Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

Explore a Fascinating Aquatic World

The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is the largest indoor aquarium in the world, located in the largest shopping center in the Middle East - the Dubai Mall. Its volume is 10 million liters. The aquarium is home to more than 140 species of marine animals, including three hundred sharks and rays. The dubai underwater zoo is also famous for having the world's largest school of tiger sharks. Above the aquarium is a zoo with many species of fish and marine life, penguins, snakes and reptiles. This underwater zoo is divided into 3 zones - Rainforest, Rocky Coast, Living Ocean and allows visitors to see representatives of each of these varieties of fauna.

Aquarium Tank 

Seeing a giant blue wall with a wide variety of flora and fauna, which is located in an equally large tank with 10 million water - this spectacle at the dubai mall aquarium will not leave you indifferent. The side panel alone measures 51 m in length (half a football field) and 11 m in height. The width of this masterpiece is 20 m. More than 140 species of aquatic animals live here, including 300 sharks and rays. You can make your acquaintance with aquatic life even more vivid by plunging into an aquarium with scuba gear or on a special scooter, as well as swimming with a mask. From above, its side view was also supplemented with an interactive display, which immediately won three achievements that were honorably added to the Guinness Book of Records as the largest:

• Organic LED (OLED) screen measuring 709.69 m² with a resolution of 1,700,352,000 pixels
• Highest resolution video wall
• High fidelity video wall

Aquarium Tunnel

Explore the Aquarium Tunnel, a 48-meter long walkway that runs at a depth of 11 meters with a 270-degree panoramic view of the giant aquarium. While in an underwater tunnel, you will be looking up into the aquarium. Feel like you're on the seabed, surrounded by sea creatures swimming above and around you. 

Animals at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo 

In total, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is now home to thirty-three thousand inhabitants. Among them there are more than 160 species of marine life, including rare species - such as the largest collection of sand tiger sharks in the world or the 750-kilogram Croc crocodile, which is the real highlight of the complex. During your tour of the Zoo, you will be able to encounter a variety of unique animals, such as piranha, lionfish, giant spider crabs, seahorses, garden eels, arc fish and other aquatic animals displayed in 40 individual aquatic exhibits.

Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Experiences

Presentations & Feeding 

The dubai underwater zoo hosts educational presentations about aquatic life and conservation efforts. This is the place to be if you want to learn about marine ecosystems and their importance from nature activists and experts in the field. The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo complex features interesting exhibitions. For example, visit a fun mini-exhibition with nocturnal animals such as fruit bats, Ethiopian hedgehogs and Yemeni chameleons. You might also like the mini-exhibition “Kraken’s Lair” (the lair of a giant deep-sea squid). You will not see this sea creature in other aquariums or zoos, as it is an elusive mollusk. You will also see cuttlefish, squid and other invertebrate marine animals at this exhibition.

You can feed some of the inhabitants of zoos, such as unique species of fish. Groups of visitors are organized at specially designated fish feeding times and can get unforgettable emotions from this process.

VR ZOO

The team behind the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo complex has its own collection of nature's most endangered species in their natural habitats, displayed in immersive virtual reality. Spend time with a family of gorillas in the Great Impenetrable Forest of Uganda. Swim with whale sharks in the emerald Maldives. Plus, enjoy interactive animated wildlife in the exclusive VR ZOO. 

The Dubai Aquarium Tunnel

One of the key moments of a tour of the dubai mall underwater zoo is a walk through a glass tunnel, which is more than 40 meters long. It runs along the ground floor and offers views of sand sharks and rays swimming directly overhead. Guests of the complex will feel as if they are inside an aquarium with wild predators and will have a chance to take fantastic photos. This provides an excellent, undistorted view of 270 degrees to the right and left, which allows you to observe their life not only from the inside, but also from the outside.

King Croc Encounter

The highlight of the aquarium is an Australian crocodile named Croc, which means “King of Crocodiles.” It bears this name for a reason, because its length reaches 5 meters and its weight exceeds 700 kg. Just imagine, he is over 40 years old! Workers at the complex say that over the coming years the crocodile will only increase in size.

Otter Encounter

In addition, the underwater zoo is home to 13 otters brought from Asia. Meeting them will definitely give you the most vivid emotions, because they are very funny. The aquarium workers even allow visitors to contact them, for example, you can pet them. Also, workers will be able to tell you a lot of interesting things about this endangered species of animals.

Ray Encounter

The Dubai Aquarium is also home to over 300 stingrays of various species - their flat bodies with whip-shaped tails and smiling mouths are memorable for a long time!

Penguin Encounter

A must-have for visitors is to visit Penguin Cove and enjoy close encounters with penguins Gentoo! A separate, specially fenced area is inhabited by penguins, who, as a rule, are obligatory residents of all zoos in the world. And even in Dubai, where the average temperature is 30 degrees Celsius, you can see these fascinating cute creatures at the Dubai Underwater Zoo. You'll also learn about their natural behavior from an expert zoologist and watch a fascinating video about these incredible Antarctic birds.

Shark Trainer Encounter

This interactive experience at Dubai Aquarium is perfect for the whole family. Workers will tell visitors about what types of sharks there are and how they are cared for in the complex. The educational program is aimed at increasing knowledge about the environment, nutrition and reproduction of sharks. Also, as part of this program, guests of the aquarium can help the team of workers and take part in training bamboo sharks and leopard sharks. try on the role of a “coach” experience and interact with sharks.

Shark Dives 

Try diving and dive underwater to get up close and personal with the different types of predatory sharks that live in the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo complex, such as sandy sharks, tiger sharks, leopard sharks, stingrays and more. Your safety will be under the control of the aquarium staff, so if all rules are followed, no diver will be harmed. If you are new to this business, then first of all you will need to undergo training. A certified diver can dive immediately. All necessary equipment will be provided on site.

Snorkeling (Cage)

If you are not close to the experience of diving, this will not prevent you from still diving under the water and getting the same vivid emotions. A similar experience is provided by diving into a 10 million liter cage without the equipment that diving would require. You'll get up close and personal with over 70 different marine species, including nearly 300 sharks and rays. This activity is available to all visitors of the complex aged 8 years and older. In this case, you do not need previous scuba diving experience, you just need to wear the necessary equipment. 

Shark Walker (cage)

Embark on an exciting journey with predatory sharks, swimming with them underwater in a 10 million liter tank. This experience is provided thanks to a helmet with oxygen, which allows you to breathe underwater. Ask your instructor to film your shark walker experience using his GoPro to share with friends and family.

Shark Scooter

If you want more of the adrenaline rush than diving with predatory sharks, then take part in the newest activity available at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo - Shark Scooter. Participants in this experience will be transported below the surface of the aquarium in an autonomous vehicle similar to a scooter. Either one or two people can participate at the same time. The Shark Scooter is undoubtedly an experience unlike any other.

Speciality Dives

If you have a special PADI diving license, you can gain underwater experience and go underwater yourself. Get the most vivid emotions from swimming in the Aquarium with predatory sharks, rays and other animals, observe their behavior and even feed these inhabitants. And also use a professional underwater camera to capture this unique experience as a memory.

Discover Scuba Diving

Have you ever wanted to gain scuba diving skills by learning to breathe underwater and scuba diving the depths of the Dubai Aquarium? The 10 million liter deep aquarium at the Dubai Aquarium is the perfect place to get this experience, even without taking the full certification course. The PADI Discover Scuba Diver program is designed for you. After a short theory lesson, your dive instructor will give you a short briefing on how to behave underwater and scuba dive.

Meet the Mermaids 

Become a spectator at the mesmerizing Mermaid Show, which takes place in the aquarium from Thursday to Saturday three times a day: at 16:00, 18:00, 20:00. This truly unique performance accompanied by music will not leave you indifferent. You will witness the acrobatic skills of world-class freedivers swimming in an aquarium, dressed in elegant and beautiful mermaid costumes.

Glass Boat Experience

At the Dubai Aquarium you can also take a boat ride with a transparent glass bottom. Every 10-20 minutes, up to 10 people are taken into the boat with a transparent bottom. The transparent panel allows you to see fish, rays, and sharks up close. Below you will be 33 thousand different underwater inhabitants floating by, which you will be able to see up close and observe their behavior under water.

Dubai Aquarium Location

The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is located in the largest shopping and entertainment center in Dubai - the Dubai Mall. The Dubai Aquarium address is Doha Street, Sheikh Zayed Road in Downtown Dubai. 

How to get to the Dubai Aquarium

You can get to Dubai Aquarium in the following ways:

• Dubai Metro: Take the Dubai Metro Red Line and get off at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station.
• Bus: Routes 27, 28, 29, 30, 50 and 81 stop at the Dubai Mall, where the complex is located.
• If you’d rather not depend upon public transport, use Careem to call a taxi or Uber. 

Dubai Aquarium Opening Hours

The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is open every day from 10:00 to 22:15.

Standard Dubai Aquarium Tickets Price

Children under 2 years of age free of charge. Adults & Children 2 years and above AED199 each.

FAQs

What's the Best Time to Visit the Dubai Aquarium?

The best time to visit the Dubai Aquarium is from November to March, since the winter months in Dubai are not hot and the weather is most suitable for various types of activities.

How Much Time Do You Need for Your Visit?

The optimal amount of time needed for a full visit to the Dubai Aquarium is 2-3 hours.

What Should You Know Before Visiting the Dubai Aquarium?

Make sure you buy tickets to Dubai Aquarium in advance you will almost certainly save money. The best time to visit the Dubai Aquarium is in the morning. You can come before opening to join the queue and avoid large crowds. Also a good time is the evening, at least 45 minutes before the complex closes. 

Can I make photo and video inside Dubai Aquarium?

Yes, you can make photo and video inside Dubai Aquarium.

Do you provide a tour guide for the general public?

Tour guide for the general public is included in standard ticket.

Which is better, Lost Chambers or Dubai Aquarium?

The choice between aquariums in dubai Dubai Aquarium vs Lost Chambers solely depends on your personal preference. But the Dubai Aquarium is cheaper, more centrally located – in Dubai Mall, and closer to all other attractions.