Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: 2026 Ticket, Hours and Booking Guide
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The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is inside Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai, so you can walk in from the shopping floor without leaving the building. The main tank holds 10 million litres of water and more than 33,000 marine animals, and a 48-metre tunnel runs through it. The Underwater Zoo adds penguins, crocodiles and seahorses. Plan on 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Because it is indoors, it works in any month, and it is a good choice for the hottest hours of a summer day. This guide covers what you will see, what the ticket includes, the age rules and how to get there. The current price is on the ticket page.
What is inside the aquarium
The scale is the first surprise. According to our ticket page, the tank holds 10 million litres of water and is home to more than 33,000 marine animals. Among them are over 300 sharks and rays, and the sand tiger shark collection is counted among the largest in the world.
The 48-metre underwater tunnel
The tunnel is the heart of the visit. As you walk its 48 metres, you see the tank through 270 degrees: sharks pass overhead and rays glide past beside you. Visit Dubai describes it as a fish-eye view, with the aquarium wrapping around you from above and on every side.
The Underwater Zoo
In the Underwater Zoo section you will see a range of species, from penguins and crocodiles to seahorses, piranhas and crabs. According to Visit Dubai, its best-known resident is King Croc, a crocodile weighing 750 kilograms and more than 5 metres long.
Glass-bottomed boat with the Explorer Pass
Our ticket page says a glass-bottomed boat ride is possible with the Explorer Pass. If you want to watch the tank from the surface, check whether your chosen ticket covers it before the payment step. Coverage depends on the ticket.
The size of the tank
According to Visit Dubai, the city's official tourism guide, the main tank is 51 metres long, 20 metres wide and 11 metres high. That makes it one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world. The aquarium rises to the third floor of Dubai Mall and is home to 140 species of sea life. The official guide presents it as one of the city's most popular spots, loved by adults and children alike.
Other ways to see the tank
Visit Dubai lists experiences beyond the tunnel and boat, including a mermaid makeover, a snorkelling cage and diving with the sharks with an oxygen tank. These depend on the package you choose. Before you buy, check on the ticket page which of them, if any, our ticket includes.
What is free and what needs a ticket
According to Visit Dubai, mall visitors can see the marine life in the giant main tank without a ticket. The Underwater Zoo is out of sight from the mall and open to ticket holders only. You need a ticket for the tunnel and the zoo.
How much time to allow
By Visit Dubai's timings, walking the tunnel alone takes 15 to 30 minutes. The Underwater Zoo needs at least one to one and a half hours, and longer if you want to watch the daily presentations.
If your ticket includes the glass-bottomed boat ride, add another 15 to 20 minutes. Put together, these parts match the 1.5 to 2.5 hour visit our ticket page suggests.
Know before you book
- Opening hours: According to our page, open daily from 10:00 to 23:00, last entry 22:15. Confirm on the ticket page before you go.
- Visit length: The suggested time is 1.5 to 2.5 hours. If you want to take the Underwater Zoo slowly, plan for the upper end.
- Age rules: Everyone aged 2 and over needs a ticket. Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Bring: Passport or ID card, and your mobile or printed ticket confirmation.
- Wear: Comfortable, casual clothes are fine. Trainers are recommended for children.
Which month to go
Because the aquarium is indoors, any month works. The real difference is the weather outside. Based on the 2021-2025 averages on our ticket page, daytime temperatures in Dubai run between 38 and 40 degrees from June to September. In those months the aquarium is a good way to spend the hottest part of the day.
From November to March, average highs are between 24 and 31 degrees. In that season you can slot the aquarium into a morning or evening and keep the daytime for the outdoors.
Fitting it into your Dubai plans
Getting there
Visit Dubai's directions: take the Metro Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station, walk into the mall and follow the aquarium signs. Bus routes 27, 28, 29, 30, 50 and 81 stop at Dubai Mall. Drivers can take Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), follow the Dubai Mall signs and use the mall's car parks. The official guide's Downtown page adds that an air-conditioned walkway links the metro station to Dubai Mall, and that the area is very well known to taxi drivers.
Under the same roof
According to Visit Dubai's Downtown guide, Dubai Mall also has an Olympic-sized ice rink next to the aquarium. The Zabeel extension has e-karting, and a newer section called The District has more than 60 shops and restaurants. So you can pair the aquarium with another plan in the mall without leaving the building.
An aquarium visit takes less than half a day, so adding a second plan to the same day is easy. If you want to see the city from above, Burj Khalifa At the Top, next to Dubai Mall, is one option to add.
Other aquarium options
Two other names often come up in the same searches. The Lost Chambers Aquarium in Dubai has underwater glass tunnels built around a lost civilisation theme. The National Aquarium in Abu Dhabi has a 360-degree underwater tunnel. Both are separate experiences with their own tickets. Online booking for these two is not open on our site at the moment, but you can send a question from their pages.
For more things to do in Dubai, see our city guide and city break ideas.
Where is Dubai Aquarium?
Inside Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai. The nearest metro stop is Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station on the Red Line.
How long does a visit take?
Our ticket page suggests 1.5 to 2.5 hours. According to Visit Dubai, the Underwater Zoo needs at least one to one and a half hours.
Do children need a ticket?
Everyone aged 2 and over needs a ticket. Children under 15 can enter with an adult.
Can I see the aquarium without a ticket?
The main tank is visible from inside Dubai Mall without a ticket. The Underwater Zoo is open to ticket holders only.
Do Dubai Aquarium and The Lost Chambers Aquarium share a ticket?
No. They are separate experiences, each with its own ticket.
