Surfing in Dubai means small waves at Sunset Beach, mostly from November to June, or a wave pool about 1 hour 15 minutes away in Abu Dhabi. Khaleej Times quoted the head instructor of Surf House Dubai: waves at Sunset Beach average under half a metre and are most regular from December to February. Surf Abu Dhabi on Hudayriyat Island makes waves on demand, closes from 1 July to 31 August and shows its session prices only when you book. This guide compares both, with lessons, board hire and what to do on a flat day.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Wakeboarding Session in Dubai — From $139 per person, 30 minutes.
Can you surf in Dubai?
Yes, but the waves are small. Khaleej Times quoted the head instructor of Surf House Dubai: Sunset Beach is the most popular spot, waves average under half a metre, and the season runs roughly from November to June, best from December to February. For bigger waves on demand, Surf Abu Dhabi is about 1 hour 15 minutes away.
This guide also answers:
- When is the best time to surf in Dubai?
- How much does Surf Abu Dhabi cost?
- Do I need experience to surf at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Five places to surf or try surfing
#1
Sunset Beach, Umm Suqeim
Khaleej Times called Sunset Beach the most popular surf spot in Dubai. The waves average under half a metre, which the instructor said suits children, and the best months are December to February. The beach is free to enter, but a calm day can mean no waves at all, so ask a school before you go.
#2
Surf House Dubai, Umm Suqeim
The National describes Surf House Dubai as a long-running school with a team of more than 20 and a rental fleet of more than 55 boards. Khaleej Times shows its instructors teaching children aged 6 to 8. We could not open its website, so we cannot quote prices or a timetable: contact the school first.
#3
Kitesurf School Dubai at Kite Beach
KSD is mainly a kitesurfing school, but its site has a booking page for surfing classes and surfboard rental. Its terms mention 5-hour and 10-hour lesson packages valid for 6 months and say lessons cancelled for weather are rescheduled at no extra cost. Prices appear only inside the booking system.
#4
Surf Abu Dhabi, Hudayriyat Island
A wave pool with four wave settings, from a gentle first-timer wave to a high-performance wave with barrels. Gear is included, sessions are booked online, and you arrive one hour early. It is closed from 1 July to 31 August. The session prices are shown only in the booking system.
#5
Wild Wadi's surf-style machines
Our Wild Wadi guide lists Wipeout and Flood River as surf-style wave machines where you ride a board or your body. They are rides inside a waterpark, not real surfing, but they are open when the sea is flat and cost a waterpark ticket, not a lesson.
Surfing in Dubai: the short answer
You can surf in Dubai, but the sea waves are small: at Sunset Beach in Umm Suqeim they average under half a metre, and the season runs roughly from November to June. That comes from Khaleej Times, which quoted the head instructor of Surf House Dubai. He named Sunset Beach as the most popular surf spot in the city and said the best and most regular waves come from December to February.
If you want a real wave at a fixed time, the other choice is a wave pool. Surf Abu Dhabi on Hudayriyat Island is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Dubai by road, according to its own FAQ page, and it is closed from 1 July to 31 August. So use Sunset Beach as a gentle first try, and plan a day around the wave pool if you want to improve. Either way, book ahead and keep a second plan for a flat day.
Sunset Beach: what the sea gives you
Sunset Beach is the public beach beside the Burj Al Arab. It is free, with showers and lifeguards; our guide to the best beaches covers how to reach it. The National reports that the beach has had government-supplied Surf Zone signs for well over a decade, so surfers have a marked area to use.
The waves are small. The instructor told Khaleej Times they suit children, and a parent in the same article said children must be good swimmers to start. For an adult, that means a soft or long board and a day of practice, not a day of big rides. The window below is the one the sources give; it is a guide, not a forecast.
| Months | What to expect | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December to February | The best and most consistent waves | Khaleej Times, Surf House Dubai instructor |
| November to June | The surf season in Dubai | Khaleej Times, Surf House Dubai instructor |
| July to October | Outside the season given; ask a school before you book | Our reading of the same season window |
The Khaleej Times article is an older piece, so ask a school about conditions in the week you travel.
Watch the flags. Our beach rules and safety guide points out that when the surf is up, a yellow or red flag can be flying on an afternoon that looks calm from the car park. Swim and surf where the lifeguards can see you, and follow their signs.
Lessons and board hire in Dubai
Two operators are worth a message before you travel. We could read only one of their websites, so the table says clearly what we confirmed and what we did not.
KSD, Kitesurf School Dubai, sits on Kite Beach and has a booking page for surfing classes and surfboard rental. Its terms say lesson packages of 5 and 10 hours are valid for 6 months, a lesson can be moved with 24 hours of notice, and lessons cancelled because of weather are rescheduled at no extra cost. It has also run holiday surf camps for children aged 4 to 12 at Kite Beach; check its site for the next dates.
| Operator | Where | What we confirmed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surf House Dubai | Umm Suqeim, near Sunset Beach | A school with a team of more than 20 and more than 55 rental boards (The National) | Not confirmed; ask the school |
| KSD, Kitesurf School Dubai | Kite Beach, Jumeirah | Surf classes and surfboard rental through an online booking system; 5-hour and 10-hour packages | Shown only when you book |
We could not open the Surf House Dubai website while writing this guide. Check hours and prices with each school.
Kite Beach is a different beach from Sunset Beach, a short way along the Jumeirah coast. Our Kite Beach guide covers the beach itself, and our kitesurfing guide covers lessons that use the wind instead of waves.
Surf Abu Dhabi: the wave pool
Surf Abu Dhabi is on Hudayriyat Island, about 15 minutes from Downtown Abu Dhabi. The National says it was designed by Kelly Slater Wave Co. and developed by Modon. The pool makes a menu of waves for different levels, so a first-timer and an advanced surfer can use the same site on the same day. Its own site names four waves:
| Wave | Level | How Surf Abu Dhabi describes it |
|---|---|---|
| End Bay (also called Beach Break) | First-timers | Gentle and predictable |
| Cocoa Beach | Beginner | Mellow and slow-paced |
| Point Break | Intermediate | Faster, with chances of soft barrels |
| Kelly's Wave | Advanced | High-performance, with several barrel opportunities |
The session types below come from its pages. Wetsuits and life jackets are included where needed, and so are boards, leashes, wax and sun protection.
Sessions, ages and what we could not price
Check the minimum age before you book a family. The Discovery session is for people above 12, and the 1-on-1 lesson is for people above 8.
| Session | Length | Rules from the site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Surf Session | 30 minutes of land drills, then a 45-minute lesson | Everyone above 12 | For first-timers; soft-top boards |
| 1-on-1 Learn to Surf | 45 minutes | Everyone above 8 | Bookings open every Friday, up to 3 months ahead |
| Open Surf, beginner | 45 minutes | Minimum age 8; up to 3 surfers | On the Cocoa Beach wave, for people who know the basics |
| Open Surf, intermediate or advanced | 90 minutes | Up to 4 surfers | On Point Break or Kelly's Wave |
| Surf Trip | 90 minutes | Up to 6 on the main wave, up to 4 more on the beginner area | Includes AED 500 to spend at Nalu |
| Surf Club Pool Pass | A day at the club | For people who do not surf | AED 100 |
Surf Abu Dhabi's pages do not list session prices; they show in the booking system. Check before you plan the day.
The only AED prices on the pages we read were AED 100 for the pool pass and AED 4,000 for the 8-week Kids Go Surfing programme. For everything else, open the booking page and read the price before you pay, because we cannot quote one with confidence.
Getting to Surf Abu Dhabi and booking it
The FAQ gives about 1 hour 15 minutes from Dubai by the E11 highway, about 60 minutes from Dubai Marina and about 90 minutes from Dubai International Airport. Taxis and ride-hailing can drop you at the entrance, and parking is free if you drive. For buses and taxi fares, see our guide to Dubai to Abu Dhabi. It is a long trip for a 45-minute lesson, so make it a day with a second stop.
These points come from the FAQ and the booking pages:
- Closed: 1 July to 31 August; it reopens on 1 September. In June, some sessions run as two 45-minute slots.
- Arrive one hour before your session for check-in.
- Surf Club hours: 6:00 AM to 7:30 PM on weekdays and 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM at weekends. These are the club hours, not session times.
- Water: about 21°C in winter, up to about 30°C in summer. A wetsuit is provided if you need one.
- Bring: swimwear. Everything else is provided.
- Changes: a Discovery or 1-on-1 booking is refunded in full more than 48 hours ahead, and a 50% fee applies after that. Open Surf is refunded in full more than 15 days ahead.
Other ways to surf in the UAE
Visit Abu Dhabi lists a second surf pool at Al Ain Adventure Park, at the base of Jebel Hafit, with waves it says reach 3.3 metres and lessons for beginners. Its page gives no prices or hours, so check before you go. Al Ain is a day trip from Dubai, so plan the surf pool as a full day.
Closer to home, our Wild Wadi guide lists Wipeout and Flood River, two surf-style wave machines. They are waterpark rides, not surfing, but they run on days when the sea is flat.
A flat day: board sports from our Jumeirah base
Waves are the one thing nobody can promise. On a calm day, our water sports base at Umm Suqeim Fishing Harbour in Jumeirah is open instead. It is not surfing, but it is time on the sea on a board or a craft. Our wakeboarding session is $139 for 30 minutes behind a boat, for riders aged 15 and over; our jet ski ride to the Burj Al Arab is from $79 per jet ski. There is no hotel pickup, and you meet 20 minutes before your slot.
Our wakeboarding guide for beginners and our water sports overview help you choose between them. Paddleboarding is the calm-water option if you only want to stand on a board.
FAQ
Can you surf in Dubai?
Yes, but the waves are small. Khaleej Times quoted the head instructor of Surf House Dubai: Sunset Beach is the most popular spot, waves average under half a metre, and the season runs roughly from November to June, best from December to February. For bigger waves on demand, Surf Abu Dhabi is about 1 hour 15 minutes away.
When is the best time to surf in Dubai?
December to February, according to Khaleej Times; the wider season is about November to June. Surf Abu Dhabi has a fixed calendar instead: it is closed from 1 July to 31 August and reopens on 1 September.
How much does Surf Abu Dhabi cost?
Its pages show session prices only in the booking system, so check the current price there. The only AED prices we could read were AED 100 for the Surf Club pool pass and AED 4,000 for the 8-week children's programme.
Do I need experience to surf at Surf Abu Dhabi?
No. The Discovery session is for first-timers above 12 and the 1-on-1 lesson is for people above 8. Boards, wetsuits and life jackets are provided, and the first-timer wave is described as gentle and predictable.
Is Sunset Beach good for children?
The Surf House Dubai instructor said the small waves suit children, and a parent said children must be good swimmers to start. Choose a school with qualified instructors, follow the lifeguards and check the flag before anyone enters the water.
Can I hire a surfboard in Dubai?
Yes. The National reports that Surf House Dubai has more than 55 rental boards, and KSD at Kite Beach has a booking page for surfboard rental. We could not confirm prices, so ask each one.
How far is Surf Abu Dhabi from Dubai Marina?
About 60 minutes by road, according to its FAQ. From Dubai International Airport it is about 90 minutes, and from Downtown Abu Dhabi about 15 minutes. Parking is free on site.
Is there somewhere to surf when the sea is flat?
Surf Abu Dhabi and the surf pool at Al Ain Adventure Park make their own waves. In Dubai, Wild Wadi has surf-style wave machines, and our water sports base offers wakeboarding from $139 and jet ski rides from $79.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Wakeboarding Session in Dubai
It is half an hour on the sea off Jumeirah for one rider aged 15 or over: the team explains the safety rules and gives a few tips before you start, an instructor runs the session, and the photos and videos are free if you collect them before you leave. The top pick adds a 30-minute jet ski ride to the Burj Al Arab from the same harbour after a 30-minute break, for $218 in all.
- Duration
- 30 minutes
- Area
- Jumeirah, Dubai
- Format
- Boat-towed wakeboard session
- Best for
- riders aged 15 and over who want half an hour on the sea behind a boat, on its own or with a jet ski ride to the Burj Al Arab
From $139 per person Full prepayment
View tour
Jet Ski to Burj Al Arab in Dubai
It is the Burj Al Arab from sea level, without a licence or previous experience: the instructor rides in front, stops at the landmark for photos and sends you the files after the ride, and two people share one jet ski at no extra cost. The 60-minute ride continues to Atlantis on the Palm, and a 2-hour ride is arranged on request for groups of 4 jet skis or more.
- Duration
- 30 minutes or 1 hour
- Area
- Jumeirah, Dubai
- Format
- Guided jet ski
- Best for
- couples, friends and first-time riders who want the Burj Al Arab from the water
From $79 per jet ski Full prepayment
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Flyboard in Dubai
It is the classic first try at flyboarding: no previous experience needed, a safety briefing and a few tips before you start from a team that speaks English, French and Arabic, and photos and videos of your session at no extra cost. The base has one board, so riders take turns, 30 minutes each, and the top pick adds a 30-minute jet ski ride to the Burj Al Arab after a 30-minute break, $168 in all.
- Duration
- 30 minutes
- Area
- Jumeirah, Dubai
- Format
- Guided flyboard session
- Best for
- first-timers aged 16 and over who want to try flying above the water, and friends who take turns on the board
From $89 per person Full prepayment
View tour📚 Keep reading
Photos: Kitesurf School Dubai at Kite Beach — MaryJaneB, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wild Wadi's surf-style machines — Studio Sarah Lou, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons).