Cultural District, Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi

Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi

Saadiyat Island is a flagship development of the Tourism Development and Investment Company which demonstrates the Abu Dhabi government's commitment to economic diversification and development of Abu Dhabi as a leading tourism and cultural destination. The development has achieved international acclaim having topped a poll of 167,000 travel professionals worldwide, including more than 110,000 travel agents, to earn the 14th World Travel Awards mantle of The World's leading Tourism Development Project. Saadiyat Island, which translates from Arabic as 'Island of Happiness', has also been tipped by the international travel industry in a Wall Stree journal survey as one of the world's top ten most up-and-coming trendy destinations.

This 27 sq.km island, the Middle East's largest single natural island development, lies just 500m offshore the UAE capital and is being transformed into a strategic leisure, cultural and residential destination.

Lying to the north-east of Abu Dhabi city and roughly equidistant betweem Abu Dhabi International Airport and the city centre, Saadiyat is a barrier island facing out into the Arabian Gulf, protecting shallow lagoons. Much of the island to the east is characterised by ecologically sensitive mangrove reserves. The island is master planned in seven districts delivering a multitude of experiences with complementary environments.

Infrastructure work is already underway - including work on the 6.5 km Saadiyat Link which will connect the island with the Shahama District, close to the international airport, and the 10-lane Saadiyat Bridge which will link the island with the capital city's main central business district. Development will be phased through to planned completion in 2018.

Saadiyat Island will have a 9 km stretch of white sandy beach, two golf courses - one is the eco-conscious Saadiyat Beach Golf Course - the UAE's first Gary player signature course and the first in the Arabian Gulf with beach-front holes.

The seven districts are:

• Cultural District
• Saadiyat Marina
• Saadiyat Beach
• South Beach
• Island Lagoons
• The Wetlands
• Eco Point

Saadiyat Island Resources

Saadiyat Island Official Website