Hudayriyat Island Area Guide 2026

A 51 million square metre island masterplan by Modon Properties off Abu Dhabi south west coast, equal to more than half the size of Abu Dhabi Island. The leisure was built first and is already open. Surf Abu Dhabi, a UCI category one velodrome, 220 km of cycling routes. The homes come later, from late 2027.

What Hudayriyat Island is

Hudayriyat sits directly opposite Al Bateen and Al Bateen Beach, reached by the Hudayriyat Bridge. The masterplan covers 51 million square metres, equivalent to 53.8 percent of Abu Dhabi Island, and adds 53.5 km of coastline including 16 km of beaches.

What makes it different from almost every UAE masterplan is the sequencing. The sports and leisure infrastructure was built first and is already operating. Surf Abu Dhabi wave facility has been running since the end of 2023. Velodrome Abu Dhabi, a UCI Category 1 indoor track, opened in 2025. Circuit X, 321 Sports, OCR Park, Trail X mountain biking, Marsana waterfront promenade, Bab Al Nojoum glamping, the 5.5 km Hudayriyat Heritage Trail, a 220 km cycling network and a 2.25 million square metre urban park are all in place.

Residential communities are being layered in afterwards: Wadeem with over 1,700 plots, Al Naseem, Nawayef and Nawayef Village and Nawayef Mansions, Bashayer, and Hudayriyat Golf Estates.

Getting around

• Abu Dhabi city centre 15 to 20 minutes, a Modon claim.
• Abu Dhabi International Airport 25 to 30 minutes, a Modon claim.
• Dubai around 1 hour 20 minutes at 140 km, a Modon claim.
• Bus route 040 from Electra Park and route 73 from Al Reem Island, the latter bicycle equipped.
• Access the Hudayriyat Bridge is the single gateway from the mainland.

All drive times here are developer sourced. No independent measurement exists.

Amenities and what is already open

This is the strongest part of the proposition, because unlike most off plan communities you can go and use it today.

Already operating. Surf Abu Dhabi, Velodrome Abu Dhabi, Circuit X with splash park, skate park, BMX park and high ropes, 321 Sports, OCR Park, Trail X, Bab Al Nojoum glamping resort, Marsana waterfront promenade, the Hudayriyat Heritage Trail, the 220 km cycling network and the 2.25 million square metre urban park.

Announced within communities. Al Naseem has a community centre, gym, pool, basketball court, cycle routes and play areas. Bashayer has a clubhouse with a rooftop infinity pool, a 3.5 km waterfront promenade with piers, parks, hydrotherapy and retail.

Not announced. No named school. No named hospital. Modon lists schools generically as an Al Naseem amenity but names no operator. Every family will rely on mainland Abu Dhabi across a single bridge.

Ownership and the golden visa

Freehold for all nationalities. Modon states properties can be fully owned by all nationalities and describes Nawayef Village as a freehold project.

The legal basis is Abu Dhabi Law No. 13 of 2019, amending Law No. 19 of 2005, which permits non UAE nationals to own freehold property and land in designated investment zones with registration through the Abu Dhabi real estate registry. Modon own guide names Hudayriyat Island among those freehold investment zones.

Purchases of AED 2 million and above qualify for the ten year Golden Visa, subject to government regulations. That threshold is a live reason many buyers choose Abu Dhabi over the Northern Emirates.

Prices and the investment picture

Modon own blog cites a 6 to 8 percent projected rental return. That is a developer claim about a market that does not exist yet, not evidence. Treat it accordingly.

Sales record and what it tells you

The demand has been genuinely exceptional and it is worth understanding.

Nawayef Village, the island first townhouses at 378 freehold units, launched on 6 May 2025. Bashayer, Modon first waterfront residential community at 487 units comprising 157 villas and 330 apartments, sold out in a single day on 10 December 2025 raising AED 3 billion. The final Bashayer phase sold out in one day again on 17 July 2026 for around AED 1.25 billion, introducing two and four bedroom townhomes and four bedroom penthouses, with 71 percent of buyers new to Modon.

Two one day sell outs seven months apart is a real signal. It is also why 663 units already sit on the resale market before a single home has been handed over.

What the developer does not tell you

Nothing residential has been delivered. The earliest handover is the fourth quarter of 2027 for Al Naseem Phase 1, yet hundreds of units are already advertised for resale. The visible market today is entirely off plan trading, with no rental record, no service charge history and no build quality to inspect.

No school and no hospital have been named. Modon lists schools generically for Al Naseem but names no operator, and no healthcare facility has been announced.

One bridge, and a leisure destination population. The island is reached only via the Hudayriyat Bridge, and it simultaneously hosts Surf Abu Dhabi, the Velodrome, Circuit X, 321 Sports and a 2.25 million square metre park that draws day visitors. Weekend and event day traffic into a residential community sharing one access route is a real structural risk, and no published traffic study addresses it.

Hudayriyat Island FAQs

When do homes on Hudayriyat Island hand over?

The first handover is the fourth quarter of 2027, for Al Naseem Phase 1, per Modon. Handover dates for Nawayef Village, Bashayer, Wadeem and Hudayriyat Golf Estates have not been published.

Can foreigners buy freehold on Hudayriyat Island?

Yes. Modon states properties can be fully owned by all nationalities. The legal basis is Abu Dhabi Law No. 13 of 2019, amending Law No. 19 of 2005, which permits non UAE nationals to own freehold in designated investment zones, with registration through the Abu Dhabi real estate registry. Modon names Hudayriyat among those zones.

How much does a villa on Hudayriyat Island cost?

Modon published Al Naseem pricing from AED 7.8m for four bedrooms, from AED 9m for five bedrooms and from AED 10m for six bedrooms, on a 40 60 payment plan. Current advertised listings average around AED 10.39m for villas, with all property types ranging from AED 2.1m to AED 72m.

What rental yield does Hudayriyat Island offer?

None can be verified. No homes have been handed over, so no rental market exists. Modon cites a 6 to 8 percent projected return on its own blog, which is a developer projection rather than evidence.

Does buying on Hudayriyat Island qualify for a Golden Visa?

Purchases of AED 2 million and above qualify for the ten year Golden Visa, subject to government regulations, per Modon. Confirm the current threshold and conditions at the time of purchase.

What is already built on Hudayriyat Island?

A great deal, on the leisure side. Surf Abu Dhabi since late 2023, Velodrome Abu Dhabi since 2025, Circuit X, 321 Sports, OCR Park, Trail X, Marsana promenade, Bab Al Nojoum glamping, a 5.5 km heritage trail, a 220 km cycling network and a 2.25 million square metre urban park. No residential handovers yet.

Verified 18 August 2026. Masterplan, pricing, freehold and connectivity information from Modon Properties and the Abu Dhabi Media Office, with developer claims labelled. Sales and launch reporting from The National, TradeArabia and Zawya. Current market figures from Property Finder advertised listings. No Abu Dhabi registry transaction figure was publicly available. Cresco Real Estate LLC, RERA ORN 34288. Not investment advice.