Published: 8 October 2026
Abu Dhabi’s newest waterfront developments are taking markedly different forms. On Saadiyat Island, new residences are being added beside cultural institutions and established beach communities; elsewhere, island projects are taking shape around marinas, private docks and large standalone homes. Al Maryah offers an altogether different interpretation, bringing branded residences to the water’s edge within the capital’s financial district.
Choosing between them involves considerably more than the view. Direct access to the beach or marina affects daily use, while residential management, proximity to cultural and commercial districts and the scale of the surrounding community can be equally important. A penthouse within Saadiyat Cultural District, for instance, offers a very different setting from a mansion on a private island reached by bridge or boat.
This guide looks at some of the most significant new luxury projects on Abu Dhabi’s waterfront, from branded residences and beachfront homes to apartments within emerging coastal districts.
Marsa Al Saadiyat Changes the Scale of the Shoreline
Marsa Al Saadiyat will extend the island’s residential waterfront on a scale quite different from the projects that have come before it. Announced in July 2026, the AED 100 billion development covers 6.4 million square metres and activates the final phase of the Saadiyat Island masterplan. More than 58,000 residents are eventually expected to live across private mansions, villas, waterfront apartments and branded residences.
The shoreline is central to the plan. Eight kilometres of waterfront will include 5.6 kilometres of beaches and Abu Dhabi’s largest marina, with capacity for up to 350 sailing boats and yachts. An underground Etihad Rail high-speed station is planned alongside three schools, healthcare facilities, parks and an extensive network of walking and cycling routes.
The range of residential settings is particularly notable. A mansion near the marina will have the water close at hand in quite a different way from an apartment beside one of the pedestrian routes or a home nearer the beach. Marsa therefore expands the choice on Saadiyat within a single coastal district, while connecting homes with transport and services on a much larger scale.
Saadiyat Cultural District Adds Smaller Residential Collections
Elsewhere on Saadiyat, newer developments are considerably more concentrated. Mandarin Oriental Residences Saadiyat Cultural District, launched by Aldar in November 2024, comprises 226 furnished homes designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, with interiors by Lillian Wu. Its position places residents close to the island’s museums and Mamsha Beach, with completion scheduled for the third quarter of 2028.
Baccarat Residences Saadiyat is smaller still. Announced in February 2026, the scheme will contain 77 homes by Sou Fujimoto Architects, ranging from two- and three-bedroom residences to four-bedroom sky villas and two signature penthouses. Its two buildings are oriented towards the sea and neighbouring cultural institutions, including Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
These projects draw much of their character from their position within the Cultural District. Museums and the coast sit close to home, while the residences add international design and hospitality names to an area already shaped by cultural institutions. It is a form of coastal living centred as much on proximity as on direct beach frontage.
Four Seasons Brings Managed Living to Saadiyat Beach
Four Seasons Private Residences Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat Beach brings professional residential management directly to one of the island’s established stretches of coastline. Developed by ALAIN, the standalone project is designed by Killa Design, with interiors by LW Design Group, and is scheduled to welcome owners in 2029. Its accommodation ranges from suites and penthouses to villas and beach mansions within a gated beachfront community.
The project has already produced one of Abu Dhabi’s most notable residential transactions. In October 2025, Abu Dhabi Sotheby’s International Realty handled the sale of a five-bedroom penthouse for AED 200 million. Extending to 14,240 square feet and achieving AED 14,000 per square foot, it became the most expensive penthouse sold in Abu Dhabi.
Unlike a residence attached to a hotel, this is a standalone residential community managed by Four Seasons. The arrangement brings professional residential services to private homes on Saadiyat Beach, placing management alongside space, privacy and direct access to the coast as part of the ownership proposition.
Al Maryah Offers a More Urban Waterfront
Al Maryah Island brings the coast into a markedly more urban setting. Abu Dhabi Global Market, healthcare, shops and restaurants already occupy the district, allowing residential life beside the water to remain closely connected to central Abu Dhabi.
Jumeirah Residences Al Maryah Island was announced in January 2026 and will comprise 253 one- to five-bedroom homes. Designed by Killa Design, the building will stand beside The Galleria, with private terraces overlooking the canal, Al Reem Island and the wider city. Direct access to the waterfront promenade forms part of the plan, and completion is scheduled for 2031.
This makes Al Maryah a useful counterpoint to Saadiyat. The water remains an important part of the setting, but here it sits alongside the financial district and an established concentration of shops, restaurants and services. The result is an urban waterfront address rather than a resort-led coastal community.
Private Islands Bring the Water Closer
Other projects use the island itself to provide greater privacy and more immediate access to the coast.
Bvlgari Resort & Mansions Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open in 2030 on a private, horseshoe-shaped island off the Corniche. Designed by ACPV Architects, it will include a resort and 90 private mansions ranging from 1,650 to 2,500 square metres. Some will have docks capable of accommodating boats up to 25 metres, while eight will have their own private beaches. Residents will be able to reach the island by a dedicated bridge or by boat.
Ramhan Island works on a broader community scale. Developed by Eagle Hills around natural bays, mangroves and open water, it is planned to include approximately 1,800 standalone villas and 900 marina residences. The wider masterplan also incorporates a marina, hospitality, dining and retail within a predominantly low-rise island setting.
The contrast between the two illustrates the range now appearing within Abu Dhabi’s island developments. Bvlgari concentrates a relatively small collection of large branded mansions on a private island, whereas Ramhan spreads homes across a complete residential community. In each case, beaches, marina access and private docks make the water part of how the property is reached and used, rather than simply part of the outlook.
What Matters When Comparing New Waterfront Projects
Abu Dhabi’s current pipeline offers a broad choice of coastal property, from apartments overlooking the Gulf to villas with direct beach access and mansions with private docks. Each comes with its own pattern of access, services and surrounding amenities, while completion dates and the scale of the wider community determine when those elements come together.
The market figures provide useful context. Residential sales reached AED 70.4 billion during the first half of 2026, according to ADREC, with resident expatriates and non-resident foreign buyers accounting for 70 per cent of sales value. The regulator also reports that Abu Dhabi now has 50 investment zones open to ownership by investors of all nationalities.
For buyers looking at Abu Dhabi’s new luxury waterfront projects, the useful distinction is therefore no longer simply how much sea can be seen from the property. It is how closely the water, the city and the services around the home fit the way that address is intended to be used.
