Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and engineering: the world's newest tallest building pierces the sky at 828m. It opened on
4 January, 2010, only six years after excavations began. Up to 13,000 workers toiled day
and night, at times putting up a new floor in as little as three days. Inside this self-pro-
claimed 'vertical city' is a mix of offices and apartments and the sleek Armani Hotel
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.armanihotels.com ) .
For visitors, the main attraction is the observation platform At the Top on the 124th floor.
If the haze isn't too dense, you can easily pinpoint such sites as The World, the Burj Al
Arab and the high-rises of Sheikh Zayed Rd. Getting there takes you past various multi-
media exhibits to a double-deck lift that travels at 10m per second for an entire minute to
reach level 124 at 442m. There's a terrace to step out on and telescopes (Dh25 for five
minutes) for close-ups.
Admission is by timed ticket. To get the timeslot of your choice, prebook online at least
a week in advance. Lines are shortest on Monday and Tuesday. Budget about 90 minutes
for a visit.
Dubai Mall MALL
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
( www.thedubaimall.com ; Emaar Blvd; 10am-10pm Sun-Wed, to midnight Thu-Sat; Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall)
The 'mother of all malls' is much more than the sum of its 1200 stores: it's a veritable
family entertainment centre. Kid magnets include the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater
Zoo, the Sega Republic OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 448 8484; admission Dh10) indoor
amusement park, the interactive KidZania OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.kidszania.com ;
adult/child Dh95/140) miniature city and an Olympic-size ice rink ( 437 1111; per session incl skates
Dh50) . There's also a dramatically lit four-storey waterfall. The food court is excellent, and
numerous cafes and restaurants provide front-row views of Dubai Fountain.
Dubai Aquarium
& Underwater Zoo AQUARIUM
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
( 448 5200; www.thedubaiaquarium.com ; Dubai Mall ; tunnel & zoo Dh55; 10am-10pm Sun-Wed, to midnight
Thu-Sat; Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall) Dubai Mall's most mesmerising sight is this gargantuan
aquarium where 33,000 beasties flit and dart amid artificial coral. You can see a lot for
free from the outside or pay for access to the walk-through tunnel to see the dark cave
where dozens of toothy sharks hang out. Upstairs, the Underwater Zoo travels through three
eco-zones - rainforest, rocky shore and open sea - introducing you to such rare and inter-
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