Dubai Islands
Nakheel's five islands off Deira, formerly Deira Islands. The beach, resorts and Souk Al Marfa are open; the homes on sale are off-plan.
Dubai Islands: the new-build beach one
Dubai Islands is Nakheel's master development off the Deira coast: five reclaimed islands, called Deira Islands until 2022. It suits a buyer who wants a beachfront home close to the airport and old Dubai, and who can wait while the district fills in. It doesn't yet suit a family that needs a school nearby.
For now, most of what is open serves visitors. Riu Dubai opened in 2020 and Centara Mirage Beach Resort in 2021. Souk Al Marfa, an indoor market along 1.9 km of waterfront, opened in August 2021. Dubai Islands Beach is open from sunrise to sunset, and Nakheel's marina has 248 berths.
The plan is large: about 49,000 homes for more than 231,000 residents (Dubai Media Office, April 2026). The homes on sale are off-plan, from Nakheel, Ellington and Beyond, so there is no rental record yet to judge yields by. With that much supply to come, check each project's handover date and what else finishes around it.
Access is by road only. The RTA opened bridges from Al Khaleej Street in Deira in 2020. A 1,425 m bridge from Bur Dubai, first due in 2026, was still being built in May 2026. There is no metro: Nakheel puts Gold Souq station 10 minutes away by car, and the airport 20.
The beach
A public beach already open
Dubai Islands Beach is open from sunrise to sunset, and Nakheel's beaches here won Blue Flag status in 2023.
Getting around
20 minutes to the airport
That is Nakheel's drive time. Gold Souq metro station is 10 minutes by car; the islands have no metro.
Worth knowing
Much of it is still being built
The homes on sale are off-plan, and Island B's roads and utilities were only contracted in April 2026.
Dubai Islands
Off-Plan Properties
Explore our off-plan real estate offerings.
Talk to Diamond
Twenty-five years in property, the last of them in Dubai. Ask about a specific building, what a mortgage would look like, or whether a price is fair.
Call or message on WhatsApp:
One-stop shop! My goal was a Golden Visa for my family and my parents. She organised the off-plan purchase, the financing, the visa, and now the rental management — and completed all of it without me ever being in the country. Couldn't ask for better full-service support.
Don't Blink
Dubai Islands: beaches first, homes later
Five reclaimed islands off Deira where the beach, resorts and souk opened first, and the homes are still being built.
The beach
Sand before streets
Dubai Islands Beach is open from sunrise to sunset. Nakheel plans 21 km of beachfront in all.
Souk Al Marfa
An indoor, air-conditioned market along 1.9 km of the waterfront, open since August 2021.
A marina for 248 boats
Nakheel's marina, launched in 2023, takes boats up to 47 metres and has room for 13 superyachts.
Getting around
Two road links, one still coming
Deira's bridges opened in 2020. The RTA's Bur Dubai bridge was still being built in May 2026.
Worth knowing
The homes on sale are off-plan
Nakheel, Ellington and Beyond are all selling off-plan. Check each handover date before you commit.
