The Dubai Fountain sits in the 30-acre artificial lake at the base of the Burj Khalifa, and on paper it reads as tourist kitsch. In practice it is genuinely spectacular: 900 lights, 25 colour projectors, and 6,600 WATERlights illuminate a choreographed performance of jets that shoot water up to 150 metres into the air, set to Arabic, Hindi, and Western music.
Shows run every evening at 6pm and 6:30pm, and then every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm. They last about five minutes. The best viewing spot is the free boardwalk promenade around the lake; you can also pay for a closer view from an abra boat on the lake, which runs during show times.
story: > The Dubai Fountain uses 22,000 gallons of water per performance and is powered by a system of 6,600 underwater lights. At its peak jet height of 150 metres, the water column is taller than the Eiffel Tower from ground to first level. The entire water system was designed to remain in constant motion so the jets can fire instantly rather than building up pressure.