Hudayriyat Island
Al Hudayriat Island, Abu Dhabi City — Complete Area Guide (2026)
Overview: Abu Dhabi’s Active Heart
Al Hudayriat Island is Abu Dhabi’s premier outdoor lifestyle destination — a 3,000-hectare coastal island positioned off the south-western shore of the main island, connected to the mainland via an iconic suspension bridge, and developed by Modon Properties as the emirate’s designated “Active Heart.” Where Saadiyat Island is Abu Dhabi’s cultural capital and Yas Island its entertainment capital, Al Hudayriat Island is its active lifestyle capital — the address of choice for cyclists, surfers, trail runners, rock climbers, campers, and families who want the outdoors at their front door.
The island is home to Surf Abu Dhabi — the world’s largest man-made wave pool — alongside the Abu Dhabi Velodrome, one of the Middle East’s most sophisticated cycling venues.
Overview
Over 220 kilometres of cycle network threads across the island, along with 23 sports courts, mountain bike trails, an obstacle course park, a 750-metre jogging track, glamping facilities, and 16 kilometres of beachfront. Many facilties are free to use; the beach, bike lanes, and playground areas all operate without admission charges.
In parallel with its leisure identity, Al Hudayriat Island is entering a significant residential development phase. Modon Properties is delivering a masterplan of freehold luxury villas and apartments across several residential districts — Nawayef on the island’s elevated hills and Al Naseem along the beachfront being the two most advanced. Most residential projects are currently in off-plan phases with handovers expected between 2026 and 2030. The combination of an already-operational world-class leisure infrastructure with a phased residential masterplan gives Al Hudayriat Island a development trajectory that Saadiyat Island investors would recognise from the island’s early phase.
Enquire about properties on Al Hudayriat Island via WhatsApp or visit approperties.ae for current listings.
Location and Connectivity
Location and Connectivity
Al Hudayriat Island lies off the south-western coast of Abu Dhabi’s main island, directly across the water from Al Bateen Beach — one of the city’s oldest and most popular free public beaches. The island is connected to the mainland via the Hudayriat Bridge on Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Street (19th Street), providing a direct route that arrives at the island’s main leisure hub in minutes. The Eastern Mangrove district borders the eastern approach to the island, giving the surrounding environment a distinctive natural character of tidal channels and mangrove corridors that frames the island’s western leisure development.
Abu Dhabi city centre and the Corniche are approximately five minutes by car — one of the shortest city-to-leisure-island commutes in the UAE. Abu Dhabi International Airport is approximately 25–30 minutes. Al Bateen Executive Airport is approximately 20 minutes by car. Khalifa City and Masdar City are within a 20–25 minute drive, making Al Hudayriat accessible for professionals based in Abu Dhabi’s technology and knowledge districts.
Leisure Infrastructure — The World-Class Sports Cluster
Al Hudayriat Beach is the island’s primary public beach — a 600-metre free public shoreline on the Arabian Gulf that is consistently clean, well-maintained, and open 24/7. Many of the basic beach amenities are available without charge, including the beach itself, bike lanes, and children’s play areas. Summer 2025 brought a significant upgrade to Marsana East beach: floodlighting installed throughout, extending beach opening hours until 10pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends — a significant quality-of-life addition for Abu Dhabi residents who want to use the beach during cooler evening hours in the warmer months.
The island’s total beachfront is approximately 16 kilometres across its various public and private stretches, including the Marsana waterfront and the Bashayer promenade — two developed beach and waterfront areas providing structured leisure with F&B outlets, shade structures, and seating along the water’s edge. The waterfront dining and café offer on the island has grown substantially as the leisure infrastructure has matured, with several international and local dining concepts established along the main promenades.
Al Hudayriat Island’s leisure offering is defined by the scale and ambition of its sports infrastructure. The combination of facilities below creates a leisure concentration that is unusual by global standards, let alone within the Gulf region.
Surf Abu Dhabi
Surf Abu Dhabi is the island’s most globally distinctive facility — the world’s largest man-made wave pool, providing consistent, high-quality surfable waves in one of the world’s most unlikely locations for surfing. The facility generates waves of variable sizes suitable for beginners through to experienced surfers, with a structured lesson programme, equipment hire, and a beach club environment. Surf Abu Dhabi has attracted international surf events and has established Abu Dhabi as a credible destination on the global surfing calendar, drawing visitors from across the UAE and internationally.
Velodrome Abu Dhabi
Velodrome Abu Dhabi is one of the Middle East’s most architecturally remarkable sports facilities — a building whose inner track is joined to an outer track on the roof by a 600-metre ramp that spirals around the building’s exterior walls. The indoor velodrome track hosts competitive and training cycling at international standards, while the outdoor roof track provides a unique elevated cycling experience with panoramic views across the island and towards the Abu Dhabi skyline. The velodrome serves both competitive athletes and recreational cyclists, and its design has made it one of Abu Dhabi’s most photographed architectural landmarks.
Al Hudayriat Cycle Track
Al Hudayriat Island’s cycling network is one of the most extensive in the UAE — approximately 220 kilometres of marked cycle routes thread across the island, providing route options for every level from casual family rides to serious endurance training. A 10-kilometre professional-grade cycling track provides the competitive infrastructure for organised events. The cycle track was among the island’s first infrastructure to open, with the initial beachfront section operational from May 2018, and has been progressively extended as the island’s masterplan has developed. The track connects the island’s beaches, leisure zones, residential areas, and natural environments, making cycling the most practical and enjoyable transport mode within the island itself.
321Sports and Circuit X
321Sports and Circuit X are the island’s dedicated multi-sport leisure hubs — purpose-built zones providing activities for families and individuals across a range of sports and physical challenges. The 321Sports hub provides structured sports programming, coaching, and facilitated activities accessible to all ages and abilities. Circuit X provides a more performance-oriented environment for fitness enthusiasts, training athletes, and competitive sports participants. Together, the two hubs form the social and commercial core of the island’s sports offering, with F&B outlets, retail, and spectator areas.
OCR Park, Trail X and Adventure Facilities
The OCR Park provides an obstacle course race environment — suspended cargo nets, climbing walls, mud runs, and timed challenge circuits — that has grown significantly in popularity across the UAE and attracts both casual participants and serious OCR athletes from across Abu Dhabi. Trail X is the island’s mountain bike trail — a specifically designed flow trail with technical sections for experienced riders and accessible lines for beginners, set against the island’s coastal landscape. Bike Park provides additional cycling trails across three difficulty levels. A 750-metre jogging track provides a measured route for running enthusiasts who want distance precision.
Hudayriat Courts
Hudayriat Courts provides 23 dedicated sports courts for a variety of racket sports and court-based activities. The scale — 23 courts at a single venue — makes it one of the largest multi-sport court facilities in Abu Dhabi, providing the kind of capacity that enables leagues, tournaments, and community sports programming at scale alongside casual recreational play. The courts include padel, tennis, basketball, and volleyball configurations, serving the full spectrum of team and individual sports demand from the island’s residents and visitors.
Glamping and Outdoor Experiences
Al Hudayriat Island’s glamping offering ranges from simple canvas tents accommodating two to six people through to converted VW camper vans and luxury two-floor floating tents with private beach access and stargazing platforms. The floating tent format — a structure that can be moored on the water adjacent to the island — is a genuinely unusual hospitality product in the Abu Dhabi context, providing an immersive overnight maritime experience within minutes of the city centre. Heritage trails and camping areas complement the glamping offer, providing a nature and culture dimension alongside the sports infrastructure.
The Residential Development Programme
Al Hudayriat Island currently has six freehold residential communities developed by Modon Properties — all open to buyers of all nationalities. Most projects are off-plan or recently launched with handovers expected between 2026 and 2030. All prices below are indicative only, marked with (*), and subject to change. Buyers should confirm project status, handover timelines, and payment structures directly with Address Point Properties at the time of enquiry.
Hudayriyat Golf Estates
Hudayriyat Golf Estates is an exclusive gated community centred around a world-class golf course and surrounded by landscaped green open spaces. Designed for residents who prioritise privacy and leisure integration, the community combines fairway views with the island’s broader waterfront position. Contemporary architecture and thoughtfully planned layouts characterise each home, with the golf course as the social and recreational anchor — a product aimed squarely at buyers who want a golf lifestyle within an island leisure destination.
Bashayer
Bashayer is Al Hudayriat Island’s ultra-premium waterfront community — an activated coastal development offering modern villas, apartments, and penthouses along a vibrant promenade. The Bashayer promenade is one of the island’s signature waterfront zones, with dining, leisure, and public-realm infrastructure serving both residents and visitors. For buyers seeking the most resort-adjacent, lifestyle-activated waterfront product on the island, Bashayer occupies the premium coastal position.
Al Naseem
Al Naseem is an exclusive beachfront villa community positioned along the island’s scenic shoreline. Each villa delivers direct coastal proximity in a serene, low-density setting with contemporary design and premium specifications. Villas run to 4–5 bedroom configurations spanning 3,930 to 6,390 square feet, with market research indicating starting prices from approximately AED 7,200,000*, available on a 50/50 payment plan with a 2029 handover target. Al Naseem is for buyers who want a completed waterfront villa on a lifestyle island, with the island’s leisure infrastructure immediately accessible.
Al Nawayef Village
Al Nawayef Village is the master community anchor of the Nawayef Hills district — a landscape of rolling terrain rising to approximately 60 metres above sea level, unique within the UAE’s flat island residential market. Distinct neighbourhood clusters are each positioned to capture sweeping views of the Abu Dhabi city skyline and the surrounding azure waters. Luxury villas and mansions with panoramic outlooks unavailable from any sea-level community in the emirate make this the island’s most dramatically positioned residential district. Market research indicates starting prices from approximately AED 6,000,000*, with premium hilltop positions above AED 20,000,000*+.
Nawayef Park Views
Nawayef Park Views is the island’s Mediterranean-inspired freehold apartment community, set within the Nawayef Hills. Built around a lively souq plaza providing day-to-day dining, retail, and wellness within the community, Nawayef Park Views offers the island’s most accessible apartment-format product and is likely to attract investors seeking freehold island apartments alongside owner-occupiers who want the hilltop lifestyle in a more manageable unit size.
Nawayef East
Nawayef East is a further sub-district within the Nawayef master community, occupying the eastern hillside terrain rising to 60 metres. Like Al Nawayef Village, it delivers panoramic views across the island, the Abu Dhabi skyline, and the surrounding waters in a tranquil, highly connected island setting. Designed as part of the broader Nawayef master community framework, Nawayef East gives buyers an additional neighbourhood within the same elevated terrain, with its own distinct positioning and outlook.
Education
Al Hudayriat Island does not currently have schools within its boundaries. As the residential population grows through the 2026–2030 handover period, educational facilities are expected to be added to the island’s infrastructure. In the interim, the most accessible schools for island residents are on Al Reem Island — notably Repton School Abu Dhabi (Outstanding ADEK-rated, British curriculum, K–13), approximately 10 minutes by car. The broader Abu Dhabi school network is accessible via the bridge connection in 10–20 minutes depending on the school and traffic conditions.
Healthcare
Healthcare infrastructure on Al Hudayriat Island itself is limited to the sports medicine and physiotherapy facilities that operate within the island’s sporting venues. For primary and hospital-level care, mainland facilities are accessible within minutes. Corniche Hospital — Abu Dhabi’s main government hospital — is approximately five minutes by car. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island is approximately 10–15 minutes. Burjeel Hospital is accessible within 15–20 minutes. For an active lifestyle community like Al Hudayriat Island, the proximity of sports physiotherapy providers within the leisure complex itself is particularly relevant for the daily needs of regular athletes and sports particiipants.
Transport and Accessibility
Al Hudayriat Island is accessed via the Hudayriat Bridge on Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Street (also referred to as 19th Street) — the main artery approaching from the Al Bateen area. The bridge is one of Abu Dhabi’s most distinctive structures — a suspension bridge visible from significant distances across the water. Vehicle access to the island is straightforward with substantial parking facilities at all major activity zones. The island operates 24/7 and parking has not been a constraint during most visitor periods.
Public transport connections to Al Hudayriat Island are limited. The island is most conveniently accessed by private vehicle or taxi. Once on the island, cycling is the most practical and most experientially appropriate transport mode — the extensive cycle network makes it the natural way to move between the island’s different zones. Taxis and ride-hailing services can be pre-booked for arrival and departure. As the residential population grows, dedicated bus services are expected to be incorporated into the island’s transport infrastructure.
Investment Case
Property Prices — For Sale
Al Hudayriat Island property prices reflect its character as an emerging premium residential destination with significant off-plan supply. All prices are indicative only, derived from market research at the time of publication, and marked with (*). Prices are subject to change and should be independently verified.
Nawayef (The Hills)
3-bedroom villas: from approximately AED 6,000,000*
4-7 bedroom villas: from approximately AED 7,200,000* to AED 20,000,000*+
Heights collection (premium elevated positions): from approximately AED 12,000,000*–AED 20,000,000*+
Handover: 2026–2029 depending on phase and configuration
Al Naseem (Beachfront)
4-5 bedroom beachfront villas: from approximately AED 7,200,000*
Built-up area: 3,930–6,390 sq ft
Payment plan: 50/50
Handover: 2029
All Al Hudayriat Island properties are developed by Modon Properties as freehold for all nationalities. Golden Visa eligibility applies at the standard AED 2,000,000* threshold — all currently marketed villa configurations exceed this threshold. Buyers should confirm current availability, payment plan terms, and handover timelines directly with Address Point Properties at the time of enquiry.
Investment Case: Al Hudayriat Island
The Leisure-Integrated Residential Model
Al Hudayriat Island’s investment thesis is distinctive: it is the only Abu Dhabi residential address where the leisure infrastructure that typically requires a special trip — a world-record wave pool, a professional velodrome, 220 kilometres of cycling track, 23 sports courts, mountain bike trails — is built into the fabric of the daily environment. For the growing segment of buyers globally who prioritise active lifestyle access alongside residence quality, this combination is a significant purchase criterion that is unavailable in any comparable UAE community.
Modon Properties and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030
Al Hudayriat Island is a Modon Properties development — Modon is Abu Dhabi’s government-backed urban development company, operating under the Abu Dhabi government’s strategic urban planning framework and guided by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030’s emphasis on wellness, sustainability, and active lifestyles. The government-backed developer structure provides institutional continuity and delivery confidence that is important for buyers in off-plan phases with 2027–2029 handover horizons.
Early-Stage Positioning
Most Al Hudayriat Island residential projects are in their early phases of delivery. Buyers who participated in the early phases of Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, and Al Reem Island recognised the pattern: off-plan entry into a well-backed government masterplan with defined infrastructure provides the potential for meaningful capital appreciation between purchase and handover, as the leisure and residential infrastructure progressively matures and the community’s identity becomes established. Al Hudayriat Island is at that stage in 2026. The leisure infrastructure is operational. The residential masterplan is confirmed. The government institutional backing is in place. All figures are indicative only and past performance of comparable developments does not guarantee outcomes here.
Nearby Leisure and Lifestyle
Beyond the island itself, the surrounding Abu Dhabi western shore provides a rich leisure environment. Al Bateen Beach — directly across the water — is one of the city’s most established free public beaches, popular for swimming and walking. The Eastern Mangrove corridor running adjacent to the island’s approach road provides kayaking, paddleboarding, and mangrove boat tours through one of Abu Dhabi’s most accessible protected natural ecosystems.
The Jubail Mangrove Park on adjacent Al Jubail Island — Abu Dhabi’s most developed guided mangrove experience — is accessible by car within approximately 30 minutes. Corniche Beach and the full Corniche eight-kilometre waterfront boulevard are five to ten minutes by car. The Saadiyat Island cultural programme — the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach — is approximately 20 minutes away.
Frequently Asked Questions — Al Hudayriat Island
What is Al Hudayriat Island?
Al Hudayriat Island is a 3,000-hectare coastal island off the south-western shore of Abu Dhabi, developed by Modon Properties as the emirate’s premier outdoor lifestyle destination. The island combines an already-operational world-class leisure and sports infrastructure — Surf Abu Dhabi (world’s largest man-made wave pool), Velodrome Abu Dhabi, 220 km of cycle tracks, 23 sports courts, OCR Park, mountain bike trails, 16 km of beaches, and glamping — with a phased masterplan of freehold luxury residential communities currently in their off-plan delivery phase. Most residential projects have handovers scheduled between 2026 and 2030. The island is free to enter and many amenities including the beach, bike lanes, and playground areas are free to use. It connects to the mainland via a suspension bridge on Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Street (19th Street), approximately five minutes from Abu Dhabi city centre.
Who develops Al Hudayriat Island?
Al Hudayriat Island is developed by Modon Properties — Abu Dhabi’s government-backed urban development company. Modon operates under the Abu Dhabi government’s strategic planning and economic development framework (Abu Dhabi Vision 2030), with a mandate to develop large-scale, mixed-use urban destinations that combine lifestyle, leisure, and residential infrastructure. The government backing of Modon Properties provides institutional delivery confidence for buyers of off-plan properties with 2027–2030 handover horizons, distinguishing it from purely commercial off-plan developers.
What sports and leisure facilities are on Al Hudayriat Island?
The island’s leisure portfolio includes: Surf Abu Dhabi (world’s largest man-made wave pool); the Velodrome Abu Dhabi (professional indoor cycling track with a 600m exterior ramp to a rooftop track); the Al Hudayriat Cycle Track (220 km network, 10 km professional track); Hudayriat Courts (23 sports courts for padel, tennis, basketball, volleyball); OCR Park (obstacle course); Trail X (mountain bike trails); Bike Park (3-level trail options); a 750m jogging track; 321Sports leisure hub; Circuit X performance hub; glamping (tents, camper vans, floating tents); and 16 km of beachfront including the Marsana waterfront and Bashayer promenade.
Is Al Hudayriat Island free to visit?
Yes — there is no admission fee for Al Hudayriat Island itself, and many amenities are free to use. The public beach, cycling lanes, and children’s playground areas are accessible at no charge. Paid facilities include specific sports activities such as Surf Abu Dhabi, certain court bookings, and the velodrome’s structured programmes. The island is open 24/7. Summer 2025 saw extended beach hours introduced at Marsana East, with floodlit access until 10pm weekdays and midnight weekends.
What residential properties are available on Al Hudayriat Island?
Modon Properties has six freehold residential communities on Al Hudayriat Island: Hudayriyat Golf Estates (exclusive gated golf community); Bashayer (ultra-premium waterfront villas, apartments, and penthouses with an activated promenade); Al Naseem (beachfront villas, 4–5BR, from approximately AED 7.2 million*, 2029 handover, 50/50 plan); Al Nawayef Village (luxury hilltop villas and mansions, from approximately AED 6 million*, rising to AED 20 million*+, panoramic views at 60m elevation); Nawayef Park Views (Mediterranean-inspired freehold apartments within the Nawayef Hills, centred on a lively souq plaza); and Nawayef East (hillside villas within the Nawayef master community, panoramic views to 60m). All are freehold for all nationalities. All prices are indicative.
What are property prices on Al Hudayriat Island?
Current residential projects on Al Hudayriat Island are off-plan villas in the premium segment. Nawayef villa prices range from approximately AED 6 million* for entry 3-bedroom configurations to AED 20 million*+ for premium Heights collection mansions. Al Naseem beachfront villas start from approximately AED 7,200,000* for 4–5 bedroom configurations. As a phased masterplan with ongoing releases, prices vary by phase, position, and specification. All figures are indicative only and should be independently verified before any purchase decision.
Is Al Hudayriat Island freehold?
Yes. Al Hudayriat Island residential properties are developed by Modon Properties as freehold for all nationalities. Buyers of any nationality can acquire full legal ownership title. All currently marketed residential configurations are priced above the AED 2,000,000* minimum required for UAE Golden Visa eligibility, qualifying buyers for the 10-year renewable residency visa covering the investor and immediate family.
How far is Al Hudayriat Island from Abu Dhabi city centre?
Al Hudayriat Island is approximately five minutes by car from Abu Dhabi city centre and the Corniche district — one of the shortest centre-to-island commutes in the UAE. The Hudayriat Bridge on Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Street provides a direct, straightforward connection with no complex routing. Abu Dhabi International Airport is approximately 25–30 minutes by car. Al Bateen Executive Airport is approximately 20 minutes. The island’s proximity to the city centre is one of its most distinctive advantages as a leisure destination — for Abu Dhabi residents, Al Hudayriat is genuinely a 10-minute evening or weekend excursion rather than a daytrip.
What schools are near Al Hudayriat Island?
Repton School Abu Dhabi — Outstanding ADEK-rated, British curriculum, K-13 — is on Al Reem Island, approximately 10 minutes by car via the bridge connections. The broader Abu Dhabi school network is accessible within 10–20 minutes by car, including options in Khalifa City and Al Muroor for a range of curricula. As the island’s residential population grows, on-island schooling is expected to be incorporated in the masterplan infrastructure.
What healthcare is near Al Hudayriat Island?
Corniche Hospital is approximately five minutes by car — the closest and most easily accessible hospital for Al Hudayriat Island residents. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island is approximately 10–15 minutes for world-class specialist and emergency care. Burjeel Hospital is within a 15-minute drive. Sports physiotherapy and sports medicine services are available within the island’s sporting facilities for the active lifestyle needs of residents.
How does Al Hudayriat Island compare to Saadiyat Island and Yas Island?
Al Hudayriat, Saadiyat Island, and Yas Island each represent a distinct identity in Abu Dhabi’s island residential landscape. Saadiyat is the cultural capital — museums, luxury beach hotels, premium villas; most properties completed and an active secondary market. Yas Island is the entertainment capital — theme parks, Formula 1, Yas Bay Waterfront, strong rental yields; also well-established with a deep market. Al Hudayriat Island is the active lifestyle capital — wave pools, cycling velodromes, mountain bike trails, glamping — in its early residential development phase. For buyers who prioritise sports and outdoor lifestyle above cultural adjacency or entertainment access, Al Hudayriat Island offers something that neither Saadiyat nor Yas can replicate. For buyers who want an established market with active secondary liquidity, Saadiyat and Yas are the more mature alternatives.
What is Nawayef and what makes it distinctive?
Nawayef is Al Hudayriat Island’s most prestigious residential district, developed on a series of man-made hills that rise to approximately 50 metres above sea level — a genuinely significant elevation in the context of Abu Dhabi’s otherwise entirely flat topography. The hills provide panoramic Gulf views and city skyline views from upper-level villas that are simply unavailable from any sea-level island community in the UAE. Nawayef offers luxury villas and mansions in 3 to 7+ bedroom configurations, with standard villa prices starting from approximately AED 6 million* and the premium Heights collection reaching AED 20 million*+. The combination of elevated position, Gulf views, and immediate adjacency to the island’s world-class leisure infrastructure makes Nawayef a genuinely unusual residential proposition within the Abu Dhabi villa market. All prices are indicative only.
Summary
Al Hudayriat Island is Abu Dhabi’s active lifestyle capital — a 3,000-hectare Modon Properties masterplan built around the world’s largest man-made wave pool (Surf Abu Dhabi), the Abu Dhabi Velodrome, 220 kilometres of cycle track, 23 sports courts, an OCR park, mountain bike trails, 16 kilometres of beachfront, and glamping — five minutes from the Corniche and city centre, connected by an iconic suspension bridge. Six freehold residential communities are in active development: Hudayriyat Golf Estates, Bashayer (ultra-premium waterfront), Al Hudayriat Beachfront Al Naseem (from AED 7.2 million*), Al Nawayef Village (hilltop villas from AED 6 million*+), Nawayef Park Views (Mediterranean apartments), and Nawayef East — handovers 2026–2030. Freehold for all nationalities, Golden Visa eligible, government-backed developer. For active lifestyle buyers who want outdoor sports infrastructure as a daily fact of residential life rather than a weekend excursion, Al Hudayriat Island is the most compelling emerging proposition in Abu Dhabi’s island residential market. Contact Address Point Properties via WhatsApp to discuss current availability.
* All pricing and market figures are indicative only and derived from market research at the time of publication. All figures are subject to change without notice. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment or financial advice. By using this page you accept our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
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