The project by developer Nakheel, the Dubai Islands (former Deira Islands) comprises a 15.3 sq km coastal city situated within Deira, Dubai. The project was initially called Palm Deira and was planned to be part of the Palm Islands, however, little development took place on the islands. In August 2022, Deira Islands were renamed as Dubai Islands. The opening date of the project is yet to be announced.
These seven artificial islands were created from remnants of the Palm Deira development. Connected by bridges, they will add 40 km of coastline to Dubai (it includes 21 km of new seafront) and provide land for a city that is expected to have a population of 250,000 and provide work for 80,000 people. According to the developer’s plan, each island will have an exclusive set of offerings (beaches, parks, open spaces, golf courses, etc.) and house over 80 resorts and hotels.
Among planned venues there will be the Deira Islands Mall which covers an area of about 761,840 sq m. The Mall will include many shops, cinemas, other entertainment facilities, and even office space. In 2018, Souk Al Marfa, formerly known as Deira Islands Night Souk, was completed. It is the largest night market in the world: it has more than 5,000 shops and about 100 quayside eateries.
At Dubai Islands, there is Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai, the first Centara establishment in the Emirates. Covering almost 300,000 sq ft, the huge beachfront complex features a waterpark, a lot of restaurants including rooftop dining options in the open air, kids’ club, spa, and fitness centre. Besides, there are business facilities available.
In December 2020, RIU Dubai, a beachfront and 24 hour all-inclusive resort, opened. It was built by Nakheel in collaboration with Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts. The hotel offers five swimming pools, a Splash Water World waterpark, and four themed restaurants. Here, one will also find a gym complex, spa, and a children’s club.
One more holiday complex which was announced to be built at Dubai Islands is Vienna House Deira Beach. This 600-room hotel is planned to be constructed by Nakheel in partnership with Austria’s largest independent hotel chain, Vienna House.
To get more information about the Dubai Islands, please visit the project’s official web page.
You might also be interested in reading about UNStudio’s new office in Dubai.
