The Abu Dhabi skyline in haze, seen from the Corniche at sunset.

Layover guideAbu Dhabi · AUH

Weather in Abu Dhabi

Desert climate: pleasant Oct-Mar, brutal 40°C humid heat May-Sep; the state bans midday outdoor work 15 Jun-15 Sep.

FritzDaCat / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

October to March is the comfortable window, roughly 18-28°C — this is when outdoor layover plans actually work. May through September runs to 40°C with June-August the hottest months (official tourism board seasonal guide).

The UAE government's own description: desert climate, warm and sunny in winter, hot and humid in summer.

Official heat rule worth knowing as a severity signal: outdoor work in direct sunlight is banned nationwide between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm from 15 June to 15 September every year, under MOHRE Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022. If the state pauses labour at midday, treat midday outdoor sightseeing in summer the same way.

Summer strategy per the tourism board itself: plan indoor (malls, indoor attractions); carry water.

u.ae (Official UAE Government portal) — health and safety at the workplace (midday break) · checked 2026-08-18
u.ae — UAE fact sheet (climate) · checked 2026-08-18
Experience Abu Dhabi (DCT) — best time to travel · checked 2026-08-18

The rest of Abu Dhabi

The whole guide

Getting out of the airportThe taxi tariff is published by the authority and the airport flagfall is AED 20 against AED 5 in the city, but the bus is not round the clock: A1 stops at 23:00 and only N2 covers the night.Ride-hailingUber and Yango operate; silver metered taxis are the regulated default, airport taxis carry an AED 20 flagfall.Local laws that catch crew outDrink only inside licensed venues, keep the camera down and the language clean: the UAE prosecutes visitors for behaviour that is unremarkable at home.Staying connectedA visitor SIM is registered against your passport and capped at two per network, and an unregistered line gets cut off rather than merely warned.Eating near the crew hotelsMina Zayed port district is the market-food area: fish souk plus fruit-and-veg souk, haggling is the norm.What to buyGold at Madinat Zayed Gold Centre, oud, dates and spices in the souks; 5% VAT is refundable via Planet at departure.TippingNot expected but common; high-end restaurants add ~10% service charge plus a 6% tourism levy, otherwise 10-15% is usual.