Durrat Al Bahrain, Bahrain

Located on the south coast of Bahrain, this 21-square kilometre master development has been created across a cluster of 15 spectacular islands. It will host, among its many kaleidoscopic offerings, beautiful beachfront villas, executive apartments and offices, luxury hotels and spa resorts, parks and entertainment precincts, premier retail malls and restaurants, a 400 berth marina, and an Ernie Els-designed 18-hole golf course. Durrat Al Bahrain, named after the “most perfect pearl” in the Arabian Gulf, is a US$6 billion joint development owned by the government of Bahrain and Kuwait Finance House (Bahrain).

The project is designed by W.S. Atkins & Partners Overseas, the worldrenowned design, engineering and consultancy firm, and project managed by KMC Bovis Lend Lease JV, an international project development management firm. Upon completion, Durrat Al Bahrain will be the region’s most prominent seaside resort city, putting Bahrain on the upscale tourism map.

The most prominent aspect of Durrat Al Bahrain are The Islands, which carve an exquisite green necklace atop the graceful, blue waters of the Gulf. Designed in two circular rows of 11 islands, The Islands are a glorious visual treat and undoubtedly, the “crown jewel” of Durrat Al Bahrain. The Islands are purely residential and are designed to offer the international urban community with the serenity of island lifestyle.

Just over 1000 lavish villas of varying sizes and styles adorn the islands, with privileged lifestyle options like private beaches, marina and boat mooring, lush gardens and breathtaking sea views. These fascinating islands are strung together with a network of inter-connecting bridges and a circular highway that connects The Islands to either ends of The Crescent, the urban hub of Durrat Al Bahrain.

While serenity will dominate life on the Atoll and Petal Islands, the Crescent will serve as the commercial hub of the island community. For those seeking to combine the resort lifestyle with key elements of urban living, the Crescent will boast some 6,000 apartments and offices set against the backdrop of a bustling piazza featuring restaurants, cafes, a largescale modern shopping mall, public beaches and a host of community facilities, including masjids, health centres and schools. Connected to the Crescent will also be the project’s hotel island, which will have an estimated 600 rooms and a private beach.

Durrat Al Bahrain will possess all the amenities expected of a city and to this end, Beacon Education, the UAE’s leading provider of education services, will run two schools with 1200 pupils each, with one school offering the UK curriculum and the other the International Baccalaureate.

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Tameer and Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain, through a joint venture, will also develop a full-service 700,000 square-metre marina, Durrat Marina, which will provide berthing space for some 400 boats and yachts. Arranged over three islands it will set the scene for a canal environment, complete with a yacht club, waterfront town houses, apartments, numerous cafes and shopping outlets lining its winding paths and waterways.

Situated within Durrat Al Bahrain, Bahrain’s largest planned mixed use residential, leisure and tourist destination, the golf course will cover 90 hectares of land and be set against the impressive backdrop of Durrat Al Bahrain’s marina and the stunning crystal clear waters of the surrounding sea.

Ernie Els Design, the company which is designing the course, will create an environment offering much more than just a golf course for Durrat Al Bahrain residents and course members. The golf precinct will consist of a club house, a driving range, a 5-star 200-room hotel complex and 1400 beautifully designed luxury residential villas and apartments. With its innovative design, including water ways and green space, and with many of the villas fronting onto the course itself, an entire lifestyle community and one of the region’s leading golf destinations will be created.

Community facilities around The Golf Course include schools, health and well-being centres and mixed-use sports centres.

To facilitate ownership for all prospective residents, innovative financing schemes have been put in place. A freehold ownership law has opened opportunities for investment by expatriates and well-thought out financing structures, both Sharia compliant and conventional, are also in place to assist mid-level income earners to own the home of their dreams in Durrat Al Bahrain.