We’ve already dived into whether Palm Jumeirah is worth going to, a bunch of family-friendly things to do there, and we’ve even given you the lowdown on how to get around, but now we’re answering another one of your burning questions – can you visit Palm Jumeirah for the day?

First things first – getting to Palm Jumeirah isn’t as tricky as finding a decent pint in London’s West End. If you’re flying into Dubai, you’re looking at about a 30-minute drive from the airport, depending on traffic.

But if you’re already settled  in your hotel and are planning a day trip, Palm Jumeirah is dead easy to reach from pretty much any part of the city – either hop on a tram or take the metro if you have a stop close to you and ride them to the Dubai Marina Metro Station. From here you can make a quick transfer to the Palm Jumeirah Monorail – more on that in a sec.

If you’re driving, you’ll head onto Palm Jumeirah via the main trunk road, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge. It’s simple – just follow the signs from Sheikh Zayed Road. You’ll end up on the trunk, which is the central road that runs right through the middle of the Palm. From there, you can head up towards the crescent.

Unfortunately, if you’re on foot you can’t walk over the bridge from the mainland onto the Palm – it’s designed for vehicles, not pedestrians!

Whilst getting a taxi to where you’re headed on Palm Jumeirah is always an option, a much cheaper and faster option is to use public transport – like the Palm Monorail. A monorail that makes a straight shot up the trunk of the palm before crossing the water to reach the crescent, it’s super easy to navigate.

Starting from the base of the Palm and travelling all the way up – even across the water to where Atlantis, The Palm and Atlantis, The Royal sit – the Palm Monorail has a bunch of stops, all handily situated at the key sights.

It’s really efficient too – from one end to the other, the whole journey takes about 10 to 12 minutes. The trains run every few minutes, so you won’t be waiting too long at the station either.

For more info on the Palm Monorail, a breakdown of the stops and how to buy tickets, check out our mega quick guide to getting around Palm Jumeirah.

Palm Jumeirah isn’t exactly tiny – you can literally see it from space after all. But thanks to the Palm Monorail you can actually move around it quickly and easily – so it’s definitely do-able to tick off all the core things to do on Palm Jumeirah in one day.

Bottom of the trunk

If we start at the base of Palm Jumeirah (get off at the Al Ittihad Park monorail stop), you can ease into your day by having a walk through Al Ittihad Park, a wonderful little green oasis, home to over 100 different types of trees and plants all native to the UAE. There’s also a 3.2km running track here, but we’ll forgive you if you forget to pack the sports bra.

If you’re fancying the water, then just a quick walk away is Palm West Beach, great for the kids. This beach is all about the laid-back vibe with a touch of luxury – and more importantly, parts of it are free to use! There’s a 1.6-kilometer stretch of pristine, golden sand and the waters are calm, thanks to the island’s protective crescent – ideal for you and the kids to try your hands at various water sports like paddleboarding, kayaking, and wakeboarding.

There’s beachfront restaurants and cafes here too, from more casual bites to more refined dining experiences – and yes, most places will offer a kids menu too.

Middle of the trunk

Hop back on the monorail and ride one stop to the Nakheel Mall station.

Because this is Dubai, Nakheel Mall isn’t just your run-of-the-mill shopping centre. It’s a swanky, five-storey complex with over 300 shops, restaurants, and attractions. Spacious and with a relaxed vibe to it, it’s great for a general wander around and window-shopping. It’s got food options coming out of its ears too. A quick bite, a coffee break, a full-on meal – you’re sorted here. You’ll find everything from fast food favourites to sit-down restaurants serving up a range of cuisines.

If you’re cool with heights, then directly connected to Nakheel Mall is The View at The Palm – located on the 52nd floor of the Palm Tower, it’s 240 meters (about 787 feet) above the ground, making it the highest point on Palm Jumeirah that’s open to the public.

From this height, you can see the Palm’s iconic design in all its glory – the trunk, the fronds, and the surrounding crescent that protects the island from the sea. And the view of the sea is just as mesmerizing, with its endless blue horizon stretching out into the distance. Then turn around, and you’ll see the full stretch of Dubai’s skyline, including the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Not too bad.

Top of the trunk

In previous years, you could ride the Palm Monorail to The Pointe – an open-air entertainment and dining complex that sat right at the end of Palm Jumeirah’s trunk, so you had front-row seats to Atlantis, The Palm just across the water. As of 2023 The Pointe has permanently closed as plans are underway to completely revamp the area into something even better – we’ll let you know what’s happening as soon as we find out!

In the meantime, we suggest skipping this stop and heading straight on up to the very top of the island, where you’ll find some of the best things to do.

The crescent

Strap in and make sure you’ve fuelled up because this is where Palm Jumeirah gets really good. Cross the water on the monorail to the Atlantis Aquaventure stop and you’ll be on the crescent, the break water that surrounds the island. This is where you’ll find Atlantis, The Palm, Atlantis, The Royal, Aquaventure Waterpark, The Dubai Balloon and the Boardwalk. Yeah – we said it was the extra good bit.

Even if you’re not a guest at one of the super swish Atlantis properties here, they’re still well worth a look at, and you can always pop in to gawk at the lobby or eat at one of the restaurants at either property. Part of Atlantis the Palm and located at Aquaventure Waterpark is The Dubai Balloon – you’ll rise 300 meters, the equivalent to a 100-storey building. And you won’t just gain some serious altitude, you’ll get some of the best views in the city whilst you’re at it too.

As for Aquaventure Waterpark, well that’s a behemoth of a waterpark. It officially has the most rides for a waterpark anywhere in the world, so whilst we reckon you can do Palm Jumeirah in a day, if you’ve got your hearts set on Aquaventure you’ll definitely want to give this place at least a day to itself, or at the bare minimum a long afternoon. Plus, if you do happen to be a guest at Atlantis, The Palm you’ll bag free, unlimited entry.

And one of the best ways to round off a day on Palm Jumeirah has got to be grabbing a rental bike and heading off along the Boardwalk. Running along the outer crescent of Palm Jumeirah, it’s a 11-kilometre stretch of walkway over the rocks that make up the island’s breakwater. It’s lined with palm trees, and the views are something else – you’ve got the Arabian Gulf on one side and the Dubai skyline on the other. It’s extra lovely at sunset. Get peckish and you can stop at one of the many food trucks and kiosks dotted along the way, serving up everything from ice creams and drinks to more substantial snacks.

If you fancy Palm Jumeirah, you’ll be after some cheap flights to Dubai