The Dubai Mall is the large shopping mall in Downtown Dubai, at the foot of the Burj Khalifa. Entry is free; it opens every day at 10 am and closes at 11 pm Monday to Thursday and at midnight Friday to Sunday for shops, according to its official website. People come for the roughly 1,200 stores, but also for the aquarium, the ice rink and access to the Burj Khalifa. This page brings together the official opening hours, getting there by metro, the paid attractions, a sunset time calculation for each month and a visit plan by visitor profile.
The Dubai Mall pairs with the neighboring tower: see our Burj Khalifa guide, our Dubai travel guide and our page on the best time to visit Dubai for month-by-month weather.
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Dubai Mall: key facts
- Shop hours: Monday–Thursday 10 am–11 pm; Friday–Sunday 10 am–midnight — checked on 24 October 2026 on thedubaimall.com
- Restaurants and food courts: Monday–Thursday 10 am–midnight; Friday–Sunday 10 am–1 am
- Entry: free; the aquarium, the ice rink and the other attractions are paid
- Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: Monday–Friday 11 am–9 pm, Saturday–Sunday 10 am–9 pm, last entry 8:15 pm — checked on 24 October 2026 on thedubaiaquarium.com
- Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station (Red Line), linked to the mall by a walkway
- Services: free Wi-Fi, wheelchairs, strollers, prayer rooms for men and women; modest dress is requested (a « Courtesy Dress code »)
The Dubai Mall in brief
Opened on November 4, 2008 by the developer Emaar Properties, the Dubai Mall is part of the Burj Khalifa complex in the Downtown Dubai district. Wikipedia credits it with about 1,200 shops and a total area of more than 1.1 million m² (11.8 million sq ft); Emaar presents it as the largest shopping mall in the world. The developer announced an expansion of the site in June 2024. For visitors, the Dubai Mall is a place to shop, an air-conditioned break during the hot months and the gateway to the Burj Khalifa.
Dubai Mall official opening hours
The official website distinguishes several categories of hours (checked on 24 October 2026 on thedubaimall.com):
| Area | Monday to Thursday | Friday to Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Shops (« All retailers ») | 10 am–11 pm | 10 am–midnight |
| Restaurants and food courts | 10 am–midnight | 10 am–1 am |
| Metro Link Bridge shops | 10 am–11 pm | 10 am–midnight |
The attractions have their own hours, often shorter than the mall’s: check them attraction by attraction before planning your day.
What to see at the Dubai Mall
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
This is the most visible attraction: the main tank can be seen from the mall’s walkways. The official website describes a « colossal underwater tunnel » among fish, sharks and rays, an underwater zoo with thousands of species, and diving and animal-encounter experiences. Wikipedia says the tank’s viewing panel is 32.88 m (108 ft) wide and 8.3 m (27 ft) high. Hours: Monday to Friday 11 am–9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am–9 pm, last entry 8:15 pm — checked on 24 October 2026 on thedubaiaquarium.com. Prices are not displayed openly on the home page: check the official ticket office.
The ice rink and kids’ areas
The mall has an Olympic-size ice rink and a KidZania educational park for children, according to Wikipedia. These areas are paid and have their own hours: check them on the Dubai Mall website before you come.
Fashion Avenue, Souk Al Bahar and Fountain Views
The official website highlights several sectors: Fashion Avenue for luxury, Chinatown, the neighboring Souk Al Bahar and the new Fountain Views area, linked to the Address hotels and facing Burj Khalifa Lake and the Dubai Fountain. The fountain show times were not readable on the official sites on the day of our check: consult the Emaar website before you pick a spot.
Access to the Burj Khalifa
The entrance to the Burj Khalifa observation decks is from the Dubai Mall. Tickets, hours and the differences between levels are detailed in our Burj Khalifa guide.
Sunset and evening: the month-by-month calculation
Many visitors want to combine the mall, the view of the illuminated Burj Khalifa and the fountain. The table gives, for the 15th of each month, the sunset time in Downtown Dubai and the time left afterward before the shops close on a Thursday (11 pm) and a Saturday (midnight).
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | After sunset, until 11 pm (Mon–Thu) | Until midnight (Fri–Sun) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:06 | 17:50 | 5 h 10 | 6 h 10 |
| February | 06:53 | 18:12 | 4 h 47 | 5 h 47 |
| March | 06:28 | 18:27 | 4 h 32 | 5 h 32 |
| April | 05:56 | 18:41 | 4 h 19 | 5 h 19 |
| May | 05:34 | 18:56 | 4 h 04 | 5 h 04 |
| June | 05:28 | 19:10 | 3 h 50 | 4 h 50 |
| July | 05:37 | 19:11 | 3 h 48 | 4 h 48 |
| August | 05:52 | 18:54 | 4 h 06 | 5 h 06 |
| September | 06:04 | 18:23 | 4 h 37 | 5 h 37 |
| October | 06:16 | 17:52 | 5 h 08 | 6 h 08 |
| November | 06:35 | 17:31 | 5 h 29 | 6 h 29 |
| December | 06:56 | 17:31 | 5 h 29 | 6 h 29 |
How to read it: in winter the sun sets before 6 pm, which leaves more than five hours of evening before closing; in June it sets after 7 pm. The aquarium closes at 9 pm: if you want to see it and enjoy the evening, do it before sunset.
Getting to the Dubai Mall
By metro, get off at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station on the Red Line. Since December 2012, a covered walkway has linked it directly to the mall, according to Wikipedia; the walk inside the mall to the Burj Khalifa is still long. The official website also mentions RTA buses, taxis and ride-hailing (Careem, Uber), and a shuttle service (« Dubai Mall Coach »).
By car, several car parks serve the mall (Fashion, Cinema, Zabeel, Fountain Views), with a real-time display of available spaces and a « Find my car » service. Valet parking is paid; its rates, which differ on weekdays, weekends and public holidays, are published on the official website’s Parking page.
Attraction tickets: official or reseller?
Entry to the Dubai Mall is free: beware of any offer selling a « Dubai Mall ticket ». What you can book are the attractions: the aquarium, the ice rink and the Burj Khalifa, sometimes as combo tickets. You can buy on each attraction’s official website, or from a reseller. Compare what is included (tunnel only or full zoo, time slot, fast-track access), the cancellation terms and the final price displayed. For the Burj Khalifa, book a specific time slot, especially at sunset.
Which plan for your profile?
| If you… | Then… |
|---|---|
| have half a day | Aquarium (seen from the walkways or as a paid visit), Fashion Avenue, then the Burj Khalifa at your booked time |
| are traveling with children | Aquarium in the morning (it opens at 10 am on weekends), then the ice rink or KidZania; have an early dinner |
| want the night view | Check the sunset time in our table, book the Burj Khalifa around that time, finish by the lake |
| are visiting in summer | Enjoy the air-conditioned mall during the hot hours and head out to the lake after sunset |
| dislike crowds | Come on a weekday, at opening: shops close earlier Monday to Thursday and weekend evenings are livelier |
Rules of conduct
The official website mentions a courtesy dress code: as a precaution, cover your shoulders and knees. For entry requirements, see entry requirements for the UAE.
Common mistakes at the Dubai Mall
- Paying for an « entry ticket » to the Dubai Mall: access is free.
- Arriving at the aquarium after 8:15 pm: last entry is set at that time.
- Underestimating the walking distances between the metro, the shops and the Burj Khalifa.
- Planning an evening by the lake without checking the fountain schedule on the official website.
- Forgetting that hours change during Ramadan: check them on thedubaimall.com.
What to see nearby
At the foot of the mall, the Burj Khalifa is the most logical visit. On the coast, the Burj Al Arab completes the picture of the city’s great buildings. If you are unsure about your base, our comparison Dubai or Abu Dhabi will help, and our Abu Dhabi guide presents the neighboring capital.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Dubai Mall opening hours?
Shops: Monday to Thursday 10 am–11 pm, Friday to Sunday 10 am–midnight. Restaurants: until midnight on weekdays and 1 am on weekends, according to the official website consulted on 24 October 2026.
Is entry to the Dubai Mall free?
Yes, access is free. The attractions, such as the aquarium, the ice rink or the Burj Khalifa, are paid.
How do you get to the Dubai Mall by metro?
Get off at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station on the Red Line, linked to the mall by a covered walkway.
What are the Dubai Mall aquarium opening hours?
Monday to Friday 11 am–9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am–9 pm, with last entry at 8:15 pm, according to the official website.
Is there a dress code at the Dubai Mall?
The official website mentions a « Courtesy Dress code ». Plan clothing that covers your shoulders and knees.
What time is sunset in Dubai?
According to our NOAA calculation, between about 5:30 pm in winter and 7:10 pm in June, UAE time.
Our sources
- The Dubai Mall, official website (Emaar): Opening hours, Plan your visit, Getting here and Parking pages, consulted on 24 October 2026
- Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, official website (hours, presentation), consulted on 24 October 2026
- Wikipedia articles « Dubai Mall » (French) and « Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall (Dubai Metro) » (English), consulted on 24 October 2026
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage to the coordinates of the Dubai Mall (Wikipedia) (15th of each month, year 2027, clear horizon)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.