By Harry Nara · Last updated
- Arafah Day, expectedSaturday 15 May 2027
- First day of Eid, expectedSunday 16 May 2027
- Where
- Mosques, malls and waterfronts across Dubai
- Tickets
- Free
- Time of year
- May
- Dates
- Move each year with the lunar calendar
Expected dates, subject to the sighting of the moon. Arafah Day falls on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah and Eid al-Adha on the three days after it, which by calculation is Saturday 15 to Tuesday 18 May 2027; the UAE confirms the holiday once the new month is sighted, so a one-day shift is possible. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 all four days are paid public holidays for the public and private sectors.
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Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, gives the UAE a four-day public holiday: Arafah Day, then three days of Eid. The dates follow the moon, so they are expected rather than fixed until the new month is sighted. For a visitor almost everything stays open, and some things get easier: in a recent year public parking was free and the Metro ran until 1am. Malls and hotels are busy with residents on a long weekend, the evenings bring fireworks, and it is already hot, so plan the days indoors and book a room early.
What Eid al-Adha actually is
Eid al-Adha marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and recalls Abraham, who was ready to give up his son at God’s command. The day before it is Arafah Day, when pilgrims stand on the plain of Arafat and many Muslims at home fast.
The first morning opens with the Eid prayer at mosques and open-air prayer grounds soon after sunrise. Families then visit one another in new clothes, children receive gifts of money, and those who can afford it pay for an animal to be sacrificed at a licensed abattoir, with the meat shared among relatives and people in need. None of that is public; a visitor meets full mosques in the morning and full malls, restaurants and beaches for the rest of the holiday.
Because the federal rules give the public and private sectors the same four days, and do not move a holiday that lands on a weekend, the break lengthens or shortens with the calendar each year, and much of Dubai’s population is off at the same time.
Where the holiday shows
- The mosques on the first morning. Prayer starts soon after sunrise and fills the mosques, their courtyards and the open-air prayer grounds. Visitors are welcome to watch from outside; dress modestly and keep a respectful distance.
- The waterfronts and malls in the evening. In recent years Dubai has marked the holiday with fireworks at its waterfront and leisure destinations, with times announced a few days before; malls stay open late and run Eid promotions.
- The beaches, parks and hotel pools. Residents with a long weekend head for the water, the theme parks and staycations, so family beaches and resort pools are at their busiest of the early summer.
Tickets and what it costs
The holiday costs nothing to see, and getting around costs less: in a recent year the RTA made public parking free across the holiday, apart from multi-storey car parks, and ran the Metro until 1am every night. It publishes each year’s timings a few days before.
Hotels are the expense. The long weekend fills family resorts and beach hotels with residents, and rates rise for those days, though the city is otherwise entering its cheapest season. Book as early as the expected dates allow, with a free-cancellation rate in case the moon moves the holiday by a day.
Official information and booking: u.ae/en/information-and-services/public-holidays-and-religious-affairs/public-holidays
Getting there
The Metro is the easy way between the malls, the Marina and Downtown, and on a holiday evening it beats a taxi through the traffic around the fireworks sites. Check the RTA’s Eid timings for buses and boats, which change for the holiday.
By mid-May the afternoons are fiercely hot. Keep the outdoor hours for early morning and after dark, and treat the beach as a sunset plan rather than a midday one.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Booking dates that cannot move
The holiday can shift by a day with the moon. Choose a free-cancellation rate until the dates are confirmed.
Planning a government errand
Ministries, RTA service centres and banks close for the holiday. Get visa or banking business done beforehand.
Spending the afternoon outdoors
May heat is already severe. Save the beach and the souks for the evening.
Arriving for the fireworks at the last minute
The waterfronts fill and the roads around them jam. Take the Metro and arrive early.
Other Dubai events
Frequently asked questions
When is Eid al-Adha in Dubai?
Around the dates in the card above, which are expected rather than fixed: the UAE confirms them once the new month is sighted, and they can move by a day.
How long is the Eid al-Adha holiday in the UAE?
Four days: Arafah Day and the three days of Eid, for both the public and private sectors. A holiday that falls on a weekend is not moved to a weekday.
Is Dubai open during Eid al-Adha?
Yes. Malls, restaurants, attractions and hotels open, many with longer hours. Government offices, banks and RTA service centres close.
Is parking free in Dubai during Eid?
In recent years public parking has been free across the holiday, except in multi-storey car parks. The RTA confirms the arrangements a few days before.
Is Eid al-Adha a good time to visit Dubai?
It is festive and easy to get around, but hotels are busier and dearer for the long weekend and the heat is building. The weeks either side are cheaper.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, public holidays
- RTA, service hours over a recent Eid al-Adha
- Visit Dubai, events calendar
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2027. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.