here are the cities that made it to the top 10.

  1. Dubai, UAE
  2. Tokyo, Japan
  3. Muscat, Oman
  4. Singapore
  5. Hiroshima, Japan
  6. Kyoto, Japan
  7. New York City, USA
  8. Sydney, Australia
  9. Abu Dhabi, UAE
  10. Taipei, Taiwan

The study also shows that Dubai received a rating of 52.8 out of 100 for light and noise pollution, whereas Abu Dhabi rated 48.5 out of 100.

As for safety levels (when walking at night), Dubai rated 83.4 on a safety measure of 100, with Abu Dhabi rating a bit higher at 85.7 out of 100

On Instagram, users added the hashtag Dubai at night (#Dubaiatnight) a total of 27,387 times. Another impressive fact shared with Travelbag – this month alone Dubai was searched for a total number of 465,000 on Google.

Dubai General Marina Evening Brunches

Sheryl, Destination Manager for the Middle East and Indian Ocean at Travelbag said, “Some of the best views can be seen from Burj Khalifa, but having the Burj Khalifa in your view at night is one of the most mesmerising views there are.”

As a top tip, she suggests: ‘Head to a restaurant at Souk Al Bahar, where you can not only see the Burj Khalifa but also catch the famous fountain shows.’ She also suggests heading to one of the city’s very many rooftop bars to enjoy the glistening views of the night sky.

Well done, Dubai and Abu Dhabi!

The best of the best…

In January 2024, Dubai was named as the world’s most popular travel destination for 2024 according to the Tripadvisor 2024 Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ Awards. The stats, based on reviews and ratings collected over the past 12 months, saw Dubai beat the likes of London, Marrakech, Bali and Paris to snag the coveted top spot.

Images: Getty Images