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Why is it popular? Dubai Marina is considered one of the most prestigious districts. Comfortable apartments, amazing infrastructure, convenient transport connections, and all of this within walking distance from the beach. It's no surprise that many people aspire to settle there.
What to pay attention to? People who have decided to purchase property specifically in Dubai Marina should remember that this district attracts tourists from all corners of the world. Those who value tranquility might not appreciate this. However, if this circumstance doesn't particularly bother you, it's hard to find a better option for relocation.
The small district Dubai Marina is located in the western part of the city and covers approximately 5 square kilometres. This means it's only slightly larger than the smallest district by area, Downtown (just 2 square kilometres).
Dubai Marina stretches along the Persian Gulf coast. On the eastern side, it adjoins the Palm Jumeirah archipelago, and on the western side, it borders the man-made Bluewaters Island.
Behind the district, parallel to the coastline, runs Sheikh Zayed Highway — the emirate's longest street. Along Marina runs an artificial canal of the same name, which flows into the gulf at two points.
The development of Dubai Marina began in 2003, and over the following years, two hundred skyscrapers have been built. The district's development continues to this day. Now it has become known as a global centre for marine tourism.
Image source: Kirill Neiezhmakov / shutterstock.com
Several years ago, a yacht club and the new Dubai Harbour cruise port were opened in the eastern part next to the famous Palm. The port’s scale is certainly impressive: it can simultaneously accommodate two cruise ships plus up to 700 yachts and boats.
Furthermore, Marina offers numerous entertainments. Every winter (December–January), the nearby Bluewaters Island hosts a shopping festival with quite a spectacular drone show. From the local beach, you can perfectly see how light figures appear in the evening sky, reflecting in the mirror-like waters of the gulf.
Dubai Marina, with its abundance of well-appointed hotels and meticulously planned residential complexes, is recognised as one of the most comfortable places to live.
Dubai Marina houses up to forty modern hotels. These are mainly five-star establishments, though there are some three- and four-star options as well. In addition, visitors can find apartments and rental flats, which can be found in Dubai while searching for “Marina District”. Overall, there are many types of accommodation (over 1,000) to suit different tastes and budgets.
Since there are no hostels in the UAE, the most budget-friendly option is a bed in a shared room. You can book a bed there for $20–30. When choosing this option, keep in mind that rooms are either male-only or female-only. So, do not make a mistake when booking your place.
Budget hotels priced at $60–90/night are located quite far from the beach area. Next to the beach are buildings, followed by the marina for yachts, and then a line of inexpensive hotels. It takes about 15–20 minutes to walk from these to the shore. Renting a more comfortable room in the first line of development costs $100/night. The beach would be closer there — within 5–10 minutes walking distance.
The most prestigious rooms are available in hotels located on the beachfront by the sea. These include Rixos Premium, The Ritz-Carlton Dubai, DoubleTree by Hilton, Le Royal Meridien, Sheraton Jumeirah, and others.
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Each of these establishments has its own booking principle. Some are available through tour packages and are not shown in open booking services. Others don't work with tour operators, so it's impossible to stay there with a package tour. Some use only one system for room reservations. All of this needs to be taken into account.
This information is useful for both tourists and relocators.
Dubai Marina allows you to feel not only at a resort but also in the centre of a bustling metropolis. This combination is what attracts many relocators. Marina is an already established, “old” district unlike the new neighbouring projects Creek Harbour or Emaar Beachfront. Nevertheless, residential complexes continue to be built there, and infrastructure continues to expand.
We recommend paying attention to the Bahar residential complex of seven towers at different levels (developer Bahar). It is located in the elite residential area Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). Studios, penthouses, and apartments with multiple bedrooms (no more than 5) are available for sale. For instance, a one-bedroom offer (142 sq ft) in Bahar-2 complex is valued at a minimum of $360,000.
Another project implemented in JBR is Address Beach Residences (developer Al Aseel Investments LLC). Two 77-storey skyscrapers are connected at the top and bottom by gallery bridges, visually transforming them into a hollow quadrilateral.
One tower houses a five-star hotel, the other — apartments ranging from 59–499 sq ft (no more than 5 bedrooms). One-bedroom apartment prices in Dubai Marina district start at $450,000.
Also worth noting is the Marina Gate complex — three towers along Marina Walk promenade (developer Select Group). A studio in this property costs at least $383,000, while a one-bedroom apartment will cost $430,000 and above.
Dubai Marina district is a favourite spot for wealthy digital nomads who work remotely. It has all the best Dubai has to offer, and there's nothing more to look for.
Families with children believe that this area provides the most comfortable and safe environment, not overloaded with vehicular traffic. There are many kindergartens and other infrastructure for the younger generation. However, the main disadvantage of this district is considered to be the absence of schools. Students have to look for them in nearby residential areas.
If you change your mind about living in Marina, you can rent out your property. Note that Dubai Marina ranks third in the city for rental rate growth. Landlord income there amounts to 6–7% annually.
For transportation, you will need a Nol card, and it's best to check routes using special smartphone applications.
You can travel through the entire district by metro in seven minutes, as there are only four stations there. The line itself runs near Sheikh Zayed Road. The metro operates from 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM, on Thursday from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM, and on Friday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM.
The tram line runs along the gulf past crowded embankments and famous promenades. You can reach the beach from any stop by walking to the Arabian Gulf shore. For example, if you get off at Jumeirah Beach Residence 1, you can access JBR Beach. And from the Al Sufouh final stop, you'll reach the excellent Al Sufouh Beach, where there are no noisy tourists.
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The Dubai Marina district has two bus routes: No. 55 and No. 8. The latter operates from morning to evening (4:00 AM–9:20 PM), while the former runs at night (9:25 PM–3:55 AM). There are only 4 stops, located near the tram line. Each bus follows King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, then turns onto Jumeirah Beach Road.
These are mainly used for leisure trips and cruises. Every half hour, ferries run along the local canal from Marina Mall shopping centre to The Walk station in the JBR area. This route is convenient for travelling from the north to the south of the district and vice versa. Transport operating hours are 1:00 PM–10:30 PM.
A taxi can be ordered through the S'hail, RTD, or Careem applications. It's better to install these in advance. However, upon arrival, you can call 4774 and specify your address in a message. Payment can be made in cash, by credit card, or with a Nol card. The fare includes the taxi call-out fee plus meter readings. At the end of the trip, the driver will state the final amount.
Pier7, a seven-storey complex of restaurants and lounges; each floor offers clients a specific type of cuisine. Dubai Marina is the district where you can taste European, English, Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican, and Eastern seafood dishes, descriptions of which are available in the menu.
Those who love grilled food would benefit from visiting Observatory Bar&Grill with its panoramic city views. There you'll be offered pork ribs with fragrant spices, grilled vegetables, and fire-roasted salmon, all of which delight the public with magical aromas and unique, juicy flavours.
Equally famous is Toro Toro, a Latin American cuisine restaurant. Excellent prawns, various meat dishes, a large assortment of cocktails, live music, and beautiful interior have made this establishment quite popular.
For lovers of luxurious places, we recommend visiting Buddha-Bar, where you'll be offered Japanese, Thai, and Indian cuisine. Since this is the district's most famous bar, it's better to book tables in advance. People go there wearing elegant evening dresses and suits.
Fast food fans are advised to visit the famous Blaze Burgers café. French fries, traditional burgers, and very appetising pastries are served there.
The chain of branded cafés from Cinnabon, quite popular worldwide, bakes signature cinnamon rolls, tasty sandwiches, and incomparable coffee.
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It should be noted that alcoholic beverages are restricted in Dubai Marina. They can only be ordered in restaurants where prices are quite high.
Let's provide some information for visitors to Dubai Marina district, as locals already know what to see in these parts.
First of all, you should visit The Walk promenade. If you don't stop at popular cafés and shops along the way, the stroll takes at maximum 15–20 minutes. It's especially beautiful there after sunset when the entire street sparkles with lights.
Additionally, Dubai Marina has a wonderful pier where stunning yachts are moored. Next to it is the Yacht Club offering rental services for dhow boats, catamarans, and small vessels.
Along the canal banks runs a promenade where you can take walks and admire Dubai's skyscrapers. You can also sunbathe at the public beach, which has no entrance fee. For shopping, it's best to visit Marina Mall.
While walking around the district, you can see a series of world-famous skyscrapers. The Marina Torch is one of the tallest residential buildings worldwide. The uniquely constructed Infinity Tower (Cayan) is twisted 90° around its axis.
Princess Tower is the second tallest residential building in the UAE, completed in 2012. Other interesting skyscrapers include Emirates Crown and DAMAC Heights.
For active recreation enthusiasts, AquaFun Water Park is recommended — a water attraction with inflatable trampolines, slides, and tracks. Adrenaline lovers should visit Skydive Dubai, a parachuting centre. There you can fly in a gyrocopter and make an independent parachute jump.
Almost the entire Persian Gulf coastline is occupied by beach zones. Free beaches include Marina Beach and JBR Beach. The coast of Jumeirah Beach Residence can be reached on foot from any hotel in 20 minutes.
As mentioned above, this is a public place. If you don't like the water or it's too noisy around, simply move to another spot (fortunately, the beach is 2,000m long) and relax there.
The beach is equipped to the highest standards: changing rooms, toilets, sun loungers with umbrellas, lifeguards on duty, freshwater taps for washing off sand. The beach area is constantly cleaned and maintained.
Image source: Aleksandra Tokarz / shutterstock.com
Changing rooms and toilets are free, umbrellas and loungers cost 110 Dh per single unit, and 195 Dh per pair. However, you can sunbathe on the sand if you wish, as spaces are currently free.
The beach has about 200 bars, restaurants, cafés, and fast-food outlets. If you want to drink beer, you'll have to search for places that sell it.
JBR Beach offers many excellent entertainments. Several water sports centres offer visitors jet skiing, inflatable boats, banana boats, water skiing, and parasailing (flying over the sea with a parachute).
On weekdays, it's relatively peaceful and uncrowded. On weekends, many locals come to Marina Beach (Dubai) and Jumeirah beach. Then it becomes very crowded, noisy, and packed with holidaymakers “like sardines in a can”.
Similar recreation at Marina Beach is not as comfortable because the beach is slightly further from JBR. Entry is free and you can find a spot to sunbathe on the sand. A pair of loungers with an umbrella will cost about 200 Dh ($55). As visitors note, shower and toilet facilities are paid there. There are changing cabins, and shops and cafés are nearby.
Firstly, the hotels there are excellent. You can find about ten places for $60–80/night. This is an affordable price for average Russians. The selection of luxurious five-star establishments there is the best in the UAE.
Secondly, all the best hotels are near the beach and metro. Visitors to Dubai always have a choice: inexpensive accommodation away from the sea with metro or taxi access, or a beachfront hotel at premium prices. Marina has quite accessible places to stay, just a fifteen-minute walk away from the beach.
Thirdly, the local JBR Beach is considered one of the best in the Emirates. Clear water, excellent infrastructure (toilets, changing rooms, cafés, bars) and perfect cleanliness.
Fourthly, there is plenty of entertainment. Dubai Marina has hundreds of restaurants and fast-food places, children's playgrounds, cinemas, and shops (from grocery stores to various boutiques). There are also large shopping centres there.
Image source: Tomas Marek / shutterstock.com
Fifthly, well-planned transport infrastructure. You can walk to the metro station from any hotel in 20 minutes, then quickly travel to any point in the city.
Like everywhere else, Dubai Marina has some minor drawbacks in terms of living.
First of all — considerable traffic, as this is a tourist district. There are many attractions drawing people from across the country, therefore, it's too crowded during peak hours. The same situation applies to vehicular traffic, which is very heavy there.
Second — it's too noisy. Being a busy tourist zone, Dubai Marina by default cannot be a quiet place. Plus, many cruise ships pass along the shore, with increased traffic towards the evening. Therefore, it's very lively there at any time of day.
The next disadvantage is education. While there are several kindergartens, there are no schools at all. This might be a problem for some. Although there are still plenty of schools nearby in Dubai for studying.
Fourth — difficulties with free parking. Residential towers in the district have specially equipped parking areas for residents. However, it's very difficult for visitors to find public parking spaces.
Fifth — Dubai Marina is uncomfortable for those travelling with pets, as people find themselves in a concrete jungle. There are few parks where animals can be freely walked. Moreover, not every high-rise there is suitable for keeping animals, even those adapted to urban conditions.
The most convenient way to reach Dubai Marina is by metro. Take the train to Damac Properties station (formerly Dubai Marina stop) near the embankment. You can also use bus routes No. 8, 55 or 84. Within the district, it's more convenient to move by tram. Additionally, there are taxi services and car-sharing available.
This aspect is excellent there. Visitors always have many public facilities and maximum conveniences nearby. The district has many supermarkets where you can shop and replenish groceries in the refrigerator.
Image source: Sven Hansche / shutterstock.com
Visitors are also offered modern gyms with excellent equipment and qualified staff. Families with children can enroll their preschooler in any preferred kindergarten.
Customer reviews indicate that Dubai Marina Mall is the best option.
These are, undisputedly, such residential skyscrapers, as DEC Towers, Marina Promenade, and Studio One Tower.
As you can see, Dubai Marina is a typical representative of Dubai's most fashionable and visited districts. There's a place for everyone there.
Some like to spend their time in a lounger with a book, others prefer touring lively parties or shows. And those who relocate there will get 3 in 1: profitable work, fantastic comfort, and an endless festive atmosphere.
Article header image source: Tomas Marek / shutterstock.com
