Where is Dubai Islands and how do you get there?
Dubai Islands extends Dubai's Deira coastline into the Arabian Gulf as a cluster of five man-made islands. Nakheel says the islands are linked to the mainland by three bridges with direct access to the Al Shindagha Corridor, with Dubai International Airport within 10 km and Downtown Dubai within 15 km.
That puts Dubai Islands close to the airport and to older parts of the city such as Deira, which matters if you travel often or work on that side of Dubai.
Some parts are already in use. Hotels including Hotel RIU Dubai (opened 2020) and Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai (opened 2021) operate on the islands, and Park Regis by Prince Dubai Islands opened in 2024. Much of the residential masterplan, however, is still under construction. If you plan to live here, ask which bridge and road serve your island and when they will connect to your plot.
Who is the master developer and what is the masterplan?
Nakheel, a member of Dubai Holding Real Estate, is the master developer. The project began in 2004 as Palm Deira, was paused during the 2008 financial crisis, was rebranded and scaled down as Deira Islands in 2013, and was renamed Dubai Islands in 2022, with Nakheel stating it would align with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
In its October 2026 Bay Estate announcement, Nakheel describes Dubai Islands as five islands across 18.6 square kilometres, adding about 57 km of coastline including 21 km of beachfront. Its plans include more than 230,000 residents in about 62,000 homes, more than 11,000 hotel keys, more than 4,000 branded residences, two 18-hole championship golf courses and eight marinas.
The character is a new, resort-style coastal district. It tends to suit buyers who want beachfront or waterfront living at an earlier stage of a large masterplan, including families looking at villas and townhouses, and investors prepared to wait for the community, hotels and amenities to mature around their home.
What property types are launched off-plan in Dubai Islands?
Dubai Islands offers a broad mix: villas, townhouses, apartments, penthouses and branded residences, plus some plots. Recent launches show the range:
- Bay Villas (Nakheel, Island B): a gated community of waterfront villas, garden villas, semi-detached residences and townhouses, with beach access and a central park.
- Bay Estate (Nakheel): unveiled in October 2026 with approximately 360 three- and four-bedroom garden villas, attached villas and townhouses, alongside beachfront and waterfront plots.
- Bay Grove Residences (Nakheel): Nakheel awarded the main construction contract, worth over AED 800 million, in September 2026.
- The Meriva Collection (Ellington Properties, Island B): five residential buildings with one- to four-bedroom apartments and penthouses, a limited number of beachfront residences and a hotel.
Because Nakheel and third-party developers both build here, compare developers carefully. See our Nakheel and Ellington Properties pages, and our villa and townhouse collections.
What should you check before buying off-plan in Dubai Islands?
Check infrastructure timing, the island and plot position, and the project's registration. In an early-stage masterplan, the surroundings at handover matter as much as the home itself.
- Infrastructure: Nakheel awarded an AED 527 million primary infrastructure and utilities contract for Island B in April 2026 and a marine works contract for the western shoreline in October 2026. Ask how roads, utilities, beaches and bridges serving your plot line up with your handover date.
- Island and position: confirm which island, whether the unit is beachfront, waterfront or inland, and what is planned on neighbouring plots.
- Developer: for third-party projects, review the developer's delivery record using our guide on how to judge a Dubai developer.
- Registration and escrow: check the project on the Dubai Land Department's Project Status enquiry or the Dubai REST app, and pay only into the project escrow account required under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007. See our escrow guide.
- Payment plan: model staged payments with our off-plan payment calculator.
