The Pointe in Dubai is permanently closed. Nakheel shut down this waterfront dining and entertainment destination on Palm Jumeirah in May 2023 and the site is now being redeveloped into The Palm Crown a private luxury villa community, not a new version of The Pointe. Anyone searching for The Pointe today won’t find restaurants, the record-breaking Palm Fountain or public access; that chapter of Palm Jumeirah has ended. Here’s exactly what happened, what’s replacing it and where to go instead for a similar waterfront experience.
The Pointe in Dubai: Quick Facts
| Feature | Detail |
| Location | Tip of Palm Jumeirah trunk, Dubai |
| Opened | December 2018 |
| Closed | May 2023 |
| Total area | Over 1.4 million sq ft |
| Waterfront promenade | 1.5 km |
| Restaurants at peak | 100+ |
| Retail stores | ~70 |
| The Palm Fountain | Guinness World Record holder, closed for good May 2023 |
| Fountain jet height | Up to 105 metres |
| Current status | Permanently closed; site under redevelopment |
| Replacement project | The Palm Crown 38 private residential villas |
| Redevelopment contractor | Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast (AED 400 million contract awarded Dec 2025) |
| Expected completion | Mid-to-late 2026 |
| Public access after redevelopment | None residential only |
What Was The Pointe, and Why Did People Love It?
Dubai has no shortage of malls and rooftop lounges, but The Pointe stood out because it was genuinely outdoor-first. Its 1.5-kilometre promenade ran along the Gulf in three sections East Marina, Central and West Marina with the Central plaza offering an uninterrupted view straight across the water to Atlantis The Palm on the crescent.
Restaurants on the lower terrace sat almost at sea level, close enough that the sound of the water carried through dinner on a warm evening. There were no air-conditioned atriums or enclosed corridors people came specifically to be outside and the layout made that effortless.
More than 100 restaurants operated here at its peak, spanning Lebanese, Chinese, Indian fusion, fresh seafood and casual cafes. Chuan won Time Out Dubai Best Chinese Restaurant award while based here and Al Safadi built a loyal weekly following. A Reel Cinemas dine-in setup full meals served during the film became one of the more talked-about spots on the island. Around 70 retail stores rounded out the complex, including a supermarket that served Palm Jumeirah residents directly.
The Palm Fountain: The World Record That Made It Famous
The Palm Fountain was, for years, the single biggest reason people booked a table at The Pointe. Guinness World Records certified it as the largest fountain on Earth 14,000 square feet of open seawater, jets reaching 105 metres into the sky and 3,000 LED lights running color sequences timed to music.
Five shows ran every evening, every 30 minutes from sunset to midnight. On a busy Friday, waterfront terraces filled before the first show started and it wasn’t unusual for people to stay through two or three performances in a row rather than leave after the first.
The fountain operated for its final performance on 16 May 2023, immediately after Nakheel began evicting tenants from the surrounding restaurants and retail spaces. It has not run since and there is no public plan to relocate or rebuild it elsewhere on Palm Jumeirah.
Travelers who want a comparable evening of water, light and music today have two solid alternatives elsewhere in Dubai:
- The Dubai Fountain at Downtown Dubai, next to Burj Khalifa, runs nightly shows starting around 6:00 PM and remains fully operational.
- A Luxury Dhow Dinner Cruise delivers its own version of waterfront magic candlelit tables, live entertainment and the Marina skyline moving slowly past as the boat sails.
What Is The Palm Crown, Exactly?
This is where most existing guides to The Pointe fall short, and it’s the single most important thing to understand: The Palm Crown is not a new version of The Pointe. It is a private residential development.
Nakheel confirmed the redevelopment in May 2023 and by December 2025 had awarded a AED 400 million (~USD 109 million) construction contract to Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast to build it out. The project consists of 38 seven-bedroom Crown Garden Villas, each featuring floor-to-ceiling glazing, open-plan interiors, private beach access, landscaped gardens and rooftop terraces facing the Palm Crescent and Atlantis The Palm. Listed prices for these villas start well into the tens of millions of dirhams, positioning the development firmly in Dubai ultra-luxury residential tier rather than as a public attraction.
Completion is expected around mid-to-late 2026, based on current developer timelines, though exact dates can shift with any large construction project. Once finished, the site will function as a gated residential community there is no publicly announced restaurant, retail or entertainment component planned as part of The Palm Crown, unlike what stood there before.
In short: anyone hoping The Pointe will “reopen” in some form should adjust expectations. The dining and fountain destination is gone permanently; what replaces it is private housing.
Best Alternatives to The Pointe in Dubai Today
Palm Jumeirah hasn’t lost its pull just because The Pointe closed. Several nearby experiences cover similar ground waterfront views, dining, and entertainment and remain fully open in 2026.
| Alternative | What It Offers | Distance from The Pointe Site |
| Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark | Waterpark, marine life, beach access | Directly across the bay |
| The View at The Palm | Elevated observation deck over the whole island | On the Palm trunk, short drive |
| Nakheel Mall | Shopping, dining, entertainment | Short drive along the trunk |
| Dubai Marina Walk | Waterfront dining and promenade | ~15 minutes by car |
| Downtown Dubai / Dubai Fountain | Fountain shows, dining, Burj Khalifa | ~25 minutes by car |
The Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark sits just across the bay from the old Pointe site and pairs naturally with a full day out on this end of the island it’s the closest thing left to the same waterfront energy The Pointe used to offer.
Getting to Palm Jumeirah
Taxis and rideshare apps cover Palm Jumeirah without any hassle both Uber and Careem run regularly and the trip from Dubai Marina takes around 15 minutes under normal traffic.
The Palm Monorail is worth riding at least once regardless of the trip’s purpose. It runs from Gateway Station near the Dubai Tram along the full length of the trunk, giving an elevated view of the island that most visitors never see from road level.
Parking near the old Pointe site previously ran to more than 1,600 underground spaces; general Palm Jumeirah parking access remains available for anyone driving to the island today, though specific availability near the redevelopment site may be restricted during ongoing construction.
Other Things Worth Doing While in the Area
The Burj Khalifa observation deck is one of those Dubai experiences that genuinely lives up to the hype at 148 floors up, the entire city grid spreads out below in a way that takes a real moment to process. Booking in advance is worth it, especially for a sunset time slot.
For something that has nothing to do with skylines or waterfronts, a Desert Safari shifts the entire mood of a Dubai trip dune bashing, camel rides and dinner at a Bedouin-style camp under an open sky. It’s a useful reminder that the desert sits roughly 40 minutes from all of Palm Jumeirah waterfront energy and it’s worth every bit of the detour.
Key Takeaways
- The Pointe in Dubai closed permanently in May 2023 and will not reopen in any form.
- The Palm Fountain, once the world’s largest, ran its final show on 16 May 2023 and has no announced plan to return.
- The Palm Crown, the project replacing it, is a private residential villa community not a public dining or entertainment destination.
- Construction is underway (AED 400M contract awarded December 2025) with completion expected around mid-to-late 2026.
- Atlantis Aquaventure, The View at The Palm, and Nakheel Mall remain the closest open alternatives on Palm Jumeirah today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Pointe in Dubai still open?
No. It closed permanently in May 2023 when Nakheel began redeveloping the site. The rest of Palm Jumeirah remains fully open and busy.
What is replacing The Pointe?
The Palm Crown, a private luxury residential development by Nakheel consisting of 38 seven-bedroom villas. It is not a public attraction and will not include restaurants or retail open to visitors.
What happened to the Palm Fountain?
The Palm Fountain, once Guinness World Records’ largest fountain, ran its final show on 16 May 2023 and has been closed ever since, with no public plan to rebuild or relocate it.
Will The Pointe ever reopen?
No. The site is being converted to private residential villas under The Palm Crown project, so a public reopening of The Pointe as it existed is not planned.
What can visitors do instead of The Pointe on Palm Jumeirah?
Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark, The View at The Palm, and Nakheel Mall are the closest open alternatives, all offering waterfront views, dining or entertainment on the same island.
How do I get to Palm Jumeirah?
Taxi, rideshare, personal car or the Palm Monorail from Gateway Station near the Dubai Tram all work well. The trip from Dubai Marina takes about 15 minutes.
Plan the Rest of Your Palm Jumeirah Trip
The Pointe may be gone, but Palm Jumeirah is far from finished as a Dubai destination. Between Atlantis Aquaventure, The View at The Palm and the wider island dining scene, there’s still a full day worth of waterfront experiences within a short ride of where The Pointe used to stand. Browse tours, desert safaris and dinner cruises at Jugnu Tours to build out the rest of the itinerary before the trip.