For a city already famous for its affluent beach club scene, Dubai is on the brink of elevating its party game to legendary status. Having absorbed some glitzy international venues already, and with Ibiza heavyweights O Beach and Ushuaïa landing this autumn, the city is vamping up its reputation for nightlife. Like it or not, Dubai is set to give Ibiza a serious run for its money.
Ibiza’s biggest party hotspots have actually been vying for a bit of that coveted Dubai glory for some time, with some venues having made multiple attempts to open in the city. Following the closure of the Patcha Ibiza nightclub in Madinat Jumeirah in 2016, Ibiza’s iconic Pacha brand opened the new Playa Pacha at the FIVE Luxe hotel in JBR earlier this year, seemingly paving the way for a long line of Ibiza beach club imports in the city.
Perhaps the most exciting launches of the year in Dubai are the openings of Ibiza’s mammoth superclubs O Beach and Ushuaïa. O Beach is an up-scale beach club with festival-level shows and high-energy experiences, hosting the biggest names in dance music on its legendary stage. The venue will open on the Dubai Marina Beachfront from October 24th, promising top-tier resident DJs and world-class performances. The 55,000 sqft venue has indoor and outdoor spaces, including VIP beds, luxury cabanas, a large pool area, and a restaurant serving up Mediterranean-Asian cuisine and panoramic views in equal doses.
Another monumental launch in the region is the highly anticipated Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience. Kicking off this October with Calvin Harris taking to the stage for the first time in the region, Dubai’s take on Ushuaïa promises to be nothing short of game-changing. The open-air nightlife destination is famous world-over for it’s line up of resident performers, as well as the buzzy crowd that frequents it every night of the summer season. Kicking off what will be many unforgettable nights in Dubai, Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience is set to propel Middle East’s nightlife scene into a whole other level playing field.
Dubai is primed to enter this new era of beach club glory, and perhaps has been for some time. The city is already celebrated for it’s extensive portfolio of buzzy European imports like Maison de la Plage, Nobu and Twiggy. This September also welcomes the launch of J1, a new beachfront destination on Jumeirah Beach, with a host of world renowned venues washing up on its shores. French beachside private members’ club Chouchou, Tulum hotspot Gitano and the oh-so-chic Gigi’s restaurant are among the big-hitters making their way to this new spot. Already rivaling the likes of Mykonos and the South of France, it’s only fitting that Dubai would take on Ibiza, too.
Dubai’s appeal to the party-goer is multifaceted. For DJs, performing here is very lucrative; an international crowd, year-round sunshine, state-of-the-art facilities, shiny new venues…Dubai knows a thing or two about opportunity. And for a region that’s only really embraced party culture in the last few years, its reputation for party venues has soared to some pretty impressive heights. Partly due, of course, to the enormous influx of expats. Party-goers from the UK, Europe and Lebanon have visited and resided in the city in high volumes, bringing their clubbing cultures with them. In turn, Dubai has evolved into a melting pot of ravers, music-lovers, beach club-goers and thrill-seekers that make up its ever-growing demand for an exciting nightlife experience.
Although culturally very different, Dubai and Ibiza share an aura of free-spiritedness. Both cities are indeed the perfect contenders for world-class partying. But where Ibiza might have it’s edge, at least in some eyes, is the enriched history that predates the modern Ibiza we know today. The Mediterranean island’s party days were indeed rooted in the hippie movement of the 1970s. This era birthed the tourism boom on the island, and streamlined the opening of various clubs that accommodate every niche, sound and timestamp in dance history and culture.
Now of course, the island is saturated with hotels, booze cruises and party venues. The business of partying took precedence, transforming the island into a brand in and of itself. Although the Ibiza charm isn’t likely to ever falter, the subsequent rise in crime on the island, coupled with over-crowdedness and rising prices led some party-goers to flock elsewhere. Namely, Dubai.
Perhaps the shiny new-ness of Dubai is enough to counter any cracks in the Ibiza foundation. Will the October launch of O Beach and Ushuaïa cement Dubai’s position as prime party real estate? The world, indeed, will be watching.
Looking for some more Dubai new-ness? Check out some MAJOR restaurants opening this year here.