Dubai Fountain Lake Ride: Traditional Abra on Burj Lake

The Dubai Fountain lake ride puts you on a traditional wooden abra in the middle of Burj Khalifa Lake while the fountain performs around you. It lasts about 30 minutes, costs from AED 25, and is timed so that every departure takes in a full show. Most visitors watch from the promenade for free; this page explains what the water adds and who should save their money.

What the ride includes

You get a return trip on a covered wooden abra from the jetty on the Dubai Mall side of the lake, a life jacket, a safety briefing and live commentary on the fountain and the buildings around it. Departures are scheduled against the show times, so the boat is out on the water when the jets fire rather than queueing at the jetty.

What it does not include: Burj Khalifa observation deck tickets, which are a separate attraction and booked separately, and any hotel transfer. Food and drink are not served on board.

How the experience works

1. Arrive at the jetty on the Dubai Mall side of Burj Khalifa Lake, below the Waterfront Promenade.
2. Show your voucher and collect a life jacket. The briefing takes a minute or two.
3. The abra pulls out across the lake and holds position in open water as the show begins.
4. The fountain runs for roughly five minutes. From the middle of the lake it surrounds the boat rather than facing it.
5. The boat loops the lake afterwards, passing under the tower, then returns to the jetty.

Thirty minutes door to door, give or take the queue at the jetty on a busy evening.

Dubai Fountain show times

The fountain is operated by Emaar and runs to a published schedule:

• Evening: every 30 minutes from 6:00pm to 11:00pm, daily.
• Afternoon: 1:00pm and 1:30pm Saturday to Thursday; 2:00pm and 2:30pm on Friday.

Each performance lasts around five minutes. Shows can be paused in high wind, which is the one thing likely to disrupt an evening on the water. Evening rides are the ones worth booking: the fountain is lit, the tower is lit, and the afternoon shows are fewer and far less dramatic in daylight.

Getting to the jetty

Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall on the Red Line is the nearest metro station, connected to the mall by a long covered walkway. Allow 15 to 20 minutes from the platform to the lakeside, and more on a weekend evening when the promenade is full.

Driving, use the Dubai Mall car parks; charges apply and the mall fills from late afternoon. There is no hotel pickup with this ticket.

Good to know

• You will catch some spray, and when the wind crosses the lake the front seats catch a lot. Keep phones in a pocket between shows.
• Life jackets are provided for everyone, children included.
• Children are welcome with an adult. The boat stays on sheltered water the whole way.
• Boarding involves a step down into the abra, which is awkward with limited mobility and not suitable for wheelchairs.
• Evening departures are the busiest; arrive 10 minutes before your time.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your ride.

Is it worth it?

For 25 dirhams, yes — if you want photographs or you have already seen the show from the promenade. On the water the fountain surrounds you and the Burj Khalifa sits directly overhead, which is a composition you simply cannot get from the edge.

Skip it if this is your only evening in Downtown and you have not yet watched a show at all. The free view from the Waterfront Promenade is genuinely good, and seeing it once from land costs nothing. Skip it too if you are travelling with someone who dislikes small boats: the abra is low in the water and it moves.

Combine it with

Pair it with Burj Khalifa tickets on the same evening — the deck first, then the lake, so you see the fountain from above and from water level within a couple of hours. The Dubai Frame is a 15-minute drive away and shows the same skyline from the other side.

Planning your visit? Read our guide: Dubai Fountain show timings and the best viewing spots.