What Time Does the Sun Set in Dubai and How to Anticipate It? A travel guide’s practical brief sketched for planners, photographers and sunset-watchers who want to sync their plans with the sky. Dubai’s shoreline and skyline offer dramatic evenings, yet the sunset time shifts a little each day. Understanding the solar schedule, the role of the city’s time zone Dubai (UTC+4), and the rhythm of daylight hours turns a hurried outing into a memorable sunset watch. This piece decodes daily patterns using February examples — where sunsets progress from about 18:03 at the start of the month to roughly 18:21 by month’s end — and shows how to use local tools and simple observation to build reliable sunset prediction. Practical techniques range from tracking solar schedule tables and twilight phases to choosing viewpoints like the Corniche, rooftop terraces or the Burj Khalifa promenade. Readers learn how weather, latitude and the sun’s azimuth influence color and timing, and how to plan with confidence for photography, dining, or a beachfront pause. The guidance below is crafted for action: arrive early, anticipate the light, and turn the daily disappearance of the sun into a deliberate, shareable experience.
- Dubai sunset most evenings: ~18:00–18:45 depending on season
- Use reliable sources for precise sunset prediction such as online calculators
- Plan by Dubai time (UTC+4) and account for daylight hours change
- Golden hour and twilight vary; arrive 30–60 minutes before listed sunset time
- Check both solar schedule and local weather for best results
Sunset time in Dubai: daily rhythm and how Dubai time affects planning
Dubai’s daily solar cycle follows predictable shifts: during late winter and spring the sun sets progressively later. For example, in February the city’s sunset creeps from around 18:03 on February 1 to about 18:21 on February 28, increasing daylight hours by roughly 35 minutes across the month. These variations matter for anyone on a strict schedule—tours, photo sessions or waterfront dinners benefit from a few minutes of buffer.
Because Dubai observes time zone Dubai (UTC+4) year-round, there is no daylight saving shift to complicate sunset planning. Rely on authoritative timetables for daily listings and note the sun’s azimuth at rise and set to position cameras or seats correctly.
| Example Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day Length | Solar Noon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2026 | 07:01 | 18:03 | 11h 01m | 12:32 |
| Feb 11, 2026 | 06:56 | 18:10 | 11h 13m | 12:32 |
| Feb 28, 2026 | 06:42 | 18:20 | 11h 37m | 12:31 |
- Check daily listings: sunrise and sunset time vary slightly each day.
- Note daylight increase or decrease when booking sunset-dependent activities.
- Use the solar noon marker to estimate the sun’s arc for any given day.
Key insight: treating sunset as a moving appointment—tied to the solar schedule—prevents missed moments and improves the quality of any sunset watch.
How to anticipate Dubai sunset: tools, calculators and sunset prediction methods
Anticipation combines trusted tools with local observation. Online services and apps compute precise times, twilight phases, and sun azimuths. For quick lookups, consult live schedules that show sunrise, sunset time, and civil/nautical/astronomical twilight windows. Specialist calculators also produce sunset prediction for any coordinate—useful for rooftop or desert locations where horizons differ.
| Tool | What it provides | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| timeanddate | Daily sun tables, twilight phases | Detailed planning and calendars |
| Alpenglow | Golden hour calculations | Photography and creative lighting |
| Sunrise-Sunset.org | Simple sunrise/sunset times | Quick reference |
- Cross-check at least two sources before finalizing sunset planning.
- Use apps that factor atmospheric refraction for improved sunset prediction.
- Save coordinates for non-city viewpoints so the horizon is calculated correctly.
Useful links: a visual gallery for the Burj view is handy when choosing angles — see the Burj Khalifa sunrise-sunset gallery. For quick local times and twilight phases try time.now and for map-based lookups use SunriseSunset.io.
Key insight: combining a reliable online solar schedule with on-site horizon checks yields accurate sunset prediction for any Dubai viewpoint.
Practical tips for sunset watch, photography and sunset planning in Dubai
Practical habits transform a good sunset into a great one. Start by arriving early to claim a vantage point and to observe how the light evolves through the golden hour into twilight. Weather and humidity in Dubai alter color saturation — clear evenings yield crisp silhouettes, while a humid sea breeze can create luminous halos around the sun.
| Scenario | Recommended lead time | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Photography (urban skyline) | 45–60 minutes before listed sunset time | Scout foregrounds and lock exposure for highlights |
| Beach picnic / dinner | 30–45 minutes | Choose a west-facing spot and pack layers for evening breeze |
| Desert excursion | 60–90 minutes | Account for lower horizon; sunset occurs slightly earlier visually |
- Set alarms based on the chosen source’s sunset prediction, not memory.
- Track civil twilight end for the final light; this extends the usable light beyond the official sunset time.
- Consider combining the visit with cultural experiences that start at dusk.
Key insight: good timing, position and a validated solar schedule create space to savor the moment rather than race it.
Tools and small rituals used by experienced travel guides
Experienced guides favor a short checklist: verify the sunset time for the exact date and location, note the sun direction (azimuth), and factor in local wind and haze. A pocket compass or smartphone app completes the triangulation.
- Daily check of a trusted timetable for sunset prediction.
- Confirm location coordinates for accurate horizon calculation.
- Share a meetup time that is 20–30 minutes before listed sunset time to allow for delays.
Key insight: a short, repeatable ritual reduces stress and increases the chance of witnessing memorable light.
Where to find reliable local sun data and extra reading
For authoritative timetables and interactive data, explore specialized sites and community resources. These sites offer calendars, twilight definitions and map-based views that help in precise sunset planning.
- Detailed sun tables and cameras: timeanddate
- Burj Khalifa viewpoint details: Burj Khalifa sunrise-sunset gallery
- Golden hour precision for photographers: Alpenglow
- Quick daily lookup and twilight times: time.now
- Simple API-style lookups: Sunrise-Sunset.org
Key insight: a mix of static tables and live, map-aware tools gives the best balance between planning and spontaneity.
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Arrive at least 30–60 minutes before the listed sunset time. This allows for scouting foregrounds, adjusting camera settings and watching light evolve from golden hour into twilight.
Which online source is best for precise Dubai sunset times?
Use reputable tools that include twilight phases and azimuth data—combining a calendar like <a href=
Does the listed sunset time include the last visible moment of light?
The listed sunset time marks when the sun’s upper limb disappears below the horizon. Civil twilight continues for several minutes afterward; plan for additional light if the activity depends on illumination.
How does location within Dubai affect the perceived sunset?
Local horizon obstructions—skyscrapers, dunes or shoreline—can make sunset appear earlier or later visually. Use exact coordinates in calculators to improve sunset prediction.
