J – Jumeirah | #AtoZChallenge

J – Jumeirah | #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z

Jumeirah is one word that you will come across the most, after Sheikh Zayed, when in Dubai. Many believe that the word means ‘beautiful’ and some believe it means ‘Gift of God’, though it doesn’t have an official definition. But one look at the Jumeirah district in Dubai and you will believe in both the meanings.
Jumeirah is a residential coastal area of Dubai, which mainly comprises of western expats and local Emirati population. It offers both kinds of dwellings; the extremely expensive ones and some moderate ones for the middle class. The area is particularly famous for its serene sandy beaches, amazing cafes and restaurants, expensive shopping options and beautiful modern walks.
History
We have archaeological shreds of evidence that suggest there was inhabitation in the area around 10 BC during the Abbasid era. At the beginning of the 20^th century, it was a small village where people were mostly fishermen, pearl divers and traders. During the 1960s it started getting populated with western expats and the present day Jumairah beach was then known as Chicago beach.
Some of the main attractions of Jumeirah are:
Jumeirah Beach
Named after the district, Jumeirah Beach is a white sand beach that is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The beach and its surroundings are home to expensive hotel chains and resorts, housings and shopping malls and complexes. The most famous being Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel. It is mostly crowded by the expats.
Jumeirah Public Beach
While the Jumeirah beach might have restricted use, moving ahead to the north of Jumeirah Beach Hotel, you will the Jumeirah Public Beach, which is always open for the general public. It is also known as sunset beach and it is the perfect place to take capture the perfect sunset with Burj Al Arab in the backdrop.
I remember during my stay in Dubai, I would spend the entire night there as it is open for night swimming as well, and return after having breakfast in the nearby 24 hours McDonald’s.

Burj Al Arab
It is the second most iconic structure in Dubai after Burj Khalifa. No picture of Dubai is complete without Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab. It is considered the world’s most luxurious hotel and often described as ‘the world’s only seven-star hotel’ but is actually a five-star hotel, the highest official ranking. The hotel has a dedicated helipad as well whether the famous Nadal-Federer match took place on its inauguration. It is the fifth tallest hotel in the world and a single night stay starts from AED 6000 and can cost up to AED 50000. Yeah go ahead and sell one of your kidneys!
One can pay a visit to the opulent lobby but if you want to go past the lobby and you aren’t staying at the hotel then you need a confirmed reservation at their SkyView Bar, which might not be that cheap. The cocktails start at AED 370 only.
Madinat Jumeirah
Madinat Jumeirah is famous for its superlative resort, its traditional Arab resembling souks and palm-fringed waterways. It resembles an old Arab Village with the interiors reminding you of that era. The resort is the largest in Dubai. Even if you aren’t shopping you will particularly enjoy walking in the maze-like streets of the souk – with various retail outlets and over 50 restaurants and bars. It is just next to the Jumeirah beach hotel, Burj Al Arab and Wild Wadi Water Park.
Jumeirah Mosque
The desert colored Fatimid styled Mosque is one of the most famous and beautiful mosques in Dubai. It is rare in the sense that it is open for non-Muslim as well – under the ‘Open Door Open Minds’ program of the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU). You can understand the Emirati culture in a one-hour guided tour of the mosque. Don’t forget to try that free pastry at the end of the tour.
Etihad Museum
Eithad is the Arabic word for ‘Union’. The Etihad museum, opened in 2017, takes you through the journey of formation of the UAE. It is connected to the iconic Union House, where the treaty for the formation of the federation was signed, through a white travertine plaza. The building is a contemporary elegant design that showcases the heritage of the UAE through Documentary films, photographs, artifacts, timelines and interactive displays.
City Walk
It is the modern concept of a shopping mall, where an array of shopping outlets are placed on both sides of a walk including restaurants, bar and adventure zones. It is an outdoor complex with tree line esplanade and a central fountain. There is a 10-screen cinema complex along with family fun options like Hub Zero and Green Planet.
Green Planet:
Dubai is done with creating islands, tallest building, a ski dome in the middle of the desert – they are now playing with affluence. To add to this list they have now created a tropical rain forest, a bio-dome, that houses more than 3000 species of flora and fauna. It is like taking a walk in the Amazon with the world’s largest artificial tree cover.
Hub Zero
It is an indoor theme park, which is a gamers’ paradise. It has interactive gaming zones with climbing zones, rides and virtual reality. This place beautiful highlights what the future of VR is going to be in gaming. There are about 18 attractions, including a head-spinning VR experience, 3D dark rides, and 4D cinema.
La Mer
La Mer is another destination similar to the City Walk, where the walk is replaced by an exquisite beachfront. Opened in 2018, it’s free to sunbathe or roam the complex and an inflatable playground for Kids.
Eateries and Cafes
Jumeirah is the home for a range of finest dining places. You can find Dubai’s only Buffalo Wild Wings outlet here. Some of the other amazing options include; Bahri Bar, Logma, BuQtair, Lima Dubai, Moshi, Al Fanar and Lime Tree Café.
Jumeirah is the perfect place to live in Dubai with its seamless mix of modernity with heritage. Whether it’s the Jumeirah Archaeological site or Wild Wadi waterpark or the modern La Mer or the City Walk – everything will leave you entranced every time you visit.
For all those who live in Dubai,
For all those who walked at the City Walk,
For all those who sunbathed at the Jumeirah Beach,
And
For all those who love the Jumeirah…
It’s not a goodbye,
But it’s a GOOD BYE.
Manas ‘Sameer’ Mukul
This is the 10th post for the #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z. My theme in Travel Category is ‘Dubai – the City of Gold’, where I would be covering everything about the city in the course of 26 posts.
Read the Previous post here: Dubai – City of Gold
Please do visit tomorrow for the next post with the letter ‘K’
I am also taking part in the #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z using another theme –‘IPL – Indian Parliamentary League’. If you are keen on following key issues pertaining to the upcoming General Elections head over to the Politics Theme and share your feedback.