Abu Dhabi's latest entertainment and sporting destination will only be a bridge away once it opens to the public on Tuesday.
Hudayriyat Island, once a sandy extension to the emirate's main island, has been transformed into a leisure hub containing activities for children and adults alike.
The island's latest development, named Hudayriyat Leisure and Entertainment District, has begun taking bookings for a host of indoor and outdoor facilities.
What is Hudayriyat Island?
If you live in Abu Dhabi, Hudayriyat Island has been right under your nose for years.
Plans to develop the island were first announced in 2009, but did not initially progress beyond the construction of a suspension bridge that was closed to traffic and became known among residents as the "bridge to nowhere".
The project was revived in 2017, with plans to turn the 3,000-hectare island into a mixed use community with an emphasis on fitness and nature.
In May 2018, the public were able to cross the bridge for the first time to access an undisturbed 600-metre beach with running and cycling tracks, water sports, a bouncy castle and a children's playground.
Since then, the island has been popular among cyclists and runners, and was chosen as the venue for triathlons and obstacle courses.
It was only in October that people got a sneak peek into the new developments that would transform the island into a popular destination for Emiratis and residents.
A visit from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, revealed areas for camping, dining and a lot more sports facilities.
"We aim to develop inclusive and unique projects, which encourage a healthier lifestyle for the whole community," Sheikh Mohamed said last month.
How to get there
A suspension bridge extends Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Street (19th street) at the junction of Khalifa Al Mubarak Street.
The island is popular among cyclists who ride their bikes right over the bridge using dedicated lanes.
There is a large car park on the island for those who prefer to drive. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, a barrier has been placed between the car park and entry to the island to carry out temperature scans and control the number of visitors.
The new extension that can be reached by turning right after crossing the main bridge.
What is new?
A new district filled with more sporting facilities, activities for children and a camping area will open on Tuesday.
The development includes an obstacle-course-race park, high-rope park, BMX Track, where cyclists can perform stunts, and a skate park, where skaters can train and compete.
Other attractions include new dining options, a water park and heritage walk.
Ahmed Al Zaabi, associate director at developer Modon said the island hoped to attract tourists, once the emirate resumes entry to international visitors.
“Hudayriyat island is a solid new addition to Abu Dhabi’s tourism portfolio," he said.
The island was designed with Abu Dhabi's "rich diversity" in mind.
"We look forward to welcoming visitors to showcase the variety of offerings.”
Marsana
At the heart of the island lies Marsana, a waterfront promenade with room for more than a dozen food and beverage outlets.
In addition to a skate park and a children’s splash park and play area, there is easy access to the public beach, cycle paths, and a marina with a wooden pier.
“We have an outdoor gym here that everybody can enjoy to have a different experience training [in front of the beach],” said Mr Al Zaabi.
The gym includes of basic equipment, battle ropes and a climbing net.
The area also has its own beach overlooking a #Hudayriyat sign, which can be seen from the other side of the island.
A viewing pier and an area with free-seating are also available for visitors.
Swimmers have free access to the beach, which extends over 24,000 square metres, of which 600m are dedicated to swimming
On the corner of Marsana, lies a marina where up to 40 boats can dock. These spaces must be rented out from management.
The splash park for children includes challenges like a climbing structure and a treasure-hunt inside a ship but will remain closed until Covid-19 is over, said Mr Al Zaabi.
Bab Al Nojoum
The island's camping section will allow visitors to book a stay at either standard tents, which fit up to two people, or a luxury tent. The luxury tents can house groups of four or six but an option for a two-floor tent with private beach access is also on offer.
Bab Al Nojoum also includes a camping area for families, and camper van options.
The standard tents can be rented for Dh150 to Dh300 per night, depending on size. Campers will also have access to toilets, showers and BBQ grills that have been set up in the area.
Luxury tents are also available for about Dh1,000.
Some tents are attached to vans, that can fit beds and have rooftop seating.
And the most luxurious tents are in the form of beach cabanas, with their own small swimming pool.
Only Bab Al Nojoum registered guests have access to the beach on site, said Mr Al Zaabi.
A restaurant that offers fresh grills and a bonfire is also available on site.
Sports321
The sports area of the island can be found near the Bab Al Nojoum section. It includes indoor and outdoor facilities to encourage visitors to exercise and maintain active lifestyles.
New amenities include a full-sized football pitch, as well as tennis, basketball and badminton courts. Six 400m jogging tracks and cycling paths have also been set up across the island.
Up to 10km of wide, shaded tracks allow for cycling and walking.
The dedicated Bike Park includes three different trails aimed at beginners (3km), intermediate (5km) and advanced cyclists (10km).
Visitors can also enjoy recreational exercise at the 300m Floating Track.
The area also includes a massive indoor gymnasium that consists of tennis, volleyball and basketball nets, and another football field.
“This is for people to enjoy when it is too hot outside,” said Mr Al Zaabi.
Those seeking more adventure can take on the 31 obstacles at the high-rope-park, starting with a climbing wall and ending with a zip-line.
“The obstacles are for all ages,” said Hadi Fakhoury, managing director of Circuit X, which developed the adventure games on the island.
“And there is a building only for first-aid [nearby],” he said.
Circuit X
Billed as an "adventure hub", this area comprises four sections: a BMX Track, Splash Park, High Rope Park and Skate Park.
Visitors can also take part in an obstacle course at OCR Park, which merges racing with endurance fitness.
Hudayriyat Heritage Trail
The Hudayriyat Heritage Trail is located along the waterfront. The 1.2km trail begins from Marsana.
Visitors can become acquainted with the historical and cultural significance of the island with educational signs and artworks along the path.
A guide will lead visitors across the island, telling tales of the past and traditional topics such as pearl diving.
How to book:
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, visitors are required to book their activities in advance on the island's website.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
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Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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