Dubai sails ahead of the competition with new marina

Opening up a new world to the visitors of Dubai

Sun, sea and luxury living – marina life is the envy of land-locked people the world over. Now, the creation of Dubai Marina offers visitors the chance to sample life waterside amid Dubai’s world-class hospitality offering. One of Dubai’s most successful developments to-date, and a destination in its own right, Dubai Marina – once fully completed – will be the largest in the world at some 50 million square feet – the size of an incredible 868 football fields – spread across ten distinct districts and home to a series of over 200 towers with stunning views of The Palm Jumeirah and Arabian Gulf.

At the heart of the development is The Walk, which has recently been completed and unveiled to the public. The Walk is a shopping promenade almost two kilometres in length and the latest area to see and in which to be seen. Here visitors are already discovering a broad spectrum of premium retail outlets from home furnishings to art galleries, fashion stores, cafés and restaurants. An emphasis has been placed on Dubai’s regional heritage, with local businesses located alongside global brands. The Walk offers a stark contrast to the malls more traditionally associated with Dubai’s retail offering, with visitors able to sit and shop al fresco to make the most of the year-round sunshine while sampling local and international cuisines.

However, for those with their heart set on a more concentrated shopping trip, the newly opened Dubai Marina Mall has 155 stores across four floors offering breathtaking views of Dubai Marina. The mall is home to some of the world’s leading fashion brands, and even has a dedicated kid’s zone – Favourite Things – and six-screen Cineplex to keep non-shoppers entertained.

At the end of 2009, the mall will be joined by The Address Dubai Marina Mall - a five-star premium hotel offering 143 rooms and a suite of private residences. The Gourmet Tower is also planned as part of the complex dedicated to a range of different cuisines from around the world, with eateries located around a central glass atrium which show off the waterfront views.

Those seeking a seaside setting can check into the Jumeirah Beach Residence, one of the most exciting developments in the Middle East. It boasts thirty-six residential towers, four hotel towers and four beach clubs marrying Mediterranean and local architectural styles.

Ian Scott, director UK and Ireland for the Government of Dubai, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), agrees that this is one of Dubai’s most exciting and ambitious projects: “Dubai is renowned worldwide for the diversity of its offering to visitors, from city breaks to five-star shopping and desert getaways. The emirate is perfectly situated between the desert and the Arabian Gulf, which allows for a vast array of experiences. The creation of Dubai Marina – a micro-destination – is one of the most ambitious waterfront developments in the world and a further example of how Dubai sets the global agenda with the quality and diversity of its projects.”

And if life by the water isn’t enough, what about life over it? The Marina Quays has apartments, shops and other facilities some of which extend 20 metres out to sea with stunning views of the nearby Marina Yacht Club, which is one of the largest private yacht clubs in the world, with a stunning purpose-built clubhouse and four marinas spread over a man-made 3.5 kilometre canal. By the end of the year, 600 boats up to 36 metres in length can be accommodated. The club epitomises waterfront chic, with a regular calendar of events, culinary promotions and boutiques.

Dubai Marina will have been twelve years in the making by the time it is fully completed in 2012, home to some 75,000 people and worth almost £3 billion. There has been no better time to visit Dubai and ‘sea’ what you can find…