Winter is the season, Ramadan shifts hours, and the desert costs less

From November to March the weather is perfect and prices peak; summer is scorching but hotels drop by half, and everything indoors is air-conditioned. During Ramadan, many restaurants screen off daytime dining and hours shift. A desert safari booked from the small operators in Deira costs much less than through a hotel and includes the same dune bashing, camel ride, and dinner camp; a private overnight in the Liwa dunes is the real desert. Public beaches like Kite Beach and Jumeirah are free.