Dubai never fails to mesmerize us. The beautiful Miracle Garden, the world’s largest building Burj Khalifa, the largest Ferris wheel Ain Dubai and the Dubai aquarium with around 33,000 aquatic animals. Everything sounds just perfect and wonderful. This aquarium and the underwater zoo are located inside the Dubai Mall. The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater zoo have 3 divisions :
- a) Aquarium tank which consists of 140 species of thousands of aquatic animals. This tank consists of sharks, stingrays, octopuses, and many other exciting aquatic animals. Sand tiger sharks are the best collection in it. It is located on the ground floor of the Dubai Mall.
- b) Underwater Zoo comprises three ecosystems, namely rocky shore, rainforest, and living ocean. It consists of animals like a piranha, penguins, African Dwarf crocodiles, Lionfish, Giant Spider Crabs, Otters, and so many more. It is located above the aquarium tank.
- c) Aquarium tunnel is a walk-through tunnel while walking from which you will experience like you are walking into the depths of oceans. Keep your camera in your hand to capture the beautiful images of this tunnel.
- Timing, Location, tickets prices, and courses.
It is situated within Dubai’s shopping mall. The aquarium is on the ground floor, and the underwater zoo is on the next floor to that of the aquarium. It is open on all the days and the time is 10 am to 2 pm. The counter closes at 1 pm. Basic tickets with the experience of only Aquarium and underwater tunnel cost AED 120/person, whereas the Dubai aquarium and underwater zoo explorer tickets cost AED 175/person. VIP tickets are also available. The course fee for junior aquarist is AED 157.50/child, whereas for senior aquarist is AED 262.50/child (booking for both should be in advance).
- Shark dives and shark feeding encounters.
If you are looking for a thrill, then shark drive is the activity that allows you to get into a 1 million litre water tank and dive into the waters with the sand tiger sharks. Is it a boost for your adrenaline? Not just this, but also you can enjoy the feeding sight of the shark by entering into the waters. You are put into the cage, and the divers attract the sharks with the feeding buckets. Once the shark comes near to the diver for the food, you can observe it from a distance of just a few centimetres!
- Scuba diving and cage snorkelling.
If you have wanted to do scuba diving for a long time, then this is the perfect place for you to convert that dream into reality. The place provides a professional 2-day scuba diving course under the guidance of expert divers. You will be provided with the certificate of being a professional scuba diver. Do you want more? Cage snorkelling is another water activity in which you have to put on your snorkelling gear and submerge into the waters of the Dubai aquarium and underwater zoo and experience the marine from the nearest view you can. If you are not a swimmer, then this is best for you.
- VR ZOO experience
VRZOO (Virtual- reality Zoo) is a high-tech technology that aims at delivering the conservatory message among the people about endangered species. You travel from the habitat of gorillas in Uganda to a tryst with whale sharks at Maldives and elephants in the South African savannahs without even moving from your place. It is like time travel and the best way to impart knowledge among the species which have gone extinct and the one which is on the way to extinction. The experience is eye-opening and feels real. If you like to explore life on the earth, then this is the best experience for you.
- Boost for children’s brains.
The Dubai aquarium provides interesting programs for junior (5-15 years) and senior children(8-15yrs) to work with a professional aquarist. Junior children will be able to watch the feeding process of the aquatic animals with closeness and can also help out the professional in feeding other aquatic animals, whereas the senior children have the advantage of doing the additional activity to that of junior children of cage snorkelling. Both these programs will enhance the quality of loving animals in your child and also make them aware of the behaviour of the aquatic animals. This can only be possible in Dubai.
