One of the must do’s in Dubai (at least that’s what Google said) is seeing the Dubai Fountain Show. Located right outside The Dubai Mall and just in front of the Burj Khalifa, it’s easy to see why this is such a popular tourist attraction. There are two afternoon performances, but the real show-stopper is the evening performances that draw massive crowds to the area surrounding the fountain. If you’re looking for the best spot to see the Dubai Fountain Show, look no further: make an early dinner reservation on the terrace at an amazing Lebanese restaurant called Abd El Wahab. You can thank me later.
About the Dubai Fountain Show
The fountain is conveniently located beside The Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. If you plan on spending more than a few days in Dubai, I’d recommend coming to the Dubai Fountain during the day and at night. The area has such a different feel between the two times. If making two trips isn’t possible, I’d recommend getting there for around 5:00/6:00pm and staying until after the sun sets.
The Dubai Fountain is “the world’s largest choreographed fountain system” and covers an area of 30 acres. There are a number of shows throughout the day: two in the afternoon at 1:00pm and 1:30pm, and every 30 minutes from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (11:00 pm on weekends). The show attracts massive tourist crowds (more so the ones in the evening as you don’t really see many people wandering about during the day thanks to the heat) and is relatively impressive. Each show is choreographed to a song. I didn’t mind the songs, however, they played Baby Shark twice which felt a bit odd.
To be honest, I feel like the Dubai Fountain Show is one of those super touristy things you do because you find it in a Google search and need to tick it off a list/want to see what all the fuss is about. I wouldn’t trek over there just for the show, which is why you should probably do what I did instead…
The best place to watch the fountain show
In the process of planning our trip to Dubai, one of my close friends recommended dining at Abd El Wahab, saying it was one of her favourite restaurants in Dubai. She also recommended making a reservation out on the terrace. I’m so glad I listened to her because the Lebanese fare at Abd El Wahab was to die for. My favourites were the hummus, labneh, fattouch salad, and kebbeh (be sure to eat all the delicious complimentary pita and don’t say no to seconds).
Aside from the delicious food, the views of the Dubai Fountain are fantastic. You can avoid all the chaos and crowds below by booking a reservation out on the terrace for 6:00 pm (prime time to catch the show with fewer people around). We basically ended up watching four or so fountain shows because of how long we spent in the restaurant. Just be warned, the restaurant books up very quickly, so it’s best to call a few days in advance (you can even ask for a specific table if you go in person to make your reservation!).
