Summer is drawing to a close and the weather is already getting cooler in Dubai. Gone are the days when your glasses got foggy the minute you walked out into the streets or when the short distance from the car park to the building felt like an eternity.
Thanks to venues like your local gyms and Dubai Sports World, sports lovers were able to get some workout done without getting baked in the heat.
As the weather continues to improve, the entire emirate is turning into a huge playground with plenty of outdoor venues for working out.
Here are just a few of them:
1. Park Workouts
When it comes to exercising outdoors in Dubai, whether individually or in groups, parks offer some of the best options with a quiet atmosphere and vast green spaces.
There are a couple of parks serving the communities of Deira, Bur Dubai, and Satwa.
Khazzan Park, attracting visitors since the 1980s, the Dubai Creek Park, one of the city’s largest and oldest parks, and Zabeel Park, covering an area of 45 football playgrounds, are the best options for workouts and jogging.
Safa Park is another large one - covering 64 hectares with more than 200 bird species and 16,000 varieties of trees and bushes. It has been a popular outdoor destination in Dubai since 1975.
2. Beach Workouts
Kite Beach is definitely the best option for beach tennis, volleyball, soap soccer, kitesurfing of course, and water-sports enthusiasts. The area also includes jogging tracks, shower facilities, and numerous restaurants.
The Beach at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) offers the Beach Gym, complimentary yoga, restaurants, shops, and even a cinema.
If you are looking for something on the other end of Dubai, towards the older districts, Al Mamzar Beach is the place for you. It includes basketball, football, and volleyball fields. Here, you can also find bike rental services, facilities for individuals with special needs, and free parking.
3. Cycling tracks
For those who like to cycle, the past few years saw the construction of various cycling tracks around the city. Bike rental stations have also become a lot more common.
Many places like Al Barsha and Mushrif parks include cycling tracks for their visitors to use. Jumeirah Open Beach has a 2km cycling track while Dubai Water Canal has a 12km track. Dubai Marina also has a long track that links to the Tram.
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will be adding 500km of cycling tracks around the Emirate by 2021.
4. Mountain hiking
When it comes to hiking in Dubai, you should head for the more mountainous terrains of Hatta. Suitable for all level hikers, the area is for the less adventurous and safer hiking trips, perhaps for those who are not very athletic or for families with children.
Located high in the Hajar mountains at around a 90-minute drive from Dubai, Hatta’s climate is milder and less humid than the rest of the Emirates.
Two new trails have just been recently completed with the total length of 12km, suitable for mountain bikers and hikers alike.
One of the routes, at 9km long, passes by tourist attractions like the Hatta Heritage Village, three dams, a park, several farms, and a fruit and vegetables market.
Constructed by the Dubai Municipality, the new routes were done as part of a multi-phase project designed to attract more visitors. It aims to boost the local economy by transforming Hatta into an ecotourism destination.
