Ice-cool destinations

For 11 months of the year, waking up to clear blue skies and hot sunshine is a real delight. However, at Christmas time, many families miss wrapping up in winter clothes, going for a post-dinner stroll and then returning home to sit by the fire with a hot drink and a good film. For four weeks of the year, we should embrace the cold, and even though we live in one of the hottest places on the planet, we can still find some cool places.

Ski Dubai

No matter how hot it is outside, the temperature inside Ski Dubai will always be set at a comfortably cool -1º Celsius. This means that warm socks, ski jackets, winter trousers and snow boots (all provided to guests at entry) are a must and with a real snow covering, you could well believe that you're holidaying in an Alpine resort. In fact, as the temperature is set at freezing all year round, it does feel extra chilly: cold enough for Ski Dubai's Gentoo and King penguins to live their best lives and cool enough for Santa and his elves to call it home for the month of December.

Chill Out Ice Lounge

If Ski Dubai is a bit too warm for you, then get yourself down to the Times Square Center's Chill Out Ice Lounge and its super chilled atmosphere. Located just off Sheikh Zayed Road, the temperature in this ice-cool experience is set at a frosty -6º Celsius, making it officially, the coldest place to enjoy a hot chocolate in Dubai. It's so cold in here that guests have to spend a few minutes in the +5º Celsius buffer zone to acclimatise and once inside (snug and warm in the supplied winter clothing) you can quite literally chill out on fur-covered ice seats and admire the lounge's ice sculptures.

The desert

If you want to experience real cold, then grab your thermals and head out into the desert for an overnight camp. During the winter months, nightly coastal temps can drop to a nippy 15º Celsius, but surround yourself with empty desert and it'll feel 10 degrees colder. Essentially, the desert at night during December is the same temperature as the Chill Out Ice Lounge's 'buffer zone' and it can be surprisingly cold. Once the sun sets over the dunes, the thermometers plummet and you'll need all of your winter gear to be comfortable. We're talking hat, gloves and scarf here but once you're warm and cosy, there's nothing like sitting back and watching the stars shining in a clear, crisp sky.

The Arabian Gulf

One of Dubai's more noticeable temperature fluctuations takes place not in the desert, but in the waters off our pristine beaches. In August taking a dip in the Arabian Gulf is almost impossible as it's like taking a hot bath. However. as the sun loses its strength in winter, the water temp drops from a peak of 32 degrees, down to around the 21 degrees mark, which is pretty chilly. A December dip requires serious planning and more than a little courage. There are two ways to tackle the initial entry into the Arabian Gulf: slow and steady, wading out an inch at a time until you’re up to your waist and then build up for that final dip, or run in as fast as you can and get it over with as soon as possible. Whichever way you do it, it’s guaranteed fun.

Jebel Jais

In the summer months, Jebel Jais has always been a popular destination for those wanting to escape the sweltering heat. At 1,892 metres above sea level, the temperature drops as you make the winding 20km drive up the mountain and in winter, coolness become genuine cold. On average, it's 10 degrees cooler up there than the other parts of the UAE, which means you're looking at a thermometer reading of around 8º Celsius, so make sure you wrap up warm if you're heading up there. On rare occasions, temps can drop below freezing on the mountain and the slopes have even seen a covering of snow.