Top 10 Things do in Dubai this Winter

3. Aquariums

Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo 

It is one of the most captivating attractions in Dubai. Also, located at The Dubai Mall, it offers a memorable journey into ocean life. 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, seahorses, jellyfish and plenty more.

Aquarium Tank is one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world (Dubai loves it world records – just ask Guinness). With a capacity to hold 10 million liters of water, it houses thousands of aquatic animals, comprising over 140 species. Over 300 Sharks and Rays live in this tank, including the largest collection of Sand Tiger Sharks in the world. 

The 48-meter walk-through Tunnel provides 270-degree views from 11 meters below the surface of the tank. Visitors can go on a Glass-bottom boat ride, providing unique views of the tank from beneath their feet and feed the fish. And if that is not enough you can experience a dip in the tank with a Cage Snorkeling Experience. For the adventurous ones, a Shark Dive is a once in a lifetime opportunity, bringing you within inches of a large variety of sharks and rays

The tunnel walk with photos will take 20-30 minutes at the most. Tip – turn off your flash when you take pics otherwise the light bounces off the glass and ruins the photo.

Just above the aquarium, located on Level Two Underwater Zoo brings visitors up close with penguins, piranhas, crabs, water rats, seahorses, jellyfish and, plenty more three ecological Zones; Rainforest, Rocky Shore and Living Ocean. 

You are going to love the zoo because there is so much to see and learn. You may end up spending more than an hour here. Tip – Don’t rush through but take your time visiting each creature.

The ticket prices range from USD 28 to USD 86 per person. You can purchase the tickets here.

The Lost Chambers 

Located next to The Atlantis The Palm and Aquaventure Park (more on this later) is worth the visit. There are over 20 impressive marine life exhibits including a touch tank and an interactive Aquatheatre show. At the Lost Chambers Aquarium, guests have the unique opportunity to feed and swim among the amazing creatures that call the Ambassador Lagoon home. They also have some other experiences that are worth doing.

The Ultimate Snorkel gets you up close and personal with local species of sharks, rays and fish as you snorkel through the Ambassador Lagoon. 
Fish Tales Tour – An opportunity to visit the fish hospital and discover their special breeding programs and how they take care of the jellyfish, sharks and, rays. The educational adventure continues at the top of the Ambassador Lagoon, where you will view the region?s largest marine exhibit from the surface. 
Aquarium Dives is available for both certified and non-certified divers available. It includes Atlantis Dive Explorer, Predator Dive, Atlantis Aquatrek and Atlantis Dive Discovery.

Fun Fact – The Ambassador Lagoon and The Lost Chambers Aquarium combined are home to over 65,000 marine animals!!!

Booking.com

Bonus

Dolphin Encounter

The?Dolphin Encounter?at Dolphin Bay is a must-do!!!

It is open to all ages and the interaction is in shallow waters so it is safe for non-swimmers. Here you can hug, dance and kiss the dolphin. There is also a show the dolphins put on for you. I haven’t met anyone who has regretted doing this.

The ticket is USD 230 per person but it does include complimentary same-day access to Aquaventure Waterpark as well as 25% off same-day admission to The Lost Chambers Aquarium. There is a 15-minute orientation with a Marine Mammal Specialist and you have 30 minutes in the water. They do provide you with wetsuits and vests as they are required while in the water. You need 30 minutes for check-in and changing and you can keep your stuff in the provided lockers.

All children under 12 years old must be accompanied by a paying adult (18 years and above). One adult per three children, per interaction and all programs, are conducted in English.

You can SAVE 10% on your Dolphin Bay experience when you book at least 7 days in advance.

I suggest you have someone take pictures of you while you interact because the cost to buy what they take is outrageously expensive and not worth it.

4. Adventure Sports

Ski Dubai?- A Winter Holiday in the Desert

No winter holiday is complete without snow and Dubai provides that! A world’s first! As the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East, Ski Dubai gives you the unique opportunity to experience an extraordinary winter wonderland however hot the temperature outside!

Located in the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai and covering an impressive 22,500 square meters of snow-covered terrain and with five slopes of varying difficulty, this is an incredible pulse-racing experience for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities. Ski Dubai also offers ski and snowboard lessons for all levels.?How many people can say they learned to snowboard in the middle of a desert?

There?s something for everyone at Ski Dubai. The Snow Park offers countless hours of exhilarating entertainment options, including bobsledding, tubing, tobogganing, wall climbing, zorbing and snow bumpers. Not exciting enough for you? Then try the Giant Ball run, jump a 10ft ramp or get an aerial view of Ski Dubai from the state-of-the-art chairlift. They also have an exhilarating custom-made ride that carries you 150m at speeds of up to 40kph apt named Mountain Thriller ride. You can suspend yourself 16ft above the ground, on the Snow Bullet ride, or race against family members on their dual indoor zip line.

For the kids (can’t forget about the kids), they have a colony of King and Gentoo Snow Penguins where they can either watch the Penguin march which is held daily or have a one of a kind encounter experience. 

Sky Dive Dubai

A tandem skydive from 13,000 feet above the Palm Jumeirah is an incredible experience and should be on everyone?s Dubai to-do list. I should know I did it!

I must admit I wasn’t nervous till they opened the door and was standing at the edge of the plane feeling the chill wind in my face and looking down at the still waters of the Palm. Once we jumped I didn’t stop screaming till my throat dried up and only then did I open my eyes and boy I wish I had kept my eyes open when jumping!

The view is just unbelievable – on one side you have the towers of JBR and JLT with the golf course and desert behind them. On the other side the stillness of the Arabian Sea and the Palm. The best part was once the chute opened and all you could hear was stillness – pure nirvana!

Sky Dive offer two drop zones to do the jump – Palm Jumeriah or at their Desert Campus – I recommend the Palm.

The total cost for a tandem skydive at the Desert Campus is USD 463 per person. The total cost for a tandem skydive at the Palm is USD 599. The tandem skydiving package at both locations includes photos and a professionally edited video of the skydive.

On the day of the skydive, our knowledgeable instructors will guide you through the entire process, and our talented camera fliers will capture every sensational second so you can re-live the experience again and again, and share it with friends and family around the world!