Bluewaters Island
A small man-made island by Meraas off the JBR coast, with about 700 low-rise sea-view homes, two beach hotels and the Ain Dubai wheel, linked to The Beach at JBR by a footbridge.
Bluewaters Island sits about 400 metres off the coast of Jumeirah Beach Residence, opposite The Beach. Meraas, part of Dubai Holding, began building it in 2013 at a cost of about AED 6 billion and opened it in November 2018. Cars reach it by its own bridge from Sheikh Zayed Road, and people on foot cross a 265 metre footbridge from The Beach at JBR.
The homes are in Bluewaters Residences: ten low-rise buildings of no more than 15 storeys, with about 698 apartments, 17 townhouses on the podium levels and a few penthouses. Apartments run from one to four bedrooms. A second project by Meraas, Bluewaters Bay, adds two towers with about 678 more apartments; it has sold out and is due to be completed in 2027.
The rest of the island is given over to visitors. Banyan Tree Dubai and Delano Dubai have the beachfront, and The Wharf beside the Ain Dubai observation wheel holds more than 130 shops, restaurants and cafes, along with Madame Tussauds Dubai and the Brass Monkey entertainment venue. With so few homes, Bluewaters is one of the most expensive addresses per square foot on this stretch of coast.
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Getting around
There is no Metro station on the island. On foot, the 265 metre footbridge reaches The Beach at JBR in about five minutes, and the Jumeirah Beach Residence 1 tram station is a short walk beyond it; the tram connects to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro at DMCC and Sobha Realty stations. RTA bus F57 serves the island, and taxis and ride-hailing cars wait at the hotels and The Wharf. By car, the island's own bridge joins Sheikh Zayed Road, which is quick for Media City, the Palm and Downtown, but makes JBR and Dubai Marina a roundabout drive of about 7 to 8 km even though they are within walking distance. Residents have allocated parking in the buildings; visitor parking is paid, and the bridge and car parks are busy on winter weekends and event nights.
Travel times
| Destination | Minutes | Kilometres |
|---|---|---|
| Ibn Battuta Mall | 10 to 15 min | 6 km |
| Jumeirah Lakes Towers (DMCC) | 15 to 20 min | 6 to 7 km |
| Dubai Media City | 15 to 20 min | 7 km |
| Dubai Internet City | 15 to 20 min | 8 km |
| Dubai Harbour | 15 to 20 min | 9 km |
| Mall of the Emirates | 20 to 25 min | 12 km |
| Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis The Palm) | 20 to 25 min | 15 km |
| Dubai Hills Mall | 20 to 25 min | 18 km |
| Destination | Minutes | Kilometres |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai (Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall) | 25 to 30 min | 24 km |
| DIFC | 25 to 30 min | 27 km |
| Expo City Dubai | 25 to 30 min | 19 to 22 km |
| Dubai International Airport (DXB), Terminal 1 | 35 to 40 min | 36 km |
| Dubai International Airport (DXB), Terminal 3 | 35 to 40 min | 37 km |
| Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) | 40 to 45 min | 34 to 35 km |
| Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque) | 75 to 85 min | 108 km |
By car, outside rush hour. Times vary with traffic.
Investment potential
Bluewaters is a small, scarce market: about 700 finished homes, with about 678 more to come in Bluewaters Bay. Buyers pay a premium for low-rise living, sea views and a footbridge to JBR, and the island's registered prices per square foot are among the highest on this part of the coast, more than double those of JBR across the water.
About 113 sales were registered in the twelve months to October 2026, down about 17% on the year before, because few owners sell. Prices averaged about AED 5,000 to 5,100 per square foot, up about 5% on a year earlier, and the average sale was about AED 8.6 million. About a quarter of the past year's sales were resales of off-plan units in Bluewaters Bay, which trade at a lower price per square foot than the finished Residences.
Gross rental yields are lower than in most of Dubai, at about 4% to 5%, because purchase prices are so high. A one-bedroom apartment rents for about AED 200,000 to 290,000 a year, and short-term letting to visitors is in strong demand. Floor, view and building make a large difference: three-bedroom apartments of almost the same size sold for between AED 8.5 million and AED 18 million over the past year.
Bluewaters Bay is due in 2027. Its handover will add about 678 apartments, close to doubling the island's homes, which may put some pressure on rents and resale prices around that time.
Indicative prices
- 1 bedroom
- AED 2.8M to 6.5M
- Annual rent AED 200,000 to 290,000
- 2 bedrooms
- AED 4M to 11.5M
- Annual rent AED 300,000 to 430,000
- 3 bedrooms
- AED 8.5M to 18M
- Annual rent AED 450,000 to 550,000
- 4 bedrooms and townhouses
- AED 15.7M to 25M
- Annual rent from about AED 600,000
- Bluewaters Bay 1 bedroom, off-plan resale
- AED 2.75M to 3.3M
Key figures
- Average price per sq ft
- About AED 5,000 to 5,100
- Price change, last 12 months
- Up about 5% per sq ft
- Gross rental yield
- About 4% to 5%
- Average sale price
- About AED 8.6M
- Median asking price
- About AED 7.5M
- Sales in the last 12 months
- About 113
Figures as of October 2026.
Sources: Dubai Land Department data via Property Finder (sales and rental contracts); Metropolitan Premium Properties Bluewaters Island 2025 resale report; listing data from Property Finder and Provident.
Figures are indicative and for information only. They are not financial advice.
Lifestyle
Life on Bluewaters is quiet in the residential half of the island and busy around The Wharf and the hotels. The buildings have pools, gyms, children's play areas and gardens, and a path for running and cycling runs around the island's edge. Daily errands are covered on the island by a Franprix supermarket, a Life Pharmacy, cafes and salons, and the bigger supermarkets, clinics and shops of JBR and Dubai Marina are across the footbridge or a short drive away.
Restaurants and terraces line The Wharf and the hotel beachfronts, and JBR Beach, The Walk and The Beach are a five-minute walk over the bridge. There are no schools or hospitals on the island: families drive 10 to 20 minutes to schools in Al Sufouh, Emirates Hills, The Meadows and Jumeirah Park, and the nearest full hospitals are in Al Barsha. On winter weekends and event nights the island fills with visitors, though the residential buildings are set apart from the busiest areas.
Places nearby
Schools and nurseries
- GEMS Wellington International School, Al SufouhBritish and IB curriculum, outside the community
- Dubai British School, Jumeirah ParkBritish curriculum, about 10 to 15 minutes by car
- Dubai British School, Emirates HillsBritish curriculum
- Emirates International School, MeadowsIB curriculum, about 15 minutes by car
- British Orchard Nursery, JBRBritish EYFS, a short drive away
- Toddler Town British NurseryIn Amwaj, JBR
Healthcare
- Life Pharmacy, BluewatersPharmacy on the island
- Medcare Medical Centre, JBRMulti-speciality clinic on The Walk
- Amwaj PolyclinicClinic in Amwaj, JBR
- Emirates Hospital Clinic, Dubai MarinaClinic, about 15 minutes by car
- Saudi German Hospital, Al BarshaFull hospital, about 20 minutes by car
Shopping and groceries
- Franprix, BluewatersSupermarket on the island
- The Wharf at BluewatersMore than 130 shops, restaurants and cafes beside the wheel
- The Beach and The Walk at JBRShops, a Carrefour and restaurants across the footbridge
- Dubai Marina MallShops, cinema and supermarkets, a short drive away
Dining
- Restaurants of The WharfTerraces facing JBR and the sea
- Banyan Tree Dubai and Delano DubaiHotel restaurants and beach bars on the island
Parks and beaches
- JBR BeachPublic beach across the footbridge
- Island promenadePath for walking, running and cycling around the island
Culture and leisure
- Ain DubaiObservation wheel at the centre of the island
- Madame Tussauds DubaiWax museum at The Wharf
- Brass MonkeyGames, food and drinks at The Wharf
Why buyers choose it
- Low-rise sea-view homes on a small island, with about 700 homes in total
- A five-minute walk over the footbridge to JBR Beach, The Walk and the tram
- Shops, restaurants, two beach hotels and the Ain Dubai wheel on the island
- Its own road bridge to Sheikh Zayed Road, about 25 to 30 minutes from Downtown and DIFC
- Scarce supply and few sales, with prices per sq ft up about 5% over the past year
- Strong short-term rental demand from visitors
- Freehold for all nationalities
Worth knowing
- Among the highest prices per square foot on this part of the coast, so gross yields of about 4% to 5% are below the Dubai average
- No schools or hospitals on the island; families drive 10 to 20 minutes
- Busy with visitors at The Wharf, the hotels and the bridge on winter weekends and event nights
- Visitor parking is paid, and driving to JBR or Dubai Marina means a loop of about 7 to 8 km via Sheikh Zayed Road
- Bluewaters Bay will add about 678 apartments around 2027, which may weigh on rents and resale prices
- Only about 110 sales a year, so the right unit can take time to find and to resell
- Service charges vary by building and are worth checking before making an offer
- About 35 to 40 minutes to Dubai International Airport outside rush hour
Who it suits
- Buyers who want a quiet, low-rise home by the sea with JBR and its beach on foot
- High-net-worth buyers who want a home in a small market with limited supply
- Senior professionals working in Media City, Internet City, JLT or Dubai Harbour
- Couples and downsizers who want restaurants and the beach close by without a tower
- Families comfortable with a school run to Al Sufouh, Emirates Hills, The Meadows or Jumeirah Park
Bluewaters Island in pictures
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