A Visitor’s Guide to The Dubai Mall

“The Dubai Mall is one of the top shopping destinations in the whole of the Middle East, selling everything from clothing, electronics, furnishings and jewellery ­- from brands you know and love to brands you’ve never heard of. But that’s not all. Beyond opportunities to shop, the mall is home to numerous restaurants and plenty of entertainment.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Practical Information on The Dubai Mall
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The Dubai Mall is next to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in Downtown Dubai, so it’s an easy place to combine sightseeing and shopping in one day. There is even a glass-tunnel elevated bridge with a travellator called the Metro Link Bridge, which connects the mall and the Burj, with panoramic views of the city.

The Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall share their own station on the Dubai metro, Burj Khalifa/The Dubai Mall Station. A number of city buses also stop at the mall, and there are three, free multi-storey car parks. They tend to get full after 4pm.

The mall is open 10am-12am every day. There’s free wifi throughout and, interestingly, an airport check-in service and luggage concierge (for both Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport). So, once you’ve finished shopping, you can head directly to your airport direct from the mall.

By Joi Ito – The Dubai Mall. View from my hotel room window at The Address. Mostly complete, but open for business. – CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/) – https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/3284769803

Shopping at The Dubai Mall
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There are more than 1,200 stores inside The Dubai Mall, and at 502,000 square metres (5,400,000 sq ft), it’s the second-largest shopping mall in the world by area. Needless to say, this is a vast shopping centre so you’ll want to plan your shopping accordingly.

Almost every international luxury brand you could imagine is present, from Chanel and Tiffany & Co. to Armani and Christian Louboutin. Major department stores include Bloomingdales, Galeries Lafayette and Debenhams.

There’s also a number of stores in The Dubai Mall that you can’t find anywhere else, such as Arabic clothing brand Abdulla Hussain Khunji, rug store Heritage Carpet and Jashanmal Home Department Store, which is one of the premier department stores in the Middle East.

Activities at The Dubai Mall
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The Dubai Mall isn’t just about shopping. There are also numerous activities and entertainment options around the complex. Here are a few notable ones.

### Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain sings and splashes its light and sound show every afternoon and evening. Shows run at varying times, but are generally on every 30 minutes between 6pm and 11pm. There’s a viewing platform that lets you get up close to the water, as well.

The Dubai Mall Fountain – By Ayisha rida – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72224193### Dubai Aquarium

Dubai Aquarium’s 10-million litre shark-filled tank is the largest suspended aquarium in the world. It’s open 10am-12am and, at the time of writing, costs AED 315 on weekdays and AED345 on weekends and holidays.

### Dubai Ice Rink

The Olympic-sized ice rink on the ground floor is the largest in the city and offers public skating sessions, freestyle periods and even ‘snowfall’ sessions where winter is simulated year-round. The rink has a stable of skating coaches so you can take lessons, too. A public skating session with skate hire costs around AED 75. The rink is open 10am-12am.

### VR Park

This virtual-reality park offers immersive virtual reality experiences like four-wheel drive dune-driving, robot and zombie games, virtual mazes and bumper cars. You can buy credits from AED 100, and the park is open during regular mall hours.

What to Eat at The Dubai Mall
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There are dozens of restaurants in The Dubai Mall, so you can take your pick from regular joints serving burgers and pizza to more upmarket restaurants serving more refined and/or inventive dishes.

There are a host of international restaurant chains like P.F. Chang’s, Carluccio’s and the Cheesecake Factory to choose from, or you can try modern Middle Eastern food at Longma, Al Hallab and Wafi Gourmet. For great views of the fountain show, aim for the terrace at Walnut Grove on the ground floor.

The Dubai Mall for Families
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There are plenty of options at The Dubai Mall to keep both kids and parents happy. KidZania, pitched as a “child-sized city” is an obvious highlight – and unlike anything out there. Youngsters will also want to check out the full-sized dinosaur skeleton. A 155-million-year-old Diplodocus longus is on display in the middle of the mall.

Family amenities in the mall include buggy and kiddie-cart hire, baby changing rooms, a childcare service and a complimentary child wristband service to ensure young ones don’t get lost.

The Dubai Mall Accessibility
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The Dubai Mall is adapted for wheelchair users and has accessibility facilities. You can borrow wheelchairs for free at any of the guest service desks in the mall. Additionally, the Safe Mobility store near the ice rink and food court hires out wheelchairs, mobility scooters and baby strollers.

The mall is also equipped with lifts and step-free access, and almost all of the attractions and areas are accessible or visible to those with limited access.

Find somewhere to stay by checking out our hotels in Dubai.

#### Photo Credits

Cover pic: The Dubai Mall, Dubai – By Diego Delso – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8638142“