Palm Jumeirah: An Archipelago of Audacity
From space, the Palm Jumeirah looks like a tree sprouting from Dubai’s coastline, its 17 fronds and crescent-shaped breakwater forming a man-made archipelago. Completed in 2008, this $12 billion project added 78 kilometers of shoreline, hosting luxury hotels like Atlantis, The Palm, and private villas that attract the world’s wealthy.
The Palm’s creation was a marvel of marine engineering. Over 94 million cubic meters of sand were dredged from the Arabian Gulf and sprayed into place using GPS-guided vessels. A 11-kilometer breakwater, built with 7 million tons of rock, protects the island from waves. Yet, environmental concerns linger: studies suggest the project disrupted local marine ecosystems, though Dubai has since invested in artificial reefs to mitigate damage.
Visitors can explore the Palm via a monorail connecting the mainland to Atlantis, where a waterpark and aquarium draw families. Strolling the Boardwalk along the crescent offers views of Dubai’s skyline and the Gulf’s turquoise waters. The Palm Jumeirah embodies Dubai’s knack for turning improbable visions into reality, inviting travelers to ponder the line between innovation and excess.
Photo credits: Wikipedia.
Alexander Agafiev Macambira
Alexander Agafiev Macambira is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.
