The Dubai Fountain

Created by the designers of Las Vegas’ Bellagio fountains, The Dubai Fountain is the world’s tallest fountain comprised of 1,000 water formations and 6,600 lights, plus images and music. It’s free to watch from the lakefront, but you can also pay to ride an abra boat or walk on the floating Dubai Fountain Boardwalk for close-up views. The Dubai Fountain is also a regular stop on Dubai city tours, Burj Khalifa experiences, and more.

• Seeing The Dubai Fountain is essential for first-time visitors and families with children.

• Each show lasts for about five minutes; each is different from the last.

• The fountain does its thing 12 times a day—twice in the early afternoon and at 30-minute intervals at night.

• The waterfront outside the Dubai Mall is the most popular place to watch the shows.

• Arrive 10 minutes or so before the scheduled start to secure the best vantage point.

The Dubai Fountain is located toward the Dubai Mall side of the Burj Khalifa Lake. The easiest way to get there is by taking the Dubai Metro; ride the red line to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and it’s around a 10-minute walk from there. Alternatively, take a cab to the Dubai Mall.

Shows take place every afternoon and evening at the Dubai Fountain. Afternoon shows start at 1pm and 1:30pm Saturday through Thursday, and 1:30pm and 2pm on Fridays. Evening shows start every half-hour between 6pm and 11pm.

For stellar fountain views with fewer crowds, post up on the walkway around the Souk Al Bahar, the shopping complex across the lake from the Dubai Mall. To get there, walk across the Souk Al Bahar bridge—just make sure to do so before crowds descend onto the waterfront.

The Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest performing fountain. Stretching for more than 900 feet (274 meters) in length, it shoots water 500 feet (152 meters) in the air with 1,000 water formations and 6,600 lights. It’s worth visiting to watch the light and sound shows held 12 times daily.

The Dubai Fountain is located near the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, on the Dubai Mall side of the Burj Khalifa Lake. You can take the red line metro to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and walk for around 10 minutes or take a taxi. The Dubai Fountain is also included in many sightseeing tours.

The Dubai Fountain and its regular light shows can be enjoyed for free. Visitors can pay for a ride around the lake in a traditional abra, which offers a closer view. There is also a fee to walk the 892-foot (272-meter) long floating boardwalk around the Dubai Fountain.

The shows at the Dubai Fountain occur 12 times a day, with two shows in the afternoon (1 and 1:30pm Saturday through Thursday and 1:30 and 2pm on Friday) and every half hour from 6 to 11pm. The shows at night are more scenic. Plan to arrive early to secure your spot.

Each show at the Dubai Fountain lasts around 5 minutes, though you should arrive a few minutes early to find a good viewing location. However, each show is different, and you may want to visit at various times to see the other shows, especially during the day and night.

Taking an abra ride offers one of the best views from the lake itself. The floating boardwalk gets you as close as 30 feet (9 meters) to the fountains—a popular viewing spot in front of Dubai Mall. Watch from the walkway around the Souk Al Bahar, across the lake from Dubai Mall, for a less crowded view.