Fahid Island

Fahid Island is a 2.7 million square metre island in Abu Dhabi, positioned between Yas Island and Jubail Island and a short drive from Saadiyat. Aldar unveiled the masterplan in 2025 with a gross development value above AED 40 billion, planning more than 6,000 homes along a 4.6 kilometre beachfront with mangrove forest on the opposite shore. It is prime because it is new, low-density and wellness-led, and its buyers are early-cycle investors and families who want beach access without the established-island premium.

Why buyers choose Fahid Island

Fahid Island is the rare chance to enter an Aldar island at its first release rather than its fifth. The positioning is deliberate: wellness, nature and sustainable design, with a long natural beach, mangrove walks and a village-scale plan rather than a resort strip. Its location puts Yas Island’s entertainment and the Cultural District on Saadiyat each within roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and Zayed International Airport closer still. Fahid Island is freehold for all nationalities, registered through ADREC. For a Dubai-based buyer the drive is around 60 to 75 minutes, since the island sits on the Dubai side of Abu Dhabi.

What’s available: homes and price context

The masterplan mixes apartments, townhouses and villas, with villas planned in four-, five- and six-bedroom formats. The first release is apartment-led. Pricing at launch sat below comparable beachfront homes on Saadiyat Island, which is the usual pattern for a first phase on a new island; treat any figure as approximate and ask your advisor for current release pricing, as Aldar prices rise phase by phase.

New developments and off-plan in Fahid Island

Renaissance currently presents one Aldar collection on Fahid Island.

• Fahid Beach Residences: the island’s first beachfront release, planned as seven low-rise buildings of around 65 homes each. Studios to five-bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses, launched in 2025 with handover due Q2 2029. Our advisors regard it as an early-cycle purchase: the entry price is set before the island’s amenities, schools and later phases exist.

Living in Fahid Island

At completion, residents will have the beach, mangrove boardwalks, cycling and running trails, wellness and sports facilities, a retail village and schools planned within the masterplan. Until then, daily needs are served by Yas Island, with Yas Mall, Yas Links golf, Etihad Arena and the theme parks a few minutes away, and by Saadiyat for schools such as Cranleigh and for the museums. The airport is roughly 15 minutes. Buyers should understand that Fahid Island is a construction site in 2026; the first homes arrive in 2029 and the wider island will take most of the decade.

What to prioritise

Beachfront position within the release matters most: a home that faces the water and the open horizon rather than a neighbouring building will be the one that resells well. Next, consider the floor and the duplex or penthouse formats, which are scarce and tend to be released in small numbers. Then be realistic about timing. Fahid Island suits a buyer with a 2029 horizon who is comfortable paying through construction; it is less suited to someone who needs a home or rental income in the next two years. Finally, keep an eye on Aldar’s phasing. Villas on Fahid Island are likely to follow, and an apartment buyer at the first release is well placed to move within the island later.

How Renaissance advises on Fahid Island

Renaissance has advised on Aldar launches since the Saadiyat Cultural District releases and presents Abu Dhabi collections by appointment. A client receives a dedicated advisor who can set Fahid Island against Saadiyat, Yas and Hudayriyat honestly, secure allocations at launch and manage the ADREC registration for Dubai-based and international buyers. We also track Aldar’s forthcoming phases so that clients who want villas on Fahid Island hear about them before they are public.

Fahid Island: questions buyers ask