Palm Jumeirah: All You Need to Know about the Dubai Palm Island

Dubai Palm Island or Palm Jumeirah, an artificial archipelago located on the Jumeirah coastal area of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, is considered the eighth wonder and the largest manmade island in the world. These offshore islands created from reclaimed land are some of the popular tourist destinations in Dubai. Stretching 5 km into the Arabian Sea, The Palm Jumeirah, when viewed from above, is shaped like a palm tree. This unique island, visible from space, consists of a 10-mile-long outer crescent, a 3-mile-long trunk, and a fan of 17 fronds. It is home to peaceful beaches, elegant apartments, and many lavish resorts, including the world-famous rose-hued Atlantis, The Palm.

Dubai’s Palm Islands house around 1000 water homes, 4000 lavish villas, 5000 elegant waterfront apartments, 60 luxury hotels, several restaurants, spas, shopping malls, beach clubs, bars, cinemas, water parks, and dive sites mainly positioned in the crescent and the trunk. The Palm Jumeirah has attracted many celebrities to buy residential properties like David Beckham, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kim Kardashian, Robert de Niro, etc. This place has many elegant beach clubs and bars, which make the nightlife of the city of Dubai exciting for the locals as well as the tourists.

Interesting Facts about Palm Jumeirah

• The Palm Jumeirah is created from 7 million tonnes of rock blasted from the nearby Al-Hajar Mountains. More than 94 million cubic meters of sand were excavated from the bottom of the sea to form the island.
• The rock and sand used for the construction of the island can be imagined as a 2 m high wall encircling the earth three times.
• An immense amount of study and research was carried out before starting the construction of the Palm Islands. Expert divers explored and examined the stability of the rocks underneath the water.
• The cost of construction of Palm Jumeirah Island is 12 billion dollars.
• The construction of Palm Jumeirah began in August 2001 and took six years to complete.
• It covers an area of 5.72 sq km.
• A satellite guided by a hi-tech GPS was used to place the sand into the sea at the perfect place with accurate precision to get the palm tree shape of the island. Vibro-compaction technology, which is a technique that makes the soil particles denser, was also used. This was to ensure that the island could withstand any construction on it.
• Palm Jumeirah is protected from storms or typhoons by 11 km artificial breakwaters that were made using rocks, geotextile fiber, and sand. The breakwaters surround the island in a crescent shape.

How to Get to Palm Jumeirah

Dubbed as the Gateway to Atlantis, the state-of-the-art Palm Monorail is the most exciting way of getting around the island, providing access to visitors. It is a 5.4 km rail route connecting the Dubai Mainland to the Atlantis resort in Palm Jumeirah through a 300 m bridge. Numerous shops and attractions lie between these stations. The Monorail is computer-guided (has no driver on board) and has large panoramic windows offering nice views along the entire path.

There is the Palm Jumeirah Tunnel, an underground six-lane bridge connecting the top most frond of the Palm with the crescent. Another way to visit Palm Jumeirah is to take the Hop-on Hop-off service by Big Bus. This double-decker tourist bus offers a beautiful view of this island as you make your way up the Palm trunk. The glass top of the bus gives you a chance to click photographs. Each tour includes commentary, background, and narration in 12 different languages.

Things to do in Palm Jumeirah

There are so many things to do and places to visit at Palm Jumeirah that you will not be disappointed. From unwinding at the beach clubs to relishing delicacies prepared by celebrity chefs, from splashing at the water parks to relaxing on the white sandy beaches. From playing with dolphins and swimming with sharks and sea lions to pampering yourself while enjoying a relaxing spa treatment, there is no moment to get bored here.

Take a Tour of The Lost Chambers Aquarium

Even though Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo offers incredible indoor marine sightings, you can amp up the experience with underwater strolls and diving sessions at Lost Chambers Aquarium. Enjoy the underwater thrill as you visit the Lost Chambers Aquarium, home to more than sixty thousand species of aquatic life. You can swim along with the dolphins at Dolphin Bay for a unique experience.

Splash at Aqua venture Waterpark

The favorite waterpark in Dubai provides a day full of adventure and fun for the whole family, with over twenty rides and attractions. Discover the best waterslides, unique rides, relaxing beaches, and lazy rivers.

Watch The Palm Fountain at the Pointe

Launched in October 2020 and spanning across the boulevard, The Pointe on the Palm Jumeirah is the world’s largest fountain, which is also known as the Palm Fountain. This dancing fountain towers up to 105 mt, using 3000 LED lights.

Visit Al Ittihad Park

Visit the Al Ittihad park in Palm Jumeirah, a breathtaking green oasis, where you can take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful sights of the local fauna of the region.

Walk the Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk

The Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk is along the East and West Crescents built over the rocks of the Palm’s breakwater. This 11 km stretch is the perfect place to run or walk in the early morning or take stroll in the evening as you soak in the views of the sunset.

See the Sunset at The View

The perfect way to enjoy the beauty of Dubai is by enjoying the sunset atop The View at The Palm. A 3-minute ride to the observation deck on the 52nd floor provides a stunning 360 degrees panoramic view of the Dubai skyline as well as the Palm Island.

Skydiving over the Palm

For an ultimate adrenaline rush, jump off a plane and cruise over the Palm Jumeirah. Experience the thrill of free-falling at a speed of 120 miles per hour, offering incredible views of The Palm and Dubai Marina, amidst the turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf. Reading a guide for skydiving in Dubai will help nervous first-timers. However, there are instructors and trainers who will provide all necessary assistance and details to make your first skydive in Dubai a smooth and memorable experience.

Take a Helicopter Tour

Climb aboard a luxury helicopter and fly along the coastline and across the World Islands. This 25-minute tour delivers a bird’s eye view of Palm Island and the nearby World Islands, along with Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, and Dubai Creek.

Enjoy Paddling in a Kayak or Riding a Jet Ski

Have fun exploring the calm waters surrounding Palm Jumeirah and the coast by enjoying paddling on a kayak or riding away on a jet ski while watching the fantastic views of the Dubai Marina, Burj Khalifa, and Burj Al Arab.

The best time to visit Palm Jumeirah is from November to April. The peak tourist months are December to February. It is better to book your flights and accommodation in advance to get some good deals. A Dubai visa or a Dubai tourist visa allows you to visit this haven for vacationers. No trip to Dubai is complete without visiting this iconic manmade island. So what’s stopping you? Indulge yourself in the luxuries that this architectural wonder has to offer.