| Dubai Islands | |
| Country: | United Arab Emirates |
| Image Map Caption: | The Palm Islands project plan by Nakheel which was to include the Palm Jumeirah (opened), Palm Jebel Ali (under construction, on hold) and the Palm Deira. |
The Dubai Islands, formerly known as the Deira Islands (Arabic: جزر ديرة) are four artificial islands off the coast of Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The project was initially called Palm Deira and was planned to be part of the Palm Islands. As of 2021, little development has taken place on the islands due to the financial crisis of 2007–2008.[1] [2] [3]
In 2004, Dubai developer Nakheel 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.[4] By early October 2007, 20% of the initial palm island's reclamation was complete, with a total of 200e6m3 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.[5] [6]
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 of coastline and of beach to Dubai. In December 2016 a bridge linking the mainland to the islands were opened.[7]
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.
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,[8] followed by the 607-key Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai on October 14, 2021[9] and the 159-key Park Regis by Prince Dubai Islands on March 2, 2024.[10]
The Deira Night Souk is planned to be a market place that stretch along the coast of the Deira Islands opposite the mainland.[11] 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.
Deira Mall is planned to be a 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.