There are few travel experiences that reset your sense of scale the way a Helicopter Dubai island sightseeing flight does.
Helicopter Dubai premium sightseeing flight
Helicopter Dubai coastal aerial views
Helicopter Dubai sunset skyline flight
Helicopter Dubai skyline photography
Helicopter Dubai elite air experience
Helicopter Dubai private city transfer
Helicopter Dubai fast booking The city that dazzles from street level-its mirrored towers, palm-lined promenades, and extravagant beach clubs-rearranges itself into a living model the moment the skids leave the tarmac. Dubai's signature feats of engineering, especially its man-made islands, suddenly snap into crisp, legible shapes. What's sprawling and almost overwhelming on the ground becomes a coherent story from the sky.
The prelude begins with the thrum of rotors and a safety briefing that sounds oddly calming. You strap in, headsets on, and watch the horizon tilt. As the helicopter lifts, the water below shifts from deep blue to those impossibly bright turquoise bands that only appear near shallow sandbanks and breakwaters. Within seconds the coastline is a scroll you can read: beaches, marinas, causeways, and arcades of palms tracing the curvature of the shore.
The first shock is the geometry. Palm Jumeirah, whose form is hinted at from observation decks and rooftop bars, reveals itself fully as a stylized palm tree etched into the sea-a trunk lined with luxury residences, a crown of fronds curling toward the horizon, and the crescent breakwater embracing it all like a protective arm. You can follow the flow of traffic along the trunk's monorail, spot the odd bright splash from a villa pool, and recognize the Atlantis at the outer crescent like a coral-hued bookmark in the city's epic.
It is one thing to know that Dubai built islands. It's another to watch the human hand in the ocean's script. The World archipelago, a constellation of 300 artificial islets arranged to resemble a map of the globe, looks almost playful from above. Some clusters are dormant, pale postage stamps waiting for their stories. Others pulse with life-villas, marinas, green squares of lawn that read like whispered promises to whoever imagined a nation as an island could be. You see the whimsy and the audacity side by side: an idea drawn on a napkin, made literal at continental scale.
The city offers up its icons as well. To the south, Dubai Marina runs like a silver zipper between high-rise spires; Ain Dubai, the giant wheel on Bluewaters Island, punctuates the skyline with a perfect circle. Burj Al Arab's sail flashes in the sun, perched on its own man-made platform, while Jumeirah Bay-the seahorse-shaped island connected by a causeway-curves delicately out of the coastline. Depending on the route, you may sweep inland along Sheikh Zayed Road, the main artery, a glinting ribbon of traffic that guides your eye toward the needle of Burj Khalifa. Even from altitude, it is impossible to misread the world's tallest tower; it doesn't so much interrupt the skyline as organize it, drawing streets, parks, and lakes into an intricate mandala.
If you've ever stared at Dubai on a map and felt lost in its sprawl, a helicopter flight restores your bearings. Helicopter Dubai premium transport It's not just spectacle; it's orientation. You can trace the logic of land reclamation, understand which neighborhoods hug wetlands and which stand guard over desert. You see the limits of the coast, the edges of the city's ambition, and how both continue to move. The green smudges of golf courses mark oases in the sand. Freeways describe arcs, interchanges bloom like metal flowers. Helicopter Dubai luxury air sightseeing Even the color of the city is different from above-less chrome, more sand and sea, light and shadow.
There's a visceral dimension, too, that photographs don't capture. The cabin is a glass bubble, and the movement is smooth enough to feel more like gliding than flying. The pilot banks gently so both sides of the aircraft can drink in the views; you become aware of the choreography, the quiet competence of the crew, and the hum of the engine as a kind of soundtrack to curiosity. In those moments when the helicopter hovers near the crescent of the Palm or tracks along the World's outer edge, the scale of the endeavor-the stones hauled, the sand shifted, the breakwaters engineered-feels intimate. You're close enough to see patterns in the surf as it folds against the rocks that weren't there a couple of decades ago.
Practicalities matter. If you can, book a morning or late-afternoon slot. Helicopter Dubai dubai canal tour In cooler months-November through March-the air tends to be clearer, the light softer, and the horizon crisp. Summertime haze can blur the outlines of distant islands, though even then the water's color sings. Golden hour flights bathe the towers and beaches in a honeyed glow and throw long shadows that carve depth into the city's angles. Wear dark clothing to minimize reflections in the windows, and resist pressing your camera lens against the glass; hold it slightly away to avoid vibrations, and turn off your flash. A polarized filter can help with glare but sometimes creates uneven effects through curved plexiglass, so test a shot and adjust as needed.
Most operators have similar procedures: you'll be weighed discreetly for load balancing, assigned seats for safety and visibility, and asked to stow loose items. Routes are typically standardized and cleared with air traffic control, often departing from helipads near Palm Jumeirah or along the main highway. Helicopter Dubai coastal aerial views . Flight times range from short, concentrated loops-enough to catch the Palm, Burj Al Arab, and a taste of the skyline-to longer circuits that trace the coast past The World and sometimes swing inland for a pass by Burj Khalifa. If you're curious about a specific landmark, ask when booking; while pilots can't deviate wildly, they'll angle the helicopter to give both sides their due.
Beyond the Instagram moment, a helicopter tour is a quick immersion into Dubai's central paradox: this is a city of relentless imagination grounded by careful planning. The islands look effortless, but they embody layers of marine engineering, environmental studies, and material logistics. Seeing them arranged beneath you can provoke complicated feelings-admiration for the ingenuity, questions about sustainability, awe at the speed of transformation. You might spot the dredgers and barges still at work in the distance and realize that the skyline, like the shoreline, is not a finished thought.
And then there is the simple joy of it. The ripple of wakes from yachts unspooling across the marina. The way the desert pushes right up to the last line of villas, like a quiet reminder of what came before. The salt in the air that clings to your lips when you step back out onto the helipad. The helicopter, departing again, looks suddenly small against the city, and you understand how easily places become symbols when seen from above.
A Helicopter Dubai island sightseeing flight is not just a checklist item for travelers; it's a perspective shift for anyone trying to make sense of a place that thrives on the improbable. On the ground, Dubai can feel like a series of disconnected marvels; in the air, it becomes a single, legible sentence. You read it from left to right, from desert to sea, from idea to execution. When the rotors wind down and the headsets come off, the city will look different to you-even at street level. You will know the shape of it, the curve of its ambition. And knowing the shape of a place makes it feel, paradoxically, more human.
About Jumeirah
For the hotel chain, see Jumeirah (hotel chain).
Community in Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Jumeirah (Arabic: جُمَيْرَا, romanized: Jumayrā Emirati pronunciation: [dʒʊˈmeːrɐ]) is a coastal residential area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings and hotel developments. It has both large expensive detached properties and more modest town houses built in a variety of architectural styles. The area is popular with expatriates working in Dubai and is familiar to many visiting tourists.
History
[edit]
See also: History of the United Arab Emirates and List of Ancient Settlements in the UAE
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif (مَجْلِس غُرْفَة أُمّ ٱلشَّيْف)
Archaeological excavations at Jumeirah Archaeological Site,[2][3][4] which was discovered in 1969, demonstrate that the area was inhabited as far back as the Abbasid era, approximately in the 10th century CE. Measuring about 80,000 m2 (860,000 sq ft), the site lay along a caravan route linking India and China to Oman and Iraq.[2][3][4]
Historically, Emirati people living in Jumeirah were fishermen, pearl divers and traders. At the turn of the 20th century, it was a village of some 45 areesh (palm leaf) huts, inhabited mainly by settled Bedouin of the Bani Yas and Manasir tribes. At the time, Jumeirah was 'about 3 miles southwest of Dibai town'.[5]
In modern times (1960 onwards), Jumeirah was the principal area for western expatriate residences. The beachfront area was previously called "Chicago Beach",[6] as the site of the former Chicago Beach Hotel.[7] The locale's peculiar name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tankers called "Kazzans" on the site.[6] The old name persisted for a time after the old hotel was demolished in 1997. "Dubai Chicago Beach Hotel" was the Public Project Name for the construction phase of the Burj Al Arab Hotel until Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the new name: Burj Al Arab.[7]
The Theatre of Digital Art (ToDA) opened in 2020 at Souk Madinat in Jumeirah as an exhibition space for digital art.[8]
See also
[edit]
United Arab Emirates portal
Jumeirah Beach
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Jumeira Baccalaureate School
Palm Jumeirah
Jumeirah Mosque
City Walk
References
[edit]
^https://www.dsc.gov.ae/en-us/EServices/Pages/geo-stat.aspx. Dubai Statistics Center
^ ab
Al Amir, Khitam; Cherian, Dona (2020-01-09). "Look: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid visits Jumeirah Archaeological Site". Gulf News. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
^"Theatre of Digital Art". visitdubai.com. Visit Dubai. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jumeirah.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Dubai/Jumeirah.
Archaeological site
Jumeirah Archaeological Site, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority
Lonelyplanet website
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al-Sheif
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority
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Category:Populated places in Dubai
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Neighbourhoods and communities in Dubai
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northwestern sector of Dubai
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northern sector of Dubai
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western sector of Dubai
(Sector 3)
Al Bada
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Ras Al Khor and the
north-central sector of Dubai
(Sector 4)
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Jabal Ali and the
southwestern sector of Dubai
(Sector 5)
Al Wajeha Al Bahriah
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Hessyan
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Saih Shuaib
Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid and the
central sector of Dubai
(Sector 6)
Al Barsha South
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Me'aisem
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Wadi Al Safa
Warsan
Al Awir and the
northeastern sector of Dubai
(Sector 7)
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eastern sector of Dubai
(Sector 8)
Al Maha
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Le Hemaira
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Mereiyeel
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Al Marmoom and the
southern sector of Dubai
(Sector 9)
Al Fagaa
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Grayteesah
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Saih Al-Dahal
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Saih Shua'alah
Umm Nahad
Authority control databases: Geographic
Pleiades
About Tourism in the United Arab Emirates
Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world and a major tourist attraction of the United Arab Emirates.Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the United Arab Emirates is part of Al Hajar Mountains.Rub al Khali desert on the outskirts of Liwa Oasis.
Tourism in the United Arab Emirates is an important part of the Emirati economy. In 2023, the tourism sector employed 809,300 people[1] and contributed 220 billion dirham to the national gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 12% of it.[2] In 2024, the UAE was the 6th destination globally by international tourism receipts according to the World Tourism rankings,[3] and it ranked 18th globally in the Travel and Tourism Development Index.[4]
The country's major tourist attractions include the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, and Al Hajar Mountains in Fujairah.[5][citation needed]
History
[edit]
When the country was first formed in 1971 and freed from British control, the country itself did not have any sufficient tourist industry and the economic situation of the newly established nation was weak, despite massive oil wealth. Realizing the need to develop the country, and the awareness of oil limits, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who initiated the foundation of the UAE, envisioned the plan to diversify the country's economy, in which tourism was specifically regarded.[6] The envision was eventually carried out, and in 1979, Sheikh Zayed opened the country's first-ever hotel, the Metropolitan Hotel Dubai located in Dubai.[7]
The development of tourism in the United Arab Emirates was heavily linked to the development of tourism in Dubai, which was one of the earliest emirates in the country to open for tourists. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai from 1958 till 1990, realised one day Dubai would run out of oil and started building an economy that would outlast it.[8] Sheikh Rashid, together with Sheikh Zayed, was the instrumental leaders of leading the country's tourism, having made a joint declaration for the founding of the Emirates.[9] In 1989 the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board was established, to promote Dubai as a luxury destination for the up-tier market and influential business sectors. In January 1997, it was replaced with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).[10]
Since 2000s, the United Arab Emirates have experienced a significant tourist boom, and increasing life standard and quality made the expenditure on tourism to rise, thus making it more important to the national economy.[11][12]
Tourist destinations
[edit]
Main article: List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
[edit]
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and is the second most popular tourist destination in the country, under the management of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.[13] This is also the center of Formula One race in the country, the Yas Marina Circuit. Nonetheless, the city is also famous for its landscapes, given its proximity to the Persian Gulf. There are over ten beaches functioning in the city serving for tourist purpose.[14] The city is popular for its nightlife, more so than the more populous Dubai as it has lesser restriction and regular laws.[15] Abu Dhabi will become the home of Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the first Disney theme park in the Middle East.[16]
Dubai
[edit]
See also: Tourism in Dubai
Archipelagoes in Dubai.
Dubai is the most visited city in the United Arab Emirates, the most expensive city in the GCC and one of the most expensive cities in the world.[17] It is also the home of the two tallest towers in the world, the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa, the latter occupies the top position. Nightlife in the city is also widely promoted.[18] The city is often seen as a symbol of rapid tourist success in the nation. Its richness encompassed by the rapid development and the mix with the local Arab culture made it a popular destination for tourists to travel. However, lack of general tourism development remains an obstacle which the Emirati authorities have sought to tackle.[19]
Fujairah
[edit]
Fujairah shares the Al-Hajar Mountains with Ras Al Khaimah, a major tourist attraction in the country. Outside the Hajar Mountains, the Fujairah Fort, Bitnah Fort, Snoopy Island, Masafi and Al Hayl Castle are also attractive destinations.[20] Fujairah holds a distinction for having a bull butting culture, a result of Portuguese colonization from 17th century.[21]
Ras Al Khaimah
[edit]
Ras Al Khaimah is known for its natural landscape.[22] The Al Hajar Mountains, in particular with mount Jebel Jais, the highest mountain of the country, offers views over craggy peaks down to the coastal plain, making this a common spot for photographers, particularly in the late afternoon when the orange-hued rocks glow.[citation needed] The world's longest zipline is also based in Ras Al Khaimah's Jebel Jais. Other include Dhayah Fort and its beach.[23]
By 2027, Ras Al Khaimah will feature the first integrated resort and casino in the country when Wynn Al Marjan Island opens.[24][25]
Sharjah
[edit]
See also: Tourism in Sharjah
Sharjah is a major commercial center of the UAE. Sharjah is perhaps, among the most traditional tourist center, due to initiative efforts by the emirate's leadership to keep its spirit within the growing modernization. In 1998, Sharjah was awarded the "Cultural Capital of the Arab World" title by UNESCO representing the United Arab Emirates.[26] Major destinations include the Sharjah Art Museum, Al Noor Mosque, Souk Al Markazi and Sharjah Heritage Area.[27] A cultural heritage project, Heart of Sharjah, has been undertaken to preserve and restore the old town of Sharjah and return it to its 1950s state.[28]
Tourism statistics
[edit]
International visitors
[edit]
Yearly tourist arrivals in millions[29]
Country
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
India
1,224,349
2,855,096
2,778,160
2,511,933
2,080,380
1,881,489
Oman
634,879
2,814,152
2,172,910
1,928,292
2,021,958
1,716,930
Saudi Arabia
512,875
1,897,471
1,993,646
1,876,316
1,921,916
1,662,435
Pakistan
418,973
840,222
819,683
763,396
767,724
671,847
United Kingdom
418,385
1,367,997
1,365,160
1,452,455
1,460,328
1,394,118
Russia
335,016
866,857
800,253
610,427
304,295
269,493
Germany
253,973
827,837
792,303
767,048
764,715
726,957
Egypt
238,226
357,084
328,049
297,658
302,560
301,952
United States
208,800
757,353
747,691
741,473
735,147
758,875
France
188,476
444,657
403,945
353,726
337,847
335,024
China
175,297
998,278
844,005
766,972
529,103
445,109
Italy
106,088
312,493
291,944
281,176
286,806
281,251
Philippines
104,438
378,423
375,938
379,754
365,749
322,297
Kuwait
98,576
378,109
399,795
463,708
492,360
489,425
Nigeria
79,630
250,568
172,476
128,676
145,725
162,086
Kazakhstan
78,072
164,219
140,801
93,968
89,723
85,625
Ukraine
73,819
154,001
123,221
83,670
77,397
70,154
Jordan
71,707
165,852
165,821
173,465
176,794
176,971
Canada
66,003
200,321
189,915
202,461
214,492
210,620
Bangladesh
63,674
158,108
132,931
31,350
31,529
39,179
Australia
63,371
297,709
305,320
331,450
353,390
389,702
Netherlands
61,432
170,484
170,018
169,829
163,662
171,496
Iraq
58,278
119,440
103,939
90,554
82,954
85,986
Spain
52,803
139,312
118,470
116,395
117,154
113,574
Bahrain
52,385
207,855
206,723
220,601
235,598
218,046
Iran
51,822
294,955
317,968
499,614
492,100
475,269
Lebanon
50,620
124,672
123,001
129,575
135,516
147,201
Indonesia
44,073
81,179
60,303
56,499
54,734
55,601
Poland
40,691
111,945
106,888
112,254
80,647
66,054
Afghanistan
39,784
75,721
44,777
34,181
28,659
51,984
South Korea
37,716
160,427
151,194
160,106
130,978
103,219
Belgium
36,619
87,110
78,870
74,983
73,775
71,379
Sweden
36,085
106,434
113,888
122,558
119,435
113,522
Romania
35,111
87,816
78,860
67,453
61,309
57,315
Brazil
34,655
105,141
85,822
78,312
54,362
59,950
Switzerland
34,111
120,623
121,675
121,399
108,782
110,785
Sri Lanka
33,539
102,200
90,455
85,474
84,013
77,295
Syria
31,972
69,876
49,979
48,270
60,212
67,943
South Africa
30,479
118,638
112,635
103,886
91,168
100,262
Turkey
29,930
86,077
87,322
97,302
97,464
94,448
Nepal
28,581
54,386
60,836
56,322
47,588
28,910
Uzbekistan
28,141
50,514
35,363
33,981
31,351
31,413
Algeria
28,120
97,693
76,211
58,397
58,356
46,767
Austria
27,630
78,751
74,857
72,779
72,587
79,293
Ireland
27,105
88,675
89,341
94,229
92,991
87,268
Japan
26,987
113,299
107,612
97,834
83,664
82,575
Uganda
24,748
60,780
49,272
41,721
35,059
30,010
Denmark
24,608
67,969
67,562
70,777
70,255
65,819
Morocco
22,537
66,526
57,229
50,818
45,708
40,170
Czech Republic
20,479
80,207
80,257
77,055
64,614
53,454
Medical tourism
[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Medical tourism § United Arab Emirates.[edit]
United Arab Emirates, especially Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah is a popular destination for medical tourism. The Dubai Health authority has been spearheading medical tourism into UAE, especially Dubai. However, hospitals providing medical tourism are spread all over the seven emirates. UAE has the distinction of having the maximum number of JCI accredited hospitals (under various heads).[30] UAE has inbound medical tourism as well as people going out for medical treatment. The inbound tourism usually is from African countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, etc. The outbound can be categorized into two segments - the local population (citizens of UAE) and the expats. The locals prefer to go to European destinations like the UK, Germany etc. The expats prefer to go back to their home countries for treatment.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]
Visa policy of the United Arab Emirates
List of museums in the United Arab Emirates
References
[edit]
^
Kamel, Deena. "UAE's travel industry set to create 23,600 new jobs this year". The National. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
^"Emirates Tourism Council reviews progress made in the achievement of UAE Tourism Strategy 2031". Ministry of Economy United Arab Emirates. 7 May 2024.
^"World Tourism Barometer" (PDF). World Tourism Organization. May 2024. p. 19. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
^"Major Tourist Attractions in the UAE". United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy.
^Yakheek, Mahfooz (2003). "STRATEGIC VISION OF HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN" (PDF). apps.dtic.mil. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Built in 1979, the original Metropolitan Hotel was famed for being one of Dubai's first hotels and an institution in itself". Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Dubai Tourist Information". Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
^"Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum: The Engineer and Architect of Dubai | Reach Personnel International". Archived from the original on 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Sorry, the page you requested was not found". www.zu.ac.ae. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved Jan 30, 2020.
^Hatemi-J, Abdulnasser (April 12, 2016). "On the tourism-led growth hypothesis in the UAE: a bootstrap approach with leveraged adjustments". Applied Economics Letters. 23 (6): 424–427. doi:10.1080/13504851.2015.1078440. S2CID 155815209 – via Taylor and Francis+NEJM.
^"Tourism contributes AED 134bn to UAE's GDP". Hotel News ME. November 23, 2016. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
^"Department of Culture and Tourism". department of culture and tourism abu dhabi. Archived from the original on 2020-08-04. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Ten of the best Abu Dhabi beaches | Etihad Airways Atlas magazine". Atlas by Etihad. June 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
^Baby, Elin P. (March 9, 2019). "Got A Reason To Party Hard! Head To Abu Dhabi Right Now!". Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
^Disney Is Building A New Theme Park In Abu Dhabi—Here’s What We Know
^"Dubai among most expensive cities for expat living, coffee". May 30, 2018. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
^"Dubai Nightlife". www.dubainight.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Planning for Tourism: The Case of Dubai". ResearchGate.
^"12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Fujairah | PlanetWare". www.planetware.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"In Fujairah, bulls fight for honour, not money or blood". gulfnews.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Geography". Visit Ras Al Khaimah. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
^"10 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Ras Al-Khaimah | PlanetWare". www.planetware.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^"Wynn Resorts granted gaming license in the UAE | AGB".
^"UAE's $7 Billion Gaming Jackpot Draws Closer With Wynn License". October 7, 2024 – via www.bloomberg.com.
^"Sharjah, the Cultural Capital of the Arab World Centro Sharjah". www.rotanatimes.com. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-06-21.
^"14 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Sharjah | PlanetWare". www.planetware.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
^Morgan, James. "UAE: Heart of Sharjah on track to complete by 2025 | ConstructionWeekOnline.com". www.constructionweekonline.com. Archived from the original on 2018-12-03. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
^"Global and regional tourism performance". www.unwto.org. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, lit.'Arab Tower'), commonly known as Burj Al Arab, is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[8] Developed and managed by Jumeirah, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total height is made up of non-occupiable space.[9][10][11] Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island that is 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to resemble the sail of a dhow.[12] It has a helipad near the roof, at a height of 210 m (689 ft) above ground.
Site
[edit]
The beachfront area where Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel are located was previously called Chicago Beach.[13] The hotel is located on an island of reclaimed land, 280 m (920 ft) offshore of the beach of the former Chicago Beach Hotel. The former hotel was demolished during the construction of the Burj Al Arab.[14] The locale's name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tanks, known locally as Kazzans, on the site.[13]
History
[edit]
The Burj Al Arab was designed by the British multidisciplinary consultancy Atkins, led by architect Tom Wright of WKA. He came up with the iconic design and signature translucent fiberglass facade that serves as a shield from the desert sun during the day and as a screen for illumination at night.[15] The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory, and construction managed by David Kirby also of WS Atkins. The Burj Al Arab's interior is by British-Chinese designer Khuan Chew. Construction of the island began in 1994 and involved up to 2,000 construction workers during peak construction. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The setting of a high rise building on saturated soil and the novelty of the project required groundbreaking dynamic analysis and design to take into consideration soil-structure interaction, effect of water, high winds, and helipad among other loads, to help finalize the design and take the project into construction.[16][failed verification]
The hotel was built by South African construction contractor Murray & Roberts, now renamed Concor and Al Habtoor Engineering. The interior designs were led and created by Khuan Chew and John Carolan of KCA international and delivered by UAE based Depa Group.[17]
The building opened on 1 December 1999.[1] The New Year's Eve fireworks celebration originated in 2000 with the inauguration of the United Arab Emirates.
The hotel's helipad was designed by Irish architect Rebecca Gernon.[18] The helipad is at the building's 28th floor, and the helipad been used as a car race track, a boxing ring, has hosted a tennis match, and the jumping off point for the highest kite surfing jump in history.[19]
In 2017, the hotel hosted the wedding of Daniel Kinahan, head of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group.[20] The wedding was attended by several prominent drug traffickers, such as Ridouan Taghi, Edin Gačanin, 'Ricardo (El Rico) Riquelme Vega, and Raffaele Imperiale.[20]
Features
[edit]
An AgustaWestland A109E Power landing on the Burj Al Arab's helipad
Several features of the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve. The hotel rests on an artificial island constructed 280 m (920 ft) offshore. To secure a foundation, the builders drove 230 40-metre-long (130 ft) concrete piles into the sand by drilling method.[21]
Engineers created a ground surface layer of large rocks, which is circled with a concrete honeycomb pattern, which serves to protect the foundation from erosion. It took three years to reclaim the land from the sea, while it took less than three years to construct the building itself. The building contains over 70,000 m3 (92,000 yd3) of concrete and 9,000 tons of steel.[21]
Inside the building, the atrium is 180 m (590 ft) tall.[22]
Given the height of the building, the Burj Al Arab is the world's fifth tallest hotel after Gevora Hotel, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur and Rose and Rayhaan by Rotana. But if buildings with mixed use were stripped off the list, the Burj Al Arab would be the world's third tallest hotel. The structure of the Rose Rayhaan, also in Dubai, is 333 metres (1,093 ft) tall,[23] 12 m (39 ft) taller than the Burj Al Arab, which is 321 metres (1,053 ft) tall.[23]The Burj Al Arab's helipad, located 210 meters above ground, has been the site of several high-profile events, including a tennis match between Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, and stunts by Red Bull athletes.[citation needed]
Rooms and suites
[edit]
The hotel is managed by the Jumeirah Group. The hotel has 199 exclusive suites each allocated eight dedicated staff members and a 24-hour butler service.[24] The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 m2 (1,820 sq ft), the largest covers 780 m2 (8,400 sq ft).[25]
The Royal Suite, billed at US$24,000 per night, is listed at number 12 on World's 15 most expensive hotel suites compiled by CNN Go in 2012.[26]
The Burj Al Arab is very popular with the Chinese market, which made up 25 percent of all bookings at the hotel in 2011 and 2012.[27]
Restaurants
[edit]
Al MuntahaAl Mahara
There are six restaurants in the hotel, including:
Al Muntaha ("The Ultimate"), is located 200 m (660 ft) above the Persian Gulf, offering a view of Dubai. It is supported by a full cantilever that extends 27 m (89 ft) from either side of the mast, and is accessed by a panoramic elevator.[citation needed]
Al Mahara ("Oyster"), which is accessed via a simulated submarine voyage, features a large seawater aquarium, holding roughly 990,000 L (260,000 US gal) of water. The wall of the tank, made of acrylic glass in order to withstand the water pressure, is about 18 cm (7.1 in) thick.[citation needed]
Rating
[edit]
While the hotel has sometimes been described as "the world's only 'seven-star' hotel", the hotel management claims never to have done so themselves. The term appeared due to a British journalist who had visited the hotel on a tour before it was officially opened. The journalist described Burj al Arab as "more than anything she has ever seen" and therefore referred to it as a seven-star hotel.[28] A Jumeirah Group spokesperson said "There's not a lot we can do to stop it. We're not encouraging the use of the term. We've never used it in our advertising."[29]
Reception
[edit]
Burj Al Arab has attracted criticism as "a contradiction of sorts, considering how well-designed and impressive the construction ultimately proves to be."[25] The contradiction here seems to be related to the hotel's decor. "This extraordinary investment in state-of-the-art construction technology stretches the limits of the ambitious urban imagination in an exercise that is largely due to the power of excessive wealth." Another critic includes negative critiques for the city of Dubai as well: "both the hotel and the city, after all, are monuments to the triumph of money over practicality. Both elevate style over substance."[25] Yet another: "Emulating the quality of palatial interiors, in an expression of wealth for the mainstream, a theater of opulence is created in Burj Al Arab ... The result is a baroque effect".[25]
In popular culture
[edit]
The last chapter of the espionage novel Performance Anomalies[30][31] takes place at the top of the Burj Al Arab,[32] where the spy protagonist Cono 7Q discovers that through deadly betrayal his spy nemesis Katerina has maneuvered herself into the top echelon of the government of Kazakhstan. The hotel can also be seen in Syriana and also some Bollywood movies.[which?]
Richard Hammond included the building in his television series Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections.
The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab serves as the cover image for the 2009 album Ocean Eyes by Owl City.
The Burj Al Arab was the site of the last task of the fifth episode of the first season of the Chinese edition of The Amazing Race, where teams had to clean up a room to the hotel's standards.[33][34]
The building is featured in Matthew Reilly's novel The Six Sacred Stones, where a kamikaze pilot crashes a plane into the hotel, destroying it in an attempt to kill the protagonist, Jack West Jr.
The building was the location of the main challenge of the ninth episode of the Canadian-American animated television series Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race,[35] where contestants were tasked to either return a serve from a tennis robot on the hotel's helipad, or squeegee an entire column of the hotel's windows.
See also
[edit]
Hotels portal
W Barcelona (Hotel Vela) – skyscraper of similar appearance in Barcelona, Spain (sail)
Oman TiT – residential skyscraper of similar appearance in Taipei, Taiwan (sail)
Elite Plaza – a similar-shaped skyscraper in Yerevan, Armenia
JW Marriott Panama (Panama City) – similar structure
Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth – similar structure in Portsmouth, UK
Vasco da Gama Tower – a skyscraper of similar appearance in Lisbon, Portugal (sail)
Sail Tower – a skyscraper of similar appearance in Haifa, Israel (sail)
List of tallest buildings in the United Arab Emirates
List of buildings in Dubai
List of tallest buildings in Dubai
References
[edit]
^ ab
"Media Fact File of Burj Al Arab" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
^Swibel, Matthew (15 March 2014). "Forbes.com: Arabian Knight". www.forbes.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
^ abcd"Burj Al Arab Hotel – The Skyscraper Center". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
^"Emporis building ID 107803". Emporis. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020.
^"Burj Al Arab". SkyscraperPage.
^Burj Al Arab at Structurae
^"Stay at Burj Al Arab". Jumeirah. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
^Eytan, Declan. "Milan: Inside the World's Only Certified 7 Star Hotel". Forbes. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
^"Vanity Height: the Use-less Space in Today's Tallest". CTBUH. Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
^"Study: Skyscrapers Topped by Wasted Space". World Property Channel. 6 September 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
^Solon, Olivia (6 September 2013). "Report names and shames vanity skyscrapers with unnecessary spires". Wired. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
^"Burj Al Arab". www.atkinsglobal.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
^ abKrane, Jim City of Mud: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism, page 103, St. Martin's Press (15 September 2009)
^"Dubai's Chicago Beach Hotel". Dubai As It Used To Be. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
^Chalhoub, Michel Soto (1993). "Structural Design and Deep Foundation Soil-Structure Interaction of Burj-Al-Arab - A Comparison of Two Alternatives". Parsons Engineering.
^Pantin, Travis (17 February 2009). "Depa announces strong growth". The National. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
^"From the inside out". Construction Week Online Middle East. March 2011.
^"Global Gateway". CNN. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
^ abCaesar, Ed (20 October 2025). "The Cocaine Kingpin Living Large in Dubai". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X.
^ ab"Burj Al Arab". EgyptEng.com engineering directory. 2000. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
^"VIDEO: Burj Al Arab's 15th anniversary 'dream'". HotelierME. 28 November 2014.
^ ab"The world's 17 tallest hotels – for the ultimate room with a view". The Telegraph. 11 February 2016. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
^"Burj Al Arab". www.jumeirah.com. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ abcdDamluji, Salma Samar, The Architecture of the U.A.E.. Reading, UK: 2006.
^Arnold, Helen "World's 15 most expensive hotel suites" Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine CNN Go. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012
^"Jumeirah gets ravenous for China". TTGmice. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
^Parr, Christopher. "Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai: Inside The 7 Star Luxury Hotel". Business Insider. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
^Bundhun, Rebecca (14 July 2009). "Hotel star ratings standards long overdue". The National. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
^"Performance Anomalies". Goodreads. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
^Lee, Victor Robert (20 December 2012). Performance Anomalies. USA: Perimeter Six. ISBN 978-1-938409-22-6.
^Lee, Victor Robert (15 January 2013). Performance Anomalies: A Novel. Perimeter Six Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-938409-20-2.
^"Burj Al Arab hotel stars in Chinese reality TV show". Arabian Business. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
^"卓美亚集团与「极速前进」首次合作" [Jumeirah Group collaborates with The Amazing Race for the first time]. Neeu (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
^"Press Release". corusent.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
Further reading
[edit]
Rose, Steve (28 November 2005). "Architecture: Sand and freedom". The Guardian.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Burj Al Arab (category)
Official website
Records
Preceded by
Dubai World Trade Center
Tallest building in Dubai
1999 – 2000
Succeeded by
Emirates Office Tower
v
t
e
Jumeirah Group
Facilities
Burj Al Arab
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Jumeirah Carlton Tower
Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel
Madinat Jumeirah
Palais Quartier
Wild Wadi Water Park
Related
Dubai Holding
v
t
e
Timeline of the world's tallest hotels
Hotel New Netherland (71m, 1893)
Hotel Manhattan (76m, 1896)
Westin Book Cadillac Hotel (111.9m, 1924)
Waldorf Astoria Hotel (191m, 1931)
Hotel Ukraina, Moscow (198m, 1953)
Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel (220m, 1973)
Westin Renaissance Center Detroit (221.5m, 1977)
Westin Stamford Hotel (226m, 1986)
Baiyoke Tower II (304m, 1997)
Burj Al Arab (321m, 1999)
Le Royal Méridien Shanghai at Shimao International Plaza (333m, 2006)
Rose Tower (333m, 2009)
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai (355m, 2012)
Gevora Hotel (356m, 2017)
Ciel Tower (377m, 2025)
v
t
e
Dubai skyscrapers
List of tallest buildings in Dubai
Supertalls
> 350 m
Burj Khalifa (828 m)
Marina 101 (425 m)
Princess Tower (414 m)
23 Marina (392.8 m)
Elite Residence (381 m)
Ciel Tower (377 m)
Address Boulevard (370 m)
Almas Tower (360 m)
Gevora Hotel (356 m)
Il Primo Dubai (356 m)
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai (355 m)
Emirates Office Tower (355 m)
The Marina Torch (352 m)
300-350 m
Uptown Tower (340 m)
DAMAC Residenze (335 m)
Rose Rayhaan by Rotana (333 m)
Big Ben Tower, Dubai (328 m)
The Index (326 m)
Burj Al Arab (321 m)
HHHR Tower (318 m)
Ocean Heights (310 m)
Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel (309 m)
Amna Tower (307 m)
Noora Tower (307 m)
Cayan Tower (306 m)
One Za'abeel (305 m)
Address Downtown (302 m)
Skyscraper
250-300 m
Emirates Crown (296 m)
Khalid Al Attar Tower 2 (294 m)
Sulafa Tower (288 m)
Opera Grand (288 m)
Millennium Tower (285 m)
Al Hekma Tower (282 m)
Marina Pinnacle (280 m)
D1 (277.5 m)
Burj Vista Tower 1 (272 m)
Central Park Towers (270 m)
Radisson Royal Dubai (269 m)
21st Century Tower (269 m)
DAMAC Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts (268.1 m)
Al Kazim Towers (265 m)
Ubora Towers (263 m)
Vision Tower (260 m)
Paramount Tower Hotel & Residences (258 m)
Conrad Dubai (255 m)
Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites (254 m)
Chelsea Tower (250 m)
200-250 m
Al Tayer Tower (249 m)
Rolex Tower (247 m)
Al Fattan Marine Towers (245 m)
AAM Tower (244 m)
Sama Tower (240 m)
Churchill Residence (235 m)
Burj Daman (235 m)
Park Place (234 m)
Mag 218 Tower (232 m)
Carlton Hotels & Suites (221 m)
Jumeirah Bay (218 m)
Jumeirah Beach Residence (216 m)
Al Seef Towers (215 m)
Grosvenor House (210 m)
Al Rostamani Maze Tower (210 m)
The One Tower (209 m)
Executive Towers (208 m)
Tamani Hotel Marina (207 m)
Dubai Mixed-Use Towers (201 m)
Shangri-La Hotel (200 m)
150-200 m
Al Salam Tecom Tower (195 m)
Concorde Tower (190 m)
Al Sahab Tower 1 (187 m)
Dubai World Trade Centre (184 m)
Armada Tower 2 (167 m)
Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai (167 m)
Sky Gardens (160 m)
Al Attar Business Tower (158 m)
World Trade Centre Residence (158 m)
Clusters
Jumeirah Lake Towers
Marina 1
The Residences
See also: Future Dubai skyscrapers and List of tallest buildings in Dubai
Category
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Supertall skyscrapers (300 m/984 ft and taller)
Completed
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432 Park Avenue
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53W53
875 North Michigan Avenue
Aon Center
Bank of America Plaza
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Brooklyn Tower
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One57
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St. Regis Chicago
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Asia
China
Baoneng Center
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CITIC Plaza
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Dongguan International Trade Center 1
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Golden Eagle Tiandi Tower A
Golden Eagle Tiandi Tower B
Greenland Puli Center
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Guiyang International Financial Center Tower 1
Hanking Center
Heartland 66 Office Tower
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Huaguoyuan Tower 1
Huaguoyuan Tower 2
Huijin Center Guangzhou
Huiyun Center
Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland Central Plaza
Jin Mao Tower
Jin Wan Plaza 9
Jinan Center Financial City
KK100
Leatop Plaza
Logan Century Center 1
Longxi International Hotel
Minsheng Bank Building
Nanjing International Youth Cultural Centre Tower 1
Awesome Helicopter tour of Dubai and the world Islands. We got to see everything we wanted to see. Tour left on time and everything was very organized.
I recently had the pleasure of taking a helicopter ride with your company, and I wanted to take a moment to share my experience.
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Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates