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Today, Dubai is one of the most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason! The entire city is no less than a man-made paradise, where concrete meets nature in symbiotic harmony. The city offers a great reputation of being a luxurious holiday destination. Visitors from all over the world find themselves choosing Dubai as their remarkable destination for vacations, ceremonies, special occasions, and much more. You must get deep into the personality of the city, beyond the spotless beaches and fancy resorts, Dubai lies numerous things waiting to be explored by you.

Scuba diving is an unusual experience in Dubai.ย  All those who have indulged in this activity before, it coasts something unique, that you wouldnโ€™t have seen before. Development is a constant in Dubai, which means Dubai water is murky. Along with this, the shallow depth the visibility in the water is even worse. Miraculously, it works in the favor! Most of the sites are wreckages, that tinge to the water gives the best diving experience, something that every visitor must experience.

Scuba diving in the desert sounds like an unusual experience. With the temperatures in Dubai ranging between 25ยฐ C and 40ยฐ C, be assured that a dip in pristine turquoise-blue waters is going to be an enriching experience. However, the city homes’ well-established sports centers and marine sites give you a new vibe altogether. It is something that every explorer must experience in Dubai.

Best time for scuba diving in Dubai

Scuba diving in Dubai is possible all year round in Dubai.ย  With sea temperatures around 77หšF, the visibility is at its best between spring and fall. It would be best to avoid the height of summer. Although water conditions are pleasant, back on land things are unbearable. During this time, other sightseeing tours are uncomfortable in the heat. For the best experience, visit between March and June.

Is Scuba Diving Popular in Dubai?

In Dubai, scuba diving has increased in popularity over the few years. A lot of people around the takes up scuba diving as a hobby. However, very few places make it easier to learn than Dubai. The waters of Dubai are the clearest and cleanest on earth. It beautiful blue water stretches for miles, Dubai makes an ideal setting for scuba diving. Furthermore, the warm waters of Dubai are also better suited to learn in than colder water and itโ€™s easier on your body especially if youโ€™re a beginner.

Marine sites for scuba diving in Dubai

Marine sites for scuba diving in Dubai are an ideal choice if you are a diving lover. The colorful marine life and corals within azure water are a treat to the eyes. Here you have the best chance to explore the sea from a place known for deserts.

Jumeirah Beach

jumeriah beach

Scuba diving in the open water is more adventurous and itโ€™s possible to do the turquoise water of the Arabian Gulf at Jumeirah Beach. Jumeirah beach is one of the best places for scuba diving in Dubai. The places offer small sites for beginners in order to view the vibrant aquatic life of the gulf. Enjoy some shipwrecks too for advanced explorers for swimming through. It is one of the most popular beaches, a number of agencies offer equipment and even professional guidance.

Dive deep and interact with marine life. The best thing is, there is no need of having prior diving experience as Bermuda Diving Centre offers multiple diving courses according to ability. It is fascinating to know that the diving center offers a beginner scuba diving experience in an affordable price. The package includes full diving equipment with 30 minutes of training, followed by an instructor. You can also enjoy underwater photography in order to make your diving experience more memorable. The instructions are provided in, Arabic, English, Russian Mandarin, French, and German for various tourists. There are several Professional Association of Diving Instructors courses to choose from, taught by certified professionals.

Sharm Rock Scuba Diving in Dubai

Sharm Rock Scuba Diving in Dubai

Sharm rock– one of the most amazing natural aquariums off the Dubai shore is situated at the north of Dubai. Itโ€™s also known as โ€œ3 Sistersโ€ or โ€œ3 Rocks Pinnaclesโ€- because of three-ting outcrop rock breaking the surface of the ocean. An aquarium is a vision if purple and blue. Due to coral residence, the fishes here are so exciting to observe. The colorful beauty makes this spot a perfect picture spot. Soft corals covering the rocks make the home for thousands of marine lives. You can see Snapper, Fusiliers, large shoals of jacks, large tuna fish, and turtles. However, if youโ€™re really lucky, you can also see black tip-reef sharks. The circuit of the rocks can be completed in an hour.

Martini Rock

Martini Rock

Another natural aquarium in Dubai- Martini Rock is the home to vibrant aquatic fauna and clean water. It is a small reef inherits- named from the contour of rocky pinnacles that appear like a martini glass. The rock is measuring t over 150m on itsโ€™ length and 80m at itsโ€™ widest point offering the beat visibility on clear days. Divers can easily explore the rock from as shallow as 12m to 20m. Diving in Dubai at this site is the home to the vibrant aquatic fauna making it one of the most successful sites. If you also want to lose yourself in the azure waters, Martini rock would be the best place for you.

Various kinds of reef fish, lionfish, parrotfish, burrfish, and broomtail wrasse live at Martini Rock making it an amazing diving spots off the east coast. However, the marine life doesnโ€™t stop there, some lucky divers also come in close encounters with turtles, cuttlefish and moray eels as they get closer to the sea bed.ย  Shrimps and seahorses are also blossoming in this area. This dive spot is also recognized for its sandy gullies and abundance of rich orange soft coral.

Dubai World Islands

Dubai World Islands diving

Sand dredged from Dubaiโ€™s coastal waters created the World Islands in 2003. However, the construction of was halted by the financial crisis in 2008. Recently, consortiums of business owners have completed the project. For now, The World Islands is an ideal place to scuba dive. Dubai World Islands are a group of artificial islands budding with small colonies of marine flora and fauna. The surrounding is maintained so well in order to encourage their growth. It is said that, soon it will be the leading site for scuba diving in Dubai.

Wreckage Sites for Scuba Diving in Dubai

If you are the kind of person who loves to have a little extra of everything, these scuba diving sites are the best. These wreckage sites offer curiosity-evoking experiences to the divers. Allow yourself to discover how nature embraces everything, be it a broken ship. However, the cost for scuba diving at shipwreck sites significantly depends on the location and services you are availing.

Zainab Wreck Diving in Dubai

Zainab Wreck Diving in Dubai

The Arabian Gulf is enriched with various wrecks. A short 30-minute boat ride from various places in Dubai can get you diving at this glorious area. The beauty of the diving wrecks has a history to explore is the self-contained marine submerged itself to live in them.

Zainab is popular for being one of the major oil spills in the region, that was paired with the waves that the ship couldnโ€™t battle against. The ship met the bed in 2001. Over time, it has become a cozy home for all kinds of marine species. Since this site is quite huge that people take a couple of dives to explore it fully.

Zainab wreck is the popular wreck in the Arabian gulf to dive. Due to its depth and size, this wreck is suited towards advanced divers. The dive depth of 20m is enough to bring you to the top of the vessel. Here youโ€™ll get an amazing opportunity to see huge schools of yellow tail barracuda. Youโ€™ll also continue to descend where the ship bottom sits on the sea floor. Keep in consideration, Yellow Tail Barracuda are not the only type of species you will counter here as Batfish, Rays, Oysters, and Snappers in the wreck too.

Mariam Express

Mariam Express- engulfed by the raging waters in 2006 was a ferry used to travel from UAE to Iraq and back. The strong currents were the significant reason for this incident. However, the ferry was overloaded. Now, its cargos serve as an amazing wreckage site for scuba in Dubai. It lies at a depth of around 18 to 25 meters. Marine species that you can spot here are nudibranch and flatworms, spotted eagle, torpedo rays, as well as yellowtail barracuda. However, Mariam express is the perfect place to experience scuba diving in Dubai.

MV Ludwig

download

MV Ludwig is considered one of the most well-preserved wrecks off of the Dubai. Set 5 to 17 meters into the waters- MV Dara is a passenger ship sinking to the bed since 1961. 238 lives were lost. This spot not only serve as a monument that tells, but is also one of the few ships that have been victim to terrible peacetime accidents. Due to this, it is also compared to the Titanic. Today it serves as a haven to multiple fish species such as damselfish, pennant fish, and sea squirts, amongst many more. Hence, the list of dive sites in Dubai seems in completed without mentioning this.

MV Victoria Star

MV Victoria Star is also termed as the best diving experience in Dubai. It is amongst the top sites for diving in UAE. It sank in 2013 making it one of the recent wrecks on this side. The currents are average and it is suggested that tourists visit this site with a professional guide. With the depth of 14 to 23 meters allow the advanced divers to dive a couple of time to explore the wreck. The diving certification is needed for this wreck is the advanced open water or higher certification. However, the deepest section of the wreck is 32 meters.

Cement Barge

Cement Barge is another famous diving site in Dubai. As the name indicates, the wreck of a cement ship sank in 1971. The depth of diving is between 5 to 20 meters, making it an ideal spot for beginners to try scuba diving. Other available options are snorkeling and night diving. However, if you are really fan of scuba diving vacations, you must add it to the list right away.

Sheikh Mohammadโ€™s Barge

Sheikh Mohammadโ€™s Barge

There were many sites- created by sinking ships and barges on purpose. These sites are best to encourage the growth of corals as well as other marine life off the coast of Dubai- and DB1/Sheikh Mohammadโ€™s Barge is one of them. The barge was intentionally sunk to form an artificial reef as well as boost the growth of marine life. The site is 18 to 23 meters deep into the gulf. It takes two dives to explore it all. Coral growth has made this site beautiful giving you the experience of amazing scuba diving in Dubai. Numerous holes in the wreck attract divers who can penetrate in as well as explore the whole place.

Scuba Diving Centers in Dubai

Scuba Diving Center in Dubai Mall

Dubai aquarium and underwater zoo located in Dubai Mall is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for scuba diving. This place is best for both certified and non-certified divers.ย  Itโ€™s surprising to know that; the Dubai Aquarium tank is one of the coolest places in Dubai holding over 30,000 fascinating aquatic creatures. It also includes the largest collection of sand tiger sharks. In order to get a thrilling experience of scuba diving, get a close encounter with sharks. The safe shark encounter 20-30 minutes with a diving instructor.

If itโ€™s your first time, there is no need to worry as youโ€™ll be assisted by qualified supervisors. A dive instructor will assist you throughout the experience. Scuba diving gear is also included in the package. Apart from the scuba diving experience, you are also allowed to opt for a short course with Al Boom Diving Centre.

Scuba Diving in Atlantis The Palm

The iconic Atlantis The Palm is adventurers of all ages in order to have some aquatic fun. The visitors have multiple options to choose from if they want to interact with marine animals. Atlantis the Palm is the home to the biggest open-air aquarium in Dubai- it is also one of the favorite tourist spots for scuba diving. The resort is offering various diving experiences for certified as well as non-certified divers in order to explore of 65,000 marine creatures.

The Atlantis Dive Discovery is perfect especially for beginners who are desiring to experience the thrill of scuba diving. Youโ€™ll be trained in the basics of scuba diving, then discover the fascinating sea creatures of Atlantis. If you have no swimming experience, donโ€™t worry there are snorkeling packages available for you.ย The Dive Atlantis Centre also offers guided underwater tours in order to discover the mysteries.

Scuba Diving in Dubai Marina

Residents of Dubai Marina can also experience scuba diving at Marina Beach- featuring amongst the places for best scuba diving. Scuba Shade center offers multiple scuba diving deals from entry-level to professional level. The best feature of Dubai Marina scuba diving is- it features deep-sea shipwreck dives for certified divers. Moreover, scuba diving in Dubai Marina features certification courses as well as discovery packages high-quality training is also provided by PADI instructors for both beginners and professionals.

Deep Dive Dubai

Deep Dive is worldโ€™s first from Dubai. The 60m deep artificial diving pool is an inspired design from the UAEโ€™s pearl-diving heritage. The dive center features 56 underwater cameras in order to capture remarkable moments of you exploring a sunken underwater city.ย  It doesnโ€™t matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced free diver, Deep Dive Dubai would be an ideal choice for you.

Scuba Diving Dubai- What to Expect

  • Scuba diving in Dubai is one of the most popular activities for the visitors. However, when you desire this excursion, make sure you undertake it from a reputable company via a PADI accredited program including expert guidance with all safety guidelines.
  • Expect a qualified instructor to have your back while you slip into the world of serene marine life. For the photography enthusiast, the itinerary comprises different specialized options for photography and other adventures.
  • Usually, the scuba diving session in Dubai includes a 30-minute briefing on how and why of the marine life as well as safety rules. It is essential to attend the briefing and is suggested that the visitors taking part in the activity should not travel for 18 hours on a flight after undertaking scuba diving.

Know Before You Go Diving in Dubai

  • Age Limit

Visitors above ten years are allowed to participate in scuba diving.

  • Prebooking

It is suggested to book your Discover Scuba Diving experience 2 days before your date of the dive.

  • Timings

You must arrive 2 hours before your scheduled time of dive in order to attend the briefing about the dive.

  • Other Restrictions

Pregnant women and those with mobility impairments are not allowed on the experience. Medical signs must be completed before the dive begins.

How long does a scuba diving tour last?

  • Usually, scuba diving trips in Dubai are between 1.5 hours and three days, depending on the experience you choose.
  • The shortest option is the tank diving session, which lasts 1.5 hours.
  • Introductory scuba diving tours are generally two hours long, along with 45 minutes in the water.
  • Standard beach diving sessions last for three hours, again with 45 minutes in the water- for all levels.
  • Shipwreck excursions and Fujairah diving trips last a full day along with door-to-door transfers returning you in time for dinner.
  • 2-day and 3-day options are available for the PADI open water scuba diving course.

Requirements for Scuba Diving in Dubai

People usually go for scuba diving in Dubai start out with a simple snorkel and mask. For those serious about diving, a reliable dive watch is essential. Explore these Dive Watches for your next adventure. These items are expensive. However, itโ€™s easier to find online as well as local beach store. You can use these items for years before upgrading to scuba gear.

People who are more serious can choose to invest in waterproof cameras. So, that they can admire all the adventures under the sea. Generally, all the scuba gear is available in the form of scuba diving package. That means there is no need to worry about buying anything else. However, it would be best to start out small until you believe if it is something that will hold your interest for coming years.

Essential Tips for Scuba Diving in Dubai

If you are planning for an adventurous vacation in Dubai, here are some useful tips that will come handy for your super amazing experience:

  • Ensure you have a scuba-diving certification from an authorized diving center.
  • Follow all safety instructions.
  • Make sure the weather conditions are suitable for scuba diving.
  • Try to relax and enjoy your dive, under any circumstance.
  • Never go in to the water all alone, you must have a trained companion to accompany you.
  • Never get out of your comfort zone in order to try something new because not everything can be under your control.
  • Maintain underwater etiquettes. Donโ€™t get too close to the marine creatures.
  • Once underwater, be aware of the location. Donโ€™t swim too far away from the reef.
  • Ensure all your safety equipment are operating properly before you are going to take the dive.

Hope you have found your top favorite scuba site of Dubai on this list. Now, donโ€™t worry and grab your equipment, take a deep breath, in order to dive into the blue waters.ย Dubai visit allows you experience a world full of adventure, excitement, and fun.

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FAQs About Scuba Diving Dubai

What is Dubai famous for?

Heavenly cuisines, architectural marvels, vibrant culture, and lavish lifestyle is what describe Dubai. The sky-touching skyscrapers, beautiful Palm Island, gigantic aquariums and exotic beaches adds to the glamour of this super amazing city.

What to do in Dubai for free?

Free things to do in Dubai for an amazing experience: Free Entry at Camel Museum, Free Movie Under the Stars, Free View of The Dubai Fountains, as well as Free View Of Dubai Aquarium.

Is Dubai a good place for diving?

Dubai offers a wide range of beaches that allow divers with various levels of diving experiences for divers making it an excellent diving destination.

Is scuba diving safe for first-timers?

Yes, Dubai is an ideal place for first-time scuba divers in order to try out the experience. You can find trained professionals helping you explore the underwater world safely.

How much does scuba diving cost?

The overall cost of scuba diving in Dubai significant on the location, equipment, and number of divers, etc.

Which is the best time to visit Dubai?

Dubai has extremely hot temperatures, but between December and March is an ideal time to visit Dubai for outdoor excursions as well as water activities.

Is a diving certificate mandatory for scuba diving in Dubai?

No certification is required for scuba diving in Dubai. However, make sure you have proper training and you physically fit for such kind of activities.

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