Why did we want to go to La Perle Dubai?

When planning our family trip to Dubai I wanted one special evening experience for us all as a family. Dubai hotels do not tend to put on evening entertainment so we tend to find our own. After hearing so much about the La Perle show and being intrigued what all the fuss was about, we decided to give it a go. Oh my goodness am I glad we did! This has to be one of the top family friendly activities in Dubai.

My kids are 7 and 11 and they really had no idea what to expect. All they were concerned about was that there wasn’t going to be any scary clowns! I can confirm, there are no scary clowns!

We caught a taxi from our hotel to La Perle and it took about 15 minutes and was 45 AED which is around £8.50. We were staying at Jumeirah Mina Al Salam which as a side note is amazing, full review to come on that hotel here.

What is La Perle?

Wow how do I describe it! La Perle is a 90 minute live theatre show set in a purpose built theatre in Al Habtoor City. Imagine Cirque du Soleil meets a water park with even crazier acrobatics, stunts, diving, motorbikes and a theatrical performance all rolled into one. If anywhere is going to do the best show ever, it’s going to be Dubai!

The stage is a giant aqua theatre that can hold 2.7 million litres of water! One moment the stage is completely dry and the next it’s flooded with water all with a deep diving pool in the middle where acts appear and disappear through! It’s honestly something my eyes have never witnessed before. I have never seen my kids so mesmerised by something, they actually sat still for once!

It’s not your traditional story driven theatre show at all, It’s a visual journey full of colour, music and incredible jaw dropping stunts.

What were our “best bits” from La Perle Dubai?

I really wasn’t sure if the kids would follow along with the show or find it a bit long to sit through but I didn’t need to worry at all. I asked them what there best bits from the show were and without spoiling too much these were the winners:

The Motorbike Globe:

Five bikes zooming around inside a giant metal sphere at terrifying speed, I nearly had to close my eyes watching this part. The boys were on the very edge of their seats.

The High Dives:

Acrobats leaping into the pool in the middle of the stage, they dived from super high! My youngest asked if they fell from the ceiling!

The Daring Acrobats on moving objects:

Some of the stunts on moving objects are gravity defying and make your heart jump into your mouth! I think the kids almost thought they were watching real life magic!

I don’t want to give too much away but honestly for us adults it was just as thrilling to watch. The sheer creativity and scale of the production is incredible. There are so many wow moments that your eyes don’t know which part of the show to focus on at any one time. The fact the stage floods and then dries instantly blows your mind and then you add all the performers into the mix.

It is loud and dark in the theatre so I would probably say its best for ages 4 and up but you can judge how your child would be with this kind of setting.

Practical Tips for Families Visiting La Perle

Price: 

Standard tickets usually start around AED 220 (£45) per person with premium seats costing more. Under 2s are not allowed in and all children over 2 need their own ticket. As the theatre is custom built for the show all the seats are good viewing points. The more expensive seats will get you closer to the stage and some offer VIP access to food and drink before the show. We actually treated ourselves and had the gold tickets, they were fantastic seats but after being in the theatre I think most seats offer a great experience.

Timings:

It runs for 90 minutes without a break so make sure everyone has been for a toilet break before the show. There are two showings one at 6.30pm and another at 9pm.

Money Saving tips:

Keep a look out for the family bundles, prices are often a bit cheaper on weekdays compared to weekends. If you are staying in any of the Al Habtoor City hotels they often have discounts for guests.

Food & Drink:

Snacks and drinks are sold inside the venue but they are like UK cinema prices so quite expensive. 3 x popcorn and a water cost £24. There are tickets which include a meal before or after the show at the restaurants close by.

Taxi’s after the show:

It’s easy to get a taxi after the show but always only use the cream coloured taxi’s with a coloured roof. Lots of the expensive looking taxi’s will call you over or say Taxi this way, but they cost so much more so I would stick with the cream coloured taxi’s.

Is La Perle Dubai Family Friendly?

Definitely! While it isn’t designed specifically as a kids show it is an all-ages spectacle. The kids loved the daring stunts and the comedy moments whilst we appreciated the technical brilliance in it all.

Its a great way to introduce kids to live theatre and I think it will be very hard to beat! It really felt magical and kept them fully engaged.

Our Verdict and Travel Mum Score:

La Perle really is unlike anything we have seen before, a thrilling, breath-taking show that left us buzzing with excitement. Its the kind of experience that makes a holiday extra special and one of those “only in Dubai” attractions that you’ll be talking about for a long time and comparing every other show to. I would add it to your family activities in Dubai and go as far as to say it’s a must do activity when visiting with kids.

Travel Mum Score: 5/5

If you would like to read further reviews on UAE hotels, activities and great travel deals please visit the Middle East Page here.

We were invited to experience La Perle on a PR visit, all opinions are my own. 

Check out some other Dubai posts we have written

• Best Family Hotels in Dubai
• Autism Friendly Holidays in Dubai
• Scotland to Dubai
• Dubai Ultimate Family Guide