Ain Dubai set to reopen in first quarter of next year

Bluewaters Island attraction is undergoing an 'enhancement'

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  Ain Dubai will stay closed until further notice. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Ain Dubai is the world’s largest and tallest observation wheel. AFP

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  The attraction opened in October, 2021 and closed for enhancement in March, 2022. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Passengers in a pod on Ain Dubai. AP Photo

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  Ain Dubai at sunset. EPA

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  The giant wheel has 48 pods. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Ain Dubai decorated with Halloween lights in October 2021. AFP

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  The views of Dubai from the wheel are spectacular. EPA

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  A view of Palm Jumeirah. EPA

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  The observation wheel is more than 250 metres tall with 360-degree views of Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The wheel has the capacity to carry more than 1,750 visitors at the same time. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The entrance to Ain Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The Ferris wheel at Bluewaters in Dubai is illuminated at night. AP Photo

The renovation works to enhance Ain Dubai are set to be revealed in the next few months.

Having been closed since March for "improvements", the observation wheel is now expected to return to operation in the first quarter of next year.

A statement released by the team behind the Bluewaters Island attraction announced that it will remain closed for the works to be completed, though no specific reopening date was given.

"Ain Dubai’s temporary closure period will be extended until Q1 2023. We have been working rigorously to complete the enhancement works over the past months," the statement reads.

"Once a reopening date is set, a further announcement will be made. In line with our commitment to offering guests an experience unlike any other, we look forward to introducing new and exciting offers when we re-open Ain Dubai for visitors to enjoy from across the globe."

In March, it was announced that the wheel would be closed until the end of Ramadan, but it was extended until the end of the summer in April.

Located on Bluewaters Island, the attraction opened to the public in October last year. Standing at more than 250 metres tall — about twice the height of the London Eye — the wheel offers views of landmarks including Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah. It features 48 luxury cabins, each able to carry up to 40 guests, and a single rotation of the wheel takes 38 minutes.

Hundreds of thousands of people visited the attraction following its opening, according to the Ain Dubai website.

The soaring observation wheel on Bluewaters Island opened in October last year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ain Dubai in numbers

• 250 metres high
• 115 metres taller than the London Eye
• 82.4 metres taller than the High Roller in Las Vegas, previously the world's tallest observation wheel
• 48 cabins
• 1,750 capacity
• 2,400 kilometres of cables
• 360-degree views of Dubai
• 20km distance from Burj Khalifa
• 77 months to build, after construction began in May 2015

Stunning photos of Ain Dubai taken over a nine-month period — in pictures

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  'Fireworks From Caesars'. All photos by Ahmad Alnaji

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  'Night Fog'

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  'Moonset'

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  'Moonlight Reflection'

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  'Day Fog with Boats'

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  'NYE Fireworks'

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  'Daylight Fog'

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  'Ain Dubai LED'

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  'Sunset Fog'

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  'Fog Drone'