Sports and leisure activities Dubai

Budget & Tips

Far from the clichés that circulate, it is possible to practice sports in Dubai without breaking the bank: walking, jogging, callisthenics and cycling are some of the free or very affordable activities that can be practiced in Dubai. So we have put together a list of all the tours, places to do them and where to rent bikes.

During the month of November, as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge, the practice of multiple sports activities for 30 minutes a day is strongly encouraged and offered free of charge in many places in the city. Between one and two million people take advantage of this every year.

What's very local

The real national sport is motor sports if it is considered a real sport. For camel racing and falconry, they are more trainers than actors, since in the first case, the camels are not ridden and in the second it is the falcon that does all the work. As soon as the temperature drops, we can see some dhow races (locally made wooden boats) taking place off the coast of Dubai. What one hardly suspects, however, is that the women are very coquettish, but that the men also pay great attention to their physique by regularly going to the barber for a manicure or pedicure.

Your documents please

Bring your passport for all motor sport activities. A photocopy is not sufficient.

To be booked

To visit the new Sheikh Mohamed library free of charge, you must reserve your slot on the internet. Also, if you want to avoid disappointment, remember to book your tickets for the most popular tours and shows online.

Main events

Several annual events mark the sporting life of Dubai. At the end of November, the DP World Tour in Dubai, also known as "Race to Dubai", names the European Tour golf champion. Dubai run marks the end of the wellness and fitness month, the Dubai Fitness Challenge. Launched in 2017, it challenges residents to perform at least 30 minutes of activity every day for 30 days. In early December, Dubai Creek Striders organizes the 1/2 marathon around the Creek and in January it's the turn of Dubai Marathon . In February and since 2019, it's the Tour of the United Arab Emirates, a 7-stage, nearly 1,000-kilometer men's road bike race (part of the UCI World Tour, road cycling's most important calendar) and the tennis tournament, the ATP Dubai, which brings together the top male and female players on the circuit. In early March, there is also the Ironman. In March, don't miss the Dubai World Cup, which brings together the world's best horses and jockeys for a dozen races at the Meydan racecourse.