Dubai’s Top Riviera Communities

France’s Côte d’Azur, Australia’s Gold Coast and Italy’s Ligurian Riviera have a new real estate rival with Dubai’s growing community of high-end coastal enclaves attracting investors and residents alike. Here is our take on the Dubai Riviera destinations to watch…

Mina Rashid

Developer: Emaar

Location: Port Rashid

Launch date: May 2019

Handover date: September 2022

Residential options: Named after the first commercial vessel to dock here (Sirdhana) and reflecting the location (Seashore), the first two phases of this new development comprise of one to four-bedroom apartments, townhouses and penthouses offering contemporary waterfront living with glittering glass façades, floor-to-ceiling windows and generous balconies.

Community facilities: The Dubai Mall by the Sea, a clutch of signature hotels, a private 12,600sqm golden sand beach and beach club, a 500m-long canal style swimming pool (the longest in Dubai), a floating yacht club, community parks, theatres, art galleries, a pedestrian bridge, waterfront promenades and a Venetian piazza centrepiece with multiple restaurants.

Why we rate it: A luxury coastal community positioned as the Dubai alternative to Monte Carlo or Portofino, your neighbour is the iconic QE2 and you can moor your superyacht just steps from the front door. A 430-berth marina is the focal point of the development, so the sense of waterfront escapism is tangible, while Dubai International Airport is just a 15 minute drive away. Downtown Dubai’s retail and leisure attractions are reachable within 20 minutes.

Port de La Mer

Developer: Meraas

Location: La Mer, Jumeirah 1

Launch date: September 2018

Handover date: From Q4 2020

Residential options: Choose from Sur La Mer’s 147 three to five-bedroom townhouses, La Côte’s 400 one to four-bedroom modern Mediterranean open-style apartments and a two-storey penthouse housed across five low-rise buildings, or La Rive’s 250 one to four-bedroom units and penthouses located in four adjacent buildings.

Community facilities: Anchored by a 192-berth superyacht marina with piazzas lined with fashionable boutiques and restaurants, a private beach, choice of several large swimming pools, collection of upscale hotels, limited vehicle access and interconnected open spaces.

Why we rate it: La Mer is already a hot leisure destination in the city so why not live at the heart of the action yet far enough removed to feel at one with nature? Reminiscent of lazy summers in the Med, think terracotta rooftops and whitewashed stonework. Located at the tip of the North Peninsula, privacy is guaranteed, as are panoramic sea views and lush green surroundings that feel a world away from the city but with the hustle and bustle of Dubai only a short drive away.

Madinat Jumeirah Living

Developer: Dubai Holding

Location: Umm Suqeim

Launch date: October 2018

Handover date: TBC

Residential options: The phase one collection is made up of 161 one- to four-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 762sq ft to 3,584sq ft and spread across two low-rise buildings connected by a central podium.

Community facilities: Pool deck, gym, children’s play area and pool, a community centre, retail stores, parks, walkways with jogging and cycling tracks, dedicated parking and an air-conditioned pedestrian bridge connecting the community to Souk Madinat Jumeirah.

Why we rate it: Self-billed as the first freehold luxury residential development and bang opposite the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, in an area previously reserved for UAE national buyers, this is your chance to invest in some seriously sought-after prime real estate. Access is everything with the Sheikh Zayed Road highway literally a three minute drive away and the beach within walking distance. With the upscale retail, entertainment and dining attractions of the popular Madinat Jumeirah complex just over the road, it’s wall to wall luxury on your doorstep.

Emaar Beachfront

Developer: Emaar

Location: Dubai Harbour

Launch date: January 2018

Handover date: From Q3 2021

Residential options: The 375-unit duo of Beach Vista towers and 26-storey Marina Vista tower offer a choice of one- to four-bedroom floor-to-ceiling glass fronted apartments with large balconies and views of the sea, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai’s skyline. Sunrise Bay was inspired by modern yachting culture and comprises a limited collection of one to four-bedroom premium residences while the pièce de résistance is the Elie Saab designed Grand Bleu tower, home to an Art Deco design inspired collection of one to four-bedroom residences and a four-bedroom penthouse.

Community facilities: Infinity pools, landscaped pool decks, gyms, a 1.5km-long beach, a yacht club, on-site retail and healthcare facilities, direct access to Emaar Beachfront Boulevard’s dining and entertainment attractions, mainland monorail connection and pedestrian bridge with a jogging and cycling track connecting to Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters Island.

Why we rate it: This master-planned private island is set to become the hottest offshore beachfront residential ticket in town. The exclusive residential nucleus of the city’s new maritime epicentre (the biggest in Dubai with 1,100 berths). It’s investment-worthy whichever way you look at it.

Bluewaters Residences

Developer: Meraas

Location: Bluewaters Island

Launch date: Q1 2017

Handover date: From Q2 2019

Residential options: There’s a total of 10 mid-rise towers with 698 luxury apartments boasting Ain Dubai and Marina skyline views, as well as four penthouses with panoramic Arabian Gulf vistas, and 17 townhouses all with fab sea and greenery views. Ranging from 815 to 2,473 sqft, the residence interiors feature a neutral palette and minimalist aesthetic that blends homely warmth with contemporary design, and boasts Scandinavian flooring and state-of-the-art appliances.

Community facilities: Two gyms, four swimming pools, landscaped gardens, basketball courts, a children’s play area with splash pad and a central landscaped podium featuring 32 retail outlets along with all the fun of the Bluewaters restaurant and retail scene.

Why we rate it: A beachfront playroom with Ain Dubai, the island’s 210-metre-high observation wheel (opening 2020) a hop, skip and jump away, and plenty more for visiting friends and family to enjoy. You’ve also got the Las Vegas kudos of Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, home to The Rotunda theatre, within walking distance, and if the mainland is calling, it’s a lovely stroll across the pedestrian bridge.

If you need assistance with choosing your ideal beachfront property, leave an enquiry here and our property consultant will be happy to assist you.