There are three very different ways to dive in Dubai: take a try dive in the pool of a local dive centre, descend 60 metres into the record-breaking Deep Dive Dubai, or head to the east coast to reach real coral reefs. None of these options requires previous experience — you really can start from scratch. In this guide from our excursions in Dubai series, we’ll go through where beginners should start, where certified divers can go and how much it all costs.
Where to Start: The Try Dive
If you’ve never breathed underwater, you don’t have to jump straight into a course — there’s the Discover Scuba (try dive) format. The instructor briefly explains the basic rules on land, hands you the equipment and stays right next to you throughout the dive. You start at a shallow depth in confined water, followed by one controlled dive. You don’t get a certificate at the end and can’t dive on your own afterwards, but you do get to work out, without any rush, whether you’re comfortable underwater at all.
At local dive centres a try dive costs roughly 400–600 AED (about $110–165) — the price usually includes the instructor, a full set of equipment, a confined-water session and the dive itself. It’s the most honest way to check whether it’s worth investing in a full course. Age and medical restrictions (heart or lung problems, recent surgery) are worth checking in advance: you fill out a short medical questionnaire before the dive.
The PADI Open Water Course
Those who want to dive independently and while travelling need an international certificate. The basic and most common one is the PADI Open Water Diver. It lets you dive to 18 metres with a buddy and without an instructor, and it’s recognised by dive centres all over the world.
The course takes 3–4 days and consists of three parts: online theory (usually done from home in advance), skills practice in a pool, and open-water dives in the sea or a deep pool. The price range is wide — roughly from 1099 to 2500 AED (about $300–680): with a promotion the course often works out at 1299–1800 AED, while the full price reaches 2350–2500 AED. The spread depends on the centre, the season and whether equipment rental and learning materials are included — check what’s in the package with the operator.
Already-certified divers can do fun dives: roughly 250–400 AED per dive plus 100–150 AED for a set of equipment if you don’t have your own.
Deep Dive Dubai — The World’s Deepest Pool
The city’s main diving attraction is in the Nad Al Sheba area. Deep Dive Dubai is the deepest pool in the world: 60.02 metres, a Guinness record, about 14 million litres of warm fresh water. On the bottom there’s a sunken ‘city’ — streets, apartments, arcades — with routes laid out for diving and underwater photography. The water is warm and clear year-round, and unlike at sea, weather and visibility have nothing to do with it here.
The formats cater both to people who can’t dive at all and to experienced divers:
| Format | Price (approx.) | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Sunken City Walk | ~600 AED | A walk at 4 m depth, no swimming needed |
| Discover Scuba (to 12 m) | ~1800 AED | First dive without certification |
| Premium with video (to 12 m) | ~2400 AED | Same + professional filming |
| Platinum (private instructor) | ~3000 AED | Individual format |
| Guided Scuba (to 30 m) | ~1200 AED | For certified divers |
| Snorkelling | from ~380–400 AED | With a mask along the upper level |
Prices here are noticeably higher than at sea centres, but the experience is different too: a dive to a record depth amid sunken scenery. Age — from 10 years and able to swim (except the Sunken City Walk). All figures are approximate; check the current price list at the venue when booking.
Where to Dive in the Sea
Here’s an important point that surprises many people: there are no real coral reefs right by Dubai. The Persian Gulf coast is sandy and rather murky, while the sea dive sites are on the country’s east coast — in Fujairah and Dibba, on the Gulf of Oman. The drive from Dubai takes about 1.5–2 hours, so people usually go there on a day trip: transfer plus dives runs roughly 650–850 AED.
The most famous spots on the east coast:
- Snoopy Island — a reef island with depths of 5–15 metres, a calm spot for beginners and snorkelling;
- Martini Rock — 10–23 metres, corals, turtles, lots of fish;
- Dibba Rock — shallow, turtles and small reef sharks, good for first sea dives;
- Sharm Rock — 6–20 metres, rays and a living reef.
The best season for the sea is October to May: visibility stays around 5–15 metres. In summer the water warms up a lot, but visibility is usually worse — that’s a guideline, not a guarantee, as the weather on the east coast is changeable. Fujairah’s dive centres work with both beginners (try dives, courses) and certified groups.
Snorkelling in Dubai
If you don’t need tanks and just want to swim around with a mask, Dubai itself has a modest option — by the Palm Jumeirah breakwaters, near Atlantis and The Pointe. There’s a bit of fish around, but don’t expect a proper reef: the best snorkelling spots are still Snoopy Island and the Fujairah sites. For the general layout of the island and how to get there, see the Palm Jumeirah guide.
A year-round indoor alternative to the sea is the Dubai Mall aquarium, which offers diving and snorkelling with sharks and rays right in the tank, as well as Deep Dive Dubai. In the hot months, when the sea is murky, it’s a lifesaver — and a good excuse to check out Dubai’s water parks with their slides and wave pools.
How to Book and When to Go
Deep Dive Dubai is booked online in advance — on the official site deepdivedubai.com or through aggregators; slots, as I said, go weeks ahead. Dive centres (try dives, PADI courses, fun dives and day trips to Fujairah) are more convenient to book directly or through aggregators: for a course they usually ask for a deposit and for you to complete the online theory before arriving. Note that the venues’ own cancellation rules are often stricter than those of aggregators — check the refund terms before paying.
One thing that’s easy to overlook: check that your travel insurance covers diving. Active dives often come as a separate option and require a surcharge — without it, an underwater claim may not be covered.
Season-wise it’s simple: the sea on the east coast is more comfortable from October to May, while Deep Dive Dubai and the aquarium operate year-round regardless of the weather. To sketch out the overall timing of your trip, the when to go to Dubai guide will help, and to fit diving into the rest of your programme, see our selection of interesting locations and other excursions from Dubai, from desert safaris to boat trips.
