Following plans drawn up by internationally renowned architects, by the year 2018 an idyllic, residential and leisure paradise – Saadiyat Island - will have been created five hundred metres from the coast of Abu Dhabi City, the like of which has never been seen before.

The as yet undeveloped island, the “Island of Happiness“, which is still in its natural state, is to be transformed into an exclusive centre of the arts and culture, surrounded by beautiful natural landscape. It will be completed in three phases, which will be overseen by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). With its wonderful lagoons and beaches, plus a wide variety of bird species, Saadiyat Island is already a very special place for peace and relaxation.

International guests will have a choice of suitable accommodation provided by 29 hotels offering more than 7,000 rooms – including a 7-star hotel, which will be visible from Abu Dhabi – as well as 8,000 private villas and 38,000 apartments. In addition to three yacht harbours, two golf courses, a concert hall, the world’s largest Guggenheim Museum and various art galleries and cultural facilities have been planned.

All the construction work will be carried out taking ecological tourism aspects into account. Of the total area of 2,700 hectares, 1,000 hectares have been reserved exclusively for parkland and nature reserves. According to the “Wall Street Journal“, the island of culture already ranks as one of the “TOP 10 Trendy Destinations“ worldwide.