Dubai already has the tallest building in the world. It can now also claim the world’s deepest diving pool.
Deep Dive Dubai opened on July 7, just 10 days after Guinness World Records named it the world’s deepest diving pool.
The new indoor pool is nearly 200 feet deep and has a capacity of nearly 3.7 million gallons. It also has a large underwater attraction that resembles a “sunken city” that divers can explore on their own or with a guide.
The attraction is open to visitors aged 10 and up, including those who are trying on a mask and tank for the first time. Dubai’s new vertical diving pool contains the ruins of a lost submerged city, complete with graffiti, crumbling facades, and a large portrait of Marilyn Monroe hanging on the wall. There’s an apartment complex and a library, as well as an arcade with a vintage Pac-Man machine, foosball, and a pool table.
According to the website, due to the size of the underwater city, several dives are required to fully explore it.
Beginners can dive to a depth of 40 feet, while certified divers can explore the entire pool with or without a guide. Certified divers can also “free dive” — that is, dive without a tank, using only their breath — while attached to a fixed ascent line. Courses are also available to teach divers new skills.
Bookings are by invitation only. Actor and rapper Will Smith wrote about his visit in an In four days, an Instagram post has received over 3 million likes.
Bookings for the general public will be available on the company’s website later in July. The starting price is 800 UAE dirhams ($218).
Diving in a pool has several advantages over diving in the ocean. To begin with, weather and water conditions are controlled. There are no currents or choppy seas, and dives are not canceled due to inclement weather.
Even at shallow depths, pool water can be well-lit. The new pool in Dubai has 156 lights strategically placed throughout it, and the water temperature is kept at a comfortable 86 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there is no living marine life, including coral, which is normally an important part of the recreational diving experience. But that isn’t a deal breaker for Kyle McGee, a Dubai-based American with 15 years of diving experience in places like Egypt, Madagascar, and the Galapagos Islands.
“When we dive, we are often focused on marine life, and it would be nice to try some unusual activities under the water without having to worry about spotting fish,” he explained. “I think it would be a great way to practice staying afloat while playing fun games and exploring.” Inexperienced divers will enjoy Dubai’s newest attraction as well. Lindsay Myers, a travel commentator on television, wants to learn to dive but is intimidated by the “unknown” of the open ocean.
“I would definitely feel more at ease learning to dive in a pool,” she said. “This pool is great because it’s a baby step toward eventually diving in the ocean.”
Liju Cherian, from Oman’s neighboring country, agreed. He wants to dive but has previously avoided it due to a lingering asthma condition. But he’s interested in Deep Dive Dubai because, for the time being, he’d rather “dive in a pool than an ocean.” In conjunction with the opening of Deep Dive Dubai, Abdulla Bin Habtoor, a Deep Dive Dubai spokesperson, stated that the new pool is an investment in Dubai’s growing sports culture and adventure tourism sectors.
Dubai is famous for its Guinness World Records, which range from the world’s largest fountain at The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah to the largest gathering of people to eat breakfast cereal at the same time (1,354 participants).
Dubai also has the world’s fastest police car, a Bugatti Veyron purchased for $1.6 million in 2016.
