The United Arab Emirates witnessed a spectacular atmospheric farewell to 2025 as residents nationwide paused to observe the year’s final sunset on December 31st. From 5:15 PM onward, a remarkable celestial display unfolded across the emirates, with warm golden light gradually infiltrating blue skies until the sun completed its descent at 5:40 PM.
At Dubai’s Global Village, the mesmerizing twilight created magical moments as children reached skyward with beaming smiles, capturing final joys before the year’s conclusion. Meanwhile, at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Festival, the sun radiated through cumulus formations resembling cotton balls, creating brilliant yellow streaks across the evening canvas.
Urban landscapes transformed under the celestial spectacle. In Dubai Silicon Oasis, the sunset peeked modestly behind residential towers, offering residents glimpses of glorious orange remnants filtering through clouds and high-rises. Nad Al Sheba’s desert landscape presented a contrasting scene where the sun blazed dramatically against brown sands before disappearing, making the typically golden dunes appear subdued beside the sky’s ethereal hues.
Sheikh Zayed Road’s iconic towers mirrored the horizon’s fiery amber palette, creating a seamless fusion of architecture and atmosphere. Workers across Dubai paused their New Year’s Eve preparations to witness ochre-stroked skies with floating clouds. Ras Al Khaimah offered a more contemplative vision with a somber yellow kissing the horizon against bright blue skies, while Sharjah residents witnessed bright solar rays penetrating thick cloud layers as they traveled toward Dubai’s celebrations.
In Abu Dhabi’s Ghadeer community, located on the emirate border with Dubai, the sun gently illuminated clouds with a soft radiance. Some residents chose intimate indoor gatherings, experiencing their own light shows as 2025 concluded. As darkness settled, Global Village’s illumination ceremony symbolically ushered in the year’s final night, providing a fitting transition from the spectacular sunset into New Year’s Eve festivities.