The first thing that will strike you when you enter the Green Planet in the City Walk, Dubai is a considerable bio-dome that hosts the Green Planet and a substantial artificial tree home to more than 3000 species of flora and fauna. As the name suggests, the Green Planet is a miniature representation of the neotropical forests of the Amazon. Developed by Meraas and designed by Grout McTavish, assisted by Hansen Roberts, this unique “living” museum is every square inch pulses with life. Completed in 2016, Dubai Green The planet is a technical marvel as it is natural.
The entire biodome is encased in a massive cube with a single dome. The built area of the Green Planet structure is 4.365 square meters (60,000 square feet) and has a 30 m x 30 m cube from bottom to top. The design of the Green Plant is unique and striking. It has a three-sided concrete wall, and on one side, you will see the tall glazed glass dome that houses the Green Plant. The structure is entirely LED-compliant and uses sunlight for energy.
The Green Planet is located on the iconic City Walk, with many “firsts” to its credit, including the first containerized shopping mall, “The Box Park.” It provides an immersive experience to visitors. The humidity is kept at 70% to match the average Amazon humidity. A giant waterfall gives a feeling of the flooded forest floor of a tropical forest.
The whole biodome of Green Planet is divided into four levels vertically. The bottom-most part of the biodome is called the “Flooded Forest floor” and is home to many flora and fauna. This includes a giant wall-to-wall aquarium that you would walk into. This aquarium has much different fish, including the deadly piranhas. While walking in, look up, and you will see the entire biosphere of the Green Planet. The second level is the forest floor level, where the inside waterfall ends by hitting the floor with a great noise. You will find lush green flora over here. The Green Planet Dubai is made so that you interact closely with the dome’s inhabitants. However, you are not advised to touch it. Spiral and crisscross pathways take you to the top as if climbing on the considerable treetop. Many birds and animals, including snakes etc., will be here.
The floor that comes next to the forest floor level is the Midstory. The Midstory is the mid-section of the “Living Tree,” which has monkeys, snakes, and tree-climbing cats. The canopy at the top of the Biodome houses birds like kingfishers, including kookaburra.
An Australian Walkabout
Australia is probably the preferred home for many reptiles and marsupials. As it is called, the down under has many strange creatures in the outback, and the Green Planet has tried to recreate this “Outback” for you by including such animals as Lace Goanna Lizards set in a crashed plane inside the Green Planet. There is a campsite on the forest floor where you will find various lizards, including snake neck lizard, bearded dragon, frilled neck lizard, and blue tongue skink, in a setting that would be reminiscent of the most famous rock in the world, “Uluru” or Ayers Rock. Wallabies are a cousin of Australia’s more famous marsupial, the Kangaroo. Moreover, you may have a Kookaburra experience at the Green Planet every day at 11 am.
Australian Walkabout is where the in-house biologists would join you and give you a full briefing about the concept and its importance.
The Amazon Experience at Green Planet Dubai
The basic Green Planet Dubai theme is about the Amazon, its flora, fauna, humidity, temperature, waterfalls, and sheer beauty. Amazon is the biggest river and hosts diverse plant and animal life. While creating a replica of this powerful and complex system, the designers took inspiration from typical giant trees of the Amazon, which have a layered structure that soars high to catch the sun in the form of a canopy. The canopy of the Green Planet hosts various birds, monkeys, and insects, among which the leaf-cutting ants are on display. There are also squirrel monkeys that are rarely found out of Amazon anywhere. However, most monkeys are kept in cabins to protect them, so you have to be lucky to catch a glimpse of them.
You will also see many kinds of bats, including fruit bats and pygmy bats, also known as slow Loris. These bats are hosted in a dark cave-like structure burrowed on the giant tree at the canopy level. These bats are unique and wonderful. These have a firm grip and huge innocent eyes that enable them to see them in the dark.
The fish population consists of various piranhas, catfish, and squirting fish schools. Squirting fish are famous for shooting a narrow jet of water as a spit to hit their prey/ food high above. In The Green Planet, Dubai, you would be witnessing this action. And yes, these fish are called Archerfish and can be trained.
Plenty of Selfies are taking place, and the backdrop of colorful parakeets, green vegetation, and beautiful architecture adds up to the beauty of this place.
Now and then, you will find the staff of the Green Planet bringing out some of the creatures, like snakes, creepy crawlers and birds, etc., for a closer interaction with them. You need not worry if you come across one of them as they are very well trained to handle them. You may stop by and ask questions related to these faunae, and they will gladly answer them. The Green Plant’s management objective is to appreciate and encourage the Amazon, also called the earth’s lungs. It is an immersive edutainment for the whole family.
A visit to the Green Planet Dubai
A visit to the Green Planet is at least 2 hours; if you have kids, it may take longer. However, the secret lies in buying the right package. Not everything is included in every box. A simple visit will set your wallet back by Aed 110/= if purchased online. This consists of the following a. full access to all areas of the Green Planet b. Australian Walkabout, flooded forest, The Forest Floor, The Midstory, and the canopy c. Infants below 3 shall be admitted free, d. Free parking for the visitors
If you buy the “Bird Encounter Package” at Aed 283, you get to spend 20 minutes in a group of Six (max) toucans, calques, and small colorful parrots. You can ask questions, and the birdkeepers will answer gladly. You may even hold one of them. There is only one such show every day, starting at 11.30 am.
You may also buy a “Reptile Package” to closely encounter the creepy cold blood, including geckos, lizards, and of course, slithering snakes of multi-colors.
However, the biggest hit is the Sloth Package of 30 minutes, which starts at 2.30 pm daily. Sloth is one of the slowest moving animals who love their inertia. Having been featured in iconic movies such as The Lion King, the sloths are the slowest moving creatures and lazy. They generally hang upside down like bats. The sloth package is pegged at Aed 334/=. If you like the green planet, you may also be interested in Dubai Garden Glow.
You may also go in for the Sugar Glider Package at Aed 283.
All packages are applicable on a per-person basis. You may enquire about group packages, birthday packages, or any other package directly by calling them.
Prices may also vary depending on seasonality.
How to reach Green Planet Dubai
City Walk is straightforward to reach. Take Red Metro and get down at the Dubai Mall Metro station and cross over the Sheikh Zayed Road through the covered and air-conditioned Foot-over-bridge and you are very close to City Walk Dubai. Meraas also runs several shuttles from various parts of Dubai, and you could never be far from one of their shuttling points. Visit www.citywalk.ae, and you will get all the route numbers for shuttle buses.
The Green Planet is open from 10 am morning to 7 pm. Grab your tickets and get set for a trip to the dense forests of Amazon right in Dubai.
Dining Options at Green Planet Dubai
You may not have any dining requirements as you are visiting a zoo-cum-bird sanctuary all rolled in one for only two hours, and eating food, there may not be advisable. However, there are plenty of restaurants available once you are out. There are funky new-age fusion restaurants like Pomme De Pain, Eggspectation, Dose Café, Sugar Factory, and more. The entire City Walk is home to many fashionable cafés and restaurants.