Dubai Aquarium & Burj Khalifa Levels 124 & 125 Combo Tickets

Burj Khalifa: the tallest building in the world

Rising 828 metres above Downtown Dubai, the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building in the world since it opened in January 2010. Its Y-shaped plan, inspired by a desert flower, steps back in spirals as it climbs, which helps the tower shed the wind, and the silver spire can be seen from far out in the desert on a clear day. Inside are offices, apartments and a hotel, with the public observation decks high in the upper floors.

Burj Khalifa tickets are timed, so you enter at the slot you choose in the booking panel. The visit starts inside The Dubai Mall on the lower ground floor, where a short walk past exhibits on the tower's construction leads to the elevators. Arrive about 15 minutes before your time slot to pass the security check, and keep bags small.

Observation decks on levels 124 and 125

The double-deck elevators climb at about 10 metres per second and reach level 124, at roughly 452 metres, in around a minute. Here a wraparound glass deck and an open-air terrace give 360-degree views over the Dubai Fountain, the Downtown towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, the coast and the desert beyond. Digital telescopes let you zoom in and compare the live view with the same scene by night.

A short staircase leads to level 125, a quieter, higher deck with more floor-to-ceiling windows and interactive displays. Most visitors spend 60 to 90 minutes at the top. Is the Burj Khalifa worth visiting? For a first trip to Dubai, it is the view that puts the whole city into perspective, and clear winter mornings bring the sharpest visibility.

Dubai Aquarium tunnel and Underwater Observatory

The Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world: a ten-million-litre tank set into the ground floor of The Dubai Mall, its giant acrylic panel visible to every shopper. Your ticket takes you inside, through a 48-metre walk-through tunnel where sand tiger sharks, stingrays, groupers and shoals of reef fish glide over and around you.

From the tunnel, the Underwater Observatory on the level above gives a different view, looking straight into the tank, with feeding times when divers bring the fish close to the glass. Plan about 45 minutes for the tunnel and observatory. Dubai Aquarium tickets can be used at any time on the same day, so you can visit before or after your Burj Khalifa slot.

The Underwater Zoo

Above the tank, on the second floor, the Underwater Zoo takes you through three ecological zones: Rainforest, Rocky Shore and Living Ocean. You meet gentoo penguins in their chilled enclosure, playful otters, piranhas, archerfish that shoot water at insects, seahorses and jellyfish, and giant saltwater crocodiles, among the largest reptiles in the world.

The zoo is especially popular with children, and keeper talks and feeding sessions run through the day; check the schedule at the entrance. Allow 45 to 60 minutes here. The Dubai Aquarium opening hours are 10:00 am to 10:00 pm from Sunday to Wednesday and 10:00 am to midnight from Thursday to Saturday, with last admission one hour before closing.

The Dubai Mall and Downtown Dubai

Both attractions sit within The Dubai Mall, one of the largest shopping and leisure centres in the world, so moving between them takes only a few minutes on foot. Between visits you can browse the gold souk and fashion avenues, stop at one of the many cafés and restaurants, nearly all of which serve halal food, or step out to the lakeside promenade facing the tower.

On the lake in front of the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain performs choreographed water and music shows every half hour in the evening, best seen from the promenade after your visit. How to get to the Burj Khalifa: take the Dubai Metro Red Line to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and follow the covered walkway into the mall, or arrive by taxi at the mall's entrances.