Guide to Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai - Aerial View

For years, The Atlantis Bahamas was a unique mega-resort, with its giant "waterscape" (lagoons, waterfalls, x-treme waterslides, subterranean aquariums), fantasy architecture, and mix of families, high rollers at the casino, and high-end yachting set.

But this "one of a kind" place has a sister resort... Welcome to Atlantis The Palm, Dubai—Dubai being that middle-east pinnacle of shopping, entertainment, and luxury.

Dubai is one of the United Arab Emirates, with year-round warm weather, white-sand beaches, and a great infrastructure. Though only 1000 sq. miles in size, Dubai lives large: ultra-opulent hotels, super-luxury shopping, and over-the-top attractions such as an indoor snow park.

The Palm is one of Dubai's biggest ventures: "The Palm Jumeirah" is a man-made island in the shape of a graceful palm frond framed by a reef. The Palm is a project of the Crown Prince of Dubai and adds almost 65 kilometers of new beachfront. Atlantis The Palm is in the center of the crescent.

Atlantis the Palm has a choice location on the extraordinary man-made island, The Palm aka Palm Island, in the middle-east nexus of shopping, entertainment, and luxury, Dubai.

Luxury resort Atlantis The Palm, Dubai is "larger than life", even in the context of extravagant Dubai.

The resort opened in 2008 and has 116 acres (47 hectares) on the man-made island, "The Palm" or "Palm Island." This giant project—which gave Dubai 65 km of new beachfront—is in the shape of a palm frond, framed by a crescent; Atlantis the Palm is in the center of the crescent. 

Features

• Over 1500 rooms and an area of 47 hectares (116 acres).The design repeats the famed double Royal Towers of the Bahamas property (as seen in photo above.)
• Huge (17 hectares, 42 acres) Aquaventure waterplay area.
• The centerpiece of Aquaventure is the towering "Ziggurat" with multiple waterslides, including Leap of Faith, a near-vertical waterslide ending in an acrylic tunnel in a shark-filled lagoon.
• Visitors will also find uphill coasters and a tidal wave pool. A wave river winds for 2.3 kilometers; along the way are (optional) white-water rapids, wave surges, and waterfalls; guests can also dip into zero-entry pools. Water escalators even take riders up the waterslide towers.
• Admission to Aquaventure is free for resort guests; non-guests can buy a daily or multi-day pass.
• Children must be twelve to enter unaccompanied by an adult. Life jackets are required for swimmers under 48"/1.2m. Kids 3 to 7 pay a reduced price.
• Splashers water playground for young kids has games, slides, climbing structures, tipping buckets, water jets; for kids less than 1.1m (43 inches) tall, and for their parents too.
• two pools are exclusively for guests (the serene Royal Pool, and the Zero Entry Pool, good for families).
• 1.4 km of beach area has watersports such as windsurfing, kayaking, floating climbing walls. Day visitors at Aquaventure also have beach access.
• At the Ambassador Lagoon, guests look directly into a huge marine habitat with Lost-City-themed sunken streets and relics. The habitat focuses on marine life found in the Arabian Gulf.
• The similarly-themed Lost Chambers maze of underground passageways leads people past marine exhibits.
• The Dolphin Bay lagoon has seven interconnected pools for dolphins and will offer dolphin interactions (and possibly also dolphin rescue and rehabilitation - the only center for stranded animals in the Arabian Gulf.)
• Seventeen restaurants, bars and lounges include four places with celebrity chefs. The specialty restaurants are found on "The Avenues", a promenade with shops and nightclub.
• Two unique Lost Chambers Suites each cover three floors. Windows in the master bedroom give views into the Ambassador Lagoon.
• Kids programs are offered in the day and evening, and teens will have their own space, "Club Rush". (Check web site for updates about kids' programs.)
• The Zone games room has state-of-the-art Sega games for kids and adults

Tourism industry buffs may be interested to know that The Atlantis The Palm, Dubai is a joint venture with Istithmar PSJC, which is wholly-owned by the Government of Dubai.

The Leap of Faith Waterslide

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai has an Aquaventure Waterpark with a near-vertical waterslide. Above: The Leap of Faith waterslide plunges down from the top of the Ziggurat. The slide finishes in a clear tunnel in the shark lagoon.

The Aquaventure area of Atlantis The Palm, Dubai covers 42 acres (17 hectares) and has a ​700-meter beach.

Shark Attack

Float through a shark lagoon, at the end of the tube waterslide in the Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai.

Splashers Play Area

The Splashers water playground for young kids has games, slides, climbing structures, tipping buckets, water jets. Splashers is for kids less than 43 inches—1.1 meters—tall, (and for their parents too.)

Dolphin Bay

The dolphin area has seven interconnected pools and offers dolphin interactions. It is the largest dolphin habitat in the world and gives dolphins from less-desirable habitats a home.

The Lost Chambers Aquarium

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai has an area of gigantic underground aquariums with more than 65,000 marine animals that visitors can view while stepping through an Atlantis-themed maze of chambers.​

Ambassador Lagoon

The Ambassador Lagoon, one of the world's largest aquariums, has over two hundred and fifty species of marine life including sharks, eels, rays, and exotic fish.

Kids Club

The Atlantis Kids Club has programs for kids age four to twelve; morning, afternoon, evening, and all-day sessions are offered. Families can choose a flexible schedule including hourly care. Fun includes a play zone with climbing walls, and shipwreck play structure for younger kids; ​an area for arts and crafts; and the latest in video and computer games. (Always check resort website for updates.)

Club Rush for Teens

"No adults" allowed in this entertainment zone (supervised by Atlantis staff). Preteens, 8 to 12, have their time in Club Rush fro 2 to 6 pm*; the night belongs to teens, ages 13 to 17, from 7 pm to midnight. Club Rush includes a Gaming Area, the Chill Out Lounge, Night Club with guest DJ,s and a computer room.

Dale Chihuly Glass Sculpture

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai has larger-than-life fantasy decor, including a glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly. 3,000 pieces of hand-blown glass were shipped individually and assembled on-site.

Ronda Locatelli

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai has multiple restaurants, including several with celebrity chefs, such as Nobu (Chef Nobe Matsuhisa), Bread Street Kitchen & Bar by Gordon Ramsay, and Ronda Locatelli, in partnership with Italian Giorgio Locatelli. Above: one of the wood-fired pizza ovens at Ronda Locatelli.

Ossiano

Ossiano’s current chef de cuisine is Gregoire Berger—one of the world’s top 10 chefs by the Best Chef Awards 2017 at this restaurant where diners are submerged in the fantasy of underwater Atlantis. (Surprise: seafood is the specialty.)

Deluxe King Room

One of the deluxe rooms with king beds, at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai.

Deluxe Bathroom

 One of the deluxe bathrooms available at this resort.

Underwater Suites

Each of the Underwater Suites has three floors, and windows in the master bedroom give views into the Ambassador Lagoon.