Joanna James
Duabi is known for going all-out but the Palms Island is probably its most ambitious and project to date. Here are a few surprising facts about the Dubai palms island that you may not have known about.
The island is of course iconic due to its unique design that is shaped after a palm tree, covered by a crescent. But the crescent is actually a breakwater devised to minimize environmental impact and harsh weather conditions to the island. It is made entirely out of fibre, rock and sand. The breakwater features a boardwalk that runs from end to end is quite popular for evening strolls.
As per the orders of the ruling Sheikh of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, engineers were required to replace the traditional method of building concrete foundations with one made entirely out of sand and rock. According to a rough estimation, nearly 100 million cubic meters of sand was dredged from the ocean floor to create the island, and over seven million tons of rock was blasted and transported from a quarry in the Hajar Mountains just outside of Dubai.
Stretching seven kilometres out into the gulf sea, the Palm Island's construction has not only made the coastline world famous for Dubai, but has also further extended the city's boundary line by 180 kilometres. That's over 166% of reclaimed land! In addition, because of its unique form and position, it is one of the few attractions that can be seen clearly from space.
To achieve the creation of the perfect palm tree shape we see today, engineers and sand dredgers used high tech satellite imagery to map out every inch of the island before and during the construction of the foundation for the tree trunk and 17 palm fonds.
Once the breakwater was constructed, a sea tunnel was made to connect the trunk to the breakwater, a further 25 meters below sea level. To be able to build the tunnel under dry conditions, engineers had to created two dykes to form a massive dam that would protect the tunnel. An estimated 5.5 million cubic meters of sea water was pumped out in a record breaking 45 days to drain the tunnel, with over 2,000 fish caught to and moved.
Often referred to as the eighth wonder of the modern world, visitors to the island can expect to see some of the most luxurious private mansions, apartment complexes, and restaurants on the Palm Jumeirah. Hotels are few, but the ones available are 5-star with international resorts like Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, for example, located on the island.
Although it is referred to as an island, the Palm Island is technically not an island since it is still connected to the mainland by a bridge.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
