Dubai and Sri Lanka 2012: The Palm Island & Atlantis Resort

As discussed in the post Desert Death March, our first attempt to visit Palm Island didn't go so well. So during our "Dubai Do Over" this was high on my list of tasks to accomplish. :)

As a refresher, Palm Island is a completely man made set of islands built in the shape of a palm tree, with a semi-circular barrier island around the outside. The edges are private homes and rentals, and I believe you can actually purchase some of the individual islands outright. There are roads connecting throughout, and a monorail that runs down the middle to the huge Atlantis Resort at the tip.

We opted to take a cab, as the mononrail cost $ too, and I had looked up specifically where I wanted to go this time. (live and learn) Knowing a bit more now than earlier, I just checked to see if the Atlantis had public bars or restaurants with a beach view. They did, however, as with anywhere "with a view" in Dubai, if you weren't staying on site, there was a minimum spend. That didn't bother me since A) I wanted to go and B) we presumed we could probably stick our travel insurance company with the bill as part of our trip delay coverage. As Marsh would say "He, he, he..." :)

So off we whooshed in our cab around the edge of the island. Taking pics out the window proved somewhat tricky, but I got a few. The architecture isn't much different than nice housing you'd see in any warm city like Miami or Phoenix, just a tad more "arabic" in design.

The view back towards the city

The Atlantis Resort - that beachfront area in the photo is where we are headed....

Once we got there, I was amused to see how much it reminded me of a place I love to go with my sister Debbie in Scottsdale - Olive & Ivy's. Minus the beach part, that is. :)

See Deb - just like Olive & Ivys! Next time, you, Boo, Mom and I will have to come to Dubai. ;)


If any of you had doubts that Marsh could play the sophisticated world traveler, his cover is blown. :)

We were amused by the pack of guys behind us listening to tunes on their Dr Dre headphones and smoking shisha at 2 in the afternoon. We just aren't that hip I guess.