Dubai: If you're keen to catch Dubai's spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks, get ready to reach your planned viewing spot earlier than usual on December 31.
That's because the city's NYE pyrotechnics display have increasingly become a massive draw for residents and tourists alike. And now, reaching the most popular spots -- Downtown Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Road, Atlantis The Palm -- may be a bigger challenge due to the sheer number of people trying to get as close to them as possible.
But there's no doubt watching the fireworks light up the sky on New Year’s eve is the top attraction for most expatriates as it is the one part of the celebrations that makes for the most collective enjoyment for both young and old alike.
And whether they're planning to watch the fireworks at home or head to the best spots to take them in, many say it’s one thing they don’t want to miss out.
Gulf News spoke to people of different nationalities living in the UAE about their plans to welcome the new year.
“The big plan every year is to watch the fireworks. The kids love the firework displays and all we want is to make them happy on this day, so my husband and I stopped going to parties because the children always insist and prefer watching the fireworks instead,” said May Al Qott, an Egyptian mother of three.
Shargeel Hassan from Pakistan said his three boys are excitedly looking forward to the dazzling fireworks at the Palm Jumeira and he is planning to get to Atlantis hotel well in advance to avoid the traffic and road closures.
“Last year my kids were excited to watch the fireworks next to Burj Khalifa, but it took us so much time to reach there and we ended up watching the show as we drove there. This year we’re going to leave early so we don’t miss out the Palm Jumeira fireworks,” he said.
Hassan said that what makes New Year’s eve special compared to any other day of the year is the fact that Dubai always has the largest firework displays, and “this is why the children always want to go out to see them.”
Diana Al Kawas from Syria said she enjoys watching the firework shows every year and she always ensure she’s dining in a restaurant with a view of the fireworks.
“The kids want to be right in front of the fireworks, so I take them out for dinner every year in Madinat Jumeira to watch the Burj Al Arab fireworks,” she said.
On the other hand, Pranita Masand, a university graduate from India said she still hadn’t decided where she wanted to celebrate the New Year, but she said she wanted to be somewhere where she could get a good view of the fireworks.
“I still don’t have a definite plan, but I’ll be either going to a camping trip with my friends in Khawaneej or Khorfakkan where we will have a bonfire set up and a barbecue, or heading to a party at Meydan Hotel. I always make sure I don’t miss out on the fireworks because they’re my most favourite thing in Dubai,” she said.
To avoid the massive traffic jams on New Year’s eve, some residents prefer staying home and watching the fireworks right from their balconies or through live streaming videos online.
In a YouTube video commercial titled “For One Night Only”, Emaar, the UAE-based developer behind Burj Khalifa said it will be the first time the New Year’s eve spectacle in Dubai will be live streamed — to be viewed live by anyone, anywhere with an internet connection.
Ahmad Rashwan, an Egyptian engineer, said: “I’m from the few people who will probably just sit back at home, relax, cup of coffee in one hand, good book in the other, nice sweater to keep me warm and sit with the family and watch the fireworks at home, since anyway everything is digital now.”
