After weeks of teasers – and seeing some famous names, such as Will Smith, take the plunge – Deep Dive Dubai has finally opened to the public.
The 60-metre-deep pool, which houses an entire sunken city, is accepting online bookings on its website for experiences available starting from Wednesday.
Along with scuba diving and freediving, a Discover Snorkelling experience has also been added.
Currently, the experiences on offer can be broken down into Discover (for first-timers), Dive (for divers with a certification) and Develop (for first-timers and certified divers).
The Discover category of snorkelling, scuba diving and freediving is for those who want to take their first steps towards certification as a diver. The new Discover Snorkelling experience is Dh400 ($108), including fins, snorkel, mask and flotation vest for a one-hour guided snorkel session, allowing guests to see the sunken city.
The Discover Freediving is a one-hour guided experience that allows divers to go up to 10 metres underwater. Priced at Dh1,000, it includes fins, snorkel, mask and a wetsuit, with a video of the experience.
Discover Scuba Diving is a one-hour guided scuba dive, allowing beginner divers to go up to 12 metres and interact with elements of the sunken city, including the car, telephone booth, library, bicycle and chess game, among other features. It is priced at Dh1,500, and all scuba diving equipment is included, along with a video of the experience.
The Dive category of experiences starts at Dh600 and allows everyone (from newbies to experienced individuals) to freedive or scuba dive within their certification limits.
The Develop category includes Padi Open Water Diving certification and is priced at Dh 3,600 per person, inclusive of equipment rentals. It is ideal for beginners who want to progress. Other courses within the Develop category are priced upon request and include a full range of recreational, technical, and leadership freediving and scuba diving courses and programmes.
Complimentary lockers, robe and towel rental are available. Guests just need to bring their swimsuits and flip flops. With each booking, one spectator can accompany the diver, with up to two additional spectators allowed at Dh100 per person.
The Guinness World Record-certified pool is the deepest in the world and features two underwater habitats with dry chambers at six and 21 metres, underwater cameras, and a sound and mood lighting system. It can hold 14 million litres of water, the equivalent of six Olympic-sized swimming pools. The water is usually maintained at a temperature of 30ºC for optimum diver comfort.
Deep Dive Dubai is open Wednesday to Sunday, noon-8pm; prices start at Dh400; Nad Al Sheba, Dubai; www.deepdivedubai.com
