Visiting the World’s Tallest Building, the Burj Khalifa

I have always enjoyed the excitement that comes from being in high places and looking out over a wide panoramic landscape. I understand that heights can be frightening for many people, but I rarely turn down an opportunity to stand on a mountain summit or travel to the upper levels of a skyscraper. Over the years, I have visited a number of man-made structures around the world that have held the distinction of being the tallest buildings on Earth. So when a family trip recently brought us to Dubai, I knew that seeing the Burj Khalifa would be one of the experiences we could not leave off our “Must Do” list.

The World’s Tallest Building

The Burj Khalifa, currently recognized as the tallest man-made structure in the world, has become an important symbol of Dubai’s rapid development, prosperity and rise as an international tourist destination. The sheer scale of the Khalifa Tower is difficult to comprehend. Reaching 2,722 feet, or 829.8 meters, it stands far above other famous skyscrapers such as Taipei 101 and the World Financial Center in Shanghai.

The tower contains 160 floors and stands directly beside the Dubai Mall. In fact, visitors heading to the observation deck enter through the mall, where the ticket area and entrance are located at an attraction appropriately named “At The Top.”

Visiting the Burj Khalifa at Night

Our trip to Dubai took place during the summer, when the daytime temperatures are extremely high and the atmosphere can be quite hazy. We thought an evening visit would provide a better experience, with the hope that Dubai’s illuminated skyline would be more visible after the daytime haze disappeared.

Our original plan was to arrive at the Dubai Mall around 5 PM, have dinner, and then visit the Burj Khalifa shortly after sunset at approximately 7:30 PM. However, things did not unfold exactly as we expected. We did have dinner first, but when we reached the “At The Top” entrance, we discovered that the estimated wait for entry was about three hours.

In retrospect, it would have been smarter to secure our entry time before looking for a restaurant inside the mall. Since the Dubai Mall and its surrounding area offer plenty of activities, we decided to spend the waiting period exploring the area and continue with our visit later that evening. We eventually chose a late-night entry, knowing that the tower remained open until midnight.

The Dubai Fountain

While we waited, we left the mall and walked over to the nearby Burj Khalifa Lake, a 30-acre artificial lake where we could watch the Dubai Fountain. The attraction is promoted as the largest choreographed fountain system in the world.

The combination of illuminated water, music and the towering Burj Khalifa in the background created a memorable spectacle. For us, one of the most impressive parts was the sheer force with which the water was propelled into the air. The largest fountain jet is reportedly capable of sending water approximately 500 feet upward.

Performances took place every fifteen minutes, with different combinations of music, water movements and lighting. We enjoyed the show enough to stay for two performances before the intense outdoor heat eventually convinced us to return inside the mall.

Passing the Time at Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall describes itself as the largest shopping mall in the world, so there is certainly no shortage of activities available while waiting. Dubai’s enormous shopping centers also function as popular evening gathering places, giving residents and visitors a comfortable escape from the extreme outdoor temperatures.

The malls become busy with shoppers and groups of friends and families spending time together. During our wait, we visited several attractions, browsed through different stores and sampled some desserts. Before we realized it, the three-hour wait had gone by, and it was finally time to head toward the Burj Khalifa experience.

Reaching the Observation Deck

A visit to the Burj Khalifa observation deck is essentially a self-directed experience. The waiting area contains displays that place the Burj Khalifa in comparison with other major man-made structures around the world.

To reach the tower, visitors travel through a series of escalators and passageways before arriving at three elevators. Groups of approximately 12 people are organized for each elevator journey.

When the elevator doors opened, we simply stepped inside and watched the doors close. We then watched the floor numbers climb for less than a minute before the doors opened again. Suddenly, we were standing in front of a huge panoramic view of Dubai.

The entire process was surprisingly smooth and relaxed. There was little drama involved in reaching the observation deck, but the enormous view waiting outside the elevator was undeniably impressive.

Experiencing the Outdoor Observation Area

One of my favorite parts of the observation deck was the outdoor section overlooking central Dubai. The area is protected by large glass panels along the sides but remains open above.

There are also specially positioned openings in the side windows that allow visitors to take photographs of the surrounding landscape. This design provides an opportunity to experience a small taste of the exterior environment while still maintaining a considerable degree of protection.

Inside the observation area, visitors can move around and enjoy a 360-degree panorama of Dubai. We could easily recognize many of the city’s major landmarks, and the view also helped us understand that Dubai covers a considerably larger area than we had initially imagined.

After roughly half an hour, we returned to the lower levels, feeling that we had seen everything we had intended to experience.

Was the Experience Thrilling Enough?

After visiting the Burj Khalifa, I spent some time thinking about the experience. I had certainly been impressed by the building itself and was glad to have visited the tallest structure in the world. At the same time, part of the experience left me wanting something more.

One reason was the location of the observation deck. Visitors reach the 124th floor, while the tower itself rises to 160 stories. Standing in the outdoor section and looking upward at another 36 floors above us created a strange feeling. I expected the experience to feel more like actually reaching the top of the world's tallest building.

I felt that the visit needed an additional element to make the height feel more immediate and exciting. I could not help comparing it with my earlier visit to the World Financial Center in Shanghai. The Shanghai Tower includes a glass walkway near the top that allows visitors to look directly down through the transparent floor. That experience created a much stronger sensation of height, and something similar at the Burj Khalifa would certainly have made the visit even more thrilling.

The Calmness of Modern Skyscrapers

I have visited many skyscrapers over the years, and part of their appeal has always been the sensation of towering above the surrounding buildings and experiencing the almost dizzying feeling of being at extreme altitude.

Unfortunately, some modern skyscrapers seem to have removed much of that sensation. The journey can feel almost unnaturally peaceful. The elevators are incredibly smooth and fast, and the ride upward is so controlled that there is hardly any physical indication of how far you have traveled.

We stepped into an enclosed elevator and watched the numbers rise until they indicated that we had reached the 124th floor. There was no noticeable pressure in our ears and almost no physical sensation suggesting that we had just traveled more than a thousand feet vertically.

When the doors opened, the surroundings felt strangely ordinary. It could almost have been any interior room anywhere. The experience was very different from riding the old, noisy elevators of the Empire State Building.

The view from outside was certainly spectacular, but the thick glass separating us from the environment made the landscape feel somewhat artificial. At times, I almost felt as though I were watching a high-definition video rather than looking directly at a city far below. Without the movement of the building or wind against my face, I experienced a slight sense of disappointment.

A Visit Worth Making

Even with those reservations, I would still recommend visiting the Burj Khalifa if you travel to Dubai. The peaceful and highly controlled nature of the experience may actually be reassuring for visitors who are uncomfortable with heights.

For a few brief minutes, you can experience the remarkable perspective of being high above Dubai and claim that you have stood “at the top” of the world’s tallest structure, even though the observation experience itself takes place on the 124th floor.