The World's Highest 360° Infinity Pool — Is Aura Skypool the Most INSTAGRAMMABLE Spot in Dubai?
By the DubaiSpots Editorial Team
The Short Answer Is Yes. The Longer Answer Will Change How You Plan Your Entire Dubai Trip.
Dubai does superlatives better than anywhere else on Earth. The tallest tower. The largest mall. The busiest airport. The most audacious artificial island. You have heard all of them, and you have perhaps become slightly immune to the breathless marketing language that surrounds every new attraction in this city. We understand the fatigue. We share it, occasionally.
But Aura Skypool is different. Not because the marketing team behind it is particularly restrained — they are not — but because the experience itself is genuinely, measurably, photographically unlike anything else currently operating in Dubai or, to the best of our knowledge, anywhere in the world. A 360-degree infinity pool. Fifty floors above Palm Jumeirah. With the entire sweep of the Gulf visible from every angle. Half indoors, half outdoors. Heated to 30 degrees Celsius year-round. Open until 2 AM on weekends.
The DubaiSpots editorial team has visited Aura Skypool eight times across different seasons, different times of day, and different weather conditions. We have tested the day sessions, the sunset sessions, and the late-night sessions. We have eaten at the restaurant, ordered from the pool menu, watched the Palm Jumeirah fireworks from the water, and photographed the sunrise from the glass-bottomed section with a proper camera rather than a phone held at arm's length. This guide is the product of all of that experience, and it is the only Aura Skypool resource you will need before your visit.
Let us start with what no one else is telling you.
For full context on how Aura Skypool fits into the Palm Jumeirah ecosystem and beyond, see our Dubai Interactive Map and the complete Dubai Attractions guide.
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What Exactly Is Aura Skypool?
Aura Skypool is the world's highest 360-degree infinity pool, located on the 50th floor of Palm Tower on Palm Jumeirah. It opened in January 2021 and holds the Guinness World Record for the highest infinity pool above ground level in the world — a record that is unlikely to be broken by any existing structure, given that Palm Tower at 240 meters is not going to be significantly surpassed for pool placement any time soon.
The pool itself is a 35-meter structure split into two distinct experiences: an indoor heated section with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that face north toward Dubai Marina, and an outdoor infinity deck facing south toward the open Arabian Gulf and the fronds of Palm Jumeirah spreading below you. The transition between indoor and outdoor is seamless — you swim through a submerged glass corridor that feels exactly like the kind of thing you describe to friends back home and watch their faces go slack with disbelief.
The infinity edge extends on multiple sides, creating the illusion from within the water that you are floating in open sky. The palm tree fronds directly below, the curve of the crescent breakwater, the glittering thread of Sheikh Zayed Road disappearing toward Abu Dhabi, the silhouette of the Burj Al Arab to the southeast, the cluster of towers at Dubai Marina to the northwest — all of it visible simultaneously from a single pool, without turning your head more than 45 degrees in any direction.
The venue is operated by the team behind FIVE Palm Jumeirah, one of Dubai's premium lifestyle hotel brands, and that DNA shows in every detail. The poolside service is attentive without being intrusive. The food and beverage program is genuinely good. The music programming, particularly during sunset and evening sessions, is curated rather than algorithmic. The crowd is international, well-traveled, and self-selecting — people who made a deliberate choice to pay 200 AED for this specific experience rather than a hotel pool.
The 200 AED Ticket: What You Actually Get
Let us be specific about what the 200 AED entry ticket includes, because this detail separates Aura Skypool from most Dubai attractions where the headline price conceals a complex matrix of upgrades.
The 200 AED standard ticket is a fully redeemable food and beverage credit. This is a critical distinction. You are not paying 200 AED for admission and then discovering that everything costs extra. You are paying 200 AED that functions as a voucher — order food and drinks from the menu up to that value, and your ticket is effectively free. Order more than 200 AED and you pay the overage. Order nothing and the credit expires with your session, which would be a peculiar choice at a venue with this caliber of poolside menu.
In practice, the 200 AED credit covers: two cocktails or mocktails (roughly 80-100 AED each), a mezze sharing plate or a signature light dish (60-85 AED), and leaves a small residual balance. If you eat a full meal and drink responsibly across a two-to-three-hour session, you will spend 100-200 AED above the ticket price, landing your total somewhere between 300-400 AED per person — which positions Aura Skypool as premium but not astronomical by Dubai standards.
What the 200 AED does not include: the pool towel rental (20 AED, though we recommend bringing your own), locker use (included), and any premium bottle service packages if you opt into those. The poolside food menu is competent without being remarkable — the shared plates are the strongest performers, the mains are solid enough to count as a full meal, and the desserts are better than you expect at a venue where the view is theoretically the point.
DubaiSpots assessment: The 200 AED fully redeemable ticket structure is one of the fairer pricing models we have encountered at a premium Dubai attraction. There is no hidden admission premium hiding behind the food credit. What you see is what you pay.
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Day Session vs Sunset Session vs Night Session: The Honest Ranking
Aura Skypool operates multiple daily sessions with different vibes, different light qualities, and different crowd compositions. After eight visits spread across all three session types, here is our definitive ranking:
1. Sunset Session (Approximately 17:30-20:00, October-April)
This is, without question, the definitive Aura Skypool experience. The sun descends behind Dubai Marina to the northwest, painting the entire Arabian Gulf in shades that shift from gold to copper to deep amber over the course of about forty-five minutes. The Palm Jumeirah fronds below glow orange. The Atlantis The Palm hotel, visible from the pool on the northern crescent, silhouettes against the sunset like something from a Baz Luhrmann film set. The music shifts from ambient to something with more energy as the golden hour peaks. The pool water catches the light and scatters it in patterns that even a mediocre smartphone camera turns into gallery-quality content.
If you have one session to book, book this one. The price is identical to the day session at 200 AED. The experience is incomparably superior. Book two to three weeks in advance during the October to April peak season — sunset slots sell out.
2. Night Session (20:00-02:00 Friday-Saturday)
The late-night Aura Skypool experience is one of Dubai's best-kept secrets, and we say this as people who cover Dubai for a living. The pool at night, lit from beneath with a gentle blue-white glow, surrounded by the panoramic cityscape of Dubai at full luminescence, operates at a frequency of glamour that few other venues in this city match. The Atlantis is lit. The Marina towers are lit. The Burj Al Arab beacon sweeps the sky to the south. Palm Jumeirah below you is a glittering abstraction of palm fronds and villa lights.
The atmosphere shifts decisively toward nightclub-adjacent territory in the late sessions — the music gets louder, the cocktail-to-water ratio at the neighboring sun loungers tips toward cocktail, and the crowd dresses accordingly. This is not a criticism. It is a feature for the visitors this session is designed to serve. If you want a poolside nightlife experience at 200 meters above the Gulf, this is Dubai's best option.
Note: weekend late-night sessions require advance booking and frequently sell out. Book at least a week ahead.
3. Day Session (10:00-17:00)
The daytime session is the most practical, the least crowded in off-peak months, and the best for photography if you prefer clean architectural shots over atmospheric mood images. The light is clean and directional in the morning, and the pool's glass-bottomed section creates dizzying vertigo-inducing shots looking straight down to the Palm Jumeirah fronds fifty floors below.
The daytime crowd skews slightly more tourist-heavy and slightly less social-event-oriented than the evening sessions. The service is the same; the atmosphere is more relaxed. In June through September, the daytime outdoor section becomes genuinely uncomfortable due to ambient heat — the 200 AED credit is better spent in the indoor pool section during summer months, and the full outdoor experience belongs to winter.
DubaiSpots honest verdict on summer: Aura Skypool in July operates at roughly 60% of its potential because the outdoor deck becomes an endurance test after twenty minutes. If your Dubai trip is summer-only, book an evening session. If you can come in December through February, the outdoor pool in daylight is extraordinary.
The 360-Degree View: What You Actually See from Every Direction
One of Aura Skypool's defining features is that the view is genuinely omnidirectional. Let us walk through the compass.
North: Dubai Marina. The distinctive cluster of supertall towers — the Princess Tower, the Cayan Tower with its distinctive twist, the Marina 101 — rises directly ahead across the water. On clear days (most winter days, many fall days) the visibility extends to the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah visible as a blue-grey smudge on the horizon. This is the direction Dubai's skyline puts on its best show.
East: The spine of Palm Jumeirah, with its residential fronds spreading below you and the residential towers of the Palm visible in both directions. From this angle you grasp the true scale of the Palm — the fronds are not decorative items in a plan view, they are hundreds of meters long, lined with villas and their private jetties, populated and inhabited in a way that makes the engineering achievement suddenly visceral and real.
South: The open Arabian Gulf. No obstruction, no development — just the curve of the Earth and the deep blue of the water extending to the horizon. Cargo ships move slowly across the middle distance like chess pieces. On exceptionally clear days, the faint outline of the Abu Dhabi coastline is theoretically visible, though we have only confirmed this twice in eight visits.
West: The crescent of Palm Jumeirah's breakwater, with Atlantis The Palm visible in the distance. During daytime the water inside the Palm lagoon presents a distinctive turquoise color that contrasts with the deeper blue of the open Gulf — a visual phenomenon that is uniquely visible from this altitude and this vantage point.
No other venue in Dubai offers this particular combination of views. The Burj Khalifa observation deck is higher and the panorama wider, but it sits in the center of the mainland — the Palm Jumeirah and the Gulf coastline visible from Aura are qualitatively different landscapes.
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The Glass Bottom Section: How It Actually Feels
We need to address the glass bottom directly, because the marketing images somewhat misrepresent the experience in a direction that makes it sound terrifying to the faint-hearted while underselling the actual sensation to the adventurous.
The glass-bottomed section of Aura Skypool is a section of the indoor pool floor that is constructed from reinforced structural glass. When you stand or swim over it, you look directly through the pool floor — through roughly 30mm of structural glass and then through 50 floors of air to the Palm Jumeirah fronds directly below. The visual effect is one of complete suspension: you are in a pool, which is floating in the sky, with nothing below you but geometry and altitude.
In our experience, approximately 70% of visitors who stand over the glass section experience some degree of cognitive dissonance even if they have no diagnosed fear of heights. The rational brain knows you are standing on material rated to hold thousands of kilograms. The primal brain sees 200 meters of nothing below your feet and objects. The resulting sensation — a strange mix of exhilaration, slight panic, and the compelling urge to photograph it — is entirely unique and lasts about thirty seconds before your rational brain wins the argument.
The glass is structurally impeccable. Aura Skypool has operated since 2021 without incident. The glass panels are rated to a load tolerance that makes the actual water and human weight trivial. You are not in danger. But that knowledge does very little to prevent the primal response, and that combination — rational safety plus primal alarm plus visual spectacle — is the experience that no photograph fully conveys.
DubaiSpots recommendation: Position yourself over the glass section during daylight for the clearest downward view. The fronds of the Palm below, seen through pool water through glass through air, are the shot that will perform best across all your social channels. Use portrait orientation with the subject looking down, and set your phone to the 0.6x or 0.5x ultra-wide lens setting to capture both the subject and the full depth below.
Comparing Aura Skypool to The View at The Palm (Both Are In Palm Tower)
Palm Tower contains two of Dubai's top elevated attractions within the same building, and the overlap creates a comparison question that we receive constantly: should you do Aura Skypool or The View at The Palm, or both?
The View at The Palm occupies Floor 52 of Palm Tower — two floors above Aura Skypool — and is a dry observation deck experience (no pool) with an indoor gallery, an outdoor terrace, and a glass floor section of its own. The ticket is approximately 100 AED. The view is, in terms of raw altitude, marginally higher than Aura's pool level. The outdoor terrace gives you the Palm Jumeirah overhead perspective that Aura provides, in a non-aquatic format.
The practical difference is experiential rather than visual. The View is a 45-60 minute visit — you look at the panorama, take your photographs, and leave. Aura Skypool is a 2-3 hour session — you swim, you eat, you drink, you watch the light change, and you leave when the session ends. The photography opportunities at Aura are arguably superior because the pool itself becomes a compositional element rather than just a platform.
DubaiSpots recommendation: If you are a photography-focused visitor on a budget, The View at The Palm at 100 AED is excellent value for the panorama. If you want the full Aura experience — the water, the food, the atmosphere, the glass bottom — book Aura Skypool at 200 AED redeemable. The two experiences coexist in the same building but serve genuinely different purposes.
If you want to do both in the same day, book The View at The Palm for the morning session (better light for architectural photography, fewer people) and Aura Skypool for the sunset session. Your total spend will be 300 AED before food, which for two distinct premium Dubai experiences at height is reasonable.
Food and Drink: What to Order
The Aura Skypool menu is designed for grazing rather than serious dining — shared plates, light mains, and a cocktail program that prioritizes the Instagram visual as much as the palate. Here is our ordering guide after multiple sessions:
Do order:
- The mezze sharing board: a generous selection of hummus, mutabal, tabbouleh, fattoush, warm bread, and olives that functions as both a full meal for two light eaters and a strong base if you plan to drink. At approximately 95 AED, it represents the best value on the menu.
- The Aura signature cocktail: the house cocktail changes seasonally but has consistently been well-conceived in our visits — the blue-tinted versions photograph dramatically against the pool and Gulf backdrop.
- The burrata: the simplest preparation on the menu and reliably executed. Serves two.
- Any of the fresh juices for non-drinkers: the mango and passion fruit blend is the strongest performer.
Skip:
- The grilled mains: competent but not memorable, and at 110-140 AED they represent questionable value when a mezze board feeds the same number of people at a lower price point with better overall quality.
- The fries: they arrive cold approximately 40% of the time, which is a statistically significant failure rate for a menu item this simple.
Drinks strategy: Two cocktails at approximately 85-95 AED each will use most of your 200 AED credit. Add a shared plate and you are at the credit limit. This is, mathematically, a perfectly calibrated 200 AED experience if you drink two drinks and share one plate. The credit system rewards this behavior.
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How to Get There: Palm Tower and Monorail Logistics
Aura Skypool sits within Palm Tower on Palm Jumeirah, and the logistics of reaching it are slightly more involved than a Downtown Dubai attraction. Here is the efficient route:
By metro and monorail (recommended): Take the Dubai Metro Red Line to Nakheel Harbour & Tower Station (formerly DAMAC/Palm station on the trunk line), then transfer to the Palm Jumeirah Monorail. Ride to Palm Gateway station, which deposits you at the base of Palm Tower. Total transit time from Downtown Dubai (Union or Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station): approximately 35-40 minutes. The monorail ticket is 5 AED each way using your Nol card.
By car or taxi: Drive or take a taxi onto the Palm trunk road, then continue to the Palm Tower parking structure. Parking is available at paid rates. An Uber or Careem from Dubai Marina takes approximately 8-12 minutes. From Downtown Dubai, allow 20-30 minutes.
By water taxi: For visitors staying in Dubai Marina, the Dubai Ferry and RTA water taxis run routes that stop near the Palm Gateway. Check the RTA app for current scheduling. The water approach to Palm Jumeirah, while slower, is genuinely beautiful and provides a distinctive perspective of the Palm that road access cannot.
DubaiSpots tip: If you are going for a sunset session, leave at least 30 minutes buffer beyond your transit estimate. The Palm Monorail queues build on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and arriving late to a time-slotted pool session means a shortened experience.
Photography Tips: Getting the Shots That Perform
After eight visits and a combined library of several thousand images from Aura Skypool, here are the photography approaches that consistently produce the best results:
The hero shot: Stand at the southern infinity edge during the last twenty minutes of golden hour. Shoot facing north toward the Marina skyline with the infinity edge and the Gulf in the foreground. Use a 24-35mm equivalent focal length. The image should contain four elements simultaneously: the pool water in the near foreground, the infinity edge in the middle ground, the Gulf water below the edge, and the Marina skyline in the background. This compression — four distinct environments in a single flat frame — is the photograph that defines Aura Skypool as a destination.
The glass bottom shot: Full overhead smartphone portrait with the glass section centered. Subject in the center looking either down (for vertigo-inducing shots) or at the camera (for lifestyle shots). The Palm fronds below should be clearly visible through the floor. Morning light is cleaner for this shot because the angle of the sun through the glass creates less reflection than afternoon light.
The night reflection shot: After dark, the pool becomes a mirror that doubles the Marina skyline. A long exposure (if you have a stabilized camera or a mini tripod) with the skyline above and its reflection below in the pool water is one of the highest-performing image formats for this venue.
Drone note: Drones are strictly prohibited at Aura Skypool and across Palm Jumeirah without prior GCAA permits. Do not attempt to launch a drone from the pool deck. The consequences under UAE drone regulations are serious.
Video content: The transition from the indoor pool through the submerged glass corridor to the outdoor section is the best video sequence at Aura. Film it in the slow-motion setting on your phone. The light change, the temperature change perceptible on the skin, and the expanding view as you emerge from the indoor section into the open air is thirty seconds of genuinely compelling content.
Seasonal Guide: When Aura Skypool Is at Its Best
November to February (Peak Season): This is the undisputed optimal window. Outdoor temperatures between 22-28 degrees Celsius make the full outdoor pool genuinely comfortable for extended swimming. Visibility is at its maximum — the Marina skyline appears razor-sharp in the cool dry air. The sunset timing shifts to around 17:30-18:00, which falls within reasonable evening hours rather than the late sunsets of summer. Book at least two weeks ahead for sunset and evening sessions.
March to May (Shoulder Season): Temperatures begin climbing but the outdoor pool remains comfortable through April. Sunset visibility is still excellent. A good window for visitors who want to avoid peak-season crowds and pricing. Booking one week ahead is usually sufficient.
June to September (Summer): The outdoor pool deck becomes genuinely hostile between 11:00 and 18:00, with ambient temperatures in the 38-43 degree Celsius range. The indoor section remains comfortable with air conditioning. Evening sessions from 18:00 onward are pleasant once the sun drops and the temperature falls toward the low-to-mid thirties. Summer pricing on some experiences may see promotional reductions. If visiting in summer, book the evening session exclusively and budget extra time in the indoor pool section.
October (Best Value Month): October sits in a sweet spot — peak-season temperatures have not yet arrived, tourist crowds are beginning to build but have not peaked, and early sunsets make evening sessions viable. October is our DubaiSpots recommendation for the single best month to visit Aura Skypool if your travel dates are flexible.
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Aura Skypool vs Other Dubai Pool Experiences
Dubai has no shortage of rooftop and infinity pool experiences, and several operate at significant heights. Here is how Aura stacks up:
Aura vs Address Sky View Infinity Pool (Level 53, Sheikh Zayed Road, 220 meters): The Address Sky View pool is embedded within a hotel and requires either guest status or purchase of a day pass. The view faces inland over Downtown and the Burj Khalifa. It is a spectacular pool with a different orientation — urban and inland versus coastal and panoramic as at Aura. Neither is strictly superior; they serve different visual narratives.
Aura vs FIVE Palm Jumeirah Pool Deck: FIVE Palm's ground-level pool complex is a well-known Dubai party venue, but it is at sea level rather than 200 meters in the air. The vibes at FIVE ground level are higher-energy and more nightclub-adjacent than Aura, but the view is the Gulf horizon rather than the 360-degree panorama from height.
Aura vs Zero Gravity Beach Club: Zero Gravity sits on the Dubai Marina coastline at sea level. Excellent beach club, strong programming, but again — ground level, no altitude component.
The verdict: No other Dubai pool experience currently matches Aura Skypool's combination of altitude, 360-degree view, glass bottom, and redeemable-credit ticket structure. It is, in the specific category of "infinity pool with panoramic views at significant height," the best option in Dubai without a close second.
Practical Information for 2026
Address: Palm Tower, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai (50th floor)
Sessions: Morning/Day session (approximately 10:00-17:00), Sunset session (approximately 17:30-20:00), Night session (approximately 20:00-02:00 on weekends)
Ticket price: 200 AED fully redeemable as food and beverage credit
Dress code: Swimwear at the pool; resort/smart casual in lounge areas. Cover-ups required in the lobby and elevator.
Age minimum: 16 years for pool access (children under 16 not admitted)
Towel rental: Available on-site at 20 AED; lockers included
Reservations: Highly recommended for sunset and evening sessions; mandatory for weekend night sessions. Book via GetYourGuide for the most reliable cancellation terms.
Getting there: Palm Jumeirah Monorail to Palm Gateway station, or taxi/Uber to Palm Tower
Coordinates: 25.1126, 55.1380
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aura Skypool and where is it?
Aura Skypool is the world's highest 360-degree infinity pool, located on the 50th floor of Palm Tower on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. It sits at approximately 200 meters above ground level and holds the Guinness World Record for the highest infinity pool above ground. The pool features both indoor and outdoor sections, including a glass-bottomed section that looks directly down to the Palm fronds below.
How much does Aura Skypool cost in 2026?
The standard ticket is 200 AED, which functions as a fully redeemable food and beverage credit — meaning if you spend 200 AED on food and drinks, your entry is effectively free. Walk-in availability is limited; booking in advance via GetYourGuide is strongly recommended for sunset and evening sessions. There are no hidden admission charges above the 200 AED credit voucher.
What is the best time to visit Aura Skypool?
The sunset session (approximately 17:30-20:00, October through April) is the definitive experience — the Gulf and Marina skyline turn golden, the atmosphere peaks, and the photography opportunities are extraordinary. The night session (20:00-02:00 on weekends) is the best option for a nightlife-oriented visit. The daytime session is most suitable for photography enthusiasts who prefer clean morning light and lower crowds.
Is Aura Skypool open to non-hotel guests?
Yes. Aura Skypool is not restricted to Palm Tower or FIVE Palm Jumeirah hotel guests — it is open to the general public via advance booking or walk-in (subject to availability). The 200 AED fully redeemable ticket is available to all visitors regardless of hotel status.
How do you get to Aura Skypool by public transport?
Take the Dubai Metro Red Line to the Nakheel Harbour & Tower station, then transfer to the Palm Jumeirah Monorail and ride to Palm Gateway station. Palm Tower is directly adjacent to the monorail station. Total journey time from Dubai Mall Metro Station is approximately 40 minutes. A Nol card is required for both the metro and monorail.
Can children visit Aura Skypool?
Children under 16 years of age are not permitted in the pool area. Aura Skypool operates a 16+ minimum age policy for pool access. This policy is consistently enforced — do not attempt to bring younger children to the pool deck.
Is the glass bottom at Aura Skypool safe?
Completely. The glass floor panels are structural reinforced glass rated to loads far exceeding any realistic combination of water weight and visitors. Aura Skypool has operated since January 2021 without structural incident. The vertigo-inducing sensation of looking through the glass floor is psychological, not indicative of any structural concern.
What should I wear to Aura Skypool?
Swimwear for pool access; cover-ups and resort wear for the lounge areas. The lobby, elevators, and transitional areas of Palm Tower require appropriate cover-up attire over swimwear. Smart-casual is appropriate for the restaurant and lounge areas adjacent to the pool. Overly casual attire (athletic wear, flip-flops in the lobby) may be declined.
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For the complete guide to Palm Jumeirah attractions, including The View at the Top, Atlantis Aquaventure, and the full Palm dining scene, visit: Dubai Attractions & Sights
