The Palm Islands is an audacious trio of palm-shaped offshore developments in Dubai. Home to a mix of leisure, residential, marina and commercial constructions, the islands form the shape of date palms linked to the mainland by causeways.
The most complete of these artificial island developments is Palm Jumeirah, near Dubai Marina in Jumeirah. Construction began in 2001, and the first residents moved into their new island homes in 2007. The glitzy Atlantis resort opened in 2008, and further construction of beaches, shopping malls, hotel resorts and theme parks is under way. Palm Jebel Ali will be constructed further west, near the Abu Dahbi border. The third development, Palm Deira, is under way on the other side of the Creek in Deira.
The World is an equally ambitious project taking place in the waters of the Arabian Gulf, 4 km (2.5 miles) offshore. Replicating the globe, from Iceland to Asia, the huge project covers 9 km (5.5 miles) of reclaimed land but is many years from completion.
The best way to view the Palm Islands development is from the air or atop one of Dubai’s many high-rise skyscrapers, such as the Observation Deck at the Burj Khalifa.
