Diving in Dubai

Among all the activities you can do during your trip to Dubai,, diving is one of those that will leave you with an absolutely unforgettable memory. In this short guide, I will tell you all about the best diving spots in Dubai, as well as everything you need to know about snorkeling or scuba diving in the United Arab Emirates.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE BEFORE DIVING IN DUBAI

Diving is a virtually harmless activity for those who are healthy and well equipped, though there are a few precautions to take for added safety.

If you want to dive in Dubai but are not an expert diver, know that you will always be accompanied by an instructor who will guide you, and in particular help you observe the necessary decompression stops according to the duration and depth of your dive. Note that it is also important to only dive when the conditions are right, i.e. when:

• The currents are not too strong,
• The water temperature is not too low,
• The visibility under water is good.

During a trip to Dubai, there is also an important criterion to respect, which is not to go to altitude after diving. Indeed, during the dive, the compressed air that you will breathe will cause the formation of small gas bubbles in your body. As long as these bubbles are present, exposing yourself to the atmospheric pressure at altitude or in the cabin of an airplane can cause decompression sickness.

This means that it is very strongly advised against diving on your last day, before flying back home. But this also applies to other activities at altitude in Dubai – visiting the Burj Khalifa or the Sky Views observatory, for example.

Depending on the depth and duration of your diving session, it is recommended to wait between 15 hours to 24 hours before flying out or going to a high place.

WHEN TO DIVE IN DUBAI?

In Dubai, the water temperature varies from 22°C to 33°C (71°F to 91°F) on average, which means that you can dive all year round – sometimes even without a diving suit!

THE BEST DIVING EXPERIENCES IN DUBAI

LEARN TO SCUBA DIVE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF DOWNTOWN DUBAI

If you're a beginner and want to learn how to dive before exploring the seafloor more thoroughly, you'll have the opportunity to take an introduction to scuba diving from Jumeirah Beach.

During this activity which lasts about two hours, you will be accompanied by professional and certified instructors, and you will learn all the basics of scuba diving such as:

• How to equip yourself,
• The safety rules to follow,
• How to breathe properly underwater,
• How to go to depth gradually while respecting the stops.

For 45 minutes, you will dive to a depth of 12 meters, to discover the underwater life and the beauty of the sea bed.

GET YOUR PADI OPEN WATER CERTIFICATION IN DUBAI

If you have already done one or more introductory dives and want to go one step further, you will need this first dive certification which is recognized worldwide and will allow you to dive more freely.

You will learn in depth the basics of diving, the handling and maintenance of the equipment, all the safety rules, but also practical exercises to improve yourself. At the end of this 2-day course in Fujairah, you will get a real diploma and you will be certified PADI Open Water, which allows you to dive to a depth of 18 meters in all the seas of the world, and even without a guide in certain countries.

This 2-day PADI Open Water course in Fujairah consists of online theory, on-site lessons as well as pool and open water diving in the Gulf of Oman. It also includes one night in a full board hotel in a beach resort.

DIVE IN FUJAIRAH

Fujairah is the capital of the emirate of the same name. It is the only city in the United Arab Emirates that is located on the Golfe of Oman. It is about 74 miles (120 km) east of Dubai, so you can easily get there on a day trip.

There are some beautiful religious and historical buildings to see in this city, including the Al-Bidya Mosque, the Fujairah Fort, and the Sheik Zayed Mosque – the second largest mosque of the seven emirates, ranking after the one in Abu Dhabi.

But if I mention this destination now, it is because it is one of the best diving spots you can discover during a stay in Dubai!

Here, the seabed is really beautiful and full of life, with notably a great number of colorful fish and sea turtles.

Several excursions are proposed – you will be directly picked up in Dubai and driven to Fujairah, where you will discover the underwater fauna and flora of the Gulf of Oman. You will have the choice between several types of diving:

DIVING AT THE ATLANTIS AQUARIUM THE LOST CHAMBER

If you're planning a trip to Dubai, you've probably already heard of the Atlantis Hotel – one of the most incredible palaces in the world. Among the many attractions offered at this large complex, you can discover The Lost Chambers Aquarium and The Ambassador Lagoon, which are among the most popular family attractions in Dubai.

The Ambassador Lagoon is a huge aquarium that contains about 11 million liters of water (salt and fresh). It and The Lost Chambers Aquarium are home to over 65,000 fish and mammals. The good news is that it is possible to dive here, and therefore discover the diversity of this incredible fauna. You will have the opportunity to swim with giant rays and harmless sharks!

Here too, several experiences are offered, and you can either snorkel close to the surface or go deeper into this incredible aquarium, for a real scuba diving session:

• The scuba diving at The Lost Chambers Aquarium Atlantis Diving Experience is an activity full of surprises and thrills. Here too, no diving experience is required – though you will undergo a short training session with an instructor (each participant will be supervised by a professional instructor) before diving into the aquarium. There are two options, Discovery Dive, for beginners and non-certified divers; and Explorer Dive, for certified divers who can go deeper.
• The Lost Chambers Aquarium Ultimate Atlantis Snorkel is a family-friendly attraction, accessible even to those with no previous experience, and during which you can discover this incredible marine world. Swimming just below the surface, you will be able to observe the richness of life that populates this aquarium.

EXPLORE DEEP DIVE DUBAI: THE DEEPEST POOL IN THE WORLD

Since July 2021, the city of Dubai holds a new world record with this incredible pool containing nearly 15 million liters of fresh warm water (the equivalent of 6 Olympic swimming pools) and allows diving to a depth of 60 meters (196 feet). This record was approved by the Guinness World Record in June 2021 – and it has widely beaten the ex-deepest pool in the world, which was previously located in Poland and was "only" 45 meters deep (148 feet).

At first glance, diving in a pool might not seem as exciting as diving in the open sea, but at Deep Dive Dubaï, everything has been designed to make this experience unique. First of all, the water is constantly maintained at 30°C (86°F), so you can quite comfortably dive in a wetsuit or a simple bathing suit. But above all, while diving you will find that a real underwater city has been recreated, to give divers the feeling of discovering the remains of a sunken city. Light and sound effects also create several different atmospheres for an even more memorable experience.

The deepest pool in the world is accessible to everyone from 10 years old.

It is located in the middle of the city, near the Dubai Mall metro station, and is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

And that’s it for now! I hope you enjoyed this article on diving in Dubai 😊.

If you want to learn more about what to do in Dubai, don’t hesitate to read my article on the subject 😉