Travelling with Kids: Dubai Aquarium (Review)

Our first sight of the Dubai Aquarium was the astounding glass panel INSIDE the Dubai Mall!! Measuring a whopping 32.88m wide, 8.3m high, the acrylic viewing panel easily allows the Dubai Aquarium to be the holder of the Guinness World Records (2010) as the world’s LARGEST single acrylic viewing panel.

The viewing panel is mesmerizing! You can stand for hours in front of the viewing panel marvelling at the diverse species swimming inside the tank. And if you are lucky, you may even see the occasional divers inside the tank!

Best of all, there is NO charge to view the large “fish tank” with its diverse marine life from the mall. It is freely available for all visitors in the mall to view, and what a spectacular sight!

If this is your first visit to the Dubai Aquarium with your young ones, I suggest you allocate at least 2.5 hours to this attraction. The aquarium and tunnel typically takes about 20 – 30 minutes. Ten minutes to pry yourself and your children from gawking at the huge panel, and about 15 to 20 minutes to tour the tunnel.

The Underwater Zoo on the 2nd level takes about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours (depending on your fascination or squeamishness with the creepy crawlies). Click Here to read about the Underwater Zoo and Creepy Crawlies.

Also, I highly recommend the glass-bottom boat tour (that takes about 15-20 minutes). You get an aerial view of the entire tank and its inhabitants.

The Aquarium Tunnel

The 270-degree acrylic Aquarium Tunnel makes for an interesting walk. Perhaps it was the special ‘lunar-cyclic’ lighting system that changes the ambience of the tank at different times of the day, or the the view of the sharks, stingrays and school of marine creatures swimming above you.  Whatever it was, there was a definite surreal, sci-fi sensation as we strolled through the tunnel.

A stationary shark provided us with much amusement. First, we did the right thing and marvelled at one of nature’s deadliest creatures. Then, we tried to get it to “blink” or swim away by making funny-scary faces at it. When it didn’t react, we decided to use it as a measuring tool to see who could reach the furthest (see pictures below).

Naturally Dad won.

The Dubai Aquarium – an amazing and fascinating attraction for the kids!

Click HERE for more information on the Fees and promotion:

1. Combo Ticket (AED 55) – entry to Aquarium Tunnel & Underwater Zoo
2. Platinum Aquarium Package (AED 80) – entry to Aquarium Tunnel, Underwater Zoo & Behind the Scenes Tour + Aquarium Gift Voucher
3. Diamond Aquarium Package (AED90) – entry to Aquarium Tunnel, Underwater Zoo, Behind the Scenes Tour & Fish Feeding + Aquarium Gift Voucher
4. Ultimate Aquarium Package (AED110) – entry to the Aquarium Tunnel, the Underwater Zoo, Aquarium Glass-Bottom Boat tour +  Aquarium Gift Shop voucher.

You can stay as long as like once you are inside the Aquarium. The Aquarium is open at the following timings:

* Sunday to Wednesday from 10am to 10pm (Last admission: 9:30pm)
* Thursday to Saturday from 10am to 12 midnight (Last admission: 11:30pm)

Our visit was generously hosted by the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo who in no way influenced the comments or reviews of this post.

Read more about our trip to Dubai and the things you can do with your kids when travelling to Dubai.

Share your experiences in Dubai with us. We will love to hear from you and for you to connect with US on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Till our next post, love yourself, love one another.