With its extremely luxurious hotels, artificial islands, huge shopping malls and immense skyscrapers, Dubai is the city of all extravagances. Among all that you can discover in this emirate, "Ain Dubai", the highest observation wheel in the world, is about to become one of the most popular and impressive attractions.
the AIN DUBAI ferris wheel, A NEW RECORD FOR THE EMIRATE
Ain Dubai literally means "the eye of Dubai", which is reminiscent of the London Eye, another very famous Ferris wheel. This approximately 850-feet-high Ferris wheel (260 meters), whose project was launched in 2013, is located on the artificial island of Bluewaters in Dubai. Until now, the High Roller in Las Vegas had held the title of highest Ferris wheel on the planet, but Ain Dubai now surpasses it by more than 260 feet (80 meters).
While construction of this Ferris wheel began in the spring of 2015, it took more than 6 years for the work to be completed; and this attraction, which will offer an exceptional new panoramic view of Dubai, opened its doors on October 21, 2021.
This is far from the first time Dubai has broken such records, as the city truly cultivates its excess. Dubai is already home to the Burj Khalifa, which is still the tallest tower in the world at 2,717 feet high (828 meters), and the Dubai Creek Tower is expected to break this record in the future and rise to more than 3,280 feet in height (a kilometer).
The world's deepest swimming pool, the world's largest fountain, the world's largest shopping mall, the world's fastest roller coaster, the world's largest parking lot, the world's largest flower sculpture... Dubai is full of records, so it's only natural that the world's largest observation wheel would be added to this list.
AIN DUBAI: A PROJECT OF TITANIC PROPORTIONS
For the construction of Ain Dubai, a budget of $2 billion was required. More than 11,000 tons of steel were required to build the structure of the Ferris wheel, and almost 2,000 tons were used just to create the hub, the central part of the wheel. To give you an idea, the construction of the Eiffel Tower required "only" 3360 tons of steel.
The height of Ain Dubai is not its only distinguishing feature, as this wheel will also be able to accommodate an unprecedented number of visitors: it is equipped with 48 cabins in total, each of which can accommodate a maximum of 40 visitors. This means that nearly 2,000 people can sit simultaneously in this incredible steel structure.
TAKE A RIDE ON THE FERRIS WHEEL
To get to Ain Dubai, just head to the Bluewaters district, accessible by foot or public transport. The wheel is located between the waterfront and the Dubai Marina, near the Jumeirah Beach Residence.
From the cabins of this Ferris wheel, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of Dubai's coastline, as well as all of the city's most iconic landmarks and monuments, such as the Burj Al Arab, The Palm, the Burj Khalifa, and the Marina.
In this ultramodern wheel, some cabins are also provided for the organization of special activities, such as culinary workshops. It will even be possible to book a cabin for a big event such as a birthday or a wedding proposal, and even for company seminars.
Discover Dubai from a height of 820 feet 🎡
By buying a ticket to ride on Ain Dubai, you will be able to admire the city from a height of 820 feet (250 meters)! The ticket will grant you access to a tour of the wheel, which lasts about 40 minutes and during which you can take in the mesmerizing view of Dubai 🙂
As far as time slots are concerned, there is a ride every hour and the wheel is open almost every day.
The capacity of the wheel is quite large (up to 1,750 visitors at a time) but in this COVID period, the number of visitors is reduced to respect sanitary measures.
Which is why I really recommend booking your tickets beforehand to make sure you will be able to take a ride on the wheel during your stay. Moreover, this is also one of the latest additions to the city (it opened in October 2021) and therefore an activity that is in high demand (even by locals eager to try it out!).
ATTRACTIONS AROUND AIN DUBAI
Around the Ferris wheel are many restaurants, shops of all kinds and even souks. On the island of Bluewaters, no less than 200 restaurants and stores are grouped together, and you can also enjoy a superb walk along the waterfront.
In this district, which is one of the most modern and lively in the city, you can also spend a great evening in bars, bowling alleys and arcades.
HOW MUCH ARE THE TICKETS FOR THE BIG WHEEL IN DUBAI?
The price of the classic ticket is AED 130, or about $35.40, or €31. This ticket allows you to make a complete tour in the Ferris wheel, which will last about 40 minutes.
Several types of VIP tickets are also available:
- The "Lounge Plus" ticket allows access to the sea view lounge to enjoy a house drink before the ride on the Ferris wheel. It is available from 175 AED, or about $48 (€42);
- The "Premium" ticket gives access to a VIP cabin and to two glasses of sparkling wine. This ticket is available from AED 370, or about $100 (€87);
- Special tickets give access to private cabins where it is possible to enjoy refreshments and a meal, to celebrate a special event for example. These VIP tickets start at AED 1,800, or about $490 (€431).
The Ferris wheel is accessible every day from 12 pm to 10 pm.
How to get there?
With the Dubai Metro, you can get closer to Ain Dubai by taking the red line and getting off at the “DMCC” station.
With the streetcar, you can take the T1 Tramway, can get off at “Jumeirah Beach Residence 2” station, and finish the journey on foot. The island is accessible via a pedestrian walkway.
It is also possible to go to Ain Dubai by ferry. From the ferry station located in the Marina, right next to the Marina Mall, you can get to Bluewaters Island in about 20 minutes.
If you are driving, to reach Ain Dubai on Bluewaters Island by car, you can take Sheikh Zayed Road (in the direction of Abu Dhabi) to exit 31.
0 Comments