The Dubai Aquarium has earned several accolades, including a Guinness World Record for largest indoor aquarium. Among the 200 underwater animal species, it is home to the largest collection of Sand Tiger sharks. You can witness the wonderful sights from outside, or pay to use the walk-through tunnel which will give you a unique perspective of all the underwater animals.
A visit to the Dubai Aquarium is incomplete without heading to the Underwater Zoo -- something we highly recommend, as you would to meet the star attractions, King and Queen Croc! This zoo has been divided into three sections: Rocky Shore, Living Ocean, and Rainforest. Feast your eyes on the Humboldt penguins, seahorses, lionfish, piranhas, giant spider crabs and so much more.
Apart from observing the different underwater species, there are several exciting activities you can try at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. They are meant to be not just entertaining, but educational as well by raising awareness about the importance of preserving wildlife.
At the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Arena, visitors have the rare opportunity to not just get up-close with some sharks, but actually feed them as well! You don’t need to be an experienced diver for this activity; all you have to do is strap on your gear, dive underwater and lure the sharks out with some fish in a bucket. It’s an excellent way to learn the feeding and behavioral habits of sharks.
Time for a rendezvous with some sharks! This experience allows you to take a plunge into the depths of the Dubai Aquarium where you will come face-to-face with not just little fish and stingrays, but some massive, 750-pound sharks as well! To participate in this thrilling adventure, you need not be a certified diver; you can simply follow the instructions of your guide and enjoy the experience of a lifetime.
For those who would like a meet-and-greet with underwater animals, another excellent option is to try the cage snorkeling experience at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Here, equipped with the right snorkeling gear, you will be lowered into the aquarium in a secure cage. This gives you a safe and excellent close vantage point from where you can observe stingrays, piranhas, clownfish, sharks, crocodiles and more!
If you’ve always wanted to learn how to scuba dive, here’s the perfect opportunity to try your hand at it! At the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, visitors will be given a brief theoretical overview of scuba diving, after which, equipped with the required equipment, they can dive into the tank and get up-close with the beautiful marine life that lives here. This scuba diving experience is definitely for all water babies!
All these activities are completely safe. Visitors will be provided with all the necessary safety gear and equipment required, and will be under constant supervision of licensed, trained professionals.
The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is open every day of the week, throughout the year.
Dubai Aquarium timings are between 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays and 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM on weekends.
Dubai Mall timings are between 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
The Dubai Aquarium is located on the Ground Level of the Dubai Mall. The Underwater Zoo is located on Level 2, which you can access from the Dubai Aquarium as well.
The Dubai Mall is located at Downtown Dubai, on Financial Centre Road.
The easiest and most economical way to reach the Dubai Mall is by taking the metro. Get onto the Red Line of the Dubai Metro and get off at the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station. From here, you can simply walk to the mall, or take a feeder bus.