Our hotel, the Renaissance Downtown Hotel, was right next to the Dubai Mall, so we popped in whenever we had some spare time. We ended up visiting a total of five times—treating it basically like our own kitchen! Because the mall is unbelievably massive, we honestly spent a lot of time just getting lost XD. Today, we want to share some essential tips about the Dubai Mall so you can navigate it like a pro on your very first visit! ☺️

The exterior of the Dubai Mall has completely different vibes depending on whether it's day or night. Here's what it looks like during the day~

And at night, it's decorated with countless lights, creating an incredibly glamorous atmosphere.

Dubai Mall Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday: 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Dubai Mall Floors There are four main floors in total, and the labeling follows the British system:
LG: Lower Ground (Basement level)
G: Ground Floor (1st Floor)
1: First Floor (2nd Floor)
2: Second Floor (3rd Floor)

Honestly, it is so incredibly easy to get lost here! 😭 We highly recommend checking the map on their official website beforehand, or grabbing a physical directory from the information desk as soon as you arrive. It makes finding your way around much easier. The physical guide has clear A-Z listings of all the stores, which you can easily track down using the map coordinates!

Aside from having enough stores to literally make you shop until you drop, the Dubai Mall is surrounded by tons of highly recommended, must-visit attractions! Today, we're sharing the spots we think are truly worth your time:

1. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
2. Grand Atrium
3. The Souk Atrium
4. Dubai Ice Rink
5. The Waterfall
6. Star Atrium
7. Apple Store Balcony
8. The Dubai Fountain
9. Souk Al Bahar
10. Shakespeare and Co. Restaurant (Great views of Old Dubai style architecture and the Burj Khalifa)

In the map below, we've circled the indoor parts of the Dubai Mall (spots 1 to 7) in red. The sections circled in green are places we didn't manage to get photos of, but trust us, every single atrium here is worth checking out!

1. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo

First up on the can't-miss list is the Dubai Aquarium, featuring the world's largest suspended aquarium tank window. It's located right in the dead center of the mall. The photo below is the view of the aquarium from the Ground Floor (G).

You can actually see this massive tank from the first and second floors as well!

Here is the view from the First Floor (Level 1). By midnight, the crowds finally started to thin out a bit.

You can buy tickets to walk through the underwater tunnel inside, but if you'd rather skip the ticket, the views in these photos are completely free to enjoy from inside the mall~

For ticket information, you can check their official website, or book in advance on Klook. A quick tip for those planning to visit the Burj Khalifa observation deck: there are combo tickets available too!

Because we were traveling on a budget, we decided to choose between the Dubai Aquarium and The Lost Chambers Aquarium at Atlantis. We ultimately went with The Lost Chambers since it felt a bit more mysterious, so we won't go into too much detail about the Dubai Aquarium here! If you're curious about our experience at The Lost Chambers, check it out here 👉🏻 【Dubai · Atlantis Aquarium】The Mysterious Lost Chambers! Witnessing the Sunken Ancient Civilization of Atlantis

2. Grand Atrium

The Dubai Mall has multiple atriums, and they seem to change the displays regularly based on whatever events are going on. When we visited the mall for the very first time, we were greeted by this massive Star Wars legion right at the entrance!

It was honestly so spectacular!!! Though, by our second visit, it was already gone~~

3. The Souk Atrium

The Souk is beautifully decorated with a traditional Arabian market concept. There's even a cute camel display right at the entrance!

The nearby Souk Atrium also features a gorgeous, ornate Arabian-style dome.

4. Dubai Ice Rink

Dubai knows no limits when it comes to luxury—they just had to build an indoor ice rink right in the middle of the desert! Also, it seemed like the entire Dubai Mall didn't accept American Express, which made us wonder if they have an exclusive partnership with MasterCard?

5. The Waterfall

This is the iconic waterfall that constantly appears in Dubai Mall's advertisements.

6. Star Atrium

Since we visited just after Christmas, the Star Atrium still had these giant Christmas ornament decorations up. We're sure they swap these out to match the changing seasons and holidays~

7. Apple Store Balcony

We're not trying to run an ad for Apple (though Cherry is undeniably a die-hard Apple fan!), but we really have to thank the Apple Store for generously offering their balcony to tourists for photos. This is a spot Cherry highly, highly recommends! Just walk into the Apple Store and head straight out to the balcony. The view from out there is simply stunning.

From the balcony, you get a crystal-clear view of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain. The fountain puts on a spectacular water show at scheduled times every afternoon, and at night, it's joined by an incredible light show on the Burj Khalifa. If you're at the Dubai Mall, you absolutely cannot miss this! For the Dubai Fountain schedule and a walking guide of the surrounding area, click here.

With all these spots introduced, when is the best time to actually visit the Dubai Mall? If you aren't planning on heavy shopping or paying for the inner aquarium tunnel, Cherry's personal favorite itinerary is to arrive around noon for lunch at the food court, spend the afternoon strolling around and taking photos, head up the Burj Khalifa at dusk for the sunset and night views, and finally catch the Dubai Fountain's light and water show in the evening. Doesn't that sound like a perfect day?

Just a quick heads-up for travelers heading to the Burj Khalifa Observation Deck: the entrance is located on the Lower Ground (LG) floor (the area circled in red in the map above shows the "At the top Burj Khalifa" entrance and the Taxi Pick Up). If you've booked a popular time slot, like sunset, you must arrive early (we recommend getting there 1-2 hours in advance to check the queue). Otherwise, a slight delay means your sunset view turns into a night view!

Lastly, the all-important transportation issue. You can certainly take the Metro, but if you're planning to leave by taxi, the pick-up area is also on the Lower Ground floor. We visited during the peak Christmas holiday season, and waiting for a taxi at the Dubai Mall took at least 30 minutes every single time, so keep that in mind!

We've shared a lot of info, and we hope it helps you be a little "different" from us~~ allowing you to enjoy a completely lost-free adventure through the Dubai Mall!

Dubai Travel Guide

★ 【Transport】Dubai Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
★ 【Combo Tickets】Klook Pass Dubai
★ 【SIM Cards】UAE 5G eSIM
★ 【Observation Decks】Burj Khalifa｜Dubai Frame｜The View At The Palm｜Sky Views
★ 【Theme Parks】LEGOLAND Dubai｜Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark
★ 【Desert Tours】Morning Desert Safari｜Evening Desert Safari｜Camel Trekking｜Hot Air Balloon
★ 【Abu Dhabi】Abu Dhabi Day Tour｜Abu Dhabi Travel Guide
★ 【Dubai Guides】Dubai Travel Guide｜Where to Stay｜Top 10 Attractions

For more must-visit attractions and essential travel info, check out 👉🏻 【Dubai Travel Guide】Map of 30 Attractions, Transport, Accommodation, Itineraries, & Visas | The Ultimate Guide

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【Dubai】Jumeirah Abra Tour | The Best Views of Burj Al Arab & Ancient Arabian Architecture
【Dubai】The Unmissable Dubai Aquarium | The Mysterious Lost Chambers Aquarium
【Dubai】Dubai Fountain | Spectacular Water & Light Show Schedule and Walking Guide
【Dubai】How to Explore Old Dubai | Complete Guide to the Water Taxi (Abra)
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Abu Dhabi Attractions & Transport

【Abu Dhabi Travel Guide】Top 10 Attractions ★ Map, Transport, & Itinerary
【Abu Dhabi】How to Get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi ☆ Essential Guide
【Abu Dhabi】Must-Visit Attractions ☆ Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque + Emirates Palace + Etihad Towers

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★ Middle East: Doha | Dubai | Abu Dhabi
★ Europe: Finland | UK
★ Islands: Tahiti | Maldives | Fiji
★ Southeast Asia: Bali | Phu Quoc | Koh Samui
★ USA: New York | San Francisco | Las Vegas