Just a short walk along a bridge from The Beach on JBR, Bluewaters by Meraas is now open, and just in time for the cooler months (although not much is actually open there yet - more on that below).
At first glance, the island development - the construction of which has been visible from Dubai Marina's beaches for years - feels like a combination of The Beach, CityWalk and La Mer. But then you find yourself at the base of the Ain Dubai, looking up at the wheel that has come to dominate the city’s skyline and you realise you're somewhere entirely different.
As you walk up to it, the second-ever branch of Caesars Palace is at your left, while to the right lie a dozen licensed restaurants looking over the sweeping expanse of the Arabian Gulf, with the beach in the distance. Not only does Bluewaters play host to Caesars Palace, Caesars Resort and Caesars Residences, but it will also roll out more than 100 stores and eateries in the coming months. Ain Dubai, meanwhile, is slated to open at the end of 2019.
A short buggy ride along the pedestrian bridge gets us to the Wharf, where the 22nd branch of Australian chain The Coffee Club opened its doors a week ago. While this is the only operational eatery we spotted on Bluewaters this morning, the weekend will see a host of other first-timers open shop, including Ketch-Up, which serves hand-made gourmet burgers; and Gordon Ramsay’s much anticipated Hell’s Kitchen, located within Caesars Palace, which is opening on November 15.
Caesars will also house Zhen Wei, Roman Lounge, Laurel Bar, Neptune pool bar, Havana Social Club and The Rotunda. The latter takes the form of an enormous white dome, which can seat 500 for the live entertainment shows that Caesars will bring to its Bluewaters branch from time to time.
Other food offerings include fusion Indian restaurant Basanti & Co; Mitts & Trays; Sah El Nom; Un Dimanche A Paris; the Brazilian-Lebanese Tete (which means grandmum in Arabic); Typical Dutch Pancake; and The London Project.
The chefs at The London Project tell us: “Fresh and responsibly caught seafood plays an important role on our menu. Must-try dishes include ika mata, a Pacific-style preparation of ceviche seasoned with coconut milk and fresh vegetables; and of course, fish and chips, served with hand-cut chips, a pea puree, sauce gribiche and malt vinegar. We are also serving premium cuts, including a chocolate-fed Wagyu, while the rest of the menu is plant-based.”
Also open as of last weekend is the Cove (which was formerly in Jumeirah Beach Hotel): the beach club affiliated with Caesars Palace offers pool and beach access, complete with sun loungers and three Jacuzzi cabanas. While hotel guests enter free, the Cove has a redeemable cover charge of Dh150 (weekdays) and Dh250 (weekends) for visitors, and a ladies' day deal on Wednesday for Dh100 a pop, all-inclusive.
On the retail front, some of the signboards we spotted include Typo, SuperDry, Ciel de Perfume, iSea and Beyond the Beach, which sells beach accessories and swimwear from Seafolly, Maaji, Tommy Bahama, Veikini, Zoggs and Havaianas.
The opening also means more island living is coming to Dubai: it also houses 10 residential towers, with show apartments ready for viewing and handovers expected to begin from early next year.
The new bridge to Bluewaters is now accessible from Sheikh Zayed Road, which will get you straight to the underground parking lot, but the walk along the pedestrian bridge from The Beach has the best views of the azure waters, coupled with a sense of leaving the city behind, even though it's only a 15 minute stroll.
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Read more:
Five reasons to visit The London Project restaurant on Bluewaters island
There's now a Hard Rock Cafe at Dubai International Airport
QE2 Dubai: you can now sample the menu that was served on the 1969 maiden voyage
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Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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AL%20BOOM
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
