Water that gushes to skyscraper heights


Talk of the town: Before the fountain opened, Emar ran a competition to name the fountain, offering AED 100,000 prize. After reviewing 4,000 entries, they settled on 'Dubai Fountain'.

Dubai Fountain is so excessive, it's almost laughable. It is, after all, the world’s tallest fountain, set in front of the world’s tallest building, and choreographed to spurt water 150 m in the air in time with swelling anthems like Andrea Bocelli’s 'Time to say Goodbye'. It may sound like the makings of the cheesiest show on Earth, but at the end of the day, there's just no escaping the fountain's wow factor. It is, after all, a monumental achievement.

Night is the best time to visit, when the multi-coloured illuminations that cling to the dancing jets are most visible. Shows run every half-hour in the evenings, and many chose to watch the performance from the terrace of the Souk Al Bahar’s most popular restaurants. The fountain has a lengthy repertoire which includes Arab dance numbers and Western pop. Michael Jackson’s 'Thriller' makes for a particularly entertaining show.