The first homes in Abu Dhabi's AED 100 billion waterfront district are now on sale. Aldar has launched Talay, a community of 351 standalone villas at Marsa Al Saadiyat, and sales open on 23 September.
Marsa Al Saadiyat is the last large piece of Saadiyat Island to be developed, the island that already holds the Louvre Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi and some of the capital's best-known beaches. Talay is where the new district begins. Its buyers will be the first people to live there.
Prices start at AED 13.5 million, or around $3.7 million, for four to six-bedroom family villas with private gardens.
Here are the key facts in one place:
The whole community is built around a long landscaped park that Aldar calls the green spine. Water channels run through it, inspired by the falaj, the irrigation system Emirati farmers used for centuries to bring water to date palms.
A typical morning could start with a walk along that park to the school Aldar plans inside the community. After drop-off, there is the gym, the pool, or a run on the jogging track. The beach is up to 1 kilometre from the villas, close enough to reach by bike.
In the evening, neighbours can meet at the outdoor majlis pavilion, a shaded gathering space based on the traditional Emirati sitting room. Children have play areas designed around a maritime theme, and there is a garden with kitchen facilities for family barbecues and weekend gatherings.
Talay villas are large even by Saadiyat standards. The smallest four-bedroom home has 502 square metres of built area, about 5,400 square feet, which is roughly two tennis courts of living space.
Talay:
Talay Beach:
Every villa is spread over two floors and has its own garden. Each also has two kitchens: a show kitchen for hosting guests and a daily kitchen with a pantry for everyday cooking.
Inside, buyers choose between two interior palettes, light and dark. Bedrooms have engineered wood floors, bathrooms use porcelain tiles, and worktops are engineered stone with brushed nickel fittings.
Talay has a detail most villa communities do not: an artist worked on the buildings themselves. Aldar partnered with Emirati artist Abdalla Almulla to design the louvres on the villa facades.
His work continues into the boundary walls and screens, which are based on areesh, the woven palm-frond structures that coastal Emiratis once used to build summer homes. Almulla has also designed a fountain that will stand in the Talay community.
Both parts of the community share these amenities:
Each part also has something of its own. Talay has the landmark fountain by Abdalla Almulla. Talay Beach adds padel courts, a multi-purpose court and a harvest garden where residents can grow their own produce.
A retail hub with cafés and shops is up to 1 kilometre from the villas.
For families, Talay's location is one of its strongest points. Aldar plans a school inside the community, and Marsa Al Saadiyat as a whole will have three schools.
NYU Abu Dhabi is about 1 kilometre away. Other schools and universities on the island include Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, Muna British Academy, American Community School of Abu Dhabi, Harrow International School Abu Dhabi and Berklee Abu Dhabi.
That means the school run can stay on the island, often just a few minutes by car.
Talay is the first chapter of a much larger plan. Marsa Al Saadiyat will stretch along 8 kilometres of coastline, with 5.6 kilometres of beaches and a 1 kilometre promenade by the water.
For people who like to stay active, the district will have 140 kilometres of walking paths and a 46 kilometre cycling loop. That loop alone is longer than the distance from Saadiyat Island to Abu Dhabi International Airport and back.
The masterplan also includes:
These will open in phases over the coming years. Talay owners will watch the district take shape around their homes.
Villas start from AED 13.5 million. The payment plan is 50/50, which splits the cost between the construction period and handover.
Handover is estimated to start in Q4 2029 for Talay and in Q4 2030 for Talay Beach. Buyers who want to move in sooner can look at Talay, while Talay Beach gives an extra year to spread plans and payments.
Aldar's sales centres on Yas Island and in Dubai have the full price list by villa type and plot.
Talay suits families who want a large standalone villa on Saadiyat Island, with a school inside the community, the beach nearby and the museums a short drive away. It also suits long-term buyers who want to own a home in Marsa Al Saadiyat from the very first launch.
When choosing a villa, these points help you compare options:
Each villa has its own mix of location, plot size and price, so it pays to compare several options before you choose.
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