Located in the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium is the largest suspended aquarium in the world, hosting thousands of species of sea life, found no-where else in the world. It is also one of the most popular attractions in the UAE for children.
Featuring the largest viewing panel, and one of the biggest tanks in the world, you get to view the incredible underwater domain comprising thousands of creatures of the deep. The aquarium and zoo is home to more than thirty thousand types of sea life, offering an exciting, educational day out for adults and children alike.
The main Aquarium tank measures 51m in length, 20m in depth and 11m in height. The Guinness World Record-winning acrylic panel in front of the tank offers free viewing for public from all three levels of the Dubai Mall. The 48m walk-through Tunnel offers 270-degree views from 11m below the surface of the tank.
The aquarium has the largest collection of Sand Tiger Sharks in the world. Highlights include watching shark dive, riding on a glass bottom boat, night safari at the underwater zoo. You get to watch divers feeding the Sharks and Rays during the day and meet an Aquaarium Educator who can share animals’ underwater secrets with you.
The Underwater zoo is located on Level Two above the Aquarium tank, and features amazing creatures that inhabit both rivers and oceans. The zoo leads you through three ecological zones – Rainforest, Living Ocean and Rocky Shore. Some noteworthy aquatic creatures in the Underwater Zoo are Piranha, Otters, Humbolt, Caiman Crocodiles, Humbolt Penguins, Giant Spider Crabs, Lionfish, Garden Eels, Seahorses, Water Rats, Arapaima, Archerfish, Nautilus, Cichlids, amazing aquatic animals in 40 individual aquatic displays.
You may also get to catch a behind-the-scene glimpse at Aquarium life, where you can see staff prepare fish food, divers getting ready to take the plunge and some customers daring to opt for Shark Dive.
At Underwater Zoo, you can ride the glass-bottom boats, reach out and touch Rock Pool inhabitants, and catch behind-the-scene glimpse at the Aquarium Viewing Panel. The glass boat ride ticket may have to be purchased at an additional cost to Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo entry ticket. Rides depart every 10 to 20 minutes, with capacity to keep 10 people in a boat.
Taking a walk through ‘Rainforest’ at the Underwater Zoo is like walking along the banks of a pristine river bed, surrounded by most incredible freshwater animals. The dangerous Piranha, playful Otters, Giant Catfish, and Water Rats are some of the animals you get to meet at the Rainforest.
The ‘Rocky Shore’ in the zoo, feels like the land meets the sea here. It is a rugged, harsh environment, with some tough animals like Humboldt Penguin Colony, and Giant Spider Crabs. You can even reach out and touch some of the hardy rock pool inhabitants, if you like to.
Slithering reptiles, creeping arthropods, colourful chameleons, blood-squirting lizards, more than 30 species of snakes, geckos, insects, lizards, iguanas, amphibians, scorpions, spiders, tarantulas, millipedes, mantes, beetles, Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, Iguana Enclosure, Burmese Python Enclosure, Tree Snake Enclosure with Oriental Whip Snake and Red Tail Racer Snake, are all some of the other highlights at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.
To become a PADI certified diver, you could sign up for 2-day scuba diver course for beginners here, and earn an internationally recognized PADI certification for life. For entry into the Aquarium tunnel, an entry fee of Dh.25 for adult and Dh.20 for a child is charged. The admission for Aquarium Tunnel and Underwater Zoo is Dh.50.
Timing
10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday to Wednesday)
10:00am to 12:00am (Thursday to Saturday)
www.thedubaiaquarium.com for more information or call +971 4 4485200.