Best Walks in Dubai: Waterfronts, Promenades and New Seaside Paths

Dubai looks like a city of cars and malls, but you can walk here a lot and enjoy it. You just need to know where to go and when. The best walks in Dubai follow the water: the sea in Jumeirah, the Marina canal, the Palm and the old Creek. Over the past year they’ve been joined by renovated beaches with new paths for walking, running and cycling.

Below I explain where to walk in Dubai, how the waterfronts differ and how to choose a route for your mood: a slow stroll, a run at sunrise or an evening with dinner by the water.

In short

Place	Length	Shade	Running and cycling	Cafés	Best time
Jumeirah Corniche and Kite Beach	14 km	In places, benches under canopies	Running track, cycle track alongside	Plenty at Kite Beach	Sunrise, sunset
Jumeirah 1 (renovated)	1.4 km	Shaded areas	Separate paths	Cafés and kiosks	Morning, evening
Khor Al Mamzar	More than 5.5 km of paths	Beach canopies	Yes, for running and cycling	Yes	Morning, evening, night beach
The Walk and The Beach, JBR	About 1.7 km	Little	No	Lots	Evening
Dubai Marina Walk	Usually about 7 km round	In places	Not a running track	Lots	Evening
Palm West Beach	1.6 km	Palm trees	Running trail	Beach restaurants	Sunset
Al Seef on the Creek	About 1.8 km	Shaded narrow lanes	No	Plenty	Evening

Jumeirah Corniche and Kite Beach

If I had to pick one walk by the sea, it would be this one. Jumeirah Corniche is a 14 km waterfront from Dubai Marine Beach Resort to Burj Al Arab. The RTA opened it in full in 2014. Two lanes run along the beach: a 5 m walking path and a 4 m running track. Along the way there are shaded benches, kiosks and toilets.

The liveliest stretch is Kite Beach, at the southern end of the waterfront. Something is always going on: kites over the water, beach cafés and food trucks, a skate park and sports courts. You can see Burj Al Arab straight from the beach, so at sunset half the city gathers here with their phones. The beach is free.

Worth knowing:

• the shade is patchy: there are canopies over the benches, not over the whole path. From October to April you can walk during the day; in summer, only early in the morning and in the evening;
• an RTA cycle track runs alongside, 16 km from Dubai Canal to Umm Suqeim Park. The speed limit on it is 20 km/h, and it isn’t for walking;
• in 2026 a plan to redevelop Umm Suqeim beach was approved (3.1 km of coast and a 38 m viewing tower). No official dates for the works have been given, so before you go, check whether any sections or car parks are fenced off.

New seaside paths: Jumeirah 1 and Khor Al Mamzar

Dubai Municipality is renovating the city’s beaches under a 3-billion-dirham plan, and for walkers that’s the news of the year. Two stretches are already open.

Jumeirah 1

A 1.4 km stretch of beach reopened after renovation in February 2026. The beach was widened, with separate paths for walkers, runners and cyclists along it. There are now shaded rest areas, playgrounds, showers and changing rooms. It’s a good option for a short morning walk or run if you’re staying around Jumeirah or City Walk.

Khor Al Mamzar

Khor Al Mamzar Beach, in the north of Dubai on the border with Sharjah, opened on 5 May 2026. It’s the first phase of the Al Mamzar Beaches project. Here you’ll find:

• more than 5.5 km of paths for walking, running and cycling;
• a floating walkway, the first in the region, linking the two sides of the inlet;
• 3.6 km of shoreline for swimming;
• a 300 m night beach that’s open around the clock;
• outdoor gym equipment, beach volleyball and padel courts, and cafés.

The next phase, Al Mamzar Corniche, is still being built: a women’s beach, cycling and running tracks and an indoor skate park are planned. No opening dates have been announced. If you’re staying in Deira or Sharjah, Khor Al Mamzar is now the closest place for an evening walk by the sea.

JBR: The Walk and The Beach

The Walk is a promenade about 1.7 km long along the beach at the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex. Parallel to it, closer to the sea, runs The Beach, an open-air area with cafés, shops and access to the sand. It’s always busy here, especially on weekend evenings: families with buggies, groups of friends, queues for restaurants.

This isn’t a quiet walk. People come for the atmosphere and for dinner. There’s little shade during the day, so the best time is after sunset. From The Beach a footbridge takes you to Bluewaters island and the Ain Dubai wheel. Getting onto the island and walking its waterfront is free; attractions are paid separately.

Dubai Marina: Dubai Marina Walk

Dubai Marina Walk is the promenade around the Marina’s man-made canal, between the towers and the yacht berths. The full loop is usually given as about 7 km, but you don’t have to do it all. Most people walk the stretch between Marina Mall and JBR: that’s where most of the cafés are, and in the evening the towers light up.

The Dubai Marina canal: the promenade runs along both banks, and the towers light up in the evening. Photo: Francisco Anzola, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The Marina is easy to reach by metro (DAMAC Properties and Dubai Marina stations on the Red Line) or by tram. It’s less good for running: it isn’t a running track, and at busy times the promenade gets crowded. To see the Marina from the water, take a yacht.

Next door, past JBR, is Dubai Harbour, with its marina and the beach by Skydive Dubai. Runners often link Dubai Harbour, JBR, the bridge to Bluewaters and the Marina into one route.

Palm Jumeirah: Palm West Beach and the Boardwalk

The Palm has two very different walks:

• Palm West Beach is a 1.6 km promenade on the western side of the Palm’s trunk. About 300 palm trees line it, and there’s a running trail and beach restaurants. It has a lovely sunset with a view of the Marina.
• The Palm Boardwalk is an 11 km wooden boardwalk along the inner side of the crescent, looking back at the trunk and the city. It’s for walking and running; bikes aren’t allowed. Few people do the whole thing: pick the stretch near your hotel or closer to Atlantis.

The Palm is great if you’re staying on it or nearby. If you’re coming specially just to walk, I’d suggest coming closer to sunset.

Old Dubai: Al Seef and the Creek

A completely different walk is Al Seef on the bank of Dubai Creek. It’s a waterfront about 1.8 km long where the old town has been recreated with sand-coloured walls, wind towers and narrow lanes. Nearby are the abra stations: the wooden boats residents still use to cross the Creek.

The lanes of Al Seef: there’s shade even during the day, and the lanterns come on in the evening. Photo: Alan & Flora Botting, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Al Seef is easy to combine with the Al Fahidi quarter, an abra crossing and the souks on the other side of the Creek. I’ve put together a ready-made half-day route in a separate post: “Old Dubai walking route: Al Fahidi, the Creek and the souks”.

If you want something green

Waterfronts aren’t the only option. For a walk in the shade, parks work better: for example, Mushrif Park, with its avenues and a 9.7 km walking trail. In the east of the city, Al Khawaneej has a walk around the lake at Al Khawaneej Walk; there’s a separate evening plan for it. And cyclists are better off on dedicated cycle tracks than on the waterfronts.

A plan: three walks for the weekend

1. Saturday, 7:00–9:00: sunrise on Jumeirah Corniche. A run or walk from Kite Beach towards Burj Al Arab, then breakfast at one of the beach cafés.
2. Saturday, 17:00–21:00: Al Seef and the Creek. Sunset on the waterfront, an abra crossing, dinner by the water.
3. Sunday, 18:00–22:00: the Marina and JBR. A walk along Dubai Marina Walk to The Beach, dinner and the bridge to Bluewaters.

If you only have a few days in the city, these walks slot easily into a 3-day itinerary.

Common mistakes

• Walking during the day from May to September. The open waterfronts have almost no shade. In summer, go out before 8 in the morning or after sunset.
• Going to JBR for peace and quiet. The Walk and The Beach are the busiest places by the sea. For a calm walk, head to the Corniche or Jumeirah 1.
• Walking on the cycle track. Along Jumeirah, the cycle track is separate from the walking path and the running track. Cyclists go fast, so stay in your lane.
• Not checking the beach before you go. Dubai’s beaches are being renovated in phases, and some sections and car parks may be closed for works.
• Forgetting water and closed shoes. Even in the evening, a 5–7 km walk by the sea is real exercise, and there isn’t a kiosk on every stretch.

More weekend ideas: Parks in Dubai · Mushrif Park · Cycling in Dubai · Splash parks for kids · Beach clubs · Padel in Dubai · Tennis courts · Al Qudra Lakes.

Walking in Dubai is most enjoyable when you know where to start and where to end the evening. If you want to see both the old town and the modern waterfronts in one day, message me on WhatsApp and I’ll put together a route for your dates and interests.

Sources

• RTA: Jumeirah Corniche opening
• Dubai Media Office: Khor Al Mamzar Beach opens to the public
• Dubai Media Office: Jumeirah 1 beach
• WAM: Jumeirah cycle track