Deep Dive Dubai: a sneak peek into the deepest pool on earth


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

New UAE attraction Deep Dive Dubai has been making quite the splash.

The venue, in Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, features an entire sunken city where divers will get the chance to explore a complete underwater world with an abandoned streetscape, apartment, garage, arcade, and more.

If you’re wondering what it’s like to take the plunge, The National’s Andrew Scott did a free-dive, that is diving without an air tank.

Scroll through the gallery below for more images from Deep Dive Dubai:

  • Deep Dive Dubai pool, at 60m at its deepest, offers divers a unique experience
    Deep Dive Dubai pool, at 60m at its deepest, offers divers a unique experience
  • One of the Deep Dive Dubai pool’s biggest attractions is its sunken city
    One of the Deep Dive Dubai pool’s biggest attractions is its sunken city
  • Divers are able to explore an underwater world, complete with an abandoned streetscape, apartment, garage, arcade and other interesting features.
    Divers are able to explore an underwater world, complete with an abandoned streetscape, apartment, garage, arcade and other interesting features.
  • Freediving and scuba diving experiences, along with courses, are offered to people of all abilities by international diving professionals
    Freediving and scuba diving experiences, along with courses, are offered to people of all abilities by international diving professionals
  • Other features include two underwater habitats with a dry chamber, 56 underwater cameras covering all angles of the pool, and an underwater sound and mood lighting system
    Other features include two underwater habitats with a dry chamber, 56 underwater cameras covering all angles of the pool, and an underwater sound and mood lighting system
  • It can hold 14 million litres of water, the equivalent of six Olympic-sized swimming pools
    It can hold 14 million litres of water, the equivalent of six Olympic-sized swimming pools
  • Water is filtered and circulated every six hours, while the temperature is maintained at 30°C
    Water is filtered and circulated every six hours, while the temperature is maintained at 30°C
  • Deep Dive Dubai pays tribute to the UAE’s pearl diving heritage
    Deep Dive Dubai pays tribute to the UAE’s pearl diving heritage
  • The facility opened to the public on Wednesday, July 28, 2021
    The facility opened to the public on Wednesday, July 28, 2021
  • Deep Dive Dubai offers experiences and courses across three categories: Discover, Dive and Develop, which are open to anyone aged 10 and above, from beginners to professional divers
    Deep Dive Dubai offers experiences and courses across three categories: Discover, Dive and Develop, which are open to anyone aged 10 and above, from beginners to professional divers
  • All experiences have a guide and equipment rentals, as do the courses
    All experiences have a guide and equipment rentals, as do the courses
  • Underwater gear, and photo and video equipment are available for rent, with videos and photos included with Discovery Dives.
    Underwater gear, and photo and video equipment are available for rent, with videos and photos included with Discovery Dives.
  • The venue is also home to the region’s largest underwater film studio, complete with a media editing room and a video wall
    The venue is also home to the region’s largest underwater film studio, complete with a media editing room and a video wall

“The unique thing about this location [is that] we have 365 days a year of perfect weather, no wind, waves, diesel fumes, problems of the like,” says Jarrod Jablonski, director of Deep Dive Dubai.

"The fact that there are no unfriendly marine inhabitants, and there is crystal clear water are just some other perks," he says.

Meanwhile, the water temperature in the pool is maintained at 30°C. Experience dives have a low guide-to-guest ratio and all experiences and courses include high-end rental equipment – including brands such as Halcyon, Scubapro and Fourth Element – which can be delivered poolside.

A range of underwater gear, and photo and video equipment, will be available for rent, with experience videos and photos included with Discovery Dives.

On July 8, Hollywood star Will Smith was among the first to visit the venue, which he called “insane” in an Instagram video. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, has also been posting videos of the new venue.

The attraction opens to the public on Wednesday, July 28, with online bookings possible from Tuesday, July 27 onwards.

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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9.30pm: Forever Young

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Honeymoonish
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Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17

At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

'Cheb%20Khaled'
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How to increase your savings
  • Have a plan for your savings.
  • Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
  • Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
  • It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings. 

- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

 

 

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

Favourite activities: Bungee jumping

Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”

Favourite TV programme: the news

Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”

Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

Tonight's Chat on The National

Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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What to watch out for:

Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways

The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof

The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history

Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure

Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used

PROFILE OF STARZPLAY

Date started: 2014

Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand

Number of employees: 125

Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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