Al Jaddaf is located in western Dubai in the district of Bur Dubai. The E11 Sheikh Rashid road forms the northern boundary and the E66 Oud Metha Road defines the western boundary. To the east and south the area is bounded by the Dubai Creek. Al Khail Road crosses the area.

Latifa Hospital, the Al Wasl football club facilities and the proposed Phase Two of Dubai Healthcare City take up most of the west and south of Al Jaddaf. To the east, on the banks of Dubai Creek, are the industrial shipbuilding yards and dry dock, the Mohamed bin Rashid Library and the upmarket Dubai Culture Village. In between these places there is a large area of land parcelled up for development.

The Dubai Creek that once petered out here has been extended to the waters of Business Bay and through Safa Park to break out into the sea at Jumeirah. The resulting generation of marine transport and leisure activity will no doubt bring increased prosperity to the shipbuilding and maintenance yards here in Al Jaddaf.

Many of the construction projects we saw taking place in 2018 were nearing completion in August 2020, but it was evident that not many new projects were starting.

There is no greenery here whatsoever.

• From Al Jaddaf it takes roughly 16 minutes to drive to Dubai Mall, 27 minutes to Palm Jumeirah, 26 minutes to Burj Al Arab and 31 minutes to The Walk JBR.
• Dubai International Airport (DXB) is roughly 22 minutes' drive and the new Al Maktoum International Airport is roughly 49 minutes' drive. All durations are calculated by Google Maps and assume the fastest route in typical traffic conditions.