Explore Aquatic World in Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
At its best, we can call Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo a wonder in wonder! This fascinating attraction site is inside another iconic attraction site named The Dubai Mall. The Dubai Mall is already the largest in the world. With embedding Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, it now offers a journey into underwater life: no wonder it is the largest mall in the whole world.
The Dubai Aquarium is one of the world’s largest aquariums inside the world’s largest mall, with more than 33,000 aquatic animals and the giant collection of sand tiger sharks in the whole world.
What is in The Dubai Aquarium
This large aquarium can hold up to 10 million liters of water, and its most prominent reputation is for its sharks (in fact, over 400 of them live inside). From the moment you enter the 48-meter glass tunnel with an ultimate fish-eye view, you will feel an experience you’d never seen before: big sharks and sand tiger sharks are swimming above your head! Over 140 species of underwater animals live inside this giant aquarium. Above the fish tank or aquarium, there is the underwater zoo. This “zoo” is the next activity you can do in this place.
But that does not stop there! This facility has designed a series of experiences for visitors, and the most prominent ones, are Animal Encounters, Diving Experiences, and VR Zoo.
1) Animal Encounters
The whole concept of the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is its animals. These activities are designed to provide the ability to come face-to-face with aquatic animals inside this zoo. Sixteen Gentoo penguins from a facility in the USA in a controlled environment (especially temperature) in “Penguin Cove” is the first experience this zoo offers.
As cute as penguins, on the other end of this extreme lies a beast! King Croc, a giant 40-year-old reptile with 750Kg weight, is awaiting your encounter. The third species you will see in this zoo is otters. Unlike King Croc, these Asian small-clawed otters are small and have cute underwater homes! Next, we have Ray encounters. Eagle Rays and Cow nose Rays are placed in a specially designed platform for you to feed them.
Last but not least, you can also watch, first hand, how they take care of sharks. This experience has an educational touch. However, it is always fun to watch trained staff take care of the zoo’s big sharks. Visitors can also get in the tank for a trainer experience.
2) Diving Experiences
The next group of activities relates to Diving Experiences. In this group of activities, you can experience: a shark dive with Sand Tiger Sharks, Reef Sharks, Leopard Sharks, Tawny Nurse Sharks, Giant Groupers and Stingrays; Snorkeling Cage, in which using snorkeling equipment you get into a safe cage underwater; Shark Walker (in a cage), in which you walk with sharks without any scuba diving certification and equipment.
You can also use their Scuba Diving program to dive and explore the underwater world of Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo and even get a certification for that.
3) VR Zoo
Virtual reality is a new kind of entertainment entering our lives. VR Zoo is the third most popular activity you can engage when in Dubai. With this service, they provide a wildlife experience with just a push of a button. Joining a family of gorillas in Uganda’s Great Impenetrable Forest, swimming with whale sharks in the Maldives, and tracking elephants in South Africa are among the programs you can choose.
Also, their exclusive experience relates to the Ocean Experience, in which you can interact with animated wildlife. Please note that this experience is not included in all their ticket packages.
Other Activities
An interesting activity you can plan here is planning an Under the Sea Party for children! These events are curated, and the minimum number of children allowed is 15 (AED 230 per Child).
Education is another program provided by Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo for private and public schools, guests, and community education. In these educational programs, there are multiple topics to learn.
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays, and 10:00 AM to 00:00 Midnight on weekends.
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Location
As mentioned above, Dubai Aquarium is inside The Dubai Mall on Ground Level, and the so-called Underwater Zoo and related activities and environments are on Level 2. The official address is:
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, The Dubai Mall, Doha Street, Off 1st Interchange – Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, U.A.E.
Dubai Aquarium Ticket Offers and Prices
When you step into the Dubai Mall, you can get a general glimpse of the Dubai Aquarium with a large floor-to-ceiling window. But of course, you have to pay for a ticket to see the whole thing.
The ticket price is AED 169 ($46 US Dollars) each. However, they provide an Annual Pass for unlimited admission 365 days of the year, with the added benefits of priority entry and no black-out dates, among others. You can buy your ticket online or use their on-site counter. There are different packages (or things you can do with your ticket), so pick carefully and according to your needs.
Don’t miss this new world!
Whether you are planning your next trip to Dubai or already there, we highly recommend paying a visit to Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, especially if you have kids. Most kids with a minimum of 8 years of age can participate in many programs mentioned above. However, some of the programs, especially diving and underwater discoveries, require adult supervision.
FAQs
Is it allowed to take photographs and videos inside Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo?
Yes, taking photographs and videos by visitors is allowed (sometimes without a flashlight). There are professional photographers on-site too.
Can I re-enter the facility and stay there as long as I want?
You can stay as long as you can, but you can only use your ticket once.
How Long Will It Take to Visit Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo?
In general, it will take 15 to 30 minutes to visit Aquarium Tunnel, 45 to 90 minutes to visit Underwater Zoo, 150 to 20 minutes to use the Glass Bottom Boat ride (booking beforehand recommended).