Dubai's UAE Flag Garden is closing this weekend: Here's your last chance to visit

Dubai: If you haven't made it down to Dubai's stunning UAE Flag Garden yet, you've got just days left to see it before it disappears for another year.

The spectacular installation, which has become an annual tradition in Dubai, is officially closing on Saturday January 10th. So if you want those picture-perfect shots with thousands of UAE flags fluttering against the backdrop of the Burj Al Arab, this weekend is your last opportunity.

This marks the 12th year that the UAE Flag Garden has popped up on Umm Suqeim Beach, and it's become one of the most photographed spots in Dubai during the national celebration season. The installation runs as part of the wider festivities for UAE Flag Day and UAE National Day, typically drawing massive crowds of residents, citizens, and tourists.

This year's edition is particularly special. Brand Dubai, the creative arm of Dubai Government, has arranged a 11,000 UAE flags to create stunning aerial portraits of the nation's founding fathers, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

From ground level, it's a sea of red, green, white, and black flags rippling in the breeze. But from above, those thousands of flags form detailed portraits of the two leaders, a creative tribute that's both technically impressive and deeply meaningful.

The garden couldn't have a better spot. Nestled on Umm Suqeim Beach right in the shadow of the iconic Burj Al Arab, with the newly opened Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab nearby, it's become an Instagram sensation. The combination of patriotic colours, Dubai's most recognisable landmark, and the Arabian Gulf as a backdrop makes it absolutely irresistible for photographers.

Every year without fail, the flag garden takes over social media feeds across the UAE. Families show up for picnics, couples snap engagement photos, and tourists queue up for that perfect shot. It's one of those rare installations that appeals to absolutely everyone.

Perhaps the best part is that, entry is completely free. No tickets, no bookings, just turn up and wander through the colourful display. It's a proper community celebration that anyone can enjoy.

The garden has been part of this year's wider Zayed and Rashid celebrations across the emirate, a series of events and installations honouring the vision and legacy of the UAE's founding fathers.

With the garden closing this Saturday, you've literally got days to visit. Given how popular it gets, especially as the closing date approaches, you might want to head down sooner rather than later to avoid the weekend rush.

Whether you're after those Instagram-worthy photos, want to show visiting family and friends a uniquely Dubai experience, or just fancy a stroll through something genuinely beautiful, the UAE Flag Garden is worth the trip.

It'll be back next year for its 13th edition. This weekend is your chance to see 11,000 flags creating art on the beach, with Dubai's most famous hotel watching over it all.

UAE Flag Garden, Umm Suqeim Beach, free entry, closes Saturday January 10th.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.