Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches

The best thing to do when the sun goes down

Roased by summer temperatures too hot for the beach, Dubai has turned to an innovative solution: opening them at night, complete with floodlights and lifeguards carrying night-vision binoculars.

The idea, in one of the world's hottest regions, with temperatures climbing ever higher through climate change, has proved popular - more than one million people have visited the night beaches since last year, an official said.

Even with much of the region preoccupied with the widening conflict that pits Israel against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) giant neighbour, the night beaches remain busy on weekend evenings.

"The temperature drops down in the evening after the sun sets. So, yeah, it's amazing," said Mohammed, from Pakistan, who brought his children to enjoy the sea without having to worry about the burning Gulf sun.