Jumeirah Islands

Jumeirah Islands is in New Dubai, inland from Dubai Marina and next to Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT). Nakheel lists travel times of about 10 minutes to DMCC Metro Station, about 14 minutes to Ibn Battuta Mall and about 30 minutes to Dubai International Airport. Nearby communities include:

• Jumeirah Lake Towers and its metro station, next door.
• Dubai Marina and the beach, a short drive away.
• Jumeirah Park, another Nakheel villa community.
• Emirates Living, Emirates Hills and The Meadows, the Emaar villa neighbourhoods close by.

• By metro: the community is a short drive from the Red Line. Nakheel lists about 10 minutes to DMCC Metro Station, and the JLT stations next door are also shown on the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) metro map. Check the current RTA network before relying on it for a daily commute.
• By road: Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Marina, Media City, Internet City and Al Barsha are all minutes away, which is why people choose the community for a short commute.
• Inside the community: the islands are linked by internal roads, with a waterside jogging track at the Pavilion.

Shopping and dining: the Pavilion

The Pavilion is the community's social and retail centre. Nakheel opened it on the north-western side of the community as a waterfront shopping centre of about 30,000 sq ft, anchored by a Choithrams supermarket, with cafes and restaurants beside it and a 1.1 km waterside jogging track around it. It serves daily shopping and dining without leaving the community. Tenants change over time, so check what is open before you go.

Parks, lakes and sport

• The lakes themselves are the main feature. Most homes face the water and the islands are laid out so that many streets have lake views.
• The waterside jogging track at the Pavilion is a ready-made route for runners and walkers.
• Jumeirah Islands Club is part of the community, which Nakheel also describes as having mosques and nurseries.
• For larger parks across the city, see our guide to the best parks in Dubai.

Family and schools

Schools are in the surrounding districts. Dubai British School Jumeirah Park is a separate school listed in the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) directory, and there are more schools in Al Barsha, Jumeirah Park and Jumeirah Village Circle. Check the KHDA directory for current ratings and fees.

Beaches and days out

The nearest public beaches are at Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence, a short drive away, along with the Marina Walk dining scene covered in our things to do in Dubai Marina guide. See also properties with beachfront access and night beaches in Dubai.

The 46 islands are the clusters. Each is a small ring of villas around its own stretch of water, and the clusters are designed in different architectural themes, which is why the community looks varied rather than uniform. When people search for a particular cluster name, they usually want to know three things: how many bedrooms, which way the garden faces, and whether the villa overlooks water.

Families and downsizers who want a large villa with water on the doorstep and a genuinely short commute: JLT, Dubai Marina, Media City and Sheikh Zayed Road are all minutes away. It appeals to people who would otherwise consider Emirates Living but want water rather than golf or a grid of streets.

It is less suited to anyone who wants to walk to a metro station every day or who wants a large number of homes to choose from; supply is limited, so it pays to register your requirements early. Our complete guide to buying a villa in Dubai covers the steps and costs.

Jumeirah Islands or Emirates Living?

Emirates Living (The Springs, The Meadows, The Lakes and Emirates Hills) is an Emaar community with more homes, golf and a broader choice of home types. Jumeirah Islands is smaller and built around water, with every home on one of 46 islands. If you want the lake outlook and a shorter drive to JLT and the Marina, Jumeirah Islands is the one to look at first.

Jumeirah Islands or Jumeirah Park?

Jumeirah Park is another Nakheel villa community with its own Pavilion. It is laid out as streets of villas and townhouses rather than islands, so the main difference is the water: at Jumeirah Islands the lake is part of nearly every plot.

Jumeirah Islands or apartments in JLT?

Many people who live in Jumeirah Lake Towers and want more space move next door to Jumeirah Islands, keeping the same schools, metro and offices within reach while gaining a garden and a private cluster.

Life here is quiet and green. Residents walk along the lakes, shop at the Pavilion, and drive for everything else. Because the community is gated, traffic inside is light, which suits children and cyclists. The trade-off is age and upkeep: many villas are original, so condition varies, and a renovated villa commands a clear premium over one in original state.

Tenants should view in daylight to see how the garden and lake outlook work, and ask which appliances, cooling units and pool equipment are covered by the landlord. Large villas can have high cooling bills in summer, so ask for recent Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) bills to judge the running cost. Confirm the cluster, the parking arrangement and the move-in dates before you sign.

Buyers should compare villas on the same island or in the same theme, rather than across the whole community, because outlook and plot size change the value more than the headline bedroom count. Ask for the community charges, check that any extension has approval, and consider a survey of the roof, air conditioning and pool plant. The villa buying guide lists the steps, and the Dubai Land Department explains registration and fees on its official site.

• Which cluster and whether the villa faces water, which is the main price driver here.
• Age and condition, since many villas are original and renovation is common.
• Whether any extension was approved, because unapproved work blocks a sale later.
• Community and service charges, which include maintaining the lakes.
• Cooling costs on a large villa.

Stock changes weekly, and there may be nothing listed in Jumeirah Islands today. Tell us what you are looking for using the form on this page and we will come back to you when something fits, or browse what we currently hold for sale and to rent. Our tenant guide explains the rental process.