Author: Monica Bonalto

Key Facts Headliner: Mariah CareyVenue: Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu DhabiDate: 7 February 2026 — this event has already taken place Mariah Carey is coming back to Abu Dhabi. And if last year’s chaos taught us anything, you should probably sort tickets now.Related: explore our full Saadiyat Island area guide for the Cultural District, Louvre Abu Dhabi, beaches and things to do. The five-octave legend returns to Saadiyat Nights on 7 February 2026. This marks her second Abu Dhabi performance after selling out the venue’s opening show in January 2024. That debut sold out weeks in advance. Fans queued for hours.…

The moment darkness falls over Dubai, something shifts. Not just the temperature—though that helps. The entire city sheds its daytime corporate skin and reveals something wilder underneath. Deciding where to go in Dubai at night can feel overwhelming when the options change every week, but after enough random evenings out I’ve learned to trust the mood more than the plan. There are nights when I just want to wander DIFC with no destination — start at a low-key lounge with good music, see if the crowd pulls you to a rooftop next door, then end up somewhere unexpected because a…

The MICHELIN Guide Food Festival Abu Dhabi 2025 ran from 21 to 23 November at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, bringing together some of the planet’s most decorated chefs for three days of extraordinary dining. The festival is confirmed to return for 2026 on the same 21–23 November dates at the same venue — the chef line-up hadn’t been announced at time of writing, but here’s what made the 2025 edition worth the hype, plus what to expect if the format repeats. It’s not just another food event. This festival has become the UAE’s most credible stage for global gastronomy. Experience…

Power Slap UAE is coming back to Space 42 Arena on Friday, October 24, 2025. The world’s premier slap fighting promotion returns during Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, sitting right alongside UFC 321: ASPINALL vs GANE. If you witnessed last year’s sold-out chaos, you know exactly what’s coming. If you missed it, prepare for something completely different from traditional combat sports. This isn’t boxing with gloves or MMA with submissions. This is raw, direct, impossibly tense competition that makes entire arenas hold their breath simultaneously. The format is simple, the stakes are brutal, and the atmosphere is electric. What Actually Happens…

Sharjah has a lot more going on than most people realise. Our Sharjah guide covers culture, events, beaches and everything worth doing in the emirate.

If there’s one event changing what it means to celebrate Halloween in the UAE, it’s Geek Community Day Dubai. Returning this November for its third and biggest edition yet, Rove Hotels and Hobby Nation are turning Rove Downtown into a playground where dragons, Jedi, and Marvel heroes walk side by side. Forget pumpkins and cobwebs — this is where cosplay collides with gaming, creativity, and an unapologetic love for all things nerdy. A New Kind of Halloween in Dubai While most of Dubai will be wrapped up in parties and club nights, Rove Downtown is rewriting the script. On Saturday,…

Dubai fell hard for Japanese food, and date night followed Ask anyone who’s been dating in Dubai for more than a year where they’re taking someone new and there’s a decent chance the answer involves a robata grill, a sake list, or a chef slicing something raw and expensive three feet away. Japanese restaurants have quietly become the city’s go-to for dates that need to look effortless while actually being carefully chosen: the lighting does half the work, the small-plates format keeps conversation moving, and there’s enough ceremony in an omakase counter to make a Tuesday feel like an occasion.…

Dubai is once again rewriting the rules of global aviation. In a move of unprecedented scale and ambition, the emirate has officially launched a plan to relocate all operations from the world’s busiest international hub, Dubai International Airport (DXB), to a new, colossal megaproject at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). This isn’t just an expansion; it’s a complete strategic pivot. The core reason is a problem born from unmatched growth: DXB is a victim of its own success, rapidly approaching its absolute physical and operational limits. This monumental shift, backed by a staggering AED 128 billion ($35 billion) investment, will…

Dubai makes you feel something. Not just see something or tick something off a list. It’s the kind of place where you walk into a shopping centre and find yourself face-to-face with a ten-metre aquarium. Where you can ski before lunch and watch camels at sunset. The city rewrites the rules, and frankly, it does so with style. If you’re hunting for the best tourist spots in Dubai, you’re not just looking for landmarks. You’re searching for experiences that stay with you long after you’ve boarded your flight home. This city delivers them in abundance. Dubai’s tourist spots can feel…

What To Know The Return of an Icon Few names in music carry the weight of Amr Diab. Known across the Arab world and beyond as “Al Hadaba” (The Hill), he has been a cultural cornerstone for decades. On 1 November 2025, he returns to Dubai for what promises to be one of the year’s biggest concerts at Coca-Cola Arena. For fans, this is not just another gig. It is a chance to relive the soundtrack of their lives, from 1990s anthems that defined an era to the fresh sounds of his latest summer hit Khatafouni. A Voice That Transcends…