A guide to surfing in the Arabian Gulf

Are you planning a trip to Dubai? Are you on a stopover? Or are you looking to become an expat and make this paradise your home?

....but you also like to surf.

Well, you have come to the right spot! Let us give you the down-low on surfing in the Arabian Gulf.

Yes, you read that correct - surfing in the desert. You will be surprised.

 

HISTORY

Let's start from the beginning. The Dubai surf scene started back around the mid-90s, where a small group of go-getters had the pick of the crop with a number of different options up and down the coast.

But as time passed, coastal construction increased causing a direct impact on the available surf options. Fortunately, water lovers still have some options today, when the conditions are right.

The beauty of Dubai is the mix of cultures, where you can find people from all around the world and surfing abilities. In fact, there are still some Rusty surfboards ambassadors that call Dubai home, check them out on our team riders page. 

 

THE DETAILS

Dubai weather 

• Winter: Nov – Feb
• Spring: Mar – Apr
• Summer: May – Aug
• Autumn: Sep – Oct

 

Average air temperature*

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min (°C)	15	17	19	22	26	29	31	31	29	25	21	17
Max (°C)	24	26	29	34	39	40	41	42	39	36	31	26
Min (°F)	59	63	66	72	79	84	88	88	84	77	70	63
Max (°F)	75	79	84	93	102	104	106	108	102	97	88	79

*Ref https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/united-arab-emirates/dubai

 

Average water temperature*

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp (°C)	23	23	23	25	29	31	32	33	32	31	28	25
Temp (°F)	73	73	73	77	84	88	90	91	90	88	82	77

*Ref: https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/united-arab-emirates/dubai

 

Surf Season

The Dubai surf season occurs generally between October to April, with December – February the most consistent months.

For the surf enthusiast, you want to keep an eye out for strong low-pressure systems that are created towards Kuwait and the strong Northerly (NW) winds from Bahrain and Qatar.

 

WHERE TO SURF

Jumeirah public beach is the place to be for easy access to a wave. Street parking is also free for the early birds (till 8 am), which is great for a pre-work session.

 

What type of board

Pick the right stick and you will not be disappointed. 

At Rusty Surfboards, we recommend the following boards for your Dubai surfing experience:

 

Smoothie was primarily built for small surf, but it ended up being a very versatile board. 

Beginner / Advanced surfer. Suited 1-3ft.

 

 

Heckler is a Fish with some new ideas. We've utilized a "fishy" outline with a shallow dovetail and pronounced wing to produce a lightning fast small wave wonder. 

Beginner / Advanced surfer. Suited 1-3ft.

 

 

 

 

 

Suited for the intermediate/advanced surfer, Rusty refined the bottom with the addition of a shallow single concave that feeds into the vee. 

Intermediate / Advanced surfer. Suited for 2-4ft.

 

You can pre-order a custom surfboard from our online surf shop and have it ready for when you arrive. Just start a WhatsApp chat. 

 

Which wax

Follow your standard wax guide for the season, taking note of current water temperature to wax recommendation - our water is often warmer than you think.

 

Which fins

If you don't have a variety of fins to pick from, then your all-rounders will suit fine. Otherwise, your speed generators will be best for most conditions.

 

UV Rating

As expected, the hotter months have a higher UV index, reaching an approx index of 12. With December having a lower index of 5

Please remember to apply sunscreen and cover-up. 

You can buy a Rusty surfboards hat on our online store - keep your head covered and looking good at the same time. Win-win.

 

No Surf? No worries?

SUP'ing and Wave surfing are also popular past-time in the United Arab Emirates.

Our online surf shop has you covered with a wide range of boards to keep you busy. We can also assist with your wake surfing experience through exclusive partnerships in the water sports industry. Start a Whatsapp chat so we can help.

Check out our blogs for more information.