The Dubai Fountain - The Best Things To See and Do

Dubai is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations where everything is bigger and better. It is known for its extravagant shopping, luxurious hotels, prevalent nightlife, magnificent architecture, and breath-taking views. The glamorous city is home to some of UAE’s leading tourists attractions that are a must see for tourists on their visit to Dubai. Among such attractions is the Dubai Fountain which is the tallest performing fountain in the world, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse yourself in a fascinating water, music, and light experience

Here is all you need to know about this famous landmark in Dubai:

About Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain is an incredible performance of dancing water, lights and music and is one of the best tourist attractions in Dubai that attracts thousands of visitors every day. It is located on the 30-acre lake near Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall. The Dubai Fountain was designed by the same team that created the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas. The fountain's design includes five different-sized circles, two arcs, and powerful waterspouts that shoot water to incredible heights. With a length of 250 meters and a height of 150 meters, the fountain is one of the largest and tallest in the world, roughly equal to the height of a 50-story building! The cost of constructing the Dubai Fountain is estimated to have been approximately AED 800 million!

The Fountain's technical abilities are truly astounding. It raises approximately 83 tons of water per second during each performance. Its system uses wet lights and color projects to provide a stunning full spectrum of color, while the incredibly powerful high-pressure pumps ensure the fountain's operation and create spectacular water shoots. The musical accompaniment is chosen in such a way that the fountain appears to be dancing. Classical compositions, as well as contemporary Arabic and world top songs, can be heard. Famous songs used for the show include Michael Jackson's Thriller, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's Time to Say Goodbye, Adele's Skyfall, and Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You

Special Features of the Dubai Fountain

• The Dubai Fountain is situated on the 30-acre Burj Lake equivalent to over 2 football pitches

• It is designed by WET Design, the company responsible for the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel Lake in Las Vegas.

• The Dubai Fountain is well-lit by 6,600 powerful lights and 25 color projectors, it can shoot water up to 500 feet —as high as a 50-storey building.

• The Dubai fountain can spray 22,000 gallons of water in the air create different patterns and combinations.

• The fountain’s high-pressure pumps along with its musical compositions and choreography make it look like it’s actually dancing to the music.

Attractions/ Places to view the Dubai Fountain

1) The Dubai Fountain Lake Ride

If watching the mesmerizing fountain isn’t enough, you can amp up your experience with a Lake Ride. View the fountain from closer getting a unique experience like no other! Sail on a traditional Abra boat and get a memorable ride on the Burj Lake while enjoying the stunning sounds and sights of the Dubai Fountain. Ships depart 15 minutes before the start of each show, the operating hours of the ride is 05:45 pm to 11:30 pm and the last boat ride departs 30 minutes before closing time. Viewing the magnificent fountain from up close is an experience you can’t miss in Dubai!

2) The Dubai Fountain Boardwalk

The Boardwalk is a floating platform located within The Dubai Fountain. It gives you a whole new perspective of the fascinating performances. Visitors can begin their journey from the Burj Park or the promenade and wander down the 272-meter boardwalk. The Dubai Fountain Boardwalk is 9 meters away from the fountains. It gives you a different viewing experience and lets you avoid the rush at the waterfront. The best place to view the dancing fountains from up close and spend some quality time with your close ones.

3) Waterfront Promenade

Waterfront Promenade is probably the most popular spot to observe the Fountain Show. It is situated at the foot of the Burj Khalifa and along the mall. It offers a great view of the whole performance and is absolutely free. Which means that the area gets quite crowded with people waiting and reserving their first line spots to view the fountain almost 15 minutes in advance. If you want to get a good place to view the fountain and enjoy the spectacular performance, it is better to arrive way early for the show. You can take pics with the Burj, eat something from the many dining options around and get back to your spot to enjoy the performance and the magnificent views around it. You can also walk along this boardwalk or dine in one of the numerous restaurants that are located on it.

4) Souk Al Bahar

Souk Al Bahar area is also a nice spot to observe the Show. It is a modern Arabian Souk that can be reached by crossing the bridge from the Dubai Mall over the man-made Burj Lake. The Souk Al Bahar is a popular shopping, entertainment, and dining destination for residents as well as tourists visiting the area. You can buy traditional souvenirs, as well as clothes, perfumes, jewels, local delicacies and much more. The Souk also serves a variety of international cuisines, including sushi, American-style barbecue, Mexican, and Lebanese dishes. You can view the fountain from either standing near the viewing area near the Souk or dine at one of its many restaurants that provide you the view of the Dubai Fountain and the Burj. It is also less crowded than the Waterfront Promenade in front of the Dubai Mall.

5) Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa is the tallest skyscraper in Dubai which makes it the best place to view the Dubai Fountain from an unbelievable height. Book for a ticket At the Top and marvel at the stunning view form Burj Khalifa’s observatories on levels 124^th, 125^th or 148^th. Take a 360-degree panoramic view of Dubai and get mesmerized at its beauty. Step onto the open-air terrace and observation decks to take in the unparalleled sights of the city though the telescopes given on the decks. Make sure you book your tickets for the prime time or after 6 pm so that you don’t miss out on viewing the magnificent dancing fountain 555m below. The night view of the fountain from such a height is an extraordinary view you can’t miss!

For a more luxury and exceptional experience of the Fountain performance, book a table in one of the restaurants in the Dubai Mall. The restaurants and cafes in Dubai mall near the Dubai fountain do no serve alcoholic beverages, but you can book a table at one of the many restaurants in Souk Al Bahar to get the best view of the fountain while also enjoying a glass of your favorite wine.

Location and how to reach the Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain is located towards the Dubai Mall side of the Burj Lake in Downtown Dubai and is situated between the Burj Khalifa and Souk Al Bahar.

The Dubai Fountain is very easy to reach by metro, bus, car, or taxi. To reach there by metro you can take the red line and get down on the nearest metro station which is Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station from there start walking on the metro link bridge that connects the metro to the mall, after you’re in the mall follow the signs for the Dubai Fountain on the ground floor. You can also take a bus to reach the Dubai Fountains, the bus routes that take you there are – 27 and 29 which start from Deira Gold Souk Bus station and Ghubaiba Bus Station respectively. You can also drive there by car, take a taxi or book an Uber or Careem to reach your destination.

Tickets for Dubai Fountain

The good thing about the Fountain Show is that it is absolutely free.

If you decide to watch the show from the Abra boat, it will cost you about AED 70.

The Dubai Fountain Boardwalk will cost you AED 20 per entry, children under the age of 4 years are not permitted.

To watch the show from Burj Khalifa’s observation decks:

At the Top: the entrance on the 124th floor starts from AED 135.

SKY level: To reach the highest panorama view on 148th floor, it will cost you AED 370

Timings of the Dubai Fountain

The Dubai Fountain presents 9 shows daily from 6 – 11 pm with one show every mid-hour as well as two shows during the day. Each Dubai Fountain Show lasts approximately 5 minutes.

In the afternoon, you can watch the show from 01:00 pm to 01:30 pm. On Friday it is scheduled from 01:30 pm to 02:00 pm. In the evening, the show is held daily after every 30 minutes from 6: pm in the evening to 11:00 pm at night every day.

In the month of Ramadan, the operating times of the Dubai Dancing Fountain in the afternoon will be canceled and the timing Sun- Wed from 07:30 pm to 11:00 pm and Thru- Sat from 07:30 pm to 11:30 pm

Top restaurants that offer views of Dubai Fountain

• Wafi Gourmet (Dubai Mall)
• TGI Fridays (Dubai Mall)
• Burj Al-Hamam (Dubai Mall)
• Carluccio (Dubai Mall)
• Margo (Souk Al Bahar)
• Rivington Grill (Souk Al Bahar)