Al Nahyan

Al Nahyan is an area named after the ruling family of the UAE, it has become a central part of Abu Dhabi’s rental real estate landscape. Al Nahyan is one of the most popular areas in Abu Dhabi when it comes to renting apartments, as per Bayut’s Annual Market Report. Located in the heart of the city, the area is home to the Al Nahyan Stadium and neighbours the Al Karamah and Al Mushrif districts.

Al Nahyan is located on the edge of the popular Mangrove reserve, the area is still close enough for those who commute to the city centre. Despite, the area is quiet and has a lot of greenery present, making it a perfect family atmosphere. Not to mention the Corniche is close by for quick trips to the beach or just for a simple picnic or stroll. As it has apartments and a few villas the area is suitable for both singles and families.

• Named after the ruling family of the UAE
• Close to the Corniche, Al Karamah and Al Mushrif
• Mainly features apartments and a few villas
• Located along Sultan Bin Zayed the First Street
• Features many schools and universities

Al Nahyan is known for being a bustling district in the heart of the capital. Its main advantage is its location, as it provides privacy in a tranquil environment while is also close to the city. The residences in this area are priced competitively compared to its neighbours. It offers amenities such as close proximity to many sports-themed establishments. The area is home to the Al Nahyan Stadium which hosts many football matches.

As one of the older communities in Abu Dhabi, the properties in Al Nahyan are a mix of old and new apartment buildings. The older apartment complexes do rent out at more affordable prices compared to the newer buildings. This does lead to a widely varying range in rental prices, so if you are looking to move to the area it would be best to take your time and look around the different units and communities. The area is developing at a fast pace. Many projects are under construction and numerous residential buildings in Al Nahyan are up for sale. One can also find a few offices for rent in Al Nahyan.

Apartments around here include studios, 1-bed, 2-bed, 3-bed and extremely rare 4-bedroom apartments. Whereas, villas in Al Nahyan come in super-sized configurations of 5 and 6-bedroom houses only.

There are a few properties for sale in the Al Nahyan district, this is limited to a few villas and residential buildings. However, these options are only open to UAE Nationals as Al Nahyan is not a freehold area for Abu Dhabi and expats cannot hold property deeds. The price of 5-bed villas starts form AED 4.6M.

There are many hotels and resorts in Al Nahyan including:

• Villagio Hotel and Resort
• Executive Suites by Mourouj

These two options are the most popular among those traveling for business and leisure.

Parking is an issue in Al Nahyan, like in most of Abu Dhabi. Buildings do have their own private parking but this depends on the size of your apartment and in which building you live in. Those looking to move here can easily find rental apartments with parking in Al Nahyan. The older buildings rely on the paid street parking, whereas the newer buildings have basements to accommodate tenants. The villas, however, do not face this issue and come with 2 parking spots.

In terms of public transport, the area is well connected with multiple buses routes running through the area connecting to the heart of the city.

There are tons of supermarket chains in the community itself. You will find large branches of Lulu Hypermarket, Carrefour, Spinneys, Fatima Supermarket and Parco Supermarket at multiple convenient intervals in the area. All of these well-known marts have multiple branches in the area. There are also small supermarkets at the bottom of the apartments buildings and small grocery shops (known as baqalas).

There are multiple mosques throughout the neighbourhood. It will not be difficult to hear the Islamic call to prayer. Well-known mosques in the area that are favoured for Friday prayer include Nahyan mosque and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan mosque.

The churches nearby in the Al Mushrif district are under 10 minutes away from Al Nahyan. You will find the St. Andrews Church and St. Joseph’s Cathedral to be popular choices for Christian residents.

There is no Hindu temple in all of Abu Dhabi, this will change soon as a new temple is under construction and should be complete in 2020. Residents will, for the time being, have to the head to Jebel Ali in Dubai for their spiritual needs.

For parents with school going children one of the key aspects of moving to Al Nahyan is due to its robust school district. There are many nurseries, schools and even universities for parents to look into for their children. One can also find a few of Abu Dhabi’s notable British nurseries in Al Nahyan.

Toddlers can get easily enrolled into the many nurseries around the area. British Orchard Nursery, Sesame Street Private Nursery and ABC Nursery are popular options in the community.

Popular school options include the Al Mamoura Academy which is run by Aldar Properties. It features the UK curriculum from pre-primary (FS) to middle school (Year 9). It is a co-ed school from FS to primary and then turns into an all-girls middle school. One can also find some top notch American Schools of Abu Dhabi within this community. The American International Academy follows both the American curriculum and also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program for the full 12 years. Other options include Abu Dhabi Indian School, International Community School and the Al Nahda National School (all girls).

For older children, the university options here include the widely reputed Khalifa University, New York Institute of Technology, Higher College of Technology (HCT) – Abu Dhabi Men’s College and more.

Hospitals in the area include Burjeel Hospital, Seha Emirates Hospital, NMC Royal Women’s Hospital and Dar Al Shifaa Hospital. The notable clinics in the area include Well Health Medical Center, Yas Healthcare, Al Madina Medical Center for Specialty Clinics, MediClinic Al Mamoura and more. There are a few speciality centres such as Berlin Medical and Neurological Rehabilitation and Primavera Medical Rehabilitation which focuses mainly on Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

The area is also home to a few aesthetic and dental clinics. New Age Clinic and Lumiere Skin Clinic are popular for their skin treatments. Al Daleel Dental Center and Dental Design Clinic are the premier dental clinics.

The area is neighbours with popular villa community Al Muroor and luxury residential area Al Karamah. The areas of Al Rowdah, Al Bateen and Madinat Zayed are easily reachable within 15 minutes.

The many schools and universities are within 10 minutes drive and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is 20 minutes away.

The area is home to one of the best malls in Abu Dhabi, Al Wahda Mall. The shopping centre owned by the LuLu Group features many popular stores. You will find international favourites such as H&M, Gap, Banana Republic, Mango and more. There is also a Gold’s Gym for those who want to hit the treadmill instead of the stores, an entertainment zone for children and a cinema. The mall is airy and spacious mainly due to the transparent dome in the centre of the mall.

There are multiple fast food outlets on the street and in Al Wahda Mall, alongside a few casual dining establishments.

Soulful, Subway and Kcal are a collection of healthy eateries located next to each other. There is the Korean restaurant Mannaland, Thai restaurant Benjarong and modernistic cafe Jones the Grocer is the area.

There is no beach in the Al Nahyan district the nearest one would be the Al Bateen Beach. There are separate beaches for men and women, they come with their own amenities and ample parking space. Alongside this there is the Al Bateen Park which has a playground, walking tracks and more. Also if you are just looking to swim, the newer buildings in Al Nahyan do have their own pools and sauna rooms open for residents.

The landmark that defines and unites this community is definitely the Al Nahyan Stadium. It is a haven for football fans, the stadium which is named after the ruling family of the UAE opened its doors in 1995 and can hold a capacity of 12,000 spectators. The stadium is mainly used for football matches, it is the home ground for the Al Wahda Football Club.

A short drive away is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, it is one of Abu Dhabi’s most notable and well-known landmarks. It is one of the world’s largest mosques with the capacity to hold an astonishing number of 40,000 worshippers. This mosque is a work of art and features 82 domes, 24-carat gold chandelier and over 1000 columns. It is free for all but you will be required to cover up to entire the mosque, they provide the traditional wear at the mosque itself.

There are multiple parks in the community and close to Al Nayhan. You could head to Delma Park or Umm Al Emarat Park, both are at different ends of the community. The Eastern Mangrove Park is slightly further away and the Mushrif Kids Park is a 10-minute drive. If you would really like to go all out, you could visit the massive Mangrove National Park, apart from the regular facilities you can participate in bird watching or check out the different watersports on offer.   For fitness enthusiasts, there are multiple gyms in the vicinity. You could visit Power Station Gym, Body Camp Gym and Arabian Gym Fitness Center or try out the Purple Dance Center, The Oriental Karate & Kobudo Club and Abu Dhabi BootCamp & Fitness Training which offer a different approach to exercise. There is also the nearby Abu Dhabi Corniche which is 15-minutes away, it is known for its beach and jogging track. Nearby the Corniche is a Health and Fitness Club which has a pool, martial arts centre, tennis and squash courts, as well a gym all in one location.   There are many salons at the bottom of the apartment buildings such as Bedashing Beauty Lounge and Sossi Beauty Centre. The best spas in the area beloved by residents are Maven Spa and Namm Spa.

The Stadium is one to visit and if you aren’t there around match season you could still visit to see the home team practice. Al Wahda Mall is good for children’s events, they have special seasonal events for Eid, Ramadan, National Day etc. Otherwise, residents can also head down to the Corniche, it has food festivals, concerts and carnivals.

If you are an expat looking to invest and buy property then Al Nahyan is not the area for you. The properties for sale here are limited, to begin with especially since it is not a freehold area. Parking may also be an issue for some in the older buildings.

• It neighbours the Al Wahdah, Al Karamah and Al Mushrif communities.
• Al Wahda Mall is 5 minutes away.
• It takes 15 minutes to get to the centre of Abu Dhabi.
• The popular Abu Dhabi Corniche is 15 minutes away from Al Nahyan
• Abu Dhabi International Airport is 30 minutes away.
• Dubai is 1 hour and 20 minutes away