The World Islands property investment guide
Offshore archipelago of luxury resort islands off Jumeirah
The World Islands is a luxury waterfront community in Dubai. Ownership is freehold. Downtown is about 45 min away.
Man-made archipelago off Dubai; includes The Heart of Europe. Boundary from DLD project parcels (approx).
Key numbers
- Price tier
- Luxury
- Ownership
- Freehold
- Maturity
- Under construction
- Handover
- Phased; Heart of Europe 2024+, ~2026 target
- Metro served
- No
- Commute to downtown
- 45 min
- Projects tracked
- 2
New & off-plan projects
| Project | Developer | Units | Status | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marbella Resort Hotel, A Vignette Collection World Islands Dubai | The Heart of Europe | 153 | Off-plan | — |
| Sea Horse Villa | The Heart of Europe | 1 | Off-plan | — |
Amenities & access
- Beach
- Private island beaches (Anantara, Heart of Europe Beach Club)
- Metro
- No metro; nearest Red Line ~8.5 km on the mainland
- Schools
- None on-island
- Also nearby
- 5-star resorts (Portofino, Cote d'Azur, Anantara), Floating Seahorse underwater villas, yacht marina
Infrastructure that moves values
- Palm Jumeirahoperational · 2009
Dubai's iconic palm-shaped island resort district lies along the coast near the archipelago.
- voco Dubai Monacooperational · 2022
A 198-key adults-only five-star hotel managed by IHG, the first fully operational hotel on The Heart of Europe.
- Portofino Family Hoteloperational · 2024
Italian-themed family resort on Main Europe Island, completed December 2024.
- The Floating Seahorse Villasoperational
A complex of 130 three-level villas that sit partially submerged, with underwater bedrooms overlooking coral reefs.
- Lebanon Islandoperational
A popular daycation island with a large beach club, two private beaches and a beach volleyball area.
- Fishing Harbour Jumeirah Oneoperational
The nearest mainland boat station; The World Islands is reachable only by water or air.
- Jumeirah Beach coastlineoperational
The mainland Jumeirah shoreline sits roughly 4 km inshore of the offshore World Islands.
- Dubai Marinaoperational
One of Dubai's main resort and yachting districts, close to the archipelago along the coast.
- The Heart of Europeunder construction · 2027
Kleindienst Group's six European-themed islands with 4,000+ keys and 20 hotels form the flagship development of The World Islands.
- InterContinental Dubai – The Heart of Europeunder construction · 2027
IHG's first InterContinental resort on The World Islands, billed as the first luxury family resort here and due to open winter 2027.
- World's First Rainy Streetunder construction
A climate-controlled outdoor street with artificial rain, one of several 'world-first' attractions planned for The Heart of Europe.
- Coral Instituteunder construction
The region's first coral institute, dedicated to protecting and restoring the archipelago's marine ecosystem.
- First Underwater Hotelunder construction
A planned first-of-its-kind underwater hotel with gym and spa on The Heart of Europe.
Frequently asked questions
- Can foreigners buy property in The World Islands?
- Yes — The World Islands is a freehold zone, so foreign buyers get full ownership with no residency requirement.
- How far is The World Islands from downtown Dubai?
- The World Islands is roughly 45 minutes from downtown by car. Upcoming infrastructure: The Heart of Europe, InterContinental Dubai – The Heart of Europe, World's First Rainy Street, Coral Institute, First Underwater Hotel.
- What new projects are selling in The World Islands?
- Current launches include Marbella Resort Hotel, A Vignette Collection World Islands Dubai by The Heart of Europe, Sea Horse Villa by The Heart of Europe.
Compare with nearby areas
Figures are average asking prices from Esto’s area dataset, updated 2026-07-22. Net yield after service charges and buying costs is what decides a deal —here’s how to run that math.
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