Dubai Mall
One of the largest shopping centres on earth by total area — 1,200-plus shops, an aquarium, an ice rink and the entrance to Burj Khalifa, all beside the Dubai Fountain.
Dubai Mall opened in November 2008 as the retail heart of Downtown Dubai. With more than 1,200 stores across four main floors and later extensions (Fashion Avenue, Zabeel, Chinatown), it draws over 100 million visits a year — more than any other building in the world.
Beyond the shops
- Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: a 10-million-litre tank you can see for free from the ground-floor concourse; tickets for the tunnel and the zoo above.
- Dubai Ice Rink: Olympic-size, with public sessions and skate hire.
- KidZania, VR Park and the Dubai Dino (a real 155-million-year-old Diplodocus skeleton).
- The waterfront promenade for the Dubai Fountain, lined with restaurants.
- The Burj Khalifa ticket desks on the lower ground floor.
Practical
Doors open at 10:00 daily; shops close at midnight, an hour later from Thursday to Saturday, and restaurants run later still. Use the Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and the Metro Link bridge, or a taxi to the Grand Entrance on Financial Centre Road. Tourists can reclaim the 5% VAT on purchases above AED 250 through the Planet tax-free scheme at the airport.
Frequently asked questions
By total area it is among the largest anywhere; by leasable retail space a few malls in Asia are bigger. Either way, plan a full afternoon.
