Palm Island in Dubai: the eighth wonder of the world! Palm Jumeirah - an elite island in Dubai, UAE

Dubai - amazing place in the middle of the desert, in which achievements scientific and technological progress XXI century intertwined with ancient culture. One of the emirate's most ambitious projects is artificial islands.

The Palm Islands are an archipelago of man-made islands on Earth. Between the islands there are also artificial archipelagos "Mir" and "Universe" of small islands. All this creation can be seen from the moon with the naked eye.

Let's start with the palm islands. They are located in the UAE, in the emirate of Dubai. The archipelago includes three major islands, each having the shape of a palm tree.

The Palm Jumeirah is the smallest and most original of the three islands. This is the first palm island and a great achievement in the history of world architecture. The construction of the island began in June 2001, in 2006 it was handed over for development.

It consists of a trunk, 16 leaves, and a crescent that surrounds the island and forms an 11 km long breakwater. Diameter - 6 km. "Crescent" is a barrier that surrounds and protects the "Palma" from sea ​​waves. It has hotels.

For example, the Atlantis Hotel is located here - one of the most interesting, sought-after and controversial hotels in the Emirates.

Under construction:

Almost like a mirage

Night view of the Atlantis hotel:

The "crown" of Palma consists of 17 "branches" - microdistricts, rushing into the sea. On the branches there are exclusive villas that differ in size and design:

Residential areas include about 8,000 two-story mansions. 2007:

"The Trunk" (The Trunk) is central part Palm trees where the parks are, shopping centers, restaurants and high-rise residential buildings.

Construction of the central part - the "trunk":

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. underwater tunnel. The Palm Jameirah is valued at approximately $14 billion.

Construction started in October 2002:

This is how the island was supposed to look according to the project:

The bulk artificial island was handed over for development at the end of 2007. It is 50% larger than Jumeirah. More than 1,000 bungalows based on piles in the Polynesian style are planned to be built along the coastline:

But not everything is so rosy here: at present, due to low demand for real estate, most construction work on the Palm Jebel Ali is temporarily suspended.

This is the largest artificial island of the trio. Its construction began in November 2004.

Few numbers. Deira will be 8 times the size of the Palm Jumeirah and 5 times the size of the Palm Jebel Ali. The distance from the coast to the top of the "crescent" is 14 km, the width of Palma is 8.5 km. The branches of the Palm will vary in length and will be 400-850 apart. The crescent with a total length of 21 kilometers will be the largest breakwater in the world.

It is interesting to observe the process of building an artificial island:

Palm Deira will be built at a depth of 5 to 22 meters.

The creation of a "trunk", 41 branches and a protective crescent will take a billion cubic meters of stones and sand. The length of the branches varies, the distance between them will be from 840 to 3,340 meters.

Once completed, Palm Deira will become the largest man-made island in human history, which will serve as a habitat for 1 million people. Fully work is planned to be completed by 2015, although this date is not final.

A few photos of what Palm Deira will look like:

As you can see on the map, between the Palms there are also artificial archipelagos "World" and "Universe" from small islands.

This is an artificial archipelago, consisting of several islands, with a general shape resembling the continents of the Earth (hence the name - "World"). It is located 4 kilometers from coastline Dubai.

artificial islands in the Mir archipelago are created mainly from the sand of the shallow coastal waters of Dubai. It was difficult to find a place for this project, because the coastline was already occupied by the Palm Islands. Then it was decided to build islands 4 km from the coast.

Construction of artificial islands. Sand was dredged from the bottom of the Persian Gulf and sprayed over the construction site to create islands:

total area The Mir archipelago is 55 sq. km. That makes him largest artificial archipelago in the world. The size of the islands is from 14 thousand to 83 thousand square meters, the width of the straits between them is from 50 to 100 meters with a depth of up to 16 meters.

"Mir" is connected to the mainland only by water and by air. From big waves The islands are protected by an artificially erected breakwater:

In April 2004, the first island, dubbed Dubai, emerges from the water. Unlike Palm Islands, the Mir archipelago is not connected to the continent and there are no bridges here. All building materials were shipped by sea.

Breakwater erection:

By May 2005, 15 million tons of rock had been dumped into the bay.

In the future, the archipelago is planned to be enlarged by the creation of new islands under the Universe project (see map above).

Will artificial islands be washed away? The Mir archipelago, despite the fact that it is completely surrounded by water, is designed very reliably - artificial islands can hide under water no earlier than in 900-4,000 years, reports Arabian Business.

The most luxurious houses on the planet will be located on the islands of the Mir archipelago. Not everyone can buy an island: the Nakheel developer itself sends out invitations (50 pieces a year) to the wealthy elite.

The price of one island reaches 38 million dollars and varies depending on the location, size, and proximity to other islands.

Access to all 300 islands will be by sea or by air, regular ferries, as well as private yachts and boats.

Russian moneybags have already bought up all of "Russia" - one of the most large archipelagos in the world. The representative of the developer Hamza Mustafal says that one Russian developer bought two "Russian" islands at once - "Rostov" and "Yekaterinburg". The island "Siberia" was bought by an unnamed Russian woman who is going to sell it in parts.

According to the plans of the creators, the Mir archipelago will become an elite community, which will consist of the chosen inhabitants of the Earth, service personnel and tourists, total number which will not exceed 200,000 people.

Javascript is required to view this map

Island Palm, also known as San Miguel de La Palma, is located in Atlantic Ocean, is part of the territory, and is part of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This is one of the most high islands on the planet in relation to its area. It is distinguished by an abundance of volcanoes and magnificent natural scenery, for which it has long been called "la Isla bonita", which means "beautiful island".

Peculiarities

Palma is considered perhaps the youngest piece of land in the Canaries. Its age is only about 2 million years. The surface is abundantly covered with dense pine and laurel forests, giving this massive green oasis a natural flair. From the central part of the island to southern regions, passes a chain of volcanoes, some of which are active today. In the northern region of Palma, there is the world's largest crater of erosional origin - Caldera de Taburiente, which was given the status of national park. Convenient areas for beach holiday there is little in the resort due to its geological structure, therefore, to a greater extent, tourist interest in it is caused by unique natural attractions. In 2002, UNESCO declared Palma a World Biosphere Reserve. Most of local population engaged in agriculture, where the main crops are bananas and potatoes. Much attention is paid to the cultivation of tobacco, which is not inferior in quality to Cuban cigars and is of considerable interest among tourists who buy it as souvenirs. The crime rate on the island is extremely low, but unemployment is high.

general information

The area of ​​the island is 708 sq. km, with a population of about 90,000 people. Local time behind Moscow by 2 hours in summer and 3 in winter. Time zone UTC+0 in summer UTC+1. Telephone code Palm trees: (+34) 922. Official website www.lapalmaturismo.com.

A brief excursion into history

Age canary islands is more than 30 million years old, and Palma, according to some scientists, may be a remnant of the mainland of ancient Atlantis. However, this is just speculation. Historically, these lands were inhabited by Aurite tribes, traces of which were found by researchers in many places on the island. In the Middle Ages, pirates often visited here. There are many legends about their activities, treasures and treasures. Cultural enlightenment in the form of the construction of churches, the appearance of works of art, sculptures and crafts, came to the island in full with the heyday of the Renaissance, after which the importance of Palma in the life of the country also increased.

Climate

On climatic conditions islands are strongly influenced by warm air currents from north coast Africa, as a result of which the air temperature rises. Even in the winter months, the thermometer, as a rule, fluctuates around +18 degrees, although in summer it rarely rises above +28, on average limited to +23. Rains mainly occur in late autumn and spring, while from June to August they are almost non-existent. It is this time period, as well as the period from September to October, that is considered the most optimal for a trip to the island.

How to get there

Palma has its own international airport, but it only accepts charters from a few European countries. Mostly planes fly here from neighboring islands archipelago, including, and Hierro. In addition, between the Canary Islands there is ferry service, in particular, ferries to Palma regularly follow from Tenerife and Gomera. From Russia and some CIS countries, you can directly get to the Canary Islands only by a flight to Tenerife.

Transport

The most convenient way to get around the island is by car. There are also Shuttle Buses, which, although they do not always adhere to the schedule, go regularly and in all directions.

Cities

The capital of the island is small town Santa Cruz de La Palma, located in its eastern part and founded in 1493 by the Spanish conquistador Alon so Fernandez de Lugo. It fully corresponds to the appearance of the colonial port city and has several interesting architectural objects, including the church of St. Salvador, the castle of St. Catalina, towering right on the ocean, and the Museum of the Navy, housed in the original building, made in the form of the caravel of Christopher Columbus "Santa Maria". On the city streets there are many palaces and mansions built in the 17th-18th centuries by noble citizens.

Beaches

In the role of the main tourist centers for a beach holiday are the village of Los Lancajos on east coast and Puerto Naos in the district of Los Llanos de Aridane in the western part of Palma. Also noteworthy is the city of Los Llanos, located in close proximity to the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. All these areas have comfortable hotels, well-established transport links and developed tourism infrastructure. The most popular among beach lovers is the beaches of Puerto Naos with the longest coastal strip of black volcanic sand and lying 2 km to the south - Charco Verde, ideally suited for families with small children. The beaches of Playa de la Barqueta, Playa la Martina and, located apart from all the others, Playa de la Vota, are more suitable for lovers of secluded relaxation.

Attractions and entertainment

In terms of excursions and eco-tourism, Palma can give a hundred points ahead of almost any resort in the Canary Islands. One of the main natural attractions of these places is national park La Caldera de Taburiente with a giant crater 8 km in diameter and 2 km deep. Numerous hiking trails have been laid across the territory of the reserve, the movement along which, in certain areas, requires serious physical endurance. Among the most picturesque objects, the peak of Pico de la Cruz, the "Gorge of Fear" with a height of over 2000 meters, the Roca de los Muchachos trail, the observation deck on Mount Muchasos and hiking trail Lomo de las Chosas. You can get to the park by bus or car from the capital Santa Cruz.

Another outstanding natural attraction of Palma is the rocky walls of the gorge. Barranco del Agua, are a preserved fragment of an ancient laurel forest, declared in 1983 by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. It has an area of ​​5 sq. km, and you can enjoy fabulous views from observation deck in Mirador Las Barrandas. If you climb the steep climbs to the peaks of the Caldera de Marcos y Cordero, then from there you will see views of the majestic waterfalls of the island. Fans of antiquities should definitely visit the archaeological area of ​​La Sarza, with caves carved on the walls rock paintings and other evidence of the existence in these places of the ancient tribes "Benahoares". Information Center La Sarza has a museum, in the halls of which unique exhibits are exhibited, related to the times of the existence of the Benajoares. Those who wish have the opportunity to watch a short film about unusual finds and the results of research conducted in the area by archaeologists.

In addition to the popular excursion routes there are many others on the Palm interesting places, including unknown picturesque cliffs, wild beaches, mysterious caves and volcanoes. Those tourists who do not have enough local beauties can take a boat trip to other islands of the archipelago. To get acquainted with the culture and traditions of Palma, as well as appreciate some architectural monuments past, you should definitely visit the capital Santa Cruz de La Palma, visit the small village of Los Llanos, visit El Paso, famous for its silk products. Palmitos Park is an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the beautiful and has a huge number of butterflies, as well as a whole scattering of exotic birds. A little north of Santa Cruz is the church of the patroness of the island - the Holy Madonna with her terracotta statue and an altar of Mexican silver. You can taste local wine and learn some of the secrets of its preparation in the city of Fuencaliente, not far from El Paso.

Kitchen

Great pleasure for real gourmets and connoisseurs canarian cuisine give local restaurants, which have a wide selection of dishes, which contain a whole range of different taste sensations. Fresh fish, pork, goat meat, all kinds of vegetable soups and side dishes, combined with mojo sauce, give a lot of vivid impressions, and tropical fruits with a touch of exoticism and delicious wines of long-term aging, harmoniously fit into any menu.

shopping

Shoppers rarely leave Palma disappointed. There are many shops, souvenir shops and shopping centers where you can buy anything you want. In Santa Cruz, the choice of goods is the widest. Souvenirs, clothes, shoes, and jewelry are available here. Connoisseurs of good tobacco should visit Tobacos Vargas tobacco factory and low prices buy beautifully packaged tobacco, ideal also as a gift. In the village of Maso, ceramics are very popular. El Paso has good shops specializing in the sale of wine and liqueurs, as well as shops where you can buy silk products.

Palma is not the most visited resort. Suffice it to say that there are only about 7,000 hotel rooms to the whole island. Most tourists come here to explore the natural component of Palma and walk along the most reserved places enjoying the beauty of the local landscapes. In general, tourist interest in the resort is very high, especially among travelers who prefer active species recreation.

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. Island name ( Palm Jumeirah) translates as "Palm Crown". The characteristic shape was chosen not only in honor of the symbol of the emirate, but also based on careful calculations. With a relatively small size in diameter - 5.5 kilometers - the trunk has 17 branches with a total coastline of 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.

More recently, the Arab Emirates were known to the world for their deserts and the presence of such valuable raw materials as oil. But some time passed and everything changed. Now everyone is fascinated by the images of Arab beauties and secretly dreams of getting there, seeing these cosmic wonders with their own eyes, and world celebrities and tycoons are fighting for every square meter in Dubai. The reason for everything is the gigantic buildings of indescribable beauty. All the largest that is on our planet (fountains, hotels, towers, parks) is located in the UAE. One of these wonders is considered to be artificial islands in the form of date palms on the coast of the Persian Gulf - Jebel Ali, Jumeirah and Deira.

Palm Jumeirah in the UAE is located in the Dubai Marina area, see how it is located on the map relative to other artificial islands:

Sorry, the map is temporarily unavailable

The construction of Jumeirah Palm began in 2001. A dozen and a half thousand builders were involved in the work, who also lived there. Work did not stop for a minute, shift after shift, day after day, month after month, and in 2006 the island was ready. The material used was stone and sand, which was mined from the bottom of the bay. The whole island consists of the main trunk and 17 palm leaves. A crescent moon was also built around the palm tree - a symbol of all Muslims, which also serves as a breakwater and protects the island from high waves and storms, its length is 11 km. Thus, the total area of ​​Jumeirah exceeds 25 sq. km., which is equal to 800 football fields.

After the work on the island was completed, the architects began building up the territory. Soon, chic villas, hotels, shopping centers, not to mention palm trees and other plants, grew on the sand. Most of the Palm Jumeirah real estate has already been sold and occupied. The architecture is made in different styles: from Arabic to European.

Atlantis The Palm is the most luxurious hotel in the world.

Jumeirah Island is actually a peninsula, since it is connected to the mainland by a 300 m long bridge. A tunnel under water was built so that the inhabitants of the island could quickly move around the territory. And for the implementation transport communication Jumeirah with the mainland built a monorail.

The scale of the island is so large that you can even see it from space.

Currently in the United United Arab Emirates there are many wonders created by architects and builders. In my articles I will talk about all the creations of man and not only, but first of all I want to talk about the Palm Islands. The Palm Islands are man-made islands that look like a palm tree from a bird's eye view. And there are three such islands: Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira.

This palm archipelago is located in the emirate. The purpose of creating such islands was to increase the coastline by 520 kilometers, which in turn would attract new tourists and investors.

All islands are made in the form date palm which is highly revered in Islam. Each island has a crescent at the top, which acts as a breakwater and is also a Muslim symbol. In June 2001, they began to build the first Palm Island in Dubai - Jumeirah, consisting of a "trunk" with 17 branches, and the length of the breakwater - a crescent is 11 kilometers. The creation of this island took 7 million cubic meters of sand. The total area of ​​this island is 25 square kilometers. 28 hotels will be built on the crescent. Also, 1400 villas, 20 buildings with 2500 apartments were built here. It is planned to build another 32 hotels. The main attraction of this island is the Atlantis complex, consisting of two pompous towers connected by a bridge. The total length of Jumeirah's beaches is 78 kilometers.

In October 2002, construction began on the second Palm Island in Dubai, Jebel Ali. The creation of this palm tree took 100 million cubic meters of sand and rock. Palm Jebel Ali larger than a palm tree Jumeirah and has a more exotic shape. It is planned that the main destination of this island will be the reception of tourists. 2,000 Polynesian-style bungalows and 2,000 individually designed houses will be built on the coastline. IN this moment work is underway to build infrastructure. Last but not least, it is planned to build residential buildings. It is planned to build a residential complex of concrete and glass, where the buildings will be in the form of yacht sails. The crescent of this island will host 4 theme parks.

In the fall of 2004, construction began on the third palm tree - Deira. This is the most big Island out of all three. It will take 1 billion cubic meters of sand and rock to create it. By the way, all materials for all palm trees are mined in the UAE. When completed, this island will be the largest man-made island in human history, with one million permanent residents. Construction is planned to be completed by 2015, but most likely this date will have to be postponed for several years, too large volumes and costs. The area of ​​this island is 112 square kilometers and it represents the most exotic palm tree, which has a massive "trunk" and 41 branches.

During the construction of palm trees, a huge number of problems arose and arise, and not only of a financial nature. According to environmentalists, the construction of breakwaters, which prevent the movement of aquatic inhabitants, causes great harm to the ocean environment. These barriers are already causing water stagnation, and with the appearance of inhabitants on the islands, the problem of pollution of the bay will become even more acute. But this is only the “tip of the iceberg” of the consequences of the construction of the islands. All construction is planned to be completed by 2015. And only then will we know whether this huge construction site will turn into a corner of paradise for millions of lucky people.

Services for tourists that will save or get more for the same money:

• – the journey begins with the choice of profitable insurance, the service allows you to find the best option according to your requirements;