Palm Islands Dubai, the Destinations for Ultimate Luxury

The Palm Islands Dubai are man-made islands, namely the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira. These islands are located on Dubai Coast in United Arab Emirate. The Palm Jumeirah has been completed and it’s formed like palm tree with a crescent on top. Once completed, the Palm Jebel Ali is going to also have similar shape. According to plans, the Palm islands are going to host a large number of leisure, entertainment and residential complexes, with additional 520 kilometres non-public beaches.

From the air, it is easy to identify the flattened palms¬. Their logo-like shapes cover the coastline of Dubai and they provide prime real estate to those who are interested to own properties in such an elite community. If you have the financial resources and you want a bit more space, you can enjoy a very luxurious life in one of these artificial islands.

Construction of the Palm Islands Dubai

The Palm Islands are non-natural islands built from sand that was dredged by the Jan De Nul (Belgian company) and Van Oor

d (Dutch company) from the bed of the Persian Gulf. The sand was then sprayed from the dredging ships, through the assistance of GPS (Global Positioning System.

The spraying process is called rainbowing as there are rainbow-like arcs being created in the air as the sand is being sprayed. Each palm island’s outer edge has encircling crescent that acts like large breakwater rock. The Palm Juemirah’s breakwater contains more than seven million tons of rock and each of the rock was individually placed by a crane, with the position of the rock signed off by a skilled diver, and given GPS coordinate.

It was in 2002 when Jan De Nul Group begun construction of the Palm Jebel Ali and finished construction by 2006. Palm Jebel Ali went under reclamation project that includes building of a four-kilometer-long peninsula to be protected by a seventeen-kilometer long, 200-meter-wide circular breakwater. About 210,000,000 cubic meters of sand, limestone and rock were reclaimed for the breakwater and rock of about 10,000,000 cubic meters were used for the Slope Protection Works.

Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah was the first palm island dubai that was first finished and its construction went under that hands of Nakheel and HHCP architects. There were three islands that were supposed to be created and the Palm Jumeirah was originally to be the smallest of the three.

It was in June of 2001 when construction of Palm Jumeirah was started and it was in October of 2007 when it became the largest man-made island in the world. About this time, more than half of the properties have been handed over to the owners and about 500 families were already in residence. Twenty-eight hotels were already serving the people by the end of the year 2009. One of the most prominent property owners here is David Beckham.

No steel or concrete were used in building the Palm Jumeirah; it was entirely built from rocks and sand. And this was done through the Prince of Dubai’s order, who happened to be the brain behind the idea and the designs of the Palm Islands Dubai.

The main objective for the Palm islands construction was to build a key tourist spot in Dubai to balance off for a reduction in oil revenue as Gulf oil reserves depleted.

Palm Jebel Ali

The second palm island to be opened is the Palm Jebel Ali and its construction was started on October of 2002 and the original plan was that it should finished by the middle part of 2008. This palm island is supposed to be twice as large as the Palm Jumeirah and its design has six marinas, a Sea Village, water theme park, The World and a boardwalk.

The World is going to be one of the most outlandish projects ever imagine by man so far. It is going to be an archipelago of artificial islands and will be shaped like the map of the world. The islands are up for sale and if you have the money it would very much possible now to have your own country.

The boardwalk in the breakwater is another unique and ambitious project as it will spell out two lines of poetry written by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Dubai’s ruler). The poetry is roughly translated in English as: Take wisdom only from the wise, Not everyone who rides a horse is a jockey. It takes a man of vision to write on water, Great men rise to great challenges.

Supposedly, Palm Jebel Ali or PJA is going to house over a quarter of a million people. There were four water theme parks supposedly and collectively these parks will be known as the World of Discovery and should be located at the topmost part of the Crescent and to be formed as an orca.

It was in December of 2006 when the breakwater was finished and infrastructure work stated in April of 2007. The work was suspended though due to the 2008 financial crisis and it has been announced by Nakheel that there will be no more development to be done in the future. Refunds to property owners have been offered in March of 2011.

Palm Deira

Construction of the Palm Deira was stopped and is not being redone as Deira Islands. This new development is going to result with a 15.3 kilometer waterfront city with 21 kilometers of Dubai beachfront. There will be four islands and all will be featuring hotels and resorts plus commercial, residential and retails units. It is believed that collectively, the Deira Islands are going to be the new cultural, commercial and residential hub for the United Arab Emirates.
It was after the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 when the construction for Palm Deira was stalled. The original plan was that the Deira is going to be a twin of the Palm Jumeirah.

If ever you get the chance to visit Dubai, a trip to the palm islands should included on your itinerary. It is surely going to be a highly memorable experience. After all, these islands are considered to be the eighth wonder of the world.