As the world’s largest dancing fountain, the Dubai Fountain is a truly awesome spectacle. Designed by the creators of the famous fountains of the Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas, this aquatic show combines music, lasers and multicoloured illuminations with perfectly choreographed arcs of water.
Set on the 12 hectare man-made Burj Khalifa lake in front of the Dubai Mall, the fountain is more than 275 metres long, and the jets of water reach over 150 metres into the air – the equivalent of 50 storeys high!
The music repertoire includes popular Arabic songs as well as world music and famous classical pieces, and the illuminations feature abstract designs beamed from 25 colour projectors. The shafts of light reaching skywards are so intense than they can be seen over 30 kilometres away, and are even visible from space.
There is a programme of both afternoon and evening shows, with each individual performance lasting between three and five minutes. You can easily stay to watch as many of the different shows as you like.
The most popular vantage point is the Waterfront Promenade outside the Dubai Mall. However, you’ll have to secure your spot early, as hundreds of people rush out of the mall a few minutes before each show starts. A less crowded place, but with an equally good view, is the bridge between the mall and the Souk Al Bahar.
Alternatively, there are many restaurants that overlook the Dubai Lake and Fountain, so you can reserve a table for wonderful evening of dining and visual entertainment.
The Dubai Fountain shows take place every day. Two are scheduled in the afternoon, and then they run every 30 minutes between 6 pm and 11 pm (until 11:30 pm Thursdays to Saturdays). It is easy to travel to the fountain by both bus and metro, or if you chose to drive, there are over 14,000 undercover parking spaces in the Dubai Mall.
