Dubai Islands

{{Infobox islands

|name = Dubai Islands

|country = United Arab Emirates

|coordinates = {{coord|format=dms}}

|image_name = File:Palm Deira on 1 May 2007.jpg

|image_caption = View of Deira Islands from Deira, Dubai c.2007

|image_map =

|image_map_caption =

}}

The Dubai Islands ({{langx|ar|جزر دبي}}), also known as Deira Islands ({{langx|ar|جزر ديرة}}), are four artificial islands off the coast of Deira in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The project was initially called Palm Deira and was planned to be part of the Palm Islands.

History

File:Dubai new developments.png (opened), Palm Jebel Ali (under construction) and the Palm Deira.]]

= Palm Deira =

In 2004, Dubai developer Nakheel Properties launched the Palm Deira project as an 11 billion dirham property development off the coast of Deira in Dubai that was due to contain up to 8,000 villas. Dutch dredging contractor Van Oord was recruited to start the project in 2005.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenational.ae/business/property/deira-islands-to-get-25-3km-coastline-in-nakheel-contract-with-dutch-dredger-van-oord-1.97892|title=Deira Islands to get 25.3km coastline in Nakheel contract with Dutch dredger Van Oord| newspaper=The National | location=UAE |date=29 June 2015|last=Fahy|first=Michael}}

Malaysian design firm, Teo A. Khing Design Consultants (TAK), was appointed by Nakheel to redesign Palm Deira in 2007 with a focus on the island’s infrastructure and land plot configuration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/construction/palm-deira-redesign-sees-major-changes-126524|title=Palm Deira redesign sees major changes - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More|date=March 9, 2007|website=www.arabianbusiness.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.offshore-energy.biz/httpwww-worldmaritimenews-comarticledredging7436palm-deira-redesign-sees-major-changes/|title=Palm Deira redesign sees major changes|first=World Maritime|last=News|date=March 10, 2007}} By early October 2007, 20% of the initial palm island's reclamation was complete, with a total of {{convert|200|e6m3|abbr=off}} of sand already used. Then in early April 2008, Nakheel announced that more than a quarter of the total area of the Palm Deira had been reclaimed. In the wake of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, Nakheel had put projects like the Palm Jebel Ali, The World and Palm Deira on hold since 2008.{{Cite web |url=http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/04/13/10205228.html |title=Gulfnews: Nakheel reclaims land for Palm Deira |access-date=2010-01-13 |archive-date=2009-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630034252/http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/04/13/10205228.html |url-status=dead }}

= Renaming to Deira Islands =

In October 2013, Nakheel re-branded and scaled down the project as Deira Islands. Deira Islands were developed to include the Deira Night Souk, Deira Mall, and Deira Island Towers and Boulevard on the islands to develop it into a shopping, retail, and housing waterfront. The project added {{cvt|40|km}} of coastline and {{cvt|21|km}} of beach to Dubai. In December 2016 a bridge linking the mainland to the islands were opened.{{cite web|url=https://gulfbusiness.com/pics-worlds-biggest-night-market-takes-shape-dubais-deira-islands/|title=In pics: World's biggest night market takes shape at Dubai's Deira Islands| magazine=Gulf Business |date=19 February 2017|last=Nagraj|first=Aarti}}

= Renaming to Dubai Islands =

In 2022, Nakheel rebranded itself and the project. It was renamed Dubai Islands and it is expected to house 80 hotels. The project has been restarted and no official opening date has been announced.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

In August 2022, Nakheel released the master plan for the islands.{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Sarmad |date=2022-08-22 |title=Nakheel unveils master plan for Dubai Islands development |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/property/2022/08/22/nakheel-unveils-new-master-plan-for-dubai-islands-development/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=The National |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Salian |first=Neesha |date=2022-08-22 |title=UAE News: Nakheel unveils Master Plan vision for Dubai Islands |url=https://gulfbusiness.com/nakheel-introduces-master-plan-vision-for-dubai-islands/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=Gulf Business |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |url=https://thearabianpost.com/nakheel-unveils-dubai-islands/ |date=2023-09-02 |title=Nakheel unveils Dubai Islands |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=Arabian Post |language=en-US}}

Hotels and resorts

The Dubai Islands currently have three hotels in operation, which represent the most significant development on the islands so far. The 800-key Hotel RIU Dubai opened on December 10, 2020,{{cite web|url=https://www.hospitalitynet.org/announcement/41005636.html|title=Hotel RIU Dubai|publisher=Hospitality Net|date=11 December 2020|access-date=9 July 2024}} followed by the 607-key Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai on October 14, 2021{{cite web|url=https://www.asianleisure.biz/news/centara-mirage-resort-opens-in-the-middle-east/|title=CENTARA MIRAGE RESORT OPENS IN THE MIDDLE EAST|publisher=Asian Leisure Business|date=October 4, 2021|access-date=9 July 2024}} and the 159-key Park Regis by Prince Dubai Islands on March 2, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeoutdubai.com/news/a-new-hotel-has-opened-on-dubai-islands|title=A new hotel has opened on Dubai Islands|publisher=Time Out Dubai|date=March 14, 2024|access-date=9 July 2024}}

Planned features

=Deira Night Souk=

The Deira Night Souk is planned to be a {{cvt|1.9|km}} market place that stretch along the coast of the Deira Islands opposite the mainland.{{cite web|url=https://gulfbusiness.com/dubais-nakheel-lease-5000-shops-deira-islands-night-souk/|title=Dubai's Nakheel To Lease 5,000 Shops At Deira Islands Night Souk| magazine=Gulf Business|date=2 November 2014|last=Nagraj|first=Aarti}} According to the developers, Deira Night Souk will be the biggest night market in the world, but construction of the souk has yet to take place.

File:Nakhlat Deira Mall interior.webp

=Deira Mall=

Deira Mall is planned to be a {{cvt|600000|sqm|adj=on}} mall with 1,100 retail spaces that is being developed on the islands. The design contract of the mall was awarded in June 2014, though it has yet to begin construction.