Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

An aquarium & underwater zoo right in the mall.

It is definitely worth a visit. But directly as a tip: You should buy a ticket online beforehand. These are a lot cheaper than the tickets you can buy on site. We chose a combination ticket for the Dubai Aquarium & the Underwater Zoo for 75 AED (equivalent to about 17€) and thus paid much less.
With our ticket we then went to an entrance of the Underwater Zoo. There we were told that we have to go down one floor, because there is the entrance for the aquarium. So we went down one floor with the escalator and along the huge wall of the aquarium to the entrance.

Shortly through a turnstile, directly forwarded to a photo wall where in seconds two photos of us were shot and we were already in the aquarium.

The aquarium

A large tunnel, the so-called hanging aquarium, awaits us. You virtually walk into the aquarium and the fish, sharks, rays and many other sea creatures swim elegantly over our heads or past us. It is very impressive to be almost completely surrounded by an aquarium and water. Some of the animals swim very close to the windows and so you can observe them in their full size and splendor in peace.

The only drawback is that the water tunnel does not offer much space for many people. So, unfortunately, you quickly get in the way and for a good photo you also have to be very fast. It is rather a rarity that you can stand in the middle of the tunnel or even to observe the animals in peace. Of course, everyone wants to have a photo directly and catch the perfect view of the sea creatures. There also gladly times pushed or closely moved up — despite Corona.

Although you have to wear a mouth guard all the time, you can take it off for photos. And since it is a narrow room, it is not really possible to keep enough distance to the other guests. Since it was also quickly too crowded in the tunnel, we then went further.

Around the corner a booth was waiting for us, where we got the photos from the beginning. These can be bought now for 275 AED (thus approx. 60€). Since we were of the opinion that this is a little bit expensive for two photos and these unfortunately look a little bit very much after Photoshop, we declined with thanks.

But to our disappointment, this also put us right at the exit of the aquarium. I had expected the tunnel to be the entrance to the aquarium itself. From the outside it looks totally gigantic. In the mall, huge glass walls extend over 2–3 floors, through which you can observe and marvel at the sea creatures even from afar. That it is then only this short tunnel, was therefore all the more disappointing and surprising.

The Underwater Zoo

So we went on to the Underwater Zoo. For this we had to go up two floors in the mall again. Behind the turnstile you enter again a water tunnel. This time, however, only en half tunnel, but still very beautiful and impressive.
Unlike the aquarium, the Underwater Zoo does not end after this tunnel. There is a circular path and everywhere you can marvel at different fish, aquatic animals like otters and beavers as well as parrots and snowy owls.

A staircase leads up to a dark corridor where you can see bats and other nocturnal animals such as frogs, lizards, etc.. Likewise, you can walk over small hanging rope bridges and thus discover the zoo from above.

Around another corner, you are greeted by two large crocodiles that can be viewed from above as well as from the water. With a special ticket it is probably also still possible to look at penguins. Since we had not booked this, however, we had to do without the penguins.

Almost at the end of the Underwater Zoo there is a large pool with many jellyfish. These are colorfully illuminated and the color change makes the whole calm floating of the jellyfish seem like magic.

At the exit of the zoo we have to show our entrance ticket — which is only a receipt — again. Only then we are allowed to leave the zoo to get through the souvenir store back into the mall. I found this really confusing but what the heck.

The combination of the aquarium with the Underwater Zoo is definitely worth it. What the aquarium falls short of, the zoo makes up for accordingly. I believe you can only buy one ticket for both together anyway, but I’m not entirely sure. Of course, you can also book other specials like the penguin aquarium, a ride on a glass-bottom boat or even a feeding. But we saved that this time.

That was it. So quickly one is from a magical underwater world back in the hustle and bustle of a gigantic mall.