The tallest building in the world is already in Dubai. Now it can also claim the deepest plunge pool in the world.
Deep Dive Dubai opened on July 7th, just 10 days after it was named the world’s deepest plunge pool by the Guinness World Records.
The new indoor pool is almost 60 meters deep and holds almost 3.7 million liters of water. It is also home to a huge underwater attraction resembling a “sunken city” that divers can explore either alone or with a guide.
The attraction is open to travelers 10 years and older, including those wearing a mask and tank for the first time.
“Sunken City”
With graffiti, crumbling facades and a large portrait of Marilyn Monroe on the wall, Dubai’s new vertical plunge pool harbors the remains of a lost city. There’s a house and a library – even an arcade with an old Pac-Man machine, foosball, and pool table.
As for the size of the underwater city, it takes several dives to fully explore, according to the website.
Beginners can dive to a depth of 40 feet, while those with certifications can explore the entire pool either with a guide or on their own. Certified divers can also “dive freely” – that is, dive without a bottle, only with breath – while they are connected to a fixed ascent line. Courses are also offered to teach divers new skills.
Bookings are only possible by invitation. Actor and rapper Will Smith wrote about his visit in an Instagram post that received more than 3 million likes in four days.
Public bookings will open on the company’s website later in July. Prices start at 800 UAE dirhams ($ 218).
The allure of pool diving
Diving in a pool has several advantages over the sea. For starters, weather and water conditions are controlled. There are no currents or rough seas, and dives are not canceled due to inclement weather.
Pool water can also be well illuminated at shallower depths. Dubai’s new pool has 156 lights positioned throughout the pool and the water temperature is kept at a comfortable 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
There is sound and mood lighting throughout Deep Dive Dubai, a 196-foot vertical pool that opened last week.
Courtesy Deep Dive Dubai
However, there is no living marine life, including coral, which usually make up a large part of the recreational diving experience. But that’s not a deal breaker for Dubai-based American Kyle McGee, who has 15 years of diving experience in places like Egypt, Madagascar, and the Galapagos Islands.
In fact, he’s looking forward to trying it out.
“When we dive, we often focus on marine life, and it would be nice to try some unusual underwater activities without worrying about spotting fish,” he said. “I think it would be especially a great way to practice buoyancy while playing fun games and exploring the area.”
A hyperbaric treatment chamber is slated to open later this year, as is a restaurant where diners can peek into the pool while divers swim by.
Courtesy Deep Dive Dubai
Dubai’s newest attraction also appeals to inexperienced divers. TV travel commentator Lindsay Myers wants to learn to dive, but finds the “unknown” of the open ocean intimidating.
“I would certainly learn better to dive in a pool,” she said. “This pool is great because it is only a small step towards diving in the ocean at some point.”
Liju Cherian from neighboring Oman agreed. He wants to dive but has shied away from it in the past because of persistent asthma. But he’s interested in Deep Dive Dubai because he’d rather “dive into a pool than into the ocean” – at least initially.
Another record for Dubai
In connection with the opening of Deep Dive Dubai, Abdulla Bin Habtoor, a spokesman for Deep Dive Dubai, said the new pool is an investment in Dubai’s growing sports culture and adventure tourism sectors.
It’s also another record breaking architectural feat for Dubai, the home of the world:
The record breaking Dubai Mall is also home to the world’s largest shopping mall aquarium, where visitors can snorkel in cages and dive with sharks.
GIUSEPPE CACACE | AFP | Getty Images
Dubai is known for its Guinness World Records, from the world’s largest fountain in The Pointe on Palm Jumeirah to the largest gathering of people to eat breakfast cereal together (1,354 participants).
Dubai also has the distinction of having the fastest police car – a Bugatti Veyron, which was bought for $ 1.6 million in 2016.