Inside the biggest shopping mall on the planet

This is the Dubai Mall — an absolutely massive shopping center in Dubai, UAE that's part of the $20 billion Burj Khalifa complex.

It first opened in 2008 to much fanfare, and it boasts a variety of things to do aside from shop at its 600+ stores. The mall has a 22-screen movie theater, a replica of London's Regent Street, an Olympic-sized ice skating rink and much more.

The mall is now the world's most-visited shopping destination, having attracted upwards of 54 million visitors in 2011.

It has such a reputation that Apple may be interested in opening its first store in the Middle East there, according to the Dubai Chronicle.

Outside the Dubai Mall there's a gorgeous promenade where people hang out.

The mall hosts a lot of events. Here's a fashion show with a runway right in the middle of one of the mall's open areas.

The aquarium in the mall is home to more than 33,000 marine animals and the massive viewing panel holds the Guinness World Record for largest acrylic panel.

There's even a shark tunnel for your viewing pleasure.

The mall is also home to an Olympic-sized ice skating rink — the first of its kind in Dubai.

The interior is beautifully decorated, too.

This section is called the Star Atrium — you can see how it got the name.

The mall has a Fashion Avenue and a lot of care went into the design. Look at that ceiling.

One of the most prominent features in the mall is this huge waterfall.

 

The divers on the waterfall are made of fiberglass, and serve to "create a dynamic visual spectrum that complements the rhythmic flow of water."

 

The Gold Souk is another touted feature of the mall. It has more than 200 stores.

 

There are many atria throughout the mall, and they're all immaculately decorated.

 

The Reel Cinema is a huge, 22-screen cineplex that has more than 2,800 seats. It's the largest cinema in the region.

 

The place has an indoor theme park called SEGA Republic, mostly dedicated to SEGA's popular video game character Sonic the Hedgehog.

 

The Grove, an avenue of restaurants, has all sorts of cuisine — from local to continental to Mediterranean to Asian.

 

"At The Top" is a viewing area on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa, the skyscraper connected to the mall. It's home to the highest outdoor public observation terrace in the country.

 

Outside at night, there's a fountain show that attracts a big crowd.

 

The backdrop is nice too.

 

From the other side you can see the whole Dubai skyline.

 

Another view of the fountain show.

 

Here's a shot of the fountain show from way above.

 

At night, the whole mall lights up in neon colors.