Middle East
United Arab Emirates
Emirate of Dubai
Dubai
Things to do in Dubai
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: Hours, Address, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Reviews: 4/5

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Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

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See all things to do
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
4
15,376
#12 of 508 things to do in Dubai
Aquariums
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10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Monday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Friday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 12:00 AM
About
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is one of the most captivating attractions in Dubai. Located at The Dubai Mall, the largest mall in the world, offering a memorable journey into ocean life. With capacity to hold 10 million litres of water, Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world and it illuminates the marvels of the ocean floor, showcasing one of the most diverse collections of aquatic life. Located just above the aquarium, Underwater Zoo brings visitors up close with penguins, piranhas, crabs, water rats, sea horses, jellyfish and plenty more. A fascinating new addition at Underwater Zoo is King Croc, regarded as nature's rare phenomenon and one of the world's largest reptiles - at over 5 meters long and weighing an imposing 750 kg plus. Underwater Zoo regularly hosts innovative exhibits. One such exhibit, 'UAE's Night Creatures' presents the experience of nightfall in the desert as creatures of the dark.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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Admission tickets
from A$53.27
All you need to step foot in the door.
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The area
Neighbourhood: Downtown Dubai
You can’t fail to miss Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. It towers over the city and resides in the prestigious Downtown development. Once an old army base, Downtown is now the jewel in Dubai’s crown, a beautiful residential and leisure area housing not only the world’s tallest building, but the world’s largest fountains and mall. Wide marble sidewalks are perfect for strolling, with restaurants, art galleries and children’s play areas. Specially commissioned sculptures line the roads and Downtown is often used as a canvas for modern art displays and community events such as Classic Car Shows and National Day parades. In the cooler months, cross one of the many bridges to the Burj Khalifa park and enjoy a picnic alongside residents and visitors, or enjoy a lunch or dinner watch the dancing fountains. Because of its mixed use, Downtown is a fantastic place to mix with Dubai residents and locals and watch real life unfold in a cosmopolitan environment.
Best nearby
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154
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128
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Attractions
252 within 10 kms
The Dubai Mall
30,868
67 mShopping Malls
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421
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At the Top
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Popular mentions
4.0
15,377 reviews
Excellent
7,337
Very good
4,772
Average
2,372
Poor
614
Terrible
282
Eng_mmohsen
Cairo, Egypt47 contributions
Nice but short
May 2022 • Family
The aquarium tube is very short, you might enjoy the view from outside better than inside. Zoo was nice with lovely creatures for kids. Unfortunately we didnt catchup with penguins show
Written 18 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
nathanfreeman82
Adelaide, Australia147 contributions
Could be better 🤷‍♂️
May 2022 • Solo
The aquarium is literally the tunnel beneath the display you see for free anyway. It's okay but you get a better view from the public viewing area.
The underwater zoo is okay, not very big and have to pay extra to see certain displays such as the penguins.
Nicely done, quiet small.
Written 14 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MBJAZY
Amman, Jordan279 contributions
It is Ok. No more no less.
May 2022 • Family
Waiting in queue to our online purchased tickets took more than 30 minutes which started the tour on a very boring note.

What you see outside the aquarium from the main glass is actually way better than the tunnel or while on your inside.

Being charged for a photo for 320DHs is ludicrous and shameful.

There are other species to see inside the zoo which are way better than the aquarium themselves. There is also a penguin area which is nice to see.

The place is over packed and you barely can see anything without being rushed.

The kids had an ok time but is it worth the money and the time, I personally don’t believe so.

One thing worth mentioning is that there is a huge operation behind the scene in terms of running the facility and taking care of the animals which made me appreciate it a bit more from the effort of the staff but doesn’t affect my experience.
Written 6 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cristian S
Bucharest, Romania61 contributions
Interesting view and experience
Apr. 2022
Even after visiting the aquarium from the Atlantis Hotel, the experience was quite pleasant and we enjoyed the view.
Written 5 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
laurachadx
Sutton in Ashfield, UK10 contributions
Sad fish
Apr. 2022 • Family
Terrible experience, really boring, overpriced and didn't accept our entertainer app! Don't waste your time or your money - you may as well go to the beach on the palm and see some fish
Written 26 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Maryna B
Krakow, Poland15 contributions
Shark dive - amazing experience
Apr. 2022 • Couples
I did the shark dive and that was absolutely unique experience.
Diving services are very professional (many thanks to my guide Tata!), you won’t move much as aquarium is rather small but you will be brought to the right spots to experience close encounter.
You must be at least Open Water certified to take the activity. I have booked 2 months in advance just in case, you can refund up 78 hours before the scheduled time so no risk.
I recommend this activity in Dubai - more than anything else.
Tip: relatively nice pictures can be taken for free from the mall if you have a friend who won’t go in with you :-)
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Natasha
Midrand, South Africa4 contributions
Fabulous experience
Apr. 2022 • Family
My 18 year old son and I spent a Saturday at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater zoo. It was really cool and interactive. We bought the the ultimate experience ticket which included underwater zoo, guided behind the scenes tour, penguin cove, interactive platform, a ride on through the Aquarium on glass bottom boat and fish feeding. A lovely day but I'd recommend you wear comfy shoes as there is alot of walking and queues involved. Aside from comfy shoes, you need alot of patience for the long queues. I highly recommend buying a "skip the queue ticket" if you can.
Written 23 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Sarah W
Halifax, Canada106 contributions
Disappointing
Mar. 2022 • Solo
This was probably one of the only disappointing things I did in Dubai.

I had previously gone to the aquarium in Toronto Canada and liked it way more than I thought I would so had high hopes for Dubai since everything is bigger and better here.

I was wrong.

I wanted to get tickets to the aquarium and Burj Khalifa, but due to a system issue they couldn't sell me the tickets there so I had to go and find the kiosk that sold them and come back (which means waiting in line again).

Check the aquarium out from the mall where they have the best and biggest display. It's not the best for photos due to store display reflections, but it's great for just enjoying.

The tunnel you walk through is a cool way to see the creatures as they swim overhead, but it's short. Honestly that's probably the best part of the whole place.

The upstairs zoo part is mostly fish in display tanks and 2 large crocodiles. I kept thinking there must be more, but there isn't. There was a small suspension bridge that kids really liked running on, that seemed like the highlight for many.

If you have young kids it might be fun for them, but I'd still likely recommend looking from various places in the mall where you can see the tanks.

There's also surprisingly little signage to find it, but lots of mall staff that you can ask.

Overall I'm glad I had a combo ticket because at least Burj was worth it.
Written 23 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rueschi
Hagen, Germany122 contributions
Helpless, incompetent and unfriendly staff
Apr. 2022 • Family
The cashier and the staff at the entrance is the best example for helpless, unfriendly and incompetent service. As they had no clue how to handle the voucher they send you from A to B but not directly. They always try to send you back to wait at the end of the line. We definitely will never go there again and cannot recommend anybody to go there with a voucher.

Also the packages advertised on the website are not available on site. Only the overpriced ones starting from 290 AED.
Written 22 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Magdalena B
4 contributions
Not nice experience
Apr. 2022 • Family
I bought my tickets on line,came to the counter and it wasn’t crowded at all.They couldn’t find my tickets in the system for more then 40minutes!I ended up buying 2 new additional tickets with baby crying in a stroller!Unbeliveable how you can even provide any on line service if you can’t find the tickets which you sold!
Written 22 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 am - 12:00 am
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost AU$52.04, while a popular guided tour starts around AU$39.39 per person. See all 50 Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 50 Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
Restaurants near Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: View all restaurants near Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo on Tripadvisor