Dubai developer Nakheel has begun leasing thousands of retail and restaurant spaces at Deira Islands Night Souk, a bustling new shopping and dining destination at its 15.3 sq-km Deira Islands development.

Comprising four islands, Deira Islands will add 40 km, including 21 km of beachfront, to Dubai’s coastline and pave the way for the development of hundreds of new hotels, serviced apartments, mixed-use buildings and residential waterside projects.  

Stretching 1.9 km along Deira Islands’ waterfront, the Night Souk – a modern twist on a traditional Arabic souk – will include 5,000 shops 96 quayside cafes and restaurants.

The Night Souk – one of several new attractions at Deira Islands and the latest project in Nakheel’s growing retail portfolio – will be located on the south island, just across from mainland Dubai.

It will be easily accessible by road and water, and within walking distance of hotels, residences and Deira Islands Mall, Nakheel’s other major retail project at the islands.

Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: “Deira Islands is set to transform Dubai’s Deira district into a world-class hub for tourism, retail and entertainment. The Night Souk, a key feature of this new waterfront city, is being developed in line with Dubai’s tourism vision."

"It will promote local business and entrepreneurship, serve hundreds of thousands of residents living on and around Deira Islands and act as a major attraction for Dubai’s growing number of annual tourists," he added.

Deira is the original trading hub of the city, where buyers and sellers from all over the world converge to do business.  Nakheel’s Night Souk will serve to extend these traditional commercial activities by significantly boosting trading opportunities in the area known as ‘Old Dubai’, said Lootah.

Nakheel, he stated, was developing a significant amount of the 4.5 million sq-m south island – home of the Night Souk – by creating a unique creek side destination, easily accessible from the mainland by road bridges and by water via abras (traditional boat made of wood).

The key attractions will include Deira Islands Mall, a 250-room hotel; an amphitheatre for 30,000 people; and a marina that can accommodate large yachts.
 
All four islands will feature hotels, resorts and residential, commercial and retail units, it added.

Nakheel will master plan and complete infrastructure work ready for third party development on each island. The developer also plans to build five hotels of its own at Deira Islands.-TradeArabia News Service