The Dubai Fountain show is free to watch and runs every day. There are two afternoon shows, at 1pm and 1:30pm, or 2pm and 2:30pm on Fridays. Evening shows start at 6pm and repeat every 30 minutes until the last one at 11pm. Watching from the promenade costs nothing. For a closer view, the Dubai Fountain Boardwalk costs AED 25 and the Lake Ride by abra AED 75.
At a glance
- Afternoon shows
- 1pm and 1:30pm daily, 2pm and 2:30pm on Fridays
- Evening shows
- Every 30 minutes, 6pm to 11pm, every day
- Cost
- Free from the promenade
- Boardwalk
- AED 25, about 9 metres from the fountain
- Lake Ride
- AED 75, traditional abra on the Burj Lake
- Best show
- 7pm to 9pm on a weekday, when it is dark but before the late crowds
- Where
- Burj Lake, Downtown Dubai, between Dubai Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Burj Khalifa
Last verified: 9 October 2026 against Emaar’s published show times and the official ticket listings.
On this page
- Dubai Fountain show timings, day by day
- Ramadan, Eid and special-occasion shows
- Best free viewing spots, ranked
- Paid ways to see the Dubai Fountain
- Watching from above: Burj Khalifa and the hotels
- Restaurants with Dubai Fountain views
- What music does the Dubai Fountain play?
- How to plan a fountain evening
- Getting there by car
- Dubai Fountain facts and figures
- Dubai Fountain FAQs
Dubai Fountain show timings, day by day
| Day | Afternoon shows | Evening shows | Shows per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 1pm, 1:30pm | 6pm to 11pm, every 30 minutes | 13 |
| Friday | 2pm, 2:30pm | 6pm to 11pm, every 30 minutes | 13 |
| Saturday and Sunday | 1pm, 1:30pm | 6pm to 11pm, every 30 minutes | 13 |
Each show is set to one piece of music and lasts about three to five minutes, so arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to get a good spot. The daytime shows are fine for a quick look, but the fountain is lit after dark and the evening shows are the ones worth planning around.
Shows can pause for maintenance or bad weather. The fountain closed for five months in 2025 for a rebuild of the lake floor and reopened on 1 October 2025, and in 2026 the show was paused for 10 days from 21 September for operational work while the boardwalk and lake ride kept running. If you are making a special trip, check Emaar’s channels on the day.
Ramadan, Eid and special-occasion shows
- Ramadan: the schedule changes every year. Evening shows usually start later, often around 7:30pm after iftar, and the afternoon shows may not run, so check the timings once Ramadan begins.
- Eid and public holidays: extra afternoon shows are sometimes added, and the evening programme can start later on Arafat Day.
- National Day and New Year’s Eve: the fountain performs special shows, often with patriotic songs on 2 December and as part of the Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve celebrations. Downtown is extremely crowded on both nights, and some areas need advance tickets on New Year’s Eve.
Best free viewing spots, ranked
| Spot | View | Crowds | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Mall waterfront promenade | Front-on, with Burj Khalifa behind the fountain | Very busy from 7pm | First-timers and classic photos |
| Souk Al Bahar bridge | Raised view across the whole lake | Busy, fills fast | Seeing the full width of the show |
| Souk Al Bahar waterfront | Side view across the lake to Dubai Mall | Moderate | A calmer spot, near restaurants |
| Burj Park and the Burj Khalifa side | Close to the tower, looking across the lake | Moderate | Families with buggies who want space |
| Dubai Opera side of the lake | Wider angle from the far end | Quietest | Avoiding the crowds entirely |
Crowd cue: Thursday to Saturday evenings, public holidays and the New Year period are packed along the Dubai Mall waterfront. The quieter options are a weekday show at 7pm or 7:30pm, or any spot on the Souk Al Bahar and Dubai Opera side of the lake.
Paid ways to see the Dubai Fountain
| Option | Price | What you get | Worth it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Fountain Boardwalk | AED 25 | A floating walkway about 9 metres from the jets, for a booked time slot | You want to feel the spray and hear the music up close |
| Dubai Fountain Lake Ride | AED 75 | A traditional abra on the Burj Lake during a show | You want a calm view from the water and a photo from below the tower |
| Lakeside restaurant table | Price of a meal | A seated view from Souk Al Bahar or Dubai Mall terraces | You were going to eat out anyway |
The Boardwalk is a floating walkway 272 metres long, set about 9 metres from the jets. Its entrance is about halfway along the Waterfront Promenade, and it opens 15 minutes before the first evening show. You walk out, watch a show from the front row and often catch some spray, so keep phones and cameras covered.
The Lake Ride uses traditional wooden abras. Each departure leaves about 15 minutes before a show, lasts around 25 to 30 minutes and includes one performance from the water. Children under 3 ride free. Older guides quote AED 20 for the Boardwalk and AED 68.25 for the Lake Ride; those are past prices, so go by the current official listing.
Boardwalk and Lake Ride tickets are sold for a date and time slot through the official Dubai Fountain page and at the fountain. If you book online, you may need to collect the physical ticket at the At The Top counter on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall before your slot, so allow 15 minutes for that. Resellers sometimes list cheaper or pricier versions of both, so compare with the official price first.
Watching from above: Burj Khalifa and the hotels
For a top-down view, book a sunset slot at At the Top on levels 124 and 125 of the Burj Khalifa, timed so you are on the deck for the 6pm or 6:30pm show; the fountain soundtrack is also played on the observation decks. At.mosphere on level 122 is the restaurant option. Several hotels face the lake directly, including Palace Downtown, Armani Hotel Dubai, Address Downtown and Address Fountain Views, and fountain-view rooms are usually priced as a separate room category.
Restaurants with Dubai Fountain views
| Restaurant | Where | Food | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thiptara | Palace Downtown | Thai and seafood | Front-row lake terrace; book ahead |
| Armani/Hashi and Armani/Amal | Armani Hotel Dubai, Burj Khalifa | Japanese and Indian | Terraces facing the fountain |
| Time Out Market Dubai | Souk Al Bahar | Food hall with many cuisines | Casual, good for groups and families |
| Mausam | Dubai Mall waterfront | Indian | Casual fine dining with fountain views |
| Dubai Mall waterfront terraces | Dubai Mall | Many options, from Emirati to American | Dubai Mall restaurants do not serve alcohol |
Terrace tables that face the lake are the first to go on weekend evenings and in the cooler months, so reserve one and ask specifically for a fountain-view table. Souk Al Bahar has some licensed venues if you want a drink with dinner.
What music does the Dubai Fountain play?
Every show is choreographed to a single track, and the playlist rotates, so two shows in a row rarely use the same song. The music was originally chosen by WET Design’s choreography team, and the mix runs from Arabic and Emirati songs to opera, film scores and pop.
| Style | Tracks the fountain has danced to |
|---|---|
| Arabic and Emirati | Bassbor Al Fourgakom, Shik Shak Shok, Sama Dubai, Enta Omri |
| Classical and opera | Time to Say Goodbye (Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman), Nessun dorma, Dvorak’s New World Symphony |
| Film and world music | Baba Yetu, Skyfall, the Mission Impossible theme |
| Pop | I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston), Thriller (Michael Jackson), Hero (Enrique Iglesias), K-pop tracks |
| For children | Baby Shark |
How to plan a fountain evening
- 5:30pm: arrive in Downtown Dubai and walk the waterfront while it is still light.
- 6pm: watch the first evening show from the Souk Al Bahar bridge while the crowd is thin.
- 7pm to 8:30pm: dinner at a lakeside terrace, catching two or three more shows from your table.
- 9pm or 9:30pm: book the boardwalk or lake ride for a late show, when the lights are at their best.
Getting there by car
The fountain sits on the Burj Lake in Downtown Dubai. The shortest walk is from the Dubai Mall car parks on the waterfront side, such as Fashion Parking. Allow extra time on weekend evenings, when the mall car parks and the roads around Downtown are at their busiest, and check Dubai Mall’s current parking charges before you go.
Dubai Fountain facts and figures
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Opened | 8 May 2009, with the opening of Dubai Mall |
| Designed by | WET Design of California, the firm behind the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas |
| Developer | Emaar Properties |
| Cost | About AED 800 million (US$218 million) |
| Length | 275 metres, laid out as five circles and two arcs of jets |
| Highest jet | About 150 metres (500 feet), roughly a 50-storey building |
| Water in the air | Up to 83,000 litres (22,000 gallons) at once |
| Lights | More than 6,600 lights and 25 colour projectors |
| Lake | Burj Lake, about 12 hectares (30 acres) and about 1.3 metres deep |
- The name: “The Dubai Fountain” was picked through a public naming contest, with the winner announced in October 2008. Testing began in February 2009.
- The jets: different nozzles do different jobs. “Oarsmen” and robotic nozzles sway to make the water look like it is dancing, Super Shooters fire to about 73 metres, and Extreme Shooters reach the full height with a loud boom. The Extreme Shooters are used sparingly because they need time to build pressure.
- Largest or tallest? Emaar calls it the world’s largest choreographed fountain system. The Palm Fountain at The Pointe on Palm Jumeirah took the Guinness World Records title for the largest fountain by area in 2020, but its jets do not reach the Dubai Fountain’s height.
- The 2025 rebuild: the fountain closed from 19 April to 1 October 2025 while the lake floor was resealed and retiled with a glowing blue finish and the lights and sound were upgraded. Emaar scheduled a second phase of new features for 2026.
- Burj Khalifa views: watch the fountain from above, from the decks or a restaurant.
- Ain Dubai: the observation wheel on Bluewaters, open until 9pm.
- Things to do in Dubai at night: more evening ideas, many of them free.
- Dubai landmarks: tickets, timings and the best time for each.
- Dubai Frame: another landmark view of the skyline, best at sunset.
- Free things to do in Dubai: more free stops with timings.
Dubai Fountain FAQs
What time is the Dubai Fountain show?
The Dubai Fountain shows at 1pm and 1:30pm daily, or 2pm and 2:30pm on Fridays. In the evening it shows every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm.
Is the Dubai Fountain show free?
Yes. Watching from the promenade around the Burj Lake is free. The boardwalk and the lake ride are the only paid options.
How much is the Dubai Fountain Boardwalk?
The Dubai Fountain Boardwalk costs AED 25 per person for a booked time slot. It takes you about 9 metres from the fountain.
How much is the Dubai Fountain boat ride?
The Dubai Fountain Lake Ride on a traditional abra costs AED 75 per person.
What is the best time to watch the Dubai Fountain?
A weekday evening show between 7pm and 9pm. It is fully dark, the fountain is lit, and the crowds are smaller than on Thursday to Saturday nights.
How long is each Dubai Fountain show?
Each show is set to one song and lasts about three to five minutes. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to get a good viewing spot.
How high does the Dubai Fountain go?
The tallest jets shoot water about 150 metres (500 feet) into the air, roughly the height of a 50-storey building.
What songs does the Dubai Fountain play?
The playlist rotates through Arabic and Emirati songs, opera such as Time to Say Goodbye, film music such as Baba Yetu and pop hits including I Will Always Love You and Thriller.
Does the Dubai Fountain run during Ramadan?
Yes, but on a changed schedule. Evening shows usually start later, often around 7:30pm, and afternoon shows may be dropped, so check the Ramadan timings when the month starts.
Who designed the Dubai Fountain?
WET Design, the California company that also created the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. It was built by Emaar Properties and opened in May 2009.