The Marina

Prices, rents and yields in The Marina

NIC describes villas at Marina Royal and Marina Sunset and apartments for rent at Marina Sunset. Our price tables show current asking prices for homes in our listings when available. A villa and an apartment are distinct products, and the terms of the individual property matter.

About The Marina

Places within The Marina

The breakwater combines residential projects with a mall, offices and cultural places.

• Marina Sunset Bay villas

  NIC describes 67 villas in three types, arranged across four rows on the breakwater. The 7 bedroom homes are beside the water, the 6 bedroom homes occupy the middle rows and the 5 bedroom homes sit in the fourth row. The project site describes raised platforms and paths between the homes leading toward the waterfront. NIC restricts villa sales to UAE nationals.

  Source: National Investment Corporation and Marina Sunset Bay, read October 2026.

• Marina Sunset apartments

  The same NIC development includes 210 residential apartments, listed for rent in layouts from 1 to 4 bedrooms. NIC places them close to Marina Mall and the city centre. For a renter this is a different proposition from the large villas: an apartment can offer the breakwater setting without buying a villa, while the individual home determines its layout and outlook.

  Source: National Investment Corporation, read October 2026.

• Marina Royal Complex

  Marina Royal is a gated compound of 100 villas completed in 2006 and sold as individual homes by 2008. NIC reports an average plot area of approximately 2,000 square metres, including gardens and swimming pools, within a compound of 300,000 square metres. It identifies Marina Facilities Management as the manager. The scale and private outdoor space distinguish it from the rental apartments at Marina Sunset.

  Source: National Investment Corporation, read October 2026.

• Marina Mall

  Marina Mall is on the breakwater and combines retail with dining and entertainment. Experience Abu Dhabi describes five levels and more than 300 retail and service outlets; NIC dates its opening to 2001. It is a practical landmark for finding the area as well as a destination for shopping, although the activity around a major mall is different from the setting inside a gated compound.

  Source: Experience Abu Dhabi and National Investment Corporation, read October 2026.

• Marina Office Park and heritage

  NIC leases Marina Office Park, a compound of 107 villas, as commercial units. Nearby Heritage Village recreates elements of earlier life, with a market, mosque and camp and demonstrations of crafts. Together they show the mix of working and visitor uses alongside the residential parts of the breakwater.

  Source: National Investment Corporation and Experience Abu Dhabi, read October 2026.

Who The Marina suits

• Families needing space

  Marina Royal has villas with gardens and pools, while Marina Sunset has larger homes in several bedroom configurations. British School Al Khubairat has a primary programme based on the English National Curriculum, adapted to its setting in the UAE. Heritage Village and Corniche Beach offer places for family outings nearby.

• Apartment renters

  NIC lists Marina Sunset apartments for rent, with 1 to 4 bedroom layouts (National Investment Corporation, October 2026). That makes the area relevant to households seeking an apartment near the mall and waterfront without assuming that all homes in The Marina have the same tenure. Availability and the terms of a particular lease can differ.

• Waterfront and city life

  The breakwater brings villa compounds, a mall and Heritage Village into the same area. Corniche Beach adds a public beach and paths outside the breakwater. Those who want a quiet gated home can look at the compounds while allowing for the visitor activity around the mall.

• UAE national buyers

  NIC restricts sales of Marina Sunset villas to UAE nationals. The developer also describes Marina Royal as individually sold villas, but the ownership position depends on the specific property. The distinction matters when a buyer is comparing a villa purchase with a rental apartment in the same wider area.

Living in The Marina

Schools, health, shopping, outdoors and how you get around.

• Getting around

  Zayed International Airport

  About 33 minutes by car.

  Green bus 65

  Runs between Marina Mall and Reem Island.

  B1 shuttle

  The free Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle loops through central Abu Dhabi with a stop near Heritage Village.

  Etihad Rail

  The Abu Dhabi passenger station is in Mohamed bin Zayed City, about 27 minutes away by car.

  Source: Abu Dhabi Mobility, Experience Abu Dhabi, Masterpiece Property guide to Etihad Rail and OpenStreetMap contributors, October 2026.

• Beaches and parks

  Corniche Beach

  A public waterfront with walking and cycling paths, about 7 minutes by car.

  Heritage Village

  A cultural visit near Marina Mall, with a recreated market and traditional craft demonstrations.

  Corniche parks

  Sheikha Fatima Park and The Lake Park are green spaces in the Corniche area.

  Source: Experience Abu Dhabi and OpenStreetMap contributors, October 2026.

• Schools

  British School Al Khubairat

  Its primary programme uses an adapted English National Curriculum.

  Pearl British Academy

  An Abu Dhabi primary school in Al Danah, offering the English National Curriculum.

  Source: school websites, Aldar Academies prospectus and ADEK inspections, October 2026.

• Health

  Corniche Hospital

  A SEHA maternity hospital that also cares for high-risk pregnancies.

  Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital

  Provides inpatient and outpatient care, with specialties including paediatrics and general surgery.

  Source: SEHA and Mediclinic, October 2026.

• Shopping

  Marina Mall

  Retail, food and entertainment on the breakwater.

  Carrefour at Marina Mall

  A hypermarket for groceries and household goods in the mall.

  Source: Experience Abu Dhabi and Marina Mall, October 2026.

Buying in The Marina: rules and costs

• Who can buy

  NIC restricts sales of Marina Sunset villas to UAE nationals. Marina Royal was sold as individual villas, while NIC lists the Sunset apartments for rent. The Marina is not on the list of investment zones in the Masterpiece Property guide to buying property in Abu Dhabi as an expat, where foreign buyers can own freehold, so confirm the title of any other home before buying.

  Source: National Investment Corporation and Masterpiece Property guide to buying property in Abu Dhabi as an expat, October 2026.

• Registration fees

  ADREC's registration rules allow the Executive Committee to set the sale registration fee within 1% to 4% of the transaction value, shared equally by seller and buyer unless they agree otherwise. For a sale in the initial off-plan register, the fee is 2%, shared equally, capped at AED 2,000,000 per transaction.

  Source: ADREC registration rules, read October 2026.

• Off-plan purchases

  ADREC provides for registration of off-plan transactions in the initial register. Payments for units sold off plan go into the project escrow account under the applicable rules. A developer payment schedule and the contract set out when the buyer must pay; the existence of a general rule does not establish that a particular Marina home is being sold off plan.

  Source: ADREC registration rules and Masterpiece Property guide to buying off-plan property in Abu Dhabi, October 2026.

• Mortgage finance

  A mortgage application involves a lender assessment and valuation of the property. If the lender values the home below the agreed price, the buyer may need to cover the difference in cash as well as the Down Payment. Financing conditions depend on the borrower, property and lender, so the monthly cost should be considered alongside maintenance and ownership costs.

  Source: Masterpiece Property mortgage guide, October 2026.

• Golden Visa

  ICP grants real estate investors a 10 year Golden Residency when they fully own one or more UAE properties worth at least AED 2,000,000 in total and registered in their name. A property financed by an approved local bank qualifies, as do off-plan units worth at least AED 2,000,000 bought from an approved developer. ICP decides each application.

  Source: ICP, UAE Golden Residency, updated September 2026.

• Ongoing costs

  Owners need to consider service charges and maintenance alongside the purchase price. Marina Royal is a managed compound with private gardens and pools, so the responsibilities attached to the particular villa matter to its running costs. The latest statement and the sale documents can show what applies to the home being considered.

  Source: National Investment Corporation and Masterpiece Property guide to buying property in Abu Dhabi as an expat, October 2026.

Pros and cons of The Marina

Source: National Investment Corporation, Experience Abu Dhabi and Masterpiece Property guide to Etihad Rail, October 2026; OpenStreetMap drive times from Marina Mall, Al Kasir, October 2026.

Nearby communities

• Corniche Road
• Al Khalidiyah
• Al Bateen
• Al Manhal

Questions about The Marina