The stunning island of Palm Jumeirah is an attraction in its own category – completely man-made and fabulous, the island redefined tourism in Dubai with its launch in 2007 when it became the world’s largest artificial island.
Aiming to extend city life out into the waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Palm Jumeirah looks like a stylised palm tree from above, and was originally billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World. Today, the Palm boasts plenty of luxurious hotels and resorts, as well as a long beachline perfect for soaking up the sun. Plus, you can sail around Palm Jumeirah in a yacht or speedboat offered by one of the many private touring companies, or why not hop aboard the Palm Monorail that runs to the Atlantis resort for some pretty spectacular views of the area, too.
Whatever it is you fancy - a relaxing romantic getaway in the sun or an action-packed holiday for the whole family - the Palm Jumeirah is the ideal destination.
The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
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The Palm Jumeirah aims to provide its guests with everything that mainland Dubai offers, and more, having been built specifically to exceed the the expectations of visitors to this ultimate island paradise.
White sand beaches and aquamarine waters mean that sunbathing here is a must – the hotels tend to have their own beaches but there are also some pretty cheap public ones. Picture yourself reclining on an elegant sun lounger, cocktail in hand, shaded by palm trees and taking the occasional dip in the cool blue sea. What bliss! For the more adventurous beach bumb a whole host of watersports are on offer, both from the hotels themselves and independent organisations, offering everything from jet-skiing to boat tours to keep you entertained.
Talking of adventure, Dubai is an unbeatable spot to try your hand at skydiving! The glorious views of the beautiful Palm Jumeirah from above couples the exhilaration of free falling with the romance of a stunning panoramic, an experience that’s hard to match. Skydive Dubai offers you one of the most spectacular ‘drop zones’ in the world. The free fall lasts around a minute before you begin a leisurely five-minute descent over the Palm Jumeirah towards the landing turf!
For something a little more glam, shopaholics will be happy to know that they won’t need to go too far away anymore in order to explore one of the many malls in Dubai City. The Palm Jumeirah is home to the new Nakheel Mall, featuring five floors of up-market retail outlets, and a 180 metre high viewing deck offering spectacular panoramic sea views!
For a little bit of everything make sure you check out Atlantis The Palm. An iconic resort, it is instantly recognisable for its unique design inspired by the myth of Atlantis, while also incorporating traditional Arabic design themes. Atlantis The Palm is a lot more than just a hotel, it’s an entertainment resort that offers a massive list of activities. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to visit and take advantage of the great restaurants, lavish nightclub, modern spa and a retail entertainment village, and that’s just the start! The resort is also where you’ll find the beautiful Dolphin Bay; The Lost Chambers, a maze of underground tunnels offering underwater views into the boulevards of the ruins of Atlantis; and The Ambassador Lagoon, an 11 million litre marine habitat and underwater exhibit home to several hundred species of marine life. Plus, Atlantis The Palm is home to Aquaventure Water Park, with some of the most exciting water rides in the world. Kids and adrenaline junkies will love the place. Poseidon’s Revenge features a floor that disappears from beneath your feet, while the Leap of Faith is a nine-storey, near vertical free-fall waterslide.
From lazy days sunbathing on crystal white sands, to glamourous dining, luxurious spa’s and exuberant sunset dinners, or even a heart pumping eye popping adrenaline rush, The Palm Jumeirah is the ultimate caters-to-all holiday destination.
The Palm Jumeirah was created to serve an international clientele, something which is reflected in the impressive quality and quantity of truly global cuisine. Specialised restaurants offer authentic dishes from Latin America, France, Japan, Portugal, America and every other nationality famous for its’ food. Hotels also compete to delight your taste buds, resorts make a great effort to keep guests onsite through their high quality and varied dining options, with many hosting multiple restaurants to serve different tastes. However, it is certainly worth broadening your horizons at least once or twice to try some of the exclusive wine bars dotted across the island. From unusual cave themed restaurants, to sunset dinners on the beach, The Palm Jumeirah is a uniquely varied and sophisticated culinary destination.
Although certainly a destination for the glamourous, The Palm Jumeirah is an equally stand-out destination for family holidays. In easy reach of Dubai and it’s fantastic Malls and entertainment, as well as exciting adventures like desert tours, the Palm is a safe and child friendly location with a whole host of family activities to keep everyone entertained.
For watery fun that makes a splash, treat the kids to a day at the Aquaventure Waterpark in Atlantis The Palm resort. With and awesome array of slides and rides the whole family will be squealing with joy. For a more relaxed adventure also at Atlantis The Palm, the Lost Chambers Aquarium is a great option for educating the kids on the ocean ecosystem while keeping them captivated.
If you’ve got sporty kids who want to be active all day, get them enrolled in a water sports course. Across the many beaches of The Palm Jumeirah there are a host of organisations offering paddleboard, windsurfing and kayaking lessons, with many hotels also offering mini courses. Once the kids have found their sea legs, why not take the whole family on a Kayak tour of the island, sure to build up your appetite for dinner!
For a special treat they’ll look back on for years to come, splash out on a Dolphin Experience. An incredible opportunity to get up close and engage with the playmates of the sea including both feeding and the chance to swim with them.
With a great assortment of kids clubs and kids friendly restaurants at hotels and resorts across the island, The Palm Jumeirah is guaranteed all round family fun.
If what you look for in your ideal holiday is a picture perfect beach, palm fringed soft white sand caressed by a sapphire blue sea and the kiss of golden sunshine, The Palm Jumeirah is perfect for you. Designed to be the perfect holiday island, The Palm Jumeirah’s creators took the blueprints for an ultimate island beach and turned it into a reality for every hotel, resort and beach club on its’ shores. Although free public beaches are something of a rarity, the nearest being Black Palace beach and Secret beach, each hotel has access to its’ own private beach ensuring you a less crowded, clean and well serviced experience right on your doorstep. In addition to the hotel sands, a number of beach clubs operate along the various fronds of the palm, coupling stunning beaches with stand out services like beach massage, unique cocktails and waiting staff, watersports and evening entertainment. Beach clubs vary from exclusive to affordable, ensuring that whatever your budget there is a fantastic seaside experience waiting for you.
Nightlife in The Palm Jumeirah is as eclectic as it comes, providing top class entertainment for every taste. Yes you can light up the dancefloor and greet the dawn in one of the many clubs which dot the island, some of the best being set in famous resorts like Atlantis The Palm, but there is more to this destinations after-dark scene than neon lights. There are classic late night bars offering colonial décor and authentic Jazz. You can opt for a distinctive Arabian experience where smoking shisha late into the evening mixes with music, dancing and late night walks through tropical gardens. Or, for something really novel, the Mehteran Theatre is a highlight of the entire Dubai scene. Fabulous Cabaret acts entertain a crowd, while excellent food and a charming bar round off the entire experience.
The Palm Jumeirah is the ultimate romantic setting for a couples’ holiday. A top choice for weddings and honeymoons, many of the resorts along the island cater specifically to the romantically inclined and couples holidaying across Dubai head to The Palm Jumeirah to take advantage of its’ stunning beaches, exclusive restaurants and clubs and, perhaps most of all, its infamous Spa’s. Making The Palm Jumeirah your base for a couples break gives you unrivalled access to some of the finest Spa’s in the world, specialising in a host of international health and relaxation treatments and offering numerous couples deals. Treat yourselves to a couples’ massage, cocktails in the jacuzzi, and then head out for a romantic beachfront dinner on one of the islands romantic restaurants. Lively couples can take advantage of some fantastic night clubs and evening entertainment, while active pairs can try their hands at a whole host of watersports or simply enjoy a romantic boat tour around the island.
If you should find yourself wanting to explore more of what Dubai has to offer, The Palm Jumeirah is fantastically positioned to access some of the areas more romantic attractions. From horse riding to hot air balloons, unique experiences are all within reach. Keeping your feet firmly on the ground, we suggest a trip to The Miracle Garden, the world’s largest garden of natural flowers, located in the Al Barsha area of Dubai. Or use the opportunity of being in possibly the world most opulent city to explore Dubai’s famous malls and treat each other to a special holiday souvenir.
Love the sound of the Palm Jumeirah but could be tempted by other parts of the region? Check out our top Dubai destinations below: