Kite Beach is a free public beach in Jumeirah, about 2.4 km long, with showers, a running track, food trucks and cafés, paid parking and the Burj Al Arab on the horizon. There is no metro: come by taxi or by RTA bus along Jumeirah Beach Road. Go before 10 AM or in the late afternoon, and look for the kitesurfers on windy days. This guide covers facilities, food, parking, the free Fitness Village open on the sand until 29 November, safety, and our jet ski ride from the nearby Umm Suqeim harbour.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Jet Ski to Burj Al Arab in Dubai — From $79 per jet ski, 30 minutes or 1 hour.
Is Kite Beach free?
Yes, entry to the beach is free. It is a public beach of about 2.4 km with showers, a 14 km coastal track and the Burj Al Arab on the horizon. You pay for parking, which is paid according to Time Out Dubai, for loungers and umbrellas if you hire them, and for food from the trucks and cafés.
This guide also answers:
- How do I get to Kite Beach without a car?
- Are there food trucks at Kite Beach?
- What is the Fitness Village at Kite Beach?
Five ways to spend time at Kite Beach and nearby
#1
A swim between the flags
The sea is open Gulf water, so swim only inside the marked zone while a lifeguard is on duty, and stay out when the red flag is up. Kitesurfers and motorised water sports are kept in their own zones away from swimmers, according to Gulf News. The sea is 20-24°C from November to March.
#2
Sunset with the Burj Al Arab
The hotel stands on the horizon, small but clear, and the sun goes down over the sea behind it. Sunset is about 5:30 PM from November to December, so you can watch it and still be home for dinner. For a bigger hotel in the frame, walk or ride on to Sunset Beach, which sits right beside it.
#3
Next door: Sunset Beach
A public beach just along the coast, with the Burj Al Arab and the Madinat Jumeirah wind towers on the horizon. Gulf News calls it the best angle for photographing the hotel at sunset, and surfers ride the waves in front of it. It is quieter than Kite Beach, and the hotel is right there.
#4
Jet ski to the Burj Al Arab
Our guided jet ski ride starts at the Umm Suqeim Fishing Harbour, not on Kite Beach. It costs from $79 per jet ski for 30 minutes to the Burj Al Arab, with two people sharing one machine at no extra cost, or $140 for a full hour that continues to Atlantis. No licence is needed.
#5
Parasailing over the Jumeirah coast
A boat tows you up under a canopy, and you fly solo for $99 or as a tandem for $179, with 10-12 minutes in the air. It starts from the same harbour as our jet ski ride, so the two fit into one visit with a 30-minute break between them. Flyers must be 15 or older.
Kite Beach in short
Kite Beach is a public beach in Jumeirah where you can swim, walk, run, eat from a food truck and watch the Burj Al Arab, without paying to enter. Gulf News describes it as a stretch of about 2.4 km with a dedicated kitesurfing area, a jogging track, a boardwalk, playgrounds and access routes for people of determination and older visitors. It is the active beach of Jumeirah: runners, volleyball players, kitesurfers and families, busiest in the cooler months, when Khaleej Times notes that more people come to the beach.
It is not a resort beach, and it has no metro station. You arrive by taxi, bus or car, and parking is paid. Alcohol is not allowed on public beaches (see our Dubai beach rules guide). To compare it with JBR, Sunset Beach and Palm West Beach, read best beaches in Dubai; for the photo spots around the hotel, see our Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab guide.
Facilities: what is on the sand and behind it
The table lists what the sources we checked say is at Kite Beach. Time Out Dubai's listing and Gulf News are the main sources, and RTA gave the figures for the street and track when it renamed the road beside the beach. Facilities and prices change, so check on the day if one of them matters to you.
| Facility | What is there | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Beach | About 2.4 km long; access routes for people of determination and older visitors | Gulf News |
| Coastal track | A 14 km walking, jogging and cycling route from the back of Dubai Marine Beach Resort to the Burj Al Arab; a 5 m walkway and a 4 m jogging track | RTA, as reported by Gulf News |
| Showers and changing rooms | Listed, with free Wi-Fi and phone charging points | Time Out Dubai |
| Loungers and umbrellas | Available for hire | Time Out Dubai |
| Play and sport | Playgrounds, beach volleyball courts and open-air gym equipment | Gulf News |
| Water sports | Kitesurfing; jet skis and banana boats run in safe zones away from swimmers | Gulf News |
| Parking | Paid. Kite Beach Street is 1,500 m long and had 370 spaces when RTA renamed it; RTA has since widened the street and added spaces | Time Out Dubai; Gulf News; Khaleej Times |
Hire prices and parking rates are not in the sources, so check the signs and the apps on the day.
Now until 29 November: the Fitness Village on the sand
As of 2 November 2026 there is an extra reason to go. Khaleej Times reported on 31 October that the DP World 30x30 Fitness Village is open on the beachfront at Kite Beach for the Dubai Fitness Challenge, which runs from 31 October to 29 November. Entry is free for visitors who register on site. Opening hours are 3 PM to 11 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 11 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
The village has beach volleyball, beach soccer, basketball, a padel arena, a skate park, an obstacle course and free group classes on a main stage. If you want a specific court, Khaleej Times says to book in advance. Expect more people than usual, especially in the evening. After 29 November the village closes and the beach returns to its normal pattern. Our Dubai Fitness Challenge guide lists the other events of the month.
Food trucks and cafés
Gulf News describes food trucks and casual cafés along the promenade, and Time Out Dubai lists plenty of food outlets at the beach. Khaleej Times has named one truck at Kite Beach, Salt, which sells sliders, fries and shakes, open from 8 AM to 3 PM, with an average cost of about AED 125 for two (about $34). That list is a few years old, so treat the hours and prices as a guide and walk the promenade to see what is open.
The practical points are simple. Bring a refillable bottle and fill it before you leave, because shade and water are limited on a long beach. Carry a little cash or a card for the trucks. Take your rubbish with you or use the bins, and keep food away from the water's edge, where birds gather.
Kitesurfing, running and other sport
Gulf News lists kitesurfing among the activities at Kite Beach, and it names a dedicated kitesurfing area. Time Out Dubai has noted that the kitesurfers fly a little further along the coast these days, so the kites may not be right in front of the main entrance. Kites need wind: on a calm day the sky is empty. If you want to try the sport, our kitesurfing in Dubai guide covers lessons and seasons.
The 14 km coastal track is the other draw. It is flat, and it is shared by runners, walkers and cyclists, plus families with children. At the end of last year Khaleej Times reported that Dubai Police took action against 90 riders for dangerous stunts on e-scooters and e-bikes on the Kite Beach sports tracks, and said winter brings more people to the beach. Ride slowly, keep to your side and never stunt on a shared path.
Khaleej Times has also reported a pod of dolphins seen close to the beach during a rowing training session. A sighting is a bonus, not a promise.
The Burj Al Arab view and the best time to go
From Kite Beach the Burj Al Arab is on the horizon rather than overhead. It is a good photo with the kites and the sea in the frame, but for a larger hotel in the picture go on to Sunset Beach, which is next to it. The sun sets over the sea, at about 5:30 PM from November to December and about 6:25 PM by mid-March. Arrive 30 minutes before sunset. Our best sunset spots in Dubai ranks the beach against the other options.
Our Jumeirah guide describes Kite Beach as best before 10 AM and after 4 PM, which also avoids the strongest sun. From June to September the beach is only comfortable early and late, because the sea reaches 33°C and the air is 38-45°C.
How to get to Kite Beach
There is no metro or tram stop at the beach. A taxi is the simplest way, and Careem, Uber and Hala work from the beach for the return. The taxi and Careem guide has the fare rules: about AED 5 to start and about AED 2 per km.
| From | How | Time and cost (about) |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown or Burj Khalifa | Taxi | 15-25 minutes, roughly AED 35-50 on the meter |
| Dubai Marina or JBR | Taxi | 15-25 minutes, roughly AED 35-50 on the meter |
| Anywhere on the Red Line | Metro, then a short taxi | Metro fare AED 3-7.5, plus the taxi from a Sheikh Zayed Road station such as Mall of the Emirates |
| Along the coast | RTA bus | Buses run along Jumeirah Beach Road; check stops and times in the S'hail app |
| By car | Jumeirah Beach Road (D94), then Kite Beach Street | Parking is paid; RTA widened the street to ease rush-hour queues |
Taxi times and prices are from our Jumeirah and taxi guides and vary with traffic. Rush hours are 7-9:30 AM and 5-8 PM.
Khaleej Times reported that RTA's roadworks on Kite Beach Street cut the rush-hour trip from 15 minutes to 5 minutes. Parking is still paid and the beach is busiest in winter, so if you drive, arrive early.
From the beach to the water: our jet ski ride
If looking at the Burj Al Arab from the sand is not enough, our jet ski ride to the Burj Al Arab reaches it by water. It starts nearby at the Umm Suqeim Fishing Harbour in Jumeirah, next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which is a different meeting point from Kite Beach. There is no hotel pickup, and you arrive 20 minutes before your slot. Please do not go to Kite Beach expecting to find the boats.
The 30-minute ride is from $79 per jet ski, and two people share one jet ski at no extra cost. The instructor rides in front, stops at the hotel for photos and sends you the files afterwards. The 60-minute ride is $140 and continues to Atlantis on the Palm. Parasailing (from $99) and the flyboard (from $89) start from the same harbour. Our jet ski guide has the rules and what the ride is like.
FAQ
Is Kite Beach free?
Yes, entry to the beach is free. It is a public beach of about 2.4 km with showers, a 14 km coastal track and the Burj Al Arab on the horizon. You pay for parking, which is paid according to Time Out Dubai, for loungers and umbrellas if you hire them, and for food from the trucks and cafés.
Can you swim at Kite Beach?
Yes, inside the marked swimming zone while a lifeguard is on duty, which is generally from sunrise to sunset. Stay out of the water when the red flag is up. The sea is open Gulf water, so check the flags, keep children close and swim away from the kitesurfing and water-sports zones. Our beach rules guide has the flag colours.
How do I get to Kite Beach without a car?
By taxi: about 15-25 minutes from Downtown or the Marina, roughly AED 35-50 on the meter. There is no metro or tram stop at the beach. You can also take the Red Line to a Sheikh Zayed Road station such as Mall of the Emirates and finish by taxi, or use an RTA bus on Jumeirah Beach Road; check the stops in the S'hail app.
Are there food trucks at Kite Beach?
Yes. Gulf News describes food trucks and casual cafés along the promenade, and Khaleej Times has listed a truck called Salt there, open from 8 AM to 3 PM with an average of about AED 125 for two. Which trucks are open changes from season to season, so walk the promenade and check the day.
Is there kitesurfing at Kite Beach?
Gulf News names a dedicated kitesurfing area, but Time Out Dubai has noted that the kitesurfers fly a little further along the coast these days. Kites only fly when there is wind, so a calm day shows an empty sky. For lessons and seasons, see our kitesurfing guide, and ask the school where it launches on your day.
What is the Fitness Village at Kite Beach?
The DP World 30x30 Fitness Village is open on the beachfront during the Dubai Fitness Challenge, from 31 October to 29 November 2026. Entry is free if you register on site. Hours are 3 PM to 11 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 11 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, with sport courts, a skate park and free classes. Book a court in advance if you need one.
Does your jet ski tour start at Kite Beach?
No. It starts at the Umm Suqeim Fishing Harbour in Jumeirah, nearby but not on the beach. Arrive 20 minutes before your slot; there is no hotel pickup. The ride is from $79 per jet ski for 30 minutes to the Burj Al Arab, or $140 for 60 minutes including Atlantis, with two people sharing one jet ski at no extra cost.
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Photos: Kite Beach in the late afternoon: about twenty kitesurfing kites in the sky over the sea, a few walkers on the sand and the Burj Al Arab on the horizon — MaryJaneB, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).