Dubai palm. Magnificent Dubai

The idea of ​​​​creating this unusual structure appeared back in the 90s, when the free space on the coastal strip of the emirate suitable for construction ended. The project was intended to increase the territory for further development tourism industry: beaches, hotels, villas, entertainment centers.

The construction of this architectural wonder began in 2001 at the initiative of the monarch of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed. The name of the island (Palm Jumeirah) is translated as "Palm Crown". The characteristic shape was chosen not only in honor of the symbol of the emirate, but also based on careful calculations. Having a relatively small size in diameter - 5.5 kilometers - the trunk has 17 branches with a total coastline at 56 kilometers. This is 9 times more than if the creators had conceived the island as round.

The builders used 94 million cubic meters of sand and 5.5 million cubic meters of stone. From this amount of material, it would be possible to build a wall 2.5 meters high, which would encircle the Earth along the equator. The entire structure is supported by its own weight - there is no concrete or steel fortifications. However, the years of existence have proven the viability of such a "natural" project.

Attractions and entertainment

Some of the most striking sights of the island are: the Aquaventure water park - the best in Europe and the Middle East, the Dolphin Bay dolphinarium, seawater aquarium Lost Chambers, as well as the Atlantis, The Palm hotel itself, on the territory of which the mentioned entertainments were located.

lovers water sports It is worth visiting the local kitesurfing beach. Al Mamzar and Jumeirah Beach are a beach and park area where it is good to relax both alone and with a couple or family. There are many leisure options for tourists to choose from: SPA and fitness, boat trips, hotel entertainment, helicopter tours, nightclubs, museums, diving courses, and so on.

A monorail with small trailers runs along the trunk of Palma, allowing you to make a trip of 4 stops. You can also travel around the island by taxi.

Tourists

Thanks to changes in the legislation of the emirate, everyone can purchase real estate on the Palm Jumeirah with full and unconditional ownership. But the prices here are very high.

You can visit the Aquaventure water park on any day of the week, but the duration of its operation varies depending on the season. Usually this is the period from 10 am to sunset. For children under 2 years old and everyone who lives in the Atlantis hotel, admission is free. Other visitors will have to pay from 200 to 250 dirhams for one day of stay. A one-day ticket that allows you to visit both the water park and The Lost Chambers aquarium will cost 240-300 dirhams, depending on age.

In the Dolphin Bay dolphinarium you can participate in interactive programs with dolphins and sea lions: swimming, photography, games, tricks. The cost of such entertainment varies from 116 to 385 dollars. All rides listed have the same opening hours. All questions can be asked to the hotel manager by phone +9714 426 2000 at any time of the day or use the official website of the hotel for this.

To get to the Palm Jumeirah, you can take a taxi. road from international airport Dubai takes approximately 30 minutes. public transport– travel in the direction of Jabel Ali to the station at the Mall of the Emirates. From here you will have to take a taxi. You can also take part in an excursion that includes a transfer.

Every traveler coming to the United Arab Emirates should definitely visit this beautiful island. His visit leaves many unforgettable impressions.

Island problems

Near the Palm Jumeirah complex is not at all what it is from afar. From a bird's eye view, Palma looks luxurious. And everything on Earth is very dull and lifeless. And also due to the fact that the water in the channels stagnates, there is a vile smell in the air, as if something is decomposing. Therefore, buying a villa on the leaves of the Palm Jumeirah is not the most profitable investment of several million dollars.

Palm Islands (UAE) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The Palm Islands in Dubai is called the eighth wonder of the world. This is the second man-made structure that can be seen from space. The first, as you know, is the Great Wall of China.

The Palm Islands can even be seen from space!

The Palm Islands were created by the authorities of the United Arab Emirates specifically to attract tourists, as well as to expand their territory through the waters of the Persian Gulf. Both were brought to life with brilliance.

What to watch

The archipelago consists of three artificial islands, each of which is a palm tree: the largest is Palm Deira, the other two - Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali - are slightly smaller.

On the coast of Dubai there is another magnificent artificial structure - the Mir archipelago, next to which the construction of the Universe archipelago is planned.

If you find fault with terminology, then the Palm Islands should have been called peninsulas, because they are connected to the mainland by a coastline - a trunk. It is no coincidence that the islands are date palms, this is a particularly revered plant in Islam. Also in the traditions of this religion, the crescent moon became the crown of each of the Palm Islands.

To protect against water, the Palm Islands are surrounded by barrier reefs. And the builders did not approach them formally. For example, quotes from the poems of Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the current Sheikh of Dubai, are carved on the reefs of the Palm Jebel Ali.

The Palm Islands are built from sand mined off the coast of Dubai.

All Palm Islands are built from sand mined off the coast of Dubai. The breakwater of the Palm Jumeirah Island, stretching for 11 km, took seven million cubic meters of sand. And it is the smallest of the three islands. On the Palm Jumeirah, a total of 1,400 villas, 32 hotels, and beaches will stretch for 78 km.

The main attraction of Jumeirah should be the Atlantics complex, the owners promise that it will be a dream come true for tourists.

Palm Jebel Ali is built in a more exotic style. More than a thousand Polynesian-style bungalows and more than two thousand villas will be located here. Dubai authorities plan that by 2020, about 1.7 million people will live on this island. Jebel Ali will pay special attention to children's recreation: four amusement parks will appear on the crescent of the island.

In the future, tourists will come to the Palm Islands to visit the unique marine aquarium. In Jebel Ali, you can see dolphins, killer whales and other inhabitants of the sea.

And the largest and most unusual of the three Palm Islands will be Deira.

How to get there

You can get to the Palm Islands by Dubai Metro. The station is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Further, in order to quickly find yourself in a fairy tale, you can take a taxi.

A monorail is laid along the Palm Islands themselves. You can not only get to your destination, but also see all the beauty that the authorities and residents of Dubai have been able to put into practice.

Also, ultramodern airships are planned to be launched on the territory of the Palm Islands. And the monorails will be integrated with the main Dubai metro line.

The island was built in 2006 and given over to the construction of villas, a hotel and an aqua park. Jumeirah is part of Palm Islands (Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira). Jumeirah is unofficially referred to as the "eighth wonder of the world".

Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island in the form of a palm tree, consisting of a trunk, 16 leaves and a crescent moon surrounding the island, which is an 11-kilometer breakwater. The size of the island is 5 kilometers by 5 kilometers and its total area is more than 800 football fields. The island is connected to the mainland by a 300-meter bridge, and the crescent is connected to the top of the palm tree by an underwater tunnel.

Palm Jumeirah - very popular place among tourists in Dubai. The island is surrounded by the warm waters of the Persian Gulf - this is a real paradise for a relaxing holiday by the sea. The place is extremely attractive for divers. Especially for fans of scuba diving, several artificial reefs were created around the archipelago and even several old planes were flooded to lure divers from all over the world.

The island has gorgeous beaches where you can sunbathe and swim. Along the roads are villas and residential buildings. A very beautiful area, expensive, standard built, well-groomed, and at the end of Palma is the Atlantis Hotel, which in itself is an independent attraction.

Do you remember the ad for a chocolate bar: a girl with a beautiful figure is basking near a palm tree against the backdrop of a turquoise sea and drinking coconut milk?.. Today we will talk about a place where you can not only feel paradisaic delight but also test the real feelings.

Palma - the "true" island

A small piece of land in the middle of the ocean, created as a result of the eruption of an underwater volcano, today is buried in green gardens of indescribable beauty. Palma has become famous for its special atmosphere, which is often noted by those who have been there. And if other Canary Islands attract tourists active species sports and relaxation on the impeccable shores, then Palma has its own magic.

Being surrounded by "living" inanimate nature, a person returns to his essence, remembers the soul. Perhaps that is why there are such conflicting reviews about Palma: it attracts some, it repels others, forever.

Have you already felt the power of attraction? Then welcome to the island of Palma! It only takes 708 square kilometers, so we have no doubt that you will want to see it all. And we anticipate the first question upon arrival.

Where to rent a car?

It can be rented directly at the airport, so do not rush to leave it. To do this, you need to have a driver's (international) license, a voucher and a credit card. On this list required documents does not end, so we advise you to take care of the full package of documents in advance and book a car in advance. By the way, if you are under 21, the company may not give the car back. In some regions, the critical age reaches 23 years.

Rent a car to get more out of Palma!

And finally, a couple of reminders about the rules of the road, which are highly recommended on the island of Palma:

• Everyone must be allowed to pass at the pedestrian crossing. In this place, it is not customary for pedestrians to fear for the carelessness of the driver. In addition to people, goats, cats, dogs and rabbits can jump out onto the road. Be careful, especially at night!
• overtaking cars on the right is not accepted;
• want to overtake a car while in the leftmost lane? Turn on the left turn signal - they will understand you and give in;
  if you want to slow down, first put your hand to the left or turn on the left turn signal. So you warn about the stop following you. On a mountain road with poor visibility before turning - horn;
• yellow markings prohibit parking a car;
• a fine for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h will be €100;
• driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to imprisonment;
• and lastly, representatives of the traffic police do not take bribes

Housing on about. Palm

Now let's talk about housing. What do you want: villa, hacienda, cottage or apartment?

Fazenda keeps a long history within its walls. Sometimes she is two hundred years old. A cozy rural house with gardens, a swimming pool and everything you need will plunge you into complete peace and give you an unforgettable experience. Weekly rent will cost at least €300-400. The price may include cleaning, transfer to the airport, yacht rental and much more.

Apartments on the island Palma is promised no less comfortable rest, but directly in the resort town, where, in addition to the pool and terrace, you can see the beach and bars-restaurants not far away. The cost is from €300.

Spacious villas will cost you €1000 per week. And for lovers of relaxation with an agricultural “tinge”, cottages are suitable: cozy small houses with a plot of land, a garden or a kitchen garden. You will have to pay €350 or more for them.

Separately, I would like to tell you about one unique hotel for adults. Have you ever wanted to spend a couple of unforgettable days in the museum? The Hacienda de Abajo hotel offers to walk past the relics and feel like an exhibit in some sense. The history of the estate begins in the 16th century, but it was opened only in 2012 after a thorough restoration. This is probably why the price tag is quite acceptable: from €92 per night. The hotel is located in a quiet historical center resort town Tazacorte, surrounded by banana plantations and with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Beaches

There, in Tazacorte, there is an eternally sunny beach, on which gloomy clouds do not cast shadows even in winter. And at night along the coast, dozens of fishermen in boats wait for their catch. The light of the lamps, reflected in the dark water, and the male singing are mesmerizing! The table below shows a few more notable beaches.

Puerto Naos beach on Palma island

Be sure to take a dip in natural pools Charco azul in San Andres on the island of Palma (Spain)

Despite the small area of ​​the island and our rather lyrical introduction, there is something for everyone here. But the priority, of course, are excursions. That's just small list where to go and what to see...

Attractions

The main attraction of the island is its nature. And amazing fresh air. Since 2002, Palma has been recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve. About 35 percent of its area is covered with pine and laurel forests.

The Caldera de Taburiente National Park. Extensive forests and mountains make the island ideal for hiking.

"Colored" waterfall in national park Caldera de Taburiente.

Together with ferns, dragon trees and other species (and there are more than twenty of them), they form a "dome" that shelters the ancient north of the island. These are the "last of the Mohicans" forests, endangered representatives that for many years covered the south of Europe. Especially for lovers of romance and solitude, trails have been laid here, along which you can walk, “wrapped up” in fog and feeling the breath of wildlife.

A couple of steps from the central part of the city of Los Llanos there is a good botanical garden. Not far from it is the Maroparque zoo with exotic birds and animals: pompous peacocks, fastidious toucans, slender herons, etc. sit in the aviaries.

Los Llanos de Aridane The largest city on the island. Here you can take some spectacular photos against the backdrop of bright facades.

Las Manchas has an original mosaic square of the Four Stones. Here, a small but beautiful fountain, numerous gazebos and benches, as well as a stage for performances are buried in greenery. It is convenient that the house-museum of wine was attached very close. Here you can taste and even buy the vaunted Canarian wines.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the capital of the island. The city is notable for the facades of houses in the colonial style.

Be sure to visit the cactus garden on the way to El Paso. There are more than seven hundred exotic species there.

For museum lovers:

• in the cigar museum you will get acquainted with the stages of making high-quality cigars, which are quite comparable in quality to Cuban ones;
• in the silk museum you will see the process of production of silk products. When leaving, do not forget to buy something for yourself or as a souvenir;
• There is also the only banana museum in the world on Palma, where you will be told in detail about the impact of a banana on the society and economy of the island. The fact is that this product is the most cultivated and exported

There are many scattered throughout the island. viewing platforms(free!), from where absolutely fantastic landscapes open up for every taste: the coast and cities, amazing sunsets and the vast ocean.

A well-known fact that we have no right not to mention is an astronomical observatory that studies the entire northern hemisphere of the planet. If you decide to visit this delightful place, be sure to register in advance and bring warm clothes and comfortable shoes. The observatory is located on the high point islands: 2400 meters above sea level.

A couple of facts that were not included in the article:

• Tenerife is so far the only island in the Canaries with which there is an international air connection. Therefore, you will have to get to Palma "the old fashioned way", with transfers.
• There is practically no crime in this place, life is measured and calm.
• In addition to the forests on the Palm, you can admire the extensive heather fields.
• Since scientists are monitoring our Universe around the clock, special lighting has been installed on the roads, which does not interfere with astrophysicists' work.
• There are a few geographical names, which includes the word "Palm". Do not confuse them, so as not to be instead canary island Palma on, for example, Palma de Mallorca, which is on about. Majorca.
• The average air temperature during the year is approximately 22-24 °C.
• The palm tree is able to provide itself with vegetables and fruits. And the potato crop is harvested here four times a year.
• There are not many places for tourists on the island - not a few: only seven thousand. So hurry up! ;)
• Palma is known for producing delicious honey.

Leisure

In this regard, the opportunities on the island are no less than the number of attractions. Surprised? It seems, what else can you do in a place surrounded by azure warm water, under the gentle sun? Here's what:

• diving or spearfishing. If you have already mastered scuba diving, it's time to get down to business smarter. True, there are many conditions for spearfishing to take place. First, not every fish can be caught. Secondly, not on every day and, thirdly, not in any place you like. In addition, prey cannot be sold, and there must be a license to fish. If these restrictions have discouraged you from hunting underwater, well, you can just go fishing. Catching a rich catch - no matter where you are: in a boat or under water - is always a pleasure. Or even easier: just go on a boat trip. It's not bad too;
• climbing or paragliding. And for this, and for another type of entertainment, there is everything you need here. By the way, Palm Island is considered one of the most ideal places for free flights;
• organize a real marathon or explore the route on foot, visiting ancient caves. You can use a mountain bike

Pay attention to the possibility of a tour of the acropark, which is located very close to the Refugio del Pilar. Hanging bridges, cables and nets will dilute a relaxing holiday with vivid impressions.

Gastronomy

It's delicious everywhere. A little unusual - the influence of many national cultures: Spanish, European, Latin American, African and not only. The basis of the dishes is still fresh seafood of excellent quality and impeccable taste. Add to this excellent home-made wine, amazing desserts and, as they say, "impossible to resist"! Prices in restaurants range from €10-15, with wine the amount increases to €50. By the way, dinner on Palma starts late and can drag on until midnight.

Green and red mojo are traditional hot and spicy Canarian sauces.

P.S.

Here it is, the island of Palma, to which today we deservedly give the palm (no pun intended) among other islands of the Canary archipelago. See you in Palma? ;)

The scope of ambitions and plans of the inhabitants of the United Arab Emirates is truly amazing. After building the high building in the world (I remind you - this is 828 meters high), the Emirates began to wash giant islands into the sea, which have already received the title of the eighth wonder of the world. But there is a reason - the islands can be seen with the naked eye from space, and even on the moon!

The project "The Palm" in its scope surprised and amazed many, including your humble servant. This has never been done before on our planet.

The project consists of three artificial islands, in the form of date palms (these are Jumeirah, Jebel Ali, Deira). From the sea, the islands are protected by artificial barrier reefs that can hold back waves up to 10 meters high. The "chip" of one of the islands will be a special arrangement of buildings on the island - from the air or even space it will be possible to read in Arabic script the famous saying of the Prince of the Emirates Ben Rashid Al Maktoum - "Learn the wisdom of the wise. Not all those who mount a horse become riders.”

These projects, designed by Dutch specialists, with Arab petrodollars built by Indian and Indonesian laborers, plan to compete with business Hong Kong and Singapore and beat fashionable Las Vegas in terms of recreation and entertainment. On the vast territory of artificial islands there will be all kinds of business centers, mega malls, amusement parks, luxurious hotels, huge sports facilities, exclusive villas and comfortable apartments. It is also planned to make a convenient marina for yachts of any class and level. In general, everything for a paradise life in a big way.

Perhaps there is not a single person who has not heard about The World project. 300 artificial islands, located in the form of a geographical map of the world, near the city of Dubai. Over the past few years, a huge number of world-famous stars have acquired ownership of the island, forcing the whole world to talk about the project.

Sooner or later, every country that has a coastline thinks about expanding its borders in this way. After the world-famous "seven-star" Burj Al Arab hotel was built in Dubai in 1998, the city has become a real mecca for tourists. But the problem was that Dubai has only 67 km of natural coastline, and by 1999, due to active development, the city simply had no beaches left. Dubai is a linear city

Dubai is a linear citylocated along the coast, and the most expensive and significant projects are built on the beach. The sun and the beach are the main asset of the city. The sun has not gone away, but all the beaches are gone. The only thing left to do was create new beaches. This is how the idea of ​​building all these man-made islands, which can be seen on the map today, arose. All this was created for tourists, to improve the quality of tourist services in the country.

For several years of work, designers and builders have managed to add more than 500 kilometers of beach to the country. And this is not the limit. In total, it is planned to add more than 1,500 km to those 67 km of beaches that were originally.
All created islands are put up for sale. Not every wealthy person can become the owner of such a miracle island. The islands are sold to world famous personalities, or to developers who are ready to build a unique project on the island. Most cheap island today it costs 15 million dollars.

"Russia" is one of the largest countries in the "World", it owns a fairly impressive number of islands. Both Russian developers and private buyers are happy to acquire "Russian" islands. There are "Moscow", "St. Petersburg", "Yekaterinburg" and many others geographic features Russia.

Emirates never ceases to amaze the whole world with its ambitious ideas. Perhaps this country will become the world center for the implementation of fantastic projects of the future.

One of the most interesting sights of the United Arab Emirates is an archipelago of artificial islands under the general name "Palm Islands in Dubai" (Palm Islands in Dubai, or in short - The Palms). The archipelago consists of three islands in the Persian Gulf - Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira. In addition to these islands, in January 2008, another archipelago was completed off the coast of the Emirates called "The World" (The World), imitating the outlines of the continents of planet Earth. When all scheduled for this moment the islands of Dubai will be built, the territory of the emirate will increase by more than 500 kilometers.

There are things in the world, the whole uniqueness of which can be felt only by seeing them with your own eyes. The same, perhaps, applies to the Palm Islands, which have already been dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

The palm islands are made in the form of date palms, on the top of each of them there is a crescent moon, not only as a symbol of Islam, but also acting as a breakwater. Also, the islands are surrounded by protective barrier reefs. At the Palm Jebel Ali, they are inscriptions in Arabic - quotes from the poems of the ruler of Dubai - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum): “In order to leave lines on the water, insight is needed; Great people set themselves great goals. Draw wisdom from the one who has it; Not everyone on a horse is a rider."

Islands are made from sand raised from the bottom Persian Gulf, which is sprayed with powerful jets forming the shape of a rainbow in a certain area by special ships. About 135 million cubic meters were used to create another artificial island, Jebel Ali. m of sand, limestone and monoliths.

The Palm Islands can be seen from the moon with the naked eye. They have become a symbol not only of the city of Dubai, but of all the Arab Emirates. Especially after their picture was taken by Russian cosmonauts from the ISS station.

Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah project was launched first in June 2001. Palm Jumeirah consists of a "trunk", from which 17 "branches" extend, forming a crown. The breakwater that protects the island from waves at sea has a length of 11 km. It took 7 million cubic meters to create it. m. sand. There will be 28 hotels on the crescent surrounding the island. The main attraction and dream for tourists is the Atlantis complex, consisting of two pompous towers connected by a bridge. The Palm Jumeirah boasts 78 km. magnificent beaches.

The island has marinas, shopping malls, sports facilities, clubs, hotels, and luxury housing. The residential areas are on palm leaves and include 8,000 two-story urban-style mansions.

The Palm Jumeirah consists of the Crescent, the Crown and the Trunk.

The Crescent is the barrier that surrounds and protects the Palm. It will house hotels of well-known hotel chains, built in different styles - Brazilian, Venetian, Japanese, etc.

"Krone" (The Crown) consists of 17 branches rushing into the sea, forming 17 secluded neighborhoods. Exclusive villas of various sizes and designs are built on the branches. The following types of villas can be purchased on Krona: Signature Villas, Garden Homes and Town Homes.

"Trunk" (The Trunk) is the central part of Palma, where parks, shopping centers and restaurants will be located. It also builds multi-storey residential buildings (Shorline Apartments), where you can buy one-, two-, three- and four-room apartments with a beautiful view of the sea or the picturesque water channel running through the center of the Trunk.

Transportation between Dubai and the Palm Jumeirah is carried out by means of a high-speed monorail train. The system is fully automatic, however, the driver will be constantly present in the cab. At the same time, the monorail will be integrated with the Dubai Metro. For the passage of vehicles from the "trunk" of the palm tree to the "crescent" encircling the island, an underwater tunnel is being built with three traffic lanes in each direction.

The total area of ​​the island is 25 sq. km. Palm Jumeirah is the smallest in comparison with sisters - Jebel Ali and Deira.

Palm Jebel Ali

Following Jumeirah, in October 2002, the Palm Jebel Ali project was launched. Jebel Ali is larger than Jumeirah by about 40-50% and has a more exotic shape. The main bet in Jebel Ali was made on tourism, and not on private housing.

More than 1,000 bungalows have been erected on the "second palm" of the coastline, supported on piles in the Polynesian style. More than 2,000 villas of various layouts have been built. To attract wealthy investors, even the creation of houses on individual projects is proposed. It is predicted that the so-called "palm" of Jebel Ali by 2020 will accommodate about 1.7 million inhabitants. At 30.000 sq. m. it is planned to rebuild a complex of buildings made of glass and concrete, which in shape will resemble the sails of yachts. The crescent surrounding Palm Jebel Ali is home to 4 theme parks - SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove.

Palm Deira

The construction of the Palm Deira started in October 2004. Deira is planned to be eight times the size of the Palm Jumeirah and five times the size of the Palm Jebel Ali. This project is the largest and longest-term one. After its completion, the “third palm” will become the largest man-made island in the history of mankind, which will serve as a habitat for 1 million people. The work is planned to be fully completed by 2015, however, due to the large volumes and costs, most likely, the significant date will again be postponed for several years.

The extraordinary idea of ​​creating an alluvial island in Dubai was born in the late 90s, when the part of the 72-kilometer coastline suitable for development was already occupied, and the number of people wishing to buy real estate and ordinary tourists was steadily growing. The new island was to add tens of kilometers of beaches to the emirate in order to build a futuristic "city of tomorrow" on them for permanent residence and mass tourism.

The initiator of the Palm Jumeirah megaproject was Sheikh Mohammed, the absolute monarch of Dubai and a passionate collector of architectural curiosities. The shape of the date palm - the symbol of the emirate of Dubai, due to which the Palm Jumeirah island (from Arabic "crown of the palm tree") got its name - is not a whim of the monarch, but the result of complex design calculations. They made it possible to correlate the length of the coast and the building area in such a way as to place a maximum of villas, hotels and restaurants on it. With a diameter of only 5.5 kilometers, due to the 17 "palm branches" the island received a coastline of 56 kilometers, which is 9 times more if it were round.

The construction of the Palm Jumeirah island from natural sand and stone among the waves of the Persian Gulf began in August 2001. Of course, it could be built from concrete and steel, but Crown Prince Mohammed wanted the island to blend in harmoniously with the environment and refuse to use artificial materials. This added complexity for the builders - every day they had to make sure that the water did not wash away what was built yesterday. In total, 94 million m2 of sand was required to build the island.

Geographically, the island of Palm Jumeirah is very "lucky" - the warm shallow waters off the coast of Dubai are inaccessible to storms, since they are closed from the ocean by the Strait of Hormuz. However, the builders surrounded the island with a 3.5-meter protective breakwater, the construction of which took 5.5 million m2 of rock. If we sum up the entire volume of sand and stone required to create the Palm Jumeirah, then it would be enough to build a wall 2.5 meters high and as long as the equator.

The Palm Jumeirah's current appearance was finally formed when magnificent high-rise hotels, yacht clubs, theme parks, shopping and entertainment centers, and on the "leaves" - luxury villas, each with a personal access to the sea. To date, about 1,400 villas and about 2,500 apartments in 20 spectacular buildings have already been built on the island. The Oceana the Palm Jumeirah, which includes a unique five-star residential complex and a "luxury" gated aparthotel, was completed on the island among the latest.

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Today, the island has turned into a kind of "land of dreams", in whose projects both "ordinary" wealthy foreigners and members of royal dynasties from all over the world are actively investing money. The investment boom on the Palm Jumeirah has been going on for more than a year, and there are quite objective reasons for this. Firstly, almost simultaneously with the beginning of the construction of the island, the September 11 terrorist attack took place in the United States, and then many investors hurried to transfer their capital from the West to new projects in the East. Naturally, taking on its fantastic shape with incredible speed, Palm Jumeirah turned out to be the most financially profitable and safest choice.

Secondly, in 2003, the emirate's authorities made an unprecedented decision - they were the first among the Gulf countries to provide foreigners with unlimited and unconditional ownership rights to any property purchased in Dubai. Thus, from that moment on, the purchase of housing on the Palm Jumeirah as a market product has acquired a clear and understandable image for the buyer, fully protected by international law. Based on this, we can say with a high degree of confidence that Palm Jumeirah in the coming decades will hold one of the leading places in the global tourism and leisure industry, as well as in terms of the quality of life on its territory.

The success of the Palm Jumeirah project has proven to be very contagious, and in the future, Dubai plans to build a couple more "palm trees" - one will appear to the west of the commercial port, and the second, near the Old City. Today, however, all the attention is on the "first-born" - the island of Palm Jumeirah. This is a friendly and devoid of any discomfort world of elite residential complexes interspersed with parks, centers active rest and sports, shopping malls and restaurants. This is the very place where you can hide from the stuffiness and whirlwind of urbanized space, where you want to live and relax for as long as possible.

On the islands, an infrastructure of living and recreation, unprecedented until now in the Arab world, was created. It includes world-famous hotels and resorts, luxurious villas and huge apartments. There are no restrictions for foreigners. They can both acquire and rent the real estate of the islands. In total, a huge number of different structures are located on the Palm Islands. These are luxury hotels, residential apartments with a 5-star level of service, water attractions, shopping centers, sports clubs, spas, cinemas and special water areas for diving enthusiasts and much more. The Palm Islands have extended Dubai's coastline by 520 km.

That was the plan...

So, the islands, or rather the peninsulas (since they are connected to the coastline) are made in the form of date palms traditional for Arab countries (by the way, very revered in Islam). Each island is crowned with a crescent moon at the top. It performs the function of a breakwater and at the same time is a Muslim symbol. Also, the islands are surrounded by protective barrier reefs. At the Palm Jebel Ali, they are inscriptions in Arabic, namely, quotes from the poems of the ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum:

“In order to leave lines on the water, insight is needed; Great people set themselves great goals. Draw wisdom from the one who has it; Not everyone on a horse is a rider."

"Take wisdom from the wise, It takes a man of vision to write on water, Not everyone who rides a horse is a jockey, Great men rise to greater challenges."

It is he, the absolute monarch of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, who is in charge of all this amazing construction. Actually, it is known that the economy of the UAE is based on oil. And 3% of all oil reserves of the emirates are located in Dubai. But the sheikhs of Maktoum did not want to put up with such a situation, realizing that the entire economy should not be based on oil alone. That is why they began to make Dubai the best tourist resort in the world. And even now we can say that they competently disposed of the money received from natural resources. It is expected that when all the currently planned islands of Dubai are built, this will add more than half a thousand additional kilometers of territory.

Palm Islands became the first major projects that conquered the world with their uniqueness - the state company Al Nakheel Properties, their construction cost $ 7 billion.

Most of the villas are currently sold out. Special demand for "marine" real estate is in the UK. Buying a home on Jumeirah is sought not only by celebrities, but also by wealthy inhabitants. Currently over 500 villas are occupied.

The problem of delivering tourists and islanders to Palma is practically solved. It is planned to carry out movement on ultra-modern airships of the Skyship 600 model, as well as launch a 5.5 km long monorail. The latter will start functioning already in April 2009 and will connect the city with the palm island, and tests of the monorail in real operating conditions will begin in October this year.

Monorail cars from Japan will run on the line. The system is fully automatic, however, the driver will be constantly present in the cab. It is planned to transport up to 2.4 thousand passengers per hour in one direction in 4 separate trains, each of which consists of 3 cars. At the same time, the monorail will be integrated with the Dubai Metro.

Palm Jumeirah is the smallest in comparison with sisters - Jebel Ali and Deira.

More than 1,000 bungalows will be erected on the "second palm" of the waterfront, supported by Polynesian-style pilings. It is planned to build more than 2,000 villas of different layouts. To attract wealthy investors, even the creation of houses on individual projects is proposed. It is predicted that the so-called "palm" of Jebel Ali by 2020 will accommodate about 1.7 million inhabitants. The infrastructure is currently under construction. The last to be built residential complexes. At 30.000 sq. m. it is planned to rebuild a complex of buildings made of glass and concrete, which in shape will resemble the sails of yachts. The crescent surrounding Palm Jebel Ali will host 4 theme parks - SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove.

Here it is planned to build the first marine aquarium in the region, where world-class water attractions will be demonstrated, where you can watch dolphins, killer whales and other inhabitants of the underwater world. sea ​​village become one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Middle East.

The Palm Jebel Ali is approximately 22 kilometers and 17 minutes by boat from the Palm Jumeirah. It is assumed that a separate road junction will lead to the island, through which it will be possible to get to Palma directly from Shaikh Zayed Road. This is the central street connecting the Dubai Mall and the capital Abu Dhabi - it has 5 lanes in each direction and stretches for 55 km.

The first 27 km were built between 1993 and 1998. Shaikh Zayed Road is the most important highway in Dubai. It connects with such highways as Al Ain Road (Al Ain Highway), Hatta Road (Hata Highway), Emirates Road (Emirates Circuit Highway), and others. To facilitate the flow of cars - and it reaches 200,000 cars daily - 13 junctions have been created on this central street.

Deira is an exotic palm tree with a wide, massive "trunk" and 41 branches. The anthropogenic structure is crowned with a crescent - a breakwater. Due to the size of the object, its construction was divided into several stages. Deira island will be located between Dubai Creek and Al Hamria Port. Palm Deira is designed to revive the old district of the same name in Dubai.

And, finally, the last to date, the island project of the Arab sheikhs called The World. Its construction was completed on January 10, 2008. This is 300 man-made islands, each of which is a mini-copy of one of the countries. Together they form geographical map world seen from a bird's eye view. The complex is located a few kilometers from the coast, between the Palm Islands. The archipelago does not just repeat the shape and outlines of the continents - each of the islands corresponds to the national color and traditions of the country it symbolizes. Thus, the Mir complex will indeed become a miniature copy of the globe. An improved copy, because the idea of ​​creating the most comfortable living conditions here will be brought to perfection. Comfortable villas, developed infrastructure, serene landscapes around, parks and lakes. All islands are up for sale. The offer is really tempting: to live in personal Cuba or in Africa. Therefore, the excitement around The World does not subside.

The idea to build a "copy of the globe" belongs to the ruler of Dubai, one of the most influential and the richest people world, already mentioned at the beginning of our story, Sheikh Mohammed. Officially, the construction is carried out by the same Nakheel company, but in reality, foreign contractors hired by the Dubai government are more involved in the construction of the islands. The materials for the islands are local. The sand for the islands was taken from the Persian Gulf, the rock mass was also mined in the UAE.

The World archipelago is located 4 kilometers from the coast of Dubai. Communication between the islands of the "Mir" and the continent is supposed to be only by water and air. Recall that the Palms will be connected to the coastline of the metropolis through bridges. However, this difficulty does not particularly worry the newly-minted owners of the islands, the rich man, who allowed himself to buy a plot of "water paradise" for 20-40 million dollars, is quite capable of buying a yacht, or even a helicopter. Delivery of tourists to the islands is planned to be carried out on the latest models of airships, as well as pleasure ships (ferries).

Currently mostly sold out major islands e.g. "Australia", " New Zealand"," Ireland. There were also buyers for Finlandia and Brunei, which investors plan to turn into capitals of luxury and fashion. "Greenland" was ranked among his possessions by Sheikh Maktoum, who built a luxurious villa surrounded by tropical gardens on its territory.

The Nakheel Company retained the right to dispose of the 20 islands located in " North America» Archipelago Mir. This resort is called coral islands". Here it is planned to build magnificent hotels, parking for yachts, as well as picturesque villages.

Unlike the builders and masterminds behind the sculpting of the islands, environmentalists do not experience great joy from such serious changes taking place in the waters of the Persian Gulf. Concerns have been repeatedly expressed about the negative impact of artificial islands on the flora and fauna of the coastal zone. Skeptics say that the islands can upset the natural balance, and increased use of the Persian Gulf bay will lead to its pollution. It should be noted that the government of Dubai listens to the remarks of the “greens”, since it is itself interested in the development of the tourism industry. In particular, artificial reefs are arranged around the islands, on which favorable conditions are created for the living of marine life. Desalination and water purification stations will be installed on the central islands of The World archipelago. It is planned to use environmentally friendly energy sources.

The next snag faced by the authors of The World project is stagnant water in the bays of the archipelago. It is difficult to deal with this, because. the complex of islands is framed by a 26-kilometer breakwater 4 meters high, which, undoubtedly, makes it safe, but interferes with the renewal of water.

There are a number of other concerns that torment potential buyers - in particular, the reliability and durability of artificial islands. A number of experts believe that as a result of climate change on Earth and an increase in the water level in the World Ocean, in half a century, anthropogenic land areas will be plunged into the abyss. Supporters of the project refute these statements, "reassuring" investors that their holdings will remain afloat for at least 800 years.

The construction of The World archipelago, however, as well as its sisters Palms: Jumeirah, Deira and Jebel Ali caused a flurry of emotions in the world community. A number of critics call Dubai's projects pompous and overly ambitious, especially against the backdrop of a looming food crisis and the catastrophic plight of developing countries. However, the Emirates, whose standard of living is one of the highest in the world, do not stop these statements at all, but rather, on the contrary, encourage them to implement more and more extravagant projects.

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In general, now I have shown you the process of creation, construction and layouts, and a little later I will show what is actually happening there in more detail!