Aura Sky Pool.
AURA SKY POOL
Take a dip 200 metres in the air, at the world's highest 360-degree infinity pool. Nine metres higher than Singapore's famous Marina Bay Sands infinity pool, Aura curves around the 50th floor of Nakheel's Palm Tower, where you'll find The View at the Palm upstairs and Nakheel Mall and the St Regis Dubai, The Palm downstairs. The pool, which opened in November, has proved so popular that it's fully booked until the first week of May. Book online up to two months in advance for morning or afternoon sessions, or a full day on the sunbeds – the pool closes just after sunset. Note that it's not the world's highest infinity pool – that accolade currently belongs to the pool on the 77th storey of the Address Beach Resort in nearby Jumeirah Beach Residence. It opened in December 2020, and the pool sits at 293 metres high. From AED200 ($73), see auraskypool.com
DEEP DIVE DUBAI
Proving its versatility at providing experiences at the extremes, Dubai now has the world's deepest scuba dive pool, which is home to a sunken city. Tearing past its nearest rival, a Polish dive pool of 45 metres, the 60-metre Deep Dive Dubai pool holds 14 million litres of fresh water, that's enough water to fill six Olympic-sized swimming pools, warmed to 30 degrees in its oyster-shaped building. Groove to the underwater tunes as you shoot a game of pool, "ride" a motorbike or admire a Mustang sunken to its depths. Beginners can dive to 20 metres, while the full 60 metre depth is for Trimix-trained technical divers only. Deep Dive runs dive courses for newbies, as well as freediving and family snorkelling classes. From AED1200 ($440), deepdivedubai.com
PALM FOUNTAIN
The Middle East has a thing about dancing fountains, as evidenced by the gazillions of social media videos of its most famous water display, at Dubai Mall. However, newcomer the Palm Fountain is now the world's largest dancing fountain, covering over 7300 square metres and shooting sea water 105 metres into the air. Lit by 3000 multicoloured LEDs, its 7500 nozzles pump along to songs for a display on the hour, every hour, from 6pm until 11pm (midnight on weekends). Book for dinner at one of the waterfront restaurants at The Pointe and watch the free show. See thepointe.ae
SKY VIEWS DUBAI
If sliding down the side of skyscraper is a must-do for you, Dubai obliges. The new Sky Views Dubai observatory is on top of the Address Sky View Hotel, which comprises two towers linked by a glass skywalk. Take a glass elevator to Level 52 where its three experiences are located: the enclosed 18-metre Sky Glass Slide zips you from Level 53 to Level 52, while the more sedate Sky Glass Walk is a 46-metre glass bridge between the towers. The extreme, big-ticket item is the Sky Edge Walk around the exterior of one of the towers, wearing a safety harness so you can lean back over nothingness. Opened in December 2021, it's directly connected to Dubai Mall at ground level. Guests over 21 years staying in the hotel should also take a dip in the infinity pool on the 54th floor. From AED85 ($31), see
THE VIEW AT THE PALM
Dubai loves a sky-high viewpoint, and the newest is located at The Palm, south of Downtown Dubai. Set on Level 52 of the Palm Tower, the platform is 240 metres high, which is half the height of Burj Khalifa at 555 metres, but who's counting? (Answer: everybody). The views here are of the fronds of Palm Jumeirah and the iconic Atlantis hotel at its peak, and the Arabian Gulf beyond. A good call if the Burj is booked out, sunsets up here are glorious, and send a golden glow over the city, yoga lovers note there are occasional sunrise sessions up here midweek. There is an open-air cafe on site, but if its offerings don't grab you, the new SushiSamba restaurant on the 51st floor is hot property. From AED100 ($36), see theviewpalm.ae
AIN DUBAI
The world's largest observation wheel, Ain Dubai ("Dubai Eye" in English) stands 250 metres above the city on the artificial Bluewaters Island. When it opened in late 2021, it bumped the High Roller wheel in Las Vegas down to second place for the title, dwarfing it by 82 metres. Built using the world's two largest cranes, it takes 38 minutes to complete one slow rotation in one of Ain Dubai's 48 cabins, with views of the Arabian Gulf, Dubai Marina and the city. To ramp it up a notch, book a ticket in the bar car, aka the Skybar. Note that spins at sunset cost extra. From AED130 ($47) a person, see aindubai.com
Belinda Jackson was a guest of Ain Dubai and The View at the Palm.
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