"Island life” brings to my mind a picture of simplicity. I imagine self-effacing beach huts and tranquil sunsets – a coconut fizz in one hand, a murder mystery page-turner in the other. Rugged surfboards line a rack in one corner as a salty breeze underscores the tropical humidity.
There is, however, nothing simplistic about Ramhan Island, a new development off the Abu Dhabi coast. The picture takes an extremely luxurious turn – think seven-bedroom waterfront villas with private piers.
Developed by Eagle Hills, the island spans 400 hectares, over half of which is developable land. Construction is under way and when it opens, the island will be home to about 1,800 stand-alone villas, 900 marina residences, a luxury hotel and a retail promenade.
At the time of writing, only a small part of the island is open to those discerning few who will call Ramhan Island home. There are three show villas available for viewing, and I am afforded a glimpse of what castaway-in-comfort looks like for the up-and-coming luxury haven.
The tour starts with a quick boat ride from a small jetty built off the side of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, about a 10-minute drive from Yas Mall. A bridge is being built to connect the island to the inner city, but prospective buyers will have to use this jetty for now. The 10-minute boat ride adds the necessary island charm, and as I skim across the turquoise water, the silhouettes of the built villas gradually expand on the horizon.
A bigger yacht is docked on the island jetty, used mostly for group tours and VIP viewings. I disembark and follow the footpath to an outdoor reception and sales office. Three paths break away to the waterfront villas.
The seven-bedroom Sky villa is the biggest of the three models, distinguished by its floor plan and various amenities and design elements. From the entryway, it looks like a modern-style suburban house – with a heightened front door and wide windows.
The door opens to exactly what one would expect: high ceilings, marble flooring and plenty of natural light, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. The house is noticeably spacious, despite the model being fitted with show furniture (units are sold unfurnished, however).
The ground floor has provisions for two living areas, a dining area and a guest bedroom. The massive kitchen, with a large island counter in the middle, is connected to the maid's quarter.
There is enough space here for future homeowners to be as maximalist or minimalist as they want when it comes to furnishing. The colour scheme is dominated by light hues, white and beige, which blend well with the marble floors.
Such interior elements are practically de rigueur in luxury residences, but the real allure emerges when I walk out to the terrace – a private deck that faces the water, the main selling point of Ramhan Island.
Sunbeds and other convenient al fresco table-and-chair set-ups are scattered on the deck, with an infinity pool as the centrepiece. There's a barbecue area on one side, too.
Further along the shore, there's a protruding pier for private vessels. The ability to moor your own yacht right at your doorstep, ready to whisk you away on a spontaneous adventure at a moment's notice is, after all, the epitome of luxury waterfront living.
In addition to a regular staircase, the Sky villa has a lift that goes up to the second floor, which houses the other bedrooms as well as a master suite, which has a walk-in closet and private balcony. The other rooms share one big balcony, providing views of the deck below and the ocean.
Off-plan sales are ongoing for Ramhan Island properties. A quick search on brokerage platforms such as Property Finder shows listings in the millions – from Dh17 million to Dh30 million depending on the model. The first wave of handovers is pegged at sometime in 2026.
Aside from the luxury villas, Eagle Hills is also banking on future island amenities. A top view of the master plan shows the island's complex maze-like shape with gracefully intertwined lagoons. Ramhan is also described as being in touch with nature. Human neighbours aside, the developer says future residents could spot dolphins, sea turtles and birds in the surrounding water.
The tour ends and just a few minutes later I'm back in the concrete jungle – traversing the long-winding Abu Dhabi-Dubai motorway to my one-bedroom apartment, the city's grey intensified by the picture of the island life Ramhan promises.
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule
12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)
2pm Formula One final practice
5pm Formula One qualifying
6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)
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Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
The five pillars of Islam
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
More coverage from the Future Forum
Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
Classification from Tour de France after Stage 17
1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 73:27:26"
2. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac) 27"
3. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R La Mondiale)
4. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) 53"
5. Mikel Landa (Spain / Team Sky) 1:24"
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
