Though this rapidly changing section of Dubai Marina is still under development, residents say the views and convenient pedestrian lifestyle make it a desirable location, writes Matt Hryciw
The sun is hanging low in the Saturday afternoon sky as glassy new towers cast long shadows across Dubai Marina. After months of scorching summer heat that have kept most residents off the picturesque walkway that circles the water, Derek Bell and his wife, Chris, pass the occasional jogger and couples walking their dogs on their late-day stroll.
The pair gaze up from the new brick footpath at the shiny glass-and-steel apartments that tower over a dusty vacant lot, the wake from a passing yacht laps at the seawall behind them near Park Island, a group of four recently completed towers that back onto a new paved section of the broad waterfront promenade.
With a camera around his neck, Derek could be mistaken for a tourist in his own neighbourhood, taking in the views of futuristic skyscrapers that circle the man-made lagoon. The two pause to contemplate taking a photo, looking at their flat high up in the Dusit Residence tower they have called home for the past year since moving here for work from the UK.
"This is the first time we've walked along here," Derek says. "We've done the other side often enough so we thought just for a change we'd see how far we could get by walking down here."
In a way, many people who call the Marina Towers neighbourhood home are tourists in their own backyard. Surrounded by the waters of the Marina on three sides and just across the road from the north end of Jumeirah Beach Residence, this is very much an area still coming into its own as new storefronts and luxury condominiums continue to pop up.
Until recently, the Royal Meridien, Habtoor Grand and Grosvenor House hotels outnumbered finished apartment blocks in what has become an overwhelming expatriate residential area especially popular with young couples and western professionals.
In the year that the Bells have called the Dusit Residence home, they have seen the neighbourhood evolve. Supermarkets and restaurants have come and gone along the waterfront, but on the whole, the place seems to feel a little more finished, more alive.
"As the place gets more developed and as more places open, it gets a bit more of a vibrant feel to it. This side of the Marina isn't as developed as the other side, and the more businesses that open, the more life-like it becomes."
In the past few months, the Marinaside walkway between the Dusit and Grosvenor House hotels has come to life with the opening of an Iranian and a Lebanese restaurant. The cafes add an extra buzz to the already busy Piccolo Mondo Bay, City Port Cafe and Bonjour Bonjour, all of which have sprawling patios busy with friends and families catching up over shisha and snacks.
The sunset view past bobbing yachts across the water to the towers of Marina Walk is breathtaking.
Development in other parts of the area, however, seems to have stalled, leaving a gap-toothed feel to what will eventually be a continuous stretch of waterfront activity. Farther south past the bridge that connects the two sides of the Marina, a large empty lot lies behind weathered metal hoarding, with parking for labourers' buses, and the movement of heavy equipment the only real activity. Just across the street looms a gaping hole where excavation for a new tower finished recently, and construction noise is never far off. Farther on, an abandoned construction pit sits full of a dozen whirring pumps keeping the Marina out of what one day will be underground parking.
"It's actually not as bad as we thought," Derek says. "We'd prepared ourselves for noise when we moved in as we figured there'd be quite a bit of disruption. It's no big deal. You can't hear much once you're in the apartment itself. Sometimes there's a bit of a holdup with grinders and diggers and so forth."
Julia Fenemore, also from the UK, has lived in this part of the Marina for four years and has seen more dramatic changes. She now has a bigger area to walk her dog right on the doorstep of Marina Tower where she lives, and appreciates the Marina's shops and growing pedestrian lifestyle.
"The views from my balcony are great and I love the convenience. You can do a lot of walking here. When I first moved in there was no walking whatsoever. You can walk over to JBR, to Marina Walk, and even Media City - places like that are quite close."
But she says the popularity of the nearby beach and restaurants at The Walk at JBR can make transport around Marina Towers tough.
"JBR's a nightmare at the weekends. The traffic literally getting in and out is a nightmare so we try to avoid it at weekends. Taxi drivers won't take you there either because you're stuck in traffic."
Mukesh Raturi from India is the manager at the Noodle Room restaurant on the corner of JBR at the edge of Marina Towers. While the attractions of The Walk next door help bring people to the area, he says the traffic doesn't always translate to big sales.
"JBR is good for tourists, even people who come from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and other places. It's good for people to see the nice view on the back side. But there is not a lot of business on this side - there are more people just looking around than people coming into the restaurant to have a meal."
The bustle of nearby areas can be a double-edged sword; with new businesses and residents comes traffic snarls but also an urban vibrancy.
Gordana Vukcevic owns a coffee shop in Dubai but is returning home to Serbia soon. She lives in Park Island and looks out over the street, JBR and the sea beyond.
"I like noise. I like the sounds of the city. I used to live in the Springs, and it's like living in a little village. No lights, no sounds, nothing. It's like a cemetery. Here, JBR is just across the street, it's a good area and you can walk to the beach."
Vukcevic plans to keep her apartment after she leaves and rent it out. "I love this country."
At weekends the area is busy with sports cars and motorcycles as people come to show off their machines along The Walk nearby, but Chris Bell says she and Derek aren't bothered by the revving engines that echo between the towers. In fact, the Bells are in no rush to leave.
"We had a one-year lease on the apartment which we've just renewed, so I guess that speaks volumes," Derek says. "Even after being here a year, we figure that it's a nice area to be in."
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The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
ENGLAND SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
Lazio v Napoli (9pm)
Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)
Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)
Torino v Bologna (6pm)
Verona v Genoa (9pm)
Roma V Juventus (11.45pm)
Parma v Lecce (11.45pm)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
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Scoreline
Arsenal 3
Aubameyang (28'), Welbeck (38', 81')
Red cards: El Neny (90' 3)
Southampton 2
Long (17'), Austin (73')
Red cards: Stephens (90' 2)
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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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Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
