Palm Jumeirah Walks

My friends who recently went for a vacation tour of Dubai had been regaling us with hilarious and enjoyable anecdotes about their trip, at a recent get-together. Their escapades were really entertaining to hear, especially the fun filled and enthralling walks around Palm Jumeirah. Listening to their lively stories, I was literally in awe. However, it was a madhouse with everyone trying to ask questions, so I was unable to make mine heard over the din. A walk around Palm Jumeirah can be that engrossing? I was really interested so I decided to scout around to find more details, read on to know more about Palm Jumeirah walks.

Can you walk around Palm Jumeirah? In November of 2016, Palm Jumeirah opened to the public the Boardwalk, which is an 11 kilometers stretch of plank covered beachfront walk meandering around the outer crescent of the Palm Jumeirah fronds. An exclusive pedestrian zone hailed as the best place to take the safest leisurely walk in the Arabian Gulf. A walkway that is isolated to the hazards of cars and other motor vehicles where parents with small children can promenade without worries of even a bicycle accidentally hitting their child because even bicycles are not allowed there.

What does the Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk offer

Exhilarating views

Besides the famous safest walk experience the promenader can also enjoy the awe-inspiring view of graceful and beautiful skyscrapers on the shore side of the Boardwalk. This is the view that will dominate your sights as you walk from Rixos to the One and Only The Palm. You will pass by the iconic Zabeel Saray and the palatial Atlantis that is lording over in the middle. Turning your head to the opposite direction the calm serenity of the verdant blue sea will greet your sight. Nothing could be as soothing as the light lapping sound of the sea as you walk along the promenade.

More ways to take in the views

Dubai tourists and residents flock to their favorite walkway every day to socialize, that the Boardwalk is being expanded to accommodate more promenaders. An additional four 1.6 kilometers walkways extending from the center trunk are being built. With the expansions, more glass-encased cafes and restaurants will be opened. Promenaders then could choose to sit and enjoy some refreshments inside the cool cafes and restaurants to view the panoramic scenery outside through the clear glass walls when it’s too hot or they are too tired to walk.

How to get there

The Boardwalk meanders along Crescent Road hugging the outside fronds of The Palm. It is not recommended to walk from the trunk to the Boardwalk as it could easily be about 20 minutes ride, about 90 minutes of walk. Maybe in cooler months if you’re really interested but during the summer season, it really would be impossible. The easiest way to get there is to drive by car or ride the monorail towards Atlantis.

Drive a car to the edge of the Boardwalk

By car, your route will follow the trunk of the Palm inside the 1.4 km long 38m wide sub-sea tunnel, which will bring you directly to the edge of the Boardwalk. 350 parking spaces are available along the Boardwalk edge for visitors who drives by car to go there, and these are free of charge. Although this Dubai tourist destination is popular, don’t worry, even during the peak season, there is always plenty of parking spaces.

Ride the monorail to the entrance of the Boardwalk

At the base of the trunk right at the entrance of the Palm get the monorail, then you get off at Atlantis. There you can use one of the 14 entrances to enter the promenade. Many people tourists and residents use this mode of transport to go to the walkway. You will not get lost if you just follow the throng.

Boardwalk’s best viewing points

Not all who had promenaded along the Boardwalk agree on one best spot to get the best view of both worlds. For this, I read reviews about Palm Jumeirah walks to know how tourists like the scenic views offered by the promenade. I read that the best points to view the city of Dubai on the Boardwalk are the ones near Rixos and the One and Only The Palm. And the best point to take in the view of the Gulf is near Atlantis.

The point near Atlantis is also pointed out as the best point to take those iconic selfies. With the magical beauty of the palatial Atlantis hovering on the backdrop, your Facebook Story and Instagram Story will surely be a hit among friends and followers. Also pointed out is the breathtaking view of the iconic majesty of the Zabeel Saray, you better to watch out for it when out promenading along the Boardwalk.

Eats and refreshments

The Boardwalk is designed to hold 30 food trucks but only 5 were commissioned when it opened. How I did my best to get the names I only found 3 concessions out of the currently operational food trucks offering an assortment of refreshing drinks, fish and chips snacks, falafels, spaghetti, and shawarmas at the Boardwalk. These three are the healthy joint Pineapple Express which offers not only fresh juices but also healthy snacks, Tribeca and Bob’s Fish & Chips.

Best times to go take a walk at the Boardwalk promenade

According to a lot of people who had the chance to enjoy a promenade along the Boardwalk, the best times to go are early morning and late evening. There are also who take exceptions and find the lively atmosphere of the day when the place is packed exciting.

Early morning when the breeze is cool and very few people are around. You can jog instead of walking as the temperature is just right for this kind of slightly vigorous activity without making you sweat uncomfortably. You can also get the most enjoyable scenic view out of these few hours of peace because you are there alone or the few people around love solicitude so much just like you to be a nuisance.

It is also best to go there late evening when you can take a successful selfie successfully with just one or two shots. There are a few people there and they are the kind that will be too engrossed with each other to become bothersome seatmates or fellow promenaders. The shore side view is also breathtaking late at night what with the magical palatial hotels fully lighted, vying with each other amidst the blackness of the night sky.

During the course of the day as the hours progress, the Boardwalk slowly filled with people. Tourists and residents alike come to the Boardwalk for various reasons. Residents brought friends over for a novel experience and others are tourists who are first time visitors. Some people residents and tourists alike have been there many times and love the bustle of the crowded Boardwalk at those times of day that they timed their visit for those hours.

There are no right or wrong times to visit the Boardwalk. The best times are the choices of each individual which states a choice. As to each of your preferences, you can base from these viewpoints when is the time you want to experience the best boardwalk has to offer. You may go there during all the hours mentioned to compare which is the best experience; early morning, late evening or the scorching sunny daytime.

Related questions

What other parts of Palm Jumeirah you can walk around?

Al Ittihad Park

The Boardwalk is not the only walkway you can find in Palm Jumeirah. Another walkway, the Al Ittihad Park can be found at the base of the trunk, the entrance to the Palm under the Metro. It is a 2.5 km circular walkway with rows of charming and fancy little coffee shops and eateries lining the sides, where promenaders can make a stop and grab some snacks. There are also little florists and key cutters boutiques and one side of the park is a space equipped with gym equipment and children’s play areas.

The Al Ittihad Park walkway’s highlight is its beautifully landscaped rockery with water features and 60 species of indigenous plants and trees. It is another place for young children to get entertained especially during night time. It is the time when the place is full of families entertaining their little ones in the play area of the park.

The Pointe

The Pointe is another iconic attraction at Palm Jumeirah. A hotspot for the remarkable lifestyle only Dubai can offer to residents and tourists alike, it embodies the Emirates’ culture and heritage. Another unique and stunning, addition to Dubai’s offering of sumptuous dining, exhilarating shopping, and refined entertainment experience. It rules its own vista at the top of the Palm’s trunk opposite Atlantis. Hugging the coastline, it is shaped like a soft W crowned by a dancing water fountain centerpiece.

When it opened its doors to the public in December 2018 it is a bustling little metropolis boasting of 53 places to eat and 17 places to shop that could quickly gobble up your hard-earned money if you’re not careful. Two work out and training gyms, a nightclub cum karaoke bar, a huge kids’ play area, and the very first outdoors cinema complete the count of the action The Pointe has to offer. The parking spaces are plentiful too, it was 1,600 at the last count.