In an age of vertical cities and tight grids, Abu Dhabi’s emerging Jubail Island community pledged to go the other way.
Life there follows the land, not the other way around, says its developer, stating that few places offer such proximity to the UAE capital’s centre while preserving uninterrupted access to nature.
Jubail Island is surrounded by kilometres of protected mangroves, waterways and forested trails, all of which make it “the place to be” for families wanting more than just a place to live.
Conceptualised and developed by LEAD Development, the 4,000-hectare waterfront master-planned community is redefining what it means to live well at “human speed”. It is surrounded by nature with space to grow for generations to come, the company says.
“Our first design decision wasn’t about buildings, it was about respecting the land,” explains Mounir Haidar, co-founder and managing partner at LEAD Development.
“The masterplan was intended to protect natural contours, preserve views, and create a sense of calm private life - without sacrificing social connectivity.” This means wide setbacks, organic road networks, and walkable neighbourhoods woven together by green spaces, and a low-density footprint in contrast to many of the UAE’s community developments.
Branding it as six “villages” and one integrated life, LEAD Development describes Jubail Island as not a single location, but many.
Each village yields a “unique residential personality”, offering a diverse selection of neighbourhoods, from seafront mansions to apartments and custom-built villas.
They are all highly pedestrianised with direct access to landscaped parks, shaded pathways and village centres. From the Redwood Nursery to the skatepark, to sunset cycles along the mangroves, every journey is designed to feel effortless, so movement is not a chore but is “woven into the rhythm of your day”.
“People are choosing Jubail because they want to feel connected to nature, to their families, and to a community with shared values,” continues Haidar. “That’s why our emphasis is on open space and human-scale design where ‘life happens, organically’.
“True lifestyle isn’t styled - it’s planned with purpose. With amenities that cater to all generations, the island is constructed around movement, social connection, health and wellness.”
For families with children, Jubail Island features more than 100km of pedestrian pathways, and 1.2 million sqm of landscaped parks to explore. Several playgrounds, pools, an indoor play hall, and family-oriented clubhouses are on the way.
Health-conscious residents can enjoy specialised sports facilities. These include tennis and basketball courts, a paddle club, a football pitch, an equestrian school, and fitness studios, alongside an expanding calendar of community-led classes and events.
For nature lovers, there is the opportunity to kayak from the public docks, hike a mangrove boardwalk, or witness nesting birds along the island’s preserved ecological corridors. All things lady-centric are celebrated at Ain Al Maha Women’s Centre, from yoga and kayaking to cycle training, specifically programmed for the community’s female residents.
LEAD Development says Jubail Island stands apart from its promises on paper as it is already a functioning, growing community.
Individuals who bought plots have begun constructing their homes - from the start of 2023; by the end of 2024, more than 400 units had been delivered, with hundreds more under construction.
With amenities such as Spinneys supermarket, the Redwood Centre, and Gordonstoun’s first school campus outside of Scotland, through to the Jubail Island Paddle Club and Mangrove Park, the community’s “key pillars of daily life” are already in place.
LEAD Development says the island isn’t waiting to be lived on, it is already thriving - and that “the difference” is the degree of integration on Jubail Island.
It says it is all part of a larger philosophy that places a premium on mental and physical health, from school drop-off to connections to the community, to access to nature.
Jubail Island is touted as a location that is more than the sum of its homes, its architecture and amenities, but is an emerging “actual community”.
The developer says social events will add “rhythm and connection” to the area’s growing lifestyle so that owners are part of a place where life feels balanced and linked - both close to the city, yet also far from the noise.
While offering tranquility, Jubail Island is within easy reach of Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, and downtown Abu Dhabi.
Such accessibility means that residents don’t have to decide between “retreat and convenience”, while it also makes the island a perfect home choice for professionals, business owners and families who “want it all”.
“People always say they feel like they’re on holiday - at home,” adds Haidar. “That’s what we set out to do…create a place where people can feel like they can breathe, grow, and thrive.”
Looking ahead, as LEAD Development continues with phased handovers and the next stage of construction, it describes its vision as straightforward - to “keep developing with care”.
It says the masterplan will be defined by the same restraint and long-term thinking that have made the project possible in the first place. And that amid the pace of Abu Dhabi’s development, Jubail Island offers a curated lifestyle that its residents have already begun to embrace.
This page was produced by The National in partnership with LEAD Development.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE POPE'S ITINERARY
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE CARD
The line-up as it stands for the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia on April 27
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns
Casket match
The Undertaker v Rusev
Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Bludgeon Brothers v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship
Sheamus and Cesaro v Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy
United States Championship
Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
Singles match
Triple H v John Cena
To be confirmed
AJ Styles will defend his WWE World Heavyweight title and Cedric Alexander his Cruiserweight Championship, but matches have yet to be announced
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
