I really enjoy visiting different observation decks. So, when we flew to Dubai this time, we decided to visit The View at The Palm observation deck on the Jumeirah Palm. Last time, we visited the observation deck at the world’s tallest skyscraper, Burj Khalifa. I wrote a review about it, where I explained how to get free tickets. I can’t choose which observation deck is better because I liked both, and I recommend visiting both because they are very different.
What is interesting about The View at The Palm observation deck in Dubai
The observation deck on Palm Jumeirah is magnificent. These views will stay with you for a long time. It is located on the trunk of the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah, in the centre of the trunk where the branches of the palm tree begin. From here, you get a 360-degree view of the entire palm tree. From here you can see the iconic landmarks of this area of Dubai.
The observation deck on Palm Jumeirah is located in the Nakheel Mall on the 52nd and 54th floors of the Palm Tower. The deck is open but has high glass walls. The main floor for visitors is on the 52nd floor, and the 54th floor is available for an additional fee. The top floor is different in that there is no high glass and the views are even more interesting. But even on the 52nd floor, the glass does not interfere with the view; it is clean and everything is clearly visible.
This is what the Nakheel Mall, where the Palm View observation deck is located, looks like. At the top, there is curved glass.
How to get to The Palm View observation deck on Palm Jumeirah Palm Island is interesting, but transport here is not very good. Public transport is not particularly well developed; there is only a monorail.
You can get here in several ways:
- By taxi or car to Nakheel Mall
- With a tour
- By monorail to Nakheel station
We chose to take the monorail. It is more of a tourist attraction than a means of transport and is not cheap. The price depends on the number of stops. Nakheel Mall is two stops away, and a one-way ticket costs 10 dirhams or 15 dirhams for a return ticket per person. Tickets are purchased at the ticket office, not with a Nol metro card.
Nakheel Mall
When you reach Nakheel Mall station, follow the signs to the shopping centre of the same name. There is an interesting model of the building at the entrance. Go into the shopping centre and look for the passage to the roof, for which you need the sign R – roof.
Roof of the shopping centre
On the roof in front of the shopping centre, there is a nice area where you can sit and even see something.
To the right of the tower is the entrance to the observation deck. Everything is clearly marked.
Where to buy tickets for The View at The Palm
There are several options for buying tickets for the observation deck at Palm Jumeirah in Dubai:
- Online on the official website – currently unavailable for Russian cards
- At the ticket office in the observation deck building
- From a guide
- Online at a tour desk, there are options for payment with Russian cards
- We bought ours at the exit of the monorail, where there is a tent with tours (see photo below). The prices are exactly the same as on the official website.
Tickets for the Palm View observation deck
They even have tickets for the Museum of the Future for dates that are not listed on the official website.
Our tickets looked like this – pieces of paper with QR codes and an open date.
The Palm View tickets
There are several types of tickets:
- A standard ticket costs 100 dirhams for adults and 69 dirhams for children aged 4-12. It is valid for entry from 9:00 to 16:00, and after 19:00 it is not prime time. In pounds, this is £24.50 and £16.80
- Prime time tickets or sunset time from 16:00 to 18:30 cost 158 and 111 dirhams
- Early time at sunrise on Sundays and Mondays is 70 dirhams for adults and 40 dirhams for children
- Fast passage and lift to the top 54th floor costs 175 and 125 dirhams.
We went during the day at the usual time.
There are moderate crowds, but it gets busier at sunset. Inside the lobby, there are ticket offices, a coffee shop, restrooms, and bag storage (backpacks and bags from shops must be checked in).
Memorable views from The View at The Palm observation deck
At the entrance, we first entered a tunnel with images of an aquarium. It leads to the queue for the first hall, where groups of people are let in approximately every 5 minutes.
The first hall features an interactive show on the floor. There is a projection of a palm tree on the floor. They show how the island was built. People step on the markers and actions take place – stones and sand are poured, houses are built.
Show in the palm trees
The second hall shows a mini-film about how the Palm Jumeirah island was built.
It shows how the sheikh played with sand and built castles when he was little, and how he was able to realise his dream when he grew up. The film shows the enormous efforts made by everyone from architects to builders to create this huge, impressive island.
What surprised me was that the island was originally designed to look like the sun! Later, it was changed to a palm tree.
Next is a museum showing all stages of construction, from the sheikh’s idea in 1997 and the start of construction in 2001 to the present day.
And now we are heading to two high-speed lifts. Just like in Burj Khalifa, they show a video of us flying to the top. And finally, we are at the top and can admire the 360-degree views of Dubai.
The views are spectacular, Dubai is beautiful, and the palm tree is a man-made wonder. In the centre, you can see the luxurious Atlantis hotel, and next to it is the new Atlantis, which looks more like a container.
The height is impressive, but everything is clearly visible.
We go clockwise, and here is the famous Burj al Arab hotel.
There are binoculars on the platform, and you don’t have to pay extra for them; they work without coins.
Further on, you can see the Internet City area of Dubai. And you can see the trunk of the palm tree. The Burj Khalifa is not visible from here, it is too far away.
We continue on and see the Dubai Marina area, where we stayed at a hotel. You can see the Ferris wheel and Bluewaters Island, but this area is facing the sun, so the photos are not very clear.
Dubai Marina from the observation deck
There is also a mini café and pastry shop upstairs and a coffee shop downstairs. I recommend everyone visit this observation deck. The views are breathtaking, beautiful!
I advise you to take sunglasses, it is very, very bright up there.
