Ice skating is not the first thing anyone associates with Dubai, which is exactly why it works in winter in Dubai: while the city dresses up for Christmas at 24°C outside, you can spend an hour on Olympic-size ice inside the largest mall in the world. Whether you skate every winter at home or have never laced up a boot, the ice rinks in Dubai are an easy, festive half-day for families, couples and groups – and in December they run special sessions with snowfall on the ice.
Dubai Ice Rink at Dubai Mall
Inside Dubai Mall, on the ground floor next to the Grand Atrium, the Dubai Ice Rink is an Olympic-sized rink open to all ages and levels, with skating aids for beginners, coaches for lessons and a lively atmosphere – the rink sits in the middle of the mall, so the shoppers watch you fall. In December it is the heart of Christmas at Dubai Mall: festive skating sessions with snowfall on the ice, and from 6 December to 5 January (expected) The Grotto: Dear Santa opens right next to it. Details on our Christmas at Dubai Mall page.
Opening hours and prices Dubai Ice Rink
The Dubai Ice Rink is open daily from 10:00 to 23:00, with extended hours at weekends and on public holidays. A regular 90-minute session starts at about AED 85, skate rental extra at the door. Festive packages and discounts appear in December, so compare before you buy. Book in advance in the calendar below: you see at once whether your preferred session still has space, pay in your own currency, and – important – the tickets below include skate rental. Cancellation is free until the day before.
How to get to the Dubai Ice Rink
Take the red metro line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station (R25) and follow the air-conditioned Metro Link walkway into the mall – about ten minutes on travelators. Dubai Mall has 14,000 free parking spaces, but around fountain-show times and in December the taxi and car queues are long; metro is the calmer option.
Nearby highlights
After skating, everything else is under the same roof or outside the door: the Burj Khalifa observation decks, the Dubai Aquarium tunnel, KidZania, and the Dubai Fountain shows every half hour from 18:00 on the promenade. In December add the giant Christmas tree and the festive markets nearby – see Christmas markets in Dubai. Other rinks: Mall of the Emirates has no rink but has Ski Dubai, the indoor snow park with real snow, five minutes by metro from Dubai Mall.
