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Ascend the World's Tallest Building: Burj Khalifa
Published by Moneera Mellick, Writer
Country: United Arab Emirates 
The Experience
The youthful Burj Khalifa towers above her predecessors. A giant among the “super-tall,” Burj Khalifa comfortably holds many other world records. Soaring at 828 metres tall, with 163 habitable stories, the building houses everything from residences, to corporate suites, restaurants and hotels.
Burj Khalifa is iconic of the past, present and future of Dubai. Ingeniously marrying art and science, the Burj Khalifa embodies unity and progress in the Middle East. Inspired by the local Hymenocallis desert flower and Islamic architecture, its design stays true to culture and history of the region. Burj Khalifa owes its great height to the triple lobe structure spiraling skywards around its central core. Lead by Emaar Properties, it took international collaboration from thousands of workers just six years to complete the project.
Whilst nature’s beauty is often superior to man's creations, the organic artistry behind this fascinating work is difficult to ignore. Anybody not awestruck by the Burj’s glistening daytime reflections will marvel at spectacular displays of light that escalate her nightly.
“At The Top” is the experience of ascending Burj Khalifa. While its uppermost floors are reserved for exclusive suites, the vertigo-inducing public viewing platform promises entry into the record books.
From the reception area, a modest 65-metre travelator trip to the elevator is softened by multimedia displays depicting the story of Dubai and her Burj Khalifa. A Willy Wonka-like journey then awaits “golden ticket” holders. Guided by the elevator attendant, an audiovisual spectacle distracts from the terrifyingly rapid rise. The 10-meters-per-second ascent assures any tension doesn’t last long.
An evening arrival at the 124th-floor outdoor viewing platform (the highest of its kind in the world) unveils 360-degree views of a TRON-like landscape. Unobstructed, unparalleled and unforgettable, images of the neon civilization below confirm any doubts of the Burj’s place at the top of the modern world. See Dubai as the gods do. Look to the West where the Persian Gulf is visible by day, the desert lies in the distance to the East, and bowing at Burj Khalifa’s feet is the vast futuristic city-state.
When to Go to Burj Khalifa
Avoid the holy month of Ramadan, which falls in August 2011. This is an Islamic state, so business slows dramatically and the consumption of food and drink in public is unacceptable during Ramadan.
Odds n' Ends
General Admission tickets are timed and dated. At a cost of 100AED for adults or 75AED for children, they can be purchased online up to 300 days in advance or from the ticket office situated on the lower ground floor of The Dubai Mall near the entrance to “At The Top”. It is recommended to buy these tickets at least a couple of days beforehand.
Immediate Entry tickets cost 400AED for adults and children, and they can only be purchased from the ticket office.
Infants (0-3) are admitted for free regardless of ticket type.
For ticket info:
Within UAE: 800-28843867 International: +9714 8888124
Email: tickets@atthetop.ae
The operating hours are 10 a.m. to 12a.m. daily, and last tickets to enter must be purchased at least 45 minutes before closing.
The views at night are particularly spectacular with fountain shows below and the stunning city lights. For a view of the Gulf and the desert, however, daylight hours would be more appropriate.
In Dubai it is important to dress modestly, covering shoulders and upper legs.
Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
More Experiences Nearby
- Dune Bashing in Dubai
- In recent years, Dubai has steadily gained a reputation as a hotspot for tourism. But apart from the flashy, state-of-the-art attractions that it offers, an overnight desert safari trip really allows visitors to experience an authentic night of local culture. These trips are usually all-inclusive packages. The trip starts at an appointed meeting spot, where the group is picked up by a procession of 4WDs. From there, the tour leader heads the pack through a series of whirlwind, rollercoaster climbs and drops among the sand dunes. The thrill is incredible and definitely something you'd be hard-pressed to experience elsewhere. Of ...5 miles away.
While You're There - Tours and Trips Nearby
Books and DVDs
Elsewhere on the Web
- Emaar Properties
- Developers of the Burj Khalifa
- Burj Khalifa website
Media References
Travel Insurance. Simple & Flexible.
Language Guides
Arabic 
,
French
,
Hindi
,
Italian
,
Japanese
,
Malay
,
Thai
,
Turkish
are some of the languages spoken in United Arab Emirates. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
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