19 of 21 places fit
An 800 m Blue Flag beach with calm, shallow water facing Hudayriyat, plus a water sports hut for kayaks and paddleboards.
Two kilometres of lifeguarded city beach with three zones: the free Al Sahil section at Gate 4 and two quieter fenced family sections.
Marsana East stays open for swimming until midnight at weekends, so you can swim after dark when the sand has cooled.
Al Dhafra's only developed beach is free and almost never crowded, with clear turquoise water.
The only public beach in Dubai where dogs are welcome, with bathrooms, changing rooms and showers.
Five sheltered beaches, three pools, BBQ zones and rentable chalets inside one park, with calm lagoon water for small children.
Soft sand and gentle water along the corniche, with showers, toilets, a volleyball court, lifeguards and a 500 m walking track.
The beach with the straight view of Burj Al Arab, a surf-only zone and night swimming until midnight.
Shallow, calm lagoon water you can paddle across while still standing, with a sunset over the mangroves and space for a beach BBQ.
A quieter city beach with kayak and paddleboard rental and the Dubai skyline across the water.
A city beach with walking, jogging and cycling tracks, play areas and the KOTA skatepark, plus seaside cafes.
A usually quiet stretch of public sand next to Al Hamra Village, good for shell collecting and a picnic.
A 9.4 km east-coast corniche with shaded seating, green spaces and tracks for walking and cycling beside the Gulf of Oman.
A Gulf of Oman beach with clear, calm water when the sea is flat, and a small sand cove past Black Rock you can paddle to.
White sand with a promenade and family seating, plus a separate ladies beach with its own adjoining park.
Dark sand and cooler, clear Gulf of Oman water, with the best snorkelling on the coast around Snoopy Island.
RAK's main free public beach, marked by two flamingo statues, with shallow water, volleyball and free parking.
A family beach on the corniche with cafes, food trucks, padel courts, volleyball, playgrounds and a jogging track in one place.
A 3 km crescent of sand under the Hajar mountains with courts, jogging and cycling tracks, picnic gardens and an open-air sea-view theatre behind it.