Zone 30, Mohammed Bin Zayed City

Zone 30 is a district in the larger community of Mohammed Bin Zayed City and is currently reaching the end of its development. Made up of villas, Zone 30 continues the legacy of its parent community of providing affordable and peaceful living in Abu Dhabi.

Mohammed Bin Zayed City, MBZ City or Zayed City is located on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi and spans around 45km. Currently under development, the mixed-use community is named in honour of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and shall be a city within Abu Dhabi upon completion.

The community primarily consists of residential properties such as villas in different configurations, along with a mix of schools, malls, parks, eateries, medical centres and other amenities. From the community, one can access Dubai through Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E11) or travel to central Abu Dhabi through Al Ain Road (E22) and Al Rawdah Road (E30).

• Located in Mohammed Bin Zayed City
• A villa-only area
• Parks, eateries, mosques and supermarkets
• Close to schools, malls and medical centres
• Provides direct access to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11)

Zone 30, Mohammed Bin Zayed (MBZ) City is made up of five and six-bedroom villas, some of which are currently under construction. Like other sub-communities in MBZ City, it offers a serene and peaceful environment.

Popular points of interest in Zone 30, MBZ City are:

• Community parks
• Spacious villas
• Access to educational institutes

Properties in Zone 30 are spread into detached as well as semi-attached villas that come in different configurations. Most of the villas are ready while a few of them are still under construction.

You will find that the villas have their own swimming pool in addition to a large garden. The upper floors have a terrace too. Each of the villas includes a maid’s room with an attached bath in addition to bedrooms with attached bathrooms.

A 3-bedroom villa may cover a built-up area of 6,000 sq. ft. whereas an expansive villa with 12 bedrooms can cover a floor area of around 9,640 sq. ft. As far as renting or buying is concerned, a 12-bedroom villa for sale in MBZ City can cost you around AED 5M. To rent a villa in MBZ City, you can expect to pay somewhere around AED 100K for a 3-bed villa per year.

The closest hotels near Zone 30, Mohammed Bin Zayed City are:

• L’Arabia – District 09
• Millennium Central Mafraq Hotel – Mafraq
• Marriott Hotel Al Forsan

L’Arabia is a 3-star hotel apartment building that is connected to the Mazyad Mall. Along with a food court, grocery store, indoor pool, sauna and gym, it offers studio to 3-bed suites and is 18 minutes away from Zone 30 in the community.

Millennium Central Mafraq Hotel is a 4-star hotel in the Mafraq area at a 15-minute drive. Marriott Hotel is a 5-star hotel reachable within a 23-minute drive.

Those residing in the villas enjoy garage spaces that can facilitate up to two cars at a time. Moreover, the streets have plenty of spaces where guests and visitors can park their cars.

Bus M5 services the sub-community, which takes the residents to the neighbouring Musaffah. Some of the closest bus stops near Zone 30 include Al Shamiyah Street / Al Sahirah Street Bus Stop, Al Saleel Street / Al Maqta’at Street Bus Stop, Al Masarib Street / Stop 10312 Bus Stop and Shaikha Ayisha Adarmaki Mosque Bus Stop.

Under the public transportation system of Abu Dhabi, individuals can choose from other options beside buses too. Those interested in hailing taxis can find dedicated taxi stands at Dalma Mall and Capital Mall while Uber and Careem are useful for booking cabs too.

The sub-community houses two smaller supermarkets, which include:

• Damaa Grocery – Al Angham Street
• Al Tayef Supermarket – 23, Al Saleel Street

Damaa Grocery has a wide range of fresh and food items for you in store, including fruits and vegetables too. Al Tayef Supermarket has many grocery items with a wide selection of beverages.

Outside the area, residents can find many baqalas, most of which are concentrated in Sector ME10 of Musaffah. Some of the larger supermarkets are:

• ADNOC Oasis – 1/1, 63 Street, Z13
• Al Madina Hypermarket – 11B, Al Sabr Street, ME10

You can reach ADNOC Oasis and Al Madina Hypermarket are reachable within a 10-minute drive. ADNOC Oasis is a popular chain of convenience stores where you can buy all sorts of essentials while Al Madina Hypermarket runs under the Al Madina Group and is one of the best supermarkets in Abu Dhabi. These hypermarkets are spread across two or three floors and stock up on groceries as well as non-food items such as electronics, appliances and bed and bath décor.

Daily prayers can be offered at the two mosques in Zone 30, which include:

• Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan – 27, Al Saleel Street
• Sheikha Aisha Ali Saif Al Darmaki – 78, Al Shamiyah Street

Mohammed Bin Zayed City has many more mosques in its other districts, most of which are reachable within a drive of 10 to 20 minutes.

Christians can find a variety of churches in Abu Dhabi, three of which are available in the neighbouring Musaffah community within a drive of 15 to 20 minutes. These are:

• St. Paul’s Catholic Church – 16 Street, M32, Musaffah
• The Mar Thoma Abu Dhabi – 32 Street, M24 Musaffah
• The Armenian Church of Abu Dhabi – 16 Street M26, Musaffah

The Sikh community can find Gurudwara Mata Sahib Kaur in M11, Musaffah Industrial Area, which lies at a 15-minute drive. It is placed between baqalas and stores and does not emit a setting of a place of worship from its exterior, however, its interior is entirely different and resembles that of a Gurudwara.

At a drive of 30 minutes lies the BAPS Hindu Mandir, which shall be the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. Launched by Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the temple is led by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and is located Abu Mureikha, accessible from Abu Dhabi – Ghuweifat Highway (E11).

MBZ City is abundant in terms of schools and well-reputed institutions. Some of the well-known schools near Zone 30 are:

• Shining Star International School
• The Model School
• Al Rabeeh Academy
• Elite Private School

Shining Star International School is located at a 9-minute drive and offers classes from KG-1 to Grade. Following the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum, it currently has around 1,120 students in its enrolment.

The Model School and Al Rabeeh Academy are reachable within 10 minutes. The Model School Abu Dhabi or New Indian Model School Abu Dhabi follows the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) till 7th grade with Kerala Board for 8th grade onwards. More than 5,000 students are enrolled here.

Al Rabeeh Academy follows the English National Curriculum and offers education from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 13. Till the 3rd year, the classes are co-ed while classes 4 and onwards have segregation for boys and girls.

Elite Private School is 14 minutes away and orders education from Kindergarten to Grade 12, based on the American curriculum.

Mohammed Bin Zayed City Healthcare Centre is 13 minutes away in Zone 15.

By driving around 10 to 12 minutes, you can reach clinics and hospitals near Zone 30, which are located in Musaffah. Some of these are:

• Prime Care Medical Centre – 16, Sa-id Street, ME10
• Zia Medical Centre – 62 Street, ME12
• New National Medical Centre – Al Jash Street, ME10
• NMC Royal Family – Prestige Tower, ME2

Each of these medical centres is multi-speciality centres with plenty of in-patient and out-patient facilities along with operation theatres.

Immediately bordering Zone 30 are similar micro-districts, made up of villas and open spaces, such as Zone 31 and Zone 32. The nearby areas adjacent to the parent community are:

• Mussafah
• Al Mafraq Industrial Area
• Zayed City (Khalifa City C)

Musaffah was previously a small industrial area, which expanded into an economic zone in the 2000s. It is home to the Musaffah Port; the second oldest port in the UAE. It houses the 53km long Mussafah Channel as well as the second-largest water channel in the region.

Al Mafraq Industrial Area is a commercial district, forming part of the Al Mafraq and Al Wathba in the city. The district houses the Al Mafraq Workers City and Al Mafraq Waste Water Treatment Plant and consists of commercial properties such as shops, offices and labour camps.

Currently under development, Zayed City (Khalifa City C) is a new project that will near completion in 2030. The area will have 2,790 residential plots along with 35 mosques, 15 schools and 45 gardens.

Popular malls near Zone 30, Mohammed Bin Zayed City are:

• Mazyad Mall – Zone 09
• Capital Mall – Sector ME2, Musaffah
• Dalma Mall – Mussafah

Mazyad Mall and Capital Mall lie within the community at a 19-minute drive. Both of these malls house a number of shopping stores, restaurants and a LuLu Hypermarket. Mazyad Mall is home to a Sparkys Amusement Centre, filled with thrilling rides while Capital Mall features Action Zone, with plenty of VR games and exciting rides.

In the neighbouring community of Musaffah, you will find Dalma Mall, which is reachable within 20 minutes. Dalma Mall has more than 450 shopping stores, both local and international. Moreover, it has a branch of Cine Royal Cinemas as well as a Carrefour Hypermarket, gym and plenty of eateries.

Currently, residents can find two dining options within the Zone 30 area:

• Zaitoon Al Arab Cafeteria – 23, Al Saleel Street
• Tea Junction – 23, Al Saleel Street

Zaitoon Al Arab Cafeteria, as the name suggests, specialises in Arabic items and fast food especially from Lebanese cuisine. Tea Junction is a café for satisfying the occasional sweet tooth and for loading up on caffeine.

For enjoying a variety of dining options, residents can drive to the restaurants near Zone 30 within Mohammed Bin Zayed. Some of these are:

• Beside Al Farah – Mussafah East 11
• Lahore Garden Grill – Mussafah East 10
• Malabar Junction – Musaffah East 10
• Bon Ga Restaurant – Mussafah East 09
• Paris Café – Musaffah East 09
• Hardee’s – ADNOC Service Station, District E-30

Beside Al Farah is a Lebanese restaurant while Lahore Garden Grill deals in Pakistani barbecue dishes. At Malabar Junction, you can order from Chinese and south Indian dishes, hailing from the state of Kerala. Bon Ga Restaurant is a Korean restaurant.

Paris Café has a vast range of bakery and fast food items for you in store, featuring an American taste. Hardee’s is a renowned fast food restaurant chain. All of these restaurants are reachable within a drive of 10 to 15 minutes within the community.

The city is abundant in fine dining restaurants and nightlife options too, most of which are available in Mainland Abu Dhabi. The closest ones near Zone 30 are 36 minutes away such as:

• Tamba – World Trade Centre, Al Markaziya
• Catch at St. Regis – Nation Riviera Beach Club, Al Khubeirah
• Chamas Churrascaria & Bar – InterContinental Abu Dhabi, Al Khubeirah

Tamba is an upscale Indian restaurant featuring an open kitchen and an open bar, accompanied by a resident DJ and skyline views, making up for some of Abu Dhabi’s best fine dining restaurants. Catch at St. Regis specialises in Japanese items such as seafood and offers outdoor dining on an open terrace with a full bar as well, hence being ranked as one of the top rooftop restaurants in Abu Dhabi.

Chamas Churrascaria & Bar is a Brazilian steakhouse and one of Abu Dhabi’s top Brazilian restaurants. Here you can enjoy freshly barbecued meat and chicken with live music from a Latin band in the background.

For enjoying a day under the sun at the beach, you will have to drive a minimum of 25 minutes to reach any of the beaches near Zone 30:

• Al Bateen Beach
• Corniche Beach

Al Bateen Beach is 28 minutes away and is not crowded like most of the beaches in the city. It features a women’s beach along with water sports like jet-skiing, paddle boarding and kayaking. Stretching 800 metres, the scenic beach line is well-maintained and is a clean and eco-friendly place too.

Corniche Beach, located at a 35-minute drive is one of the best beaches in Abu Dhabi with several cabanas, palm trees and other facilities like a kids’ play area. Its clear blue waters have earned it the Blue Flag eco-label too.

Travelling to notable landmarks near Zone 30, Mohammed Bin Zayed City is rendered easy due to neighbouring highways such as Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road (E11), Al Ain Road (E22) and Al Rawdah Road (E30).

A few of the landmarks near Zone are:

• Wahat Al Karama
• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
• Wathba Wetland Reserve
• Yas Island

By driving around 20 minutes, you can reach Wahat Al Karama, which is a war memorial and pays tribute to the Emirati soldiers who have been martyred at the line of duty and other sites. You will see 31 aluminium inscribed tablets, which are colossal in size and denote solidarity with their leaning structure. Some other key attractions at Wahat Al Karama are the Pavilion of Honour and the Memorial Plaza.

Through a 20-minute drive at Al Ain Road, you can reach Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Amongst the world’s largest mosques it is a marvel of Islamic architecture with 82 domes, 1,000 columns, 24-carat gold chandeliers and the largest hand-knit carpet in the world.

Al Wathba Wetland Reserve is accessible through Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) within a 23-minute drive. It is amongst the last 2,000 wetlands in the world and made it to the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas in 2018. Not only does the wetland offer you a chance to dwell in scenic greenery but also you can observe from 260 bird species, 16 reptiles, 10 mammals, 5,000 flamingos and much more.

You can reach Yas Island in 30 minutes by taking the E11 highway. In addition to residential properties, the area is also one of the entertainment hotspots in Abu Dhabi. It is home to the Yas Mall, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and the Yas Links Golf Club.

Moreover, you can indulge in water sports at Yas Beach or dine in its upscale restaurants. Another activity you can enjoy in Yas Island is grooving to live music at MAD, one of the best venues in the world for live music.

Within Zone 30 lie two community parks, which are expansive enough to accommodate residents of the sub-community. For more outdoor options, residents can find Mohammed Bin Zayed City Public Park, which is expansive in size and reachable within 15 minutes.

There are a number of gyms in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, which are concentrated in Mussafah East. Some of these are:

• Master Gym
• Tiger Gym
• Galaxy Gym & Fitness

For enjoying community events every now and then, residents can head over to Mazyad Mall, which holds events for all kinds of religious festivals including Eid, Diwali, Ramadan, National Day and much more.

There are a few private as well as public groups on Facebook that residents of MBZ City can join for regular updates and sharing of content.

• Mohammed Bin Zayed City Community
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City , Abu Dhabi
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City Community

For those seeking affordable and tranquil living in the city of Abu Dhabi, Zone 30 is a preferable choice. Not only this, the area is in proximity to schools, parks and malls, which make it a suitable option for families while the adjoining highways give easy access to other areas in Abu Dhabi as well as the emirate of Dubai.

However, a con of MBZ City’s lifestyle is that it is situated at a distance from central Abu Dhabi, which may prove inconvenient for professionals who have to take long commutes daily. This point should be kept in consideration before buying or renting a property in the area.

• Adjacent to Al Rawdah Road (E30) and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11)
• 30 minutes away from Abu Dhabi International Airport
• 25 minutes to central Abu Dhabi
• Abu Dhabi Corniche is 36 minutes away
• 1-hour drive to the city of Dubai