Al Zeina
Al Zeina, Al Raha Beach — Complete Community Guide (2026)
Parent area: Al Raha Beach
Developer: Aldar Properties
Completed: Q1 2014
Ownership type: Freehold — available to all nationalities
Scale: 7 precincts | 1,221 residential units | 134,779 sq m total area
Unit composition: 973 apartments | 119 townhouses | 150+ podium and sky villas
Property sizes: 409 sq ft to 9,460 sq ft
Private beach: 500 metres
Position within Al Raha Beach: Eastern end of Al Raha Beach, the sub-community closest to Yas Island
Al Zeina — Overview
Al Zeina is Aldar Properties’ largest and most varied residential development within Al Raha Beach — a mixed-use community of 1,221 units built across seven precincts, completed in Q1 2014, and sitting at the eastern end of the district closest to Yas Island. It is one of the few communities in Abu Dhabi that delivers private beach access as a standard resident amenity — a 500-metre stretch of sandy private beach accessible directly from the community — alongside a fully built retail high street, two in-community nurseries, an in-community specialist medical centre, and the broadest property mix in the Al Raha Beach development, from compact 1-bedroom apartments to 7-bedroom beachfront villas with private pools.
Where Al Bandar is built around the marina and the energy of the waterfront promenade, Al Zeina is built around quiet public squares, sheltered pathways, and landscaped gardens that give the community a notably calm residential character. It is consistently described as the most family-oriented and most self-contained of the Al Raha Beach sub-communities — the place in the district where daily life can be conducted almost entirely within walking distance, and where the beach, rather than the marina, is the central community amenity.
The community is built over seven precincts, each with its own residential character, and residential buildings are organised into blocks A through F. Some precincts feature quiet villa neighbourhoods on the waterfront; others are more apartment-oriented, built around the retail high street and the shared community spaces. The overall effect is a development that offers genuine variety within a single address — residents in different precincts of Al Zeina can experience meaningfully different daily environments while sharing the same community infrastructure.
Al Zeina is Al Raha Beach’s most comprehensively self-contained sub-community — 1,221 units, a 500-metre private beach, seven precincts, two in-community nurseries, a specialist medical centre, and a retail high street with Waitrose, all within a single freehold waterfront development completed in 2014.
Location and Setting
Al Zeina occupies the eastern end of the Al Raha Beach district — the portion of the development closest to Yas Island, with direct views across the water to the Yas Island shoreline. The community sits on the southern side of the E10 highway (Al Salam Street / Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street) and connects to the wider Al Raha Beach corridor via Al Raha Boulevard. The Al Raha Creek forms part of the community’s eastern boundary.
The community’s proximity to Yas Island is one of its distinctive geographical advantages. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, and the Yas Marina Circuit are reachable within approximately 10 minutes. Yas Mall is approximately 12 minutes away. Abu Dhabi International Airport is approximately 10 minutes via the E10 and Airport Road. Abu Dhabi city centre is approximately 35 minutes. Dubai is approximately 50–60 minutes via E11.
The Seven Precincts and Residential Mix
Al Zeina is deliberately varied in its residential character. The community’s seven precincts include both apartment buildings and villa/townhouse neighbourhoods, with some precincts positioned directly on the private beach and others set back within the landscaped garden zones. The residential blocks are organised A through F, and units within each building are fully finished with equipped kitchens, modern bathrooms, and large windows designed to maximise waterfront views.
Apartments
Apartments in Al Zeina range from 1 to 4 bedrooms, with unit sizes from approximately 925 sq ft (1BR) up to the larger 4-bedroom configurations. The 973 apartments make them the most numerous property type in the development. Buildings A and C are noted for particularly spacious layouts, with some 3-bedroom units exceeding 2,900 sq ft. All apartments include underground parking, with villas and townhouses having personal parking spaces. Apartments are available across all seven precincts, with those in the beach-facing precincts commanding a premium for sea views.
Townhouses
Al Zeina’s 119 townhouses offer 4–5 bedroom configurations with a minimum size of approximately 2,972 sq ft (276 sq m). They provide the kind of spacious multi-level family home that is not available in the apartment blocks — with private entrance, dedicated parking, and the privacy that families transitioning from villa living frequently require. The townhouses are particularly popular with families who want proximity to the nurseries and the beach without the full cost of a villa. Starting purchase prices for townhouses have been recorded from approximately AED 2,850,000.*
Podium and Sky Villas
The 150+ podium and sky villas are Al Zeina’s most distinctive property type — a category unique to the beachfront master-planned developments of Abu Dhabi’s coastal corridor. Podium villas occupy the raised podium levels of apartment buildings, providing villa-format living with private courtyards and direct access to the community’s facilities while benefiting from building security and management. Sky villas occupy upper floors, typically with private terraces and panoramic Gulf views. The beach villas in Al Zeina look out directly over the 500-metre private beach toward Yas Island across the water.
Villa configurations run from 4 to 7 bedrooms — a range that accommodates the full spectrum of family sizes seeking waterfront luxury in the Al Raha Beach corridor. The largest units reach 9,460 sq ft. Documented sale prices for villas include 5-bedroom at AED 7,900,000 (6,000 sq ft)*.
The Private Beach
Al Zeina’s 500-metre private sandy beach is the community’s defining amenity and the primary reason most families choose it over Al Bandar as their Al Raha Beach address. The beach faces the Arabian Gulf and looks directly across the water toward Yas Island — one of the most distinctive views available from any residential beach in Abu Dhabi’s suburban corridor. The beach is accessible to all Al Zeina residents at no additional cost and provides the waterfront recreational access that drives the community’s family demographic.
The beach includes family-oriented facilities with zones for residents to relax, bring children, and access the water. The proximity to Yas Island means that on clear evenings, the lights of the Yas Island hotels and theme parks are visible across the water — a backdrop that is unique to Al Zeina among the Al Raha Beach sub-communities. Water activities are available through the neighbouring Al Bandar Marina, accessible via Al Raha Boulevard within a short drive.
The Retail High Street
Al Zeina’s retail high street is the most comprehensively built community retail environment in the Al Raha Beach district — a purpose-designed street-level retail zone integrated within the seven precincts that provides walkable daily amenities for all residents. Waitrose anchors the grocery provision, consistently rated among the premium supermarket operators in Abu Dhabi and providing the international product range that the community’s expatriate professional demographic relies on. The high street also houses pharmacies, nail salons, furniture and homeware stores, and a range of cafes and restaurants that make it genuinely possible for Al Zeina residents to handle routine daily needs without leaving the community.
The retail high street character — quiet, landscaped, and built at a human scale rather than a car-facing strip — reflects the community’s overall design philosophy: that convenience should be walkable and that daily commercial activity should coexist with the calm residential character rather than disrupt it. The street has matured since the community’s 2014 completion into a well-used neighbourhood commercial ecology, with an established mix of businesses that serves the resident population consistently rather than relying on destination visitors.
Dining in Al Zeina
Antonia Trattoria is Al Zeina’s flagship dining establishment — the branch of one of Abu Dhabi’s most awarded Italian restaurant groups, known for its sourdough pizzas made with a 50-year-old starter fermented for 72 hours, Amalfi-inspired pasta, and a neighbourhood atmosphere that draws residents regularly. Time Out Abu Dhabi reviewers have described it as among the best Italian restaurants at Al Raha Beach. The Al Zeina branch carries the same kitchen philosophy as the flagship at Mamsha Al Saadiyat and the Antonia Chic concept at The Galleria, but in a more relaxed neighbourhood setting that suits the community’s daily dining character.
Nando’s operates within approximately three minutes’ walk of the residential towers, providing a casual dining option accessible on foot for families and couples who want a quick evening meal without leaving the community. A range of cafes and restaurant outlets on the retail high street rounds out the local dining offering, with Al Raha Mall — and its broader food court and dining options — accessible within a short drive.
Healthcare
Burjeel Medical Centre Al Zeina is the in-community specialist medical facility — an outpatient centre providing specialist consultations, diagnostic services, and general outpatient care within Al Zeina itself, accessible without leaving the development. This in-community healthcare provision is one of Al Zeina’s practical advantages over neighbouring sub-communities where residents must drive to the nearest clinic.
For hospital-level emergency and specialist care, Mediclinic Khalifa City is approximately 9 minutes from Al Zeina via the E10, and Yas Clinic Khalifa City is approximately 11 minutes. NMC Royal Hospital Khalifa City and the broader Khalifa City private hospital cluster are all accessible within approximately 10–15 minutes via the highway junction adjacent to the Al Raha Beach development. Healthpoint Hospital — the specialist sports medicine and orthopaedic facility within Al Raha Beach — is accessible within the district.
Schools and Nurseries
In-Community Nurseries
Al Zeina has two confirmed in-community nurseries. Odyssey Nursery Al Zeina is located on the 2nd floor of Building C (Residential Lobby C-04) — the Reggio Emilia curriculum nursery offering child-directed activities for children from 4 months to 4 years, part of the Odyssey network that also operates in Al Muneera. Blossom Nursery Al Zeina is located in the Al Faridah Complex within the Al Zeina / Al Raha Beach corridor, following the British EYFS curriculum and accepting children from 45 days to 4 years. Both nurseries serve families across Al Zeina, Al Muneera, and Al Bandar.
Yellow Submarine Nursery is within approximately one minute’s drive of the community, providing a further early years option following the EYFS curriculum that extends the nursery provision available to Al Zeina families without requiring a longer journey.
Primary and Secondary Schools
Raha International School in Al Raha Gardens — Abu Dhabi’s first fully IB-accredited school, established 2006 — is the primary school for most Al Zeina families, accessible in approximately 5–10 minutes via Al Raha Boulevard and the E10 junction. Yasmina British Academy, also in Al Raha Gardens, follows the British National Curriculum. GEMS American Academy in Khalifa City is approximately 10 minutes. Crescent International School, following the British curriculum, is also accessible from the wider Al Raha Beach corridor. Coastal Safety International, which offers boat handling and sea-related courses, operates near the community for residents with maritime interests.
Getting Around from Al Zeina
By Bus
Al Zeina has two public bus stops within the community — the most direct public transport access of any Al Raha Beach sub-community. Bus routes 170, 175, and K4 serve these stops, connecting residents to Abu Dhabi’s central bus station network and to the wider city route system. The confirmed stops serving the wider Al Raha Beach corridor include the Al Rahah Street / Al Raha Creek stop and the Channel Street / Emirates Sailing School stop.
By Bicycle
ADCB Bikeshare by Cyacle operates a station within Al Zeina, providing bike hire at AED 20 per day with monthly and annual membership options. Al Zeina connects to a canal-side cycling and jogging track that runs continuously along the waterfront through Al Muneera and into Al Bandar — one of the more complete active transport routes available in Abu Dhabi’s suburban residential geography. The flat terrain, the sea breeze, and the promenade character make the cycling route genuinely usable for daily recreation across the cooler months.
By Car
Al Raha Boulevard connects Al Zeina directly to the E10 highway (Al Salam Street / Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street) within approximately two minutes. Abu Dhabi International Airport is approximately 10 minutes via the E10 and Airport Road. Yas Island is approximately 10–15 minutes. Abu Dhabi city centre is approximately 35 minutes under normal traffic conditions. Dubai is approximately 50–60 minutes via E11. Villas and townhouses have personal parking spaces; apartment buildings have underground parking allocation per unit.
Property Prices in Al Zeina
Sale Prices
Apartments: Listed across a range of AED 1,250,000 to AED 5,500,000*, with average advertised price approximately AED 3,009,700*. Documented prices include 1BR (1,125 sq ft) from AED 1,150,000* and 2BR penthouse (1,430 sq ft) from AED 1,685,000*
4-bedroom penthouse: From AED 5,900,000* (4,633 sq ft)
Townhouses: From approximately AED 2,850,000* (minimum 2,972 sq ft)
5-bedroom villa: From approximately AED 7,900,000* (6,000 sq ft)
All property in Al Zeina is freehold, available for purchase by all nationalities. Purchases of AED 2,000,000 or above qualify for the UAE 10-year Golden Visa. Advertised sale prices have increased approximately 15% over the six months to early 2026, reflecting continued market momentum in the Al Raha Beach corridor.* Contact Address Point Properties for current availability and verified unit pricing.*
Rental Prices
Overall range: AED 80,000 to AED 420,000 per year* across all property types
Apartments average: Approximately AED 157,000 per year* (apartments); overall community average approximately AED 155,000*
Studios: From approximately AED 80,000–120,000 per year*
1-bedroom apartments: Available from approximately AED 90,000 per year*
2-bedroom apartments: Approximately AED 120,000–180,000 per year* depending on floor, view, and building
3-bedroom apartments: Some 3BR units in Buildings A and C exceed 2,900 sq ft; pricing reflects the premium of larger layouts*
Villas and townhouses: Upper end of the AED 420,000 range for larger beachfront configurations*
Asking rents in Al Zeina have increased approximately 12% in the six months to early 2026, consistent with the broader Al Raha Beach luxury rental trend.* All figures are indicative asking prices. Contact Address Point Properties for current rental listings.*
Investment in Al Zeina
Al Zeina’s investment case is anchored in the scarcity of private beach freehold property in Abu Dhabi. The combination of a 500-metre private sandy beach, freehold ownership for all nationalities, an established and functioning community with in-community retail and nurseries, and Yas Island proximity creates a demand profile that is difficult to replicate elsewhere in the emirate at comparable price points.*
Two-bedroom apartments at Al Zeina have recorded rental yields of approximately 7.6% in published market data from specialist sources — among the stronger apartment yields in the Al Raha Beach corridor.* The community’s self-contained character, in-community nurseries, and beach access generate a consistent long-term tenant base of families who tend to renew rather than relocate, contributing to lower vacancy rates and more predictable rental income than communities with higher tenant turnover. For investment analysis by unit type and specific yield projections, contact Address Point Properties.*
Al Zeina vs Al Bandar — Choosing Within Al Raha Beach
The comparison between Al Zeina and Al Bandar is the most common choice within Al Raha Beach for buyers and tenants deciding between the district’s two most prominent sub-communities. Al Bandar delivers the marina lifestyle, licensed dining on the promenade, and a vibrant social atmosphere — it is the better choice for professionals who prioritise the waterfront dining and nightlife scene and for boat owners who want marina access. Al Zeina delivers the private beach, the quieter residential character, and the more comprehensive self-contained community infrastructure — it is consistently preferred by families with children, particularly those who value the in-community nurseries, the beach access, and the calm daily environment.
Price levels are broadly comparable between the two communities at similar unit types, though Al Zeina’s beach villas and larger sky villa configurations command significant premiums over Al Bandar’s top-of-range units given their relative scarcity. For a family prioritising school proximity, nursery access, beach lifestyle, and a quiet community atmosphere, Al Zeina is typically the stronger choice. For a young professional couple prioritising the social scene, marina activities, and the licensed restaurant ecology, Al Bandar wins the comparison.
The Community Character — Who Lives in Al Zeina
Al Zeina attracts a specific and recognisable demographic within Abu Dhabi’s expatriate and professional community: predominantly families with school-age or younger children who have chosen Al Raha Beach specifically for the beach access and school proximity, and who specifically chose Al Zeina within the district for its quieter residential character and self-contained daily infrastructure. The in-community nurseries are a significant draw — the ability to drop a child at nursery within the building or within a five-minute walk is a practical daily advantage that shapes family location decisions meaningfully.
European families, particularly British, are well-represented in Al Zeina’s tenant demographic — drawn by the Yasmina British Academy and Raha International School proximity, the quality of the beach environment, and the community character that more closely resembles a managed European residential development than the high-density urban towers of Abu Dhabi’s central island. Senior corporate professionals, airline professionals, and long-term UAE residents who have purchased in the freehold zone are the primary buyer profile. Long-term tenant retention in Al Zeina is high — families who move in typically stay for multiple lease terms, creating a settled community dynamic that reinforces the residential character residents valued when they chose the address.
Leisure and Active Life in Al Zeina
The canal-side cycling and jogging track is Al Zeina’s most-used daily leisure infrastructure — a continuous waterfront route connecting Al Zeina through Al Muneera to Al Bandar. The track runs alongside the Al Raha Creek and the open Gulf, wide enough for simultaneous cycling and pedestrian use, and the waterfront setting encourages consistent daily use across the cooler months from October to April. Residents with bikes — whether personal or hired from the ADCB Bikeshare Cyacle station within the community — regularly use this route for morning exercise and evening recreation. The private beach supports family-oriented water activities, children’s play, and beach sports. For structured watersports, Halla Walla at the Al Bandar Marina is accessible within a short drive.
Al Zeina and the Education Corridor
Al Zeina’s position at the eastern end of Al Raha Beach makes it the sub-community with the most direct highway access to the Al Raha Gardens school cluster. For most Al Zeina families, the school run to Raha International School (IB) or Yasmina British Academy runs 5–10 minutes in the morning via the E10, meaningfully shorter than from Al Seef or Al Hadeel. The broader education ecology accessible from Al Zeina includes GEMS American Academy in Khalifa City (approximately 10 minutes), Brighton College Abu Dhabi and Cranleigh Abu Dhabi for the premium schooling market, and the university cluster — Abu Dhabi University, Zayed University, and Khalifa University — within approximately 15 minutes. For a community built primarily for families, this education catchment is one of the strongest available from any waterfront residential address in Abu Dhabi’s suburban zone.
Frequently Asked Questions — Al Zeina
How many units does Al Zeina have?
Al Zeina has 1,221 residential units in total, divided across seven precincts. The unit composition is 973 apartments, 119 townhouses, and more than 150 podium and sky villas. Apartment configurations run from 1 to 4 bedrooms; townhouses offer 4–5 bedrooms; villas offer 4–7 bedrooms. Unit sizes span 409 sq ft to 9,460 sq ft across the development. The community was developed by Aldar Properties and completed in Q1 2014.
Does Al Zeina have a private beach?
Yes — Al Zeina has a 500-metre private sandy beach accessible to all community residents at no additional cost. The beach faces the Arabian Gulf with direct views toward Yas Island across the water. It is one of a small number of Abu Dhabi residential communities offering this private beach standard. Al Muneera is the other Al Raha Beach sub-community with private beach access; Al Bandar does not have a dedicated private beach within its community.
What are rental prices in Al Zeina?
Properties across all types rent for between AED 80,000 and AED 420,000 per year, with the overall community average approximately AED 155,000*. Apartments specifically average approximately AED 157,000 per year*, with studios available from approximately AED 80,000*. 3-bedroom units in Buildings A and C — which offer some of the largest apartment layouts in the community — reflect premiums for their floor area. Villas and townhouses at the upper end of the market command the higher end of the rental range. Contact Address Point Properties for verified current listings.*
What nurseries are in Al Zeina?
Al Zeina has two in-community nurseries. Odyssey Nursery Al Zeina is on the 2nd floor of Building C (Residential Lobby C-04), following the Reggio Emilia approach, for children from 4 months to 4 years. Blossom Nursery is in the Al Faridah Complex within the Al Zeina corridor, following the British EYFS curriculum for children from 45 days to 4 years. Yellow Submarine Nursery (EYFS curriculum) is approximately one minute’s drive from the community. For primary and secondary schooling, Raha International School (IB) and Yasmina British Academy in Al Raha Gardens are both accessible in 5–10 minutes.
What bus routes serve Al Zeina?
Al Zeina has two bus stops within the community — the most direct public transport access of any Al Raha Beach sub-community. Routes 170, 175, and K4 serve the community. ADCB Bikeshare by Cyacle operates a bike hire station within Al Zeina at AED 20 per day, providing a non-motorised option for the canal-side cycling and jogging track that connects Al Zeina through Al Muneera to Al Bandar along the waterfront.
Is Al Zeina freehold?
Yes — all property in Al Zeina is freehold and available for purchase by all nationalities. Al Zeina is part of the Al Raha Beach freehold investment zone. Purchases of AED 2,000,000 or above qualify for the UAE 10-year Golden Visa. The freehold status applies to all property types: apartments, townhouses, podium villas, sky villas, and beach villas.
Summary
Al Zeina is Aldar Properties’ largest and most varied Al Raha Beach sub-community — 1,221 units across seven precincts, completed Q1 2014, at the eastern end of the district closest to Yas Island. Units range from 1-bedroom apartments to 7-bedroom beach villas, sizes 409–9,460 sq ft. The 500-metre private sandy beach is the community’s defining amenity. A retail high street with Waitrose, pharmacies, and cafes provides in-community daily convenience. Two confirmed in-community nurseries (Odyssey and Blossom) serve families. Burjeel Medical Centre Al Zeina provides in-community healthcare; Mediclinic Khalifa City is 9 minutes away. Antonia Trattoria is the community’s flagship restaurant. Two bus stops with routes 170, 175, and K4; ADCB Bikeshare station within the community. All property is freehold. Apartment rents average approximately AED 157,000 per year*; overall range AED 80,000–420,000*. Yas Island is 10–15 minutes; airport approximately 10 minutes; city centre approximately 35 minutes.
Prices marked with an asterisk (*) are indicative only, sourced from market research, and subject to change without notice. All Al Zeina residential properties are freehold. Address Point Properties makes no warranty as to the accuracy or currency of the pricing information on this page.