Nawayef East

TL;DR: Nawayef East is an ultra-luxury hilltop villa enclave on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, developed by government-backed Modon Properties. Part of a 735-villa masterplan valued at AED 5 billion, it offers 4 to 8-bedroom villas and mansions from AED 6.6 million to AED 41 million. Built atop a 45-metre man-made hill — the world's largest — the development was designed by internationally acclaimed WATG architects and offers handover from Q4 2026 with a buyer-friendly 10/30/60 payment plan.

Introduction

Nawayef East represents the most ambitious residential development in Abu Dhabi's modern real estate history. Situated on the eastern hilltop of Hudayriyat Island, this extraordinary freehold villa enclave was officially launched on November 7, 2024, by Modon Properties — the government-backed master developer operating under ADQ (Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company), one of the region's largest sovereign holding companies. The combined Nawayef East and West development encompasses 735 luxury villas across three residential tiers — Nawayef Homes, Nawayef Heights, and Nawayef Mansions — and is anchored by the largest single residential construction contract awarded in Abu Dhabi in 2025, valued at AED 5 billion (approximately USD 1.36 billion).

What makes Nawayef East genuinely unprecedented in the UAE residential landscape is its topography. The villas are positioned atop man-made hills — described as the world's largest — with the eastern hill rising to 45 metres and the western hill reaching 55 metres above sea level. In an emirate where the natural terrain is essentially flat, this engineered elevation creates a residential experience that is architecturally and experientially unique, with every villa positioned to maximise panoramic 360-degree views of the Arabian Gulf and the Abu Dhabi skyline. The concept draws inspiration from California's Newport Hills, envisioning a curated, gated hilltop community that merges desert modernism with Gulf luxury.

Location and Connectivity

Hudayriyat Island is a 51-million-square-metre island situated off the southwest coast of Abu Dhabi, connected to the mainland by bridge infrastructure adjacent to the prestigious Al Bateen district. The island's scale is remarkable — it is equivalent to 53.8% of Abu Dhabi Island itself — and adds 53.5 kilometres of coastline to the capital, including 16 kilometres of new beaches.

Nawayef East benefits from excellent connectivity to Abu Dhabi's key destinations. The Abu Dhabi city centre and downtown district is approximately 10 to 20 minutes by car. Al Bateen Executive Airport is approximately 10 minutes away, while the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Qasr Al Watan presidential palace are approximately 15 minutes distant. Saadiyat Island, home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the forthcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, is approximately 30 minutes by road. Yas Island — featuring Ferrari World, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Waterworld, and Warner Bros. World — is approximately 35 minutes away. Abu Dhabi International Airport is reachable in 25 to 30 minutes.

The island's position between Abu Dhabi's urban core and its world-class leisure clusters creates a rare combination: complete residential privacy within a gated hilltop enclave, yet immediate proximity to the capital's cultural, entertainment, and business infrastructure.

Villa Configurations and Pricing

Nawayef East is structured across three distinct residential collections, each designed by WATG (with Wimberly Interiors) — an internationally acclaimed hospitality and residential architecture firm:

Nawayef Homes (4–5 Bedrooms) The entry collection features six distinct villa design types with built-up areas ranging from 370 to 468 square metres (3,983 to 5,038 sq ft) on plots of 445 to 991 square metres (4,844 to 10,669 sq ft). Starting prices begin at AED 6.6 million, making this the most accessible tier of the hilltop community.

Nawayef Heights (5–7 Bedrooms) The premium tier comprises eight distinct villa design types with substantially larger footprints — built-up areas from 818 to 1,952 square metres (8,794 to 21,011 sq ft) on plots spanning 983 to 1,988 square metres (10,581 to 21,398 sq ft). Starting prices for Heights villas range from AED 18.4 to AED 19.3 million.

Nawayef Mansions (6–8 Bedrooms) The apex collection offers five mansion design types of truly palatial proportions, with built-up areas from 1,685 to 2,700 square metres (18,138 to 29,063 sq ft) on plots of 2,030 to 3,291 square metres (21,851 to 35,428 sq ft). Mansions start at AED 41 million.

Secondary market activity has already emerged, with Property Finder listings showing 4-bedroom villas at AED 7.75 million to AED 16.6 million and 5-bedroom units at AED 15.5 million, with the highest-priced listing being a 4-bedroom full sea-view elevated villa at AED 16.6 million across 6,259 sq ft.

Architecture and Design

WATG, the development's design architect, has created two primary architectural vocabularies across Nawayef East's nine distinct villa plot types:

Zen / Japanese-Inspired Collection — Featuring classical internal courtyards, lantern-inspired façades, and contemporary clean lines that reference principles of order, harmony, and spatial reasoning. These villas employ screen-pattern façades that provide solar relief and privacy while creating dramatic light play throughout the interiors.

Palm Springs Mid-Century Modern Collection — Described as 'an oasis atop the Hudayriyat Hills,' these designs celebrate California desert modernism with expansive glass walls, open-plan living, and seamless indoor-outdoor transitions that maximise the panoramic Gulf views unique to the elevated site.

Across all collections, shared design elements include floor-to-ceiling windows, grand spiral staircases, internal courtyards, infinity and rooftop swimming pools, traditional majlis reception rooms, earth-inspired colour palettes, and bold contemporary façades with clean geometric lines. The overall design philosophy applies luxury hospitality principles to residential architecture — Wimberly Interiors, WATG's interior design division, brings hospitality-grade finishing and spatial planning typically reserved for five-star resorts.

Payment Plan and Handover Timeline

Modon Properties offers a buyer-friendly structured payment plan for Nawayef East:

• 10% on booking — Securing the villa with a relatively modest initial commitment
• 30% during construction — Staged payments aligned with construction milestones
• 60% on handover — The majority of the payment deferred until villa completion

This 10/30/60 structure is consistent across the Nawayef East development and mirrors the payment approach used for other Hudayriyat Island communities such as Al Naseem. The substantial 60% handover weighting provides significant buyer protection and cash flow flexibility, particularly attractive for international investors managing cross-border transactions.

Handover timelines are phased by collection tier. Nawayef Homes targets delivery in Q4 2026, while the larger Heights and Mansions collections are scheduled for Q3 to Q4 2028. The AED 5 billion construction contract was formally awarded in December 2025, confirming that active construction is well underway.

Community Amenities

Nawayef East functions as a self-contained gated community with a comprehensive amenity infrastructure designed to complement the hilltop villa lifestyle:

• Private swimming pools integrated into individual villa designs
• Private gardens, terraces, and landscaped outdoor living spaces
• Community clubhouse with gymnasium, spa, and wellness facilities
• Community swimming pool and tennis facilities
• Shaded jogging and cycling trails with pedestrian pathways
• Children's play areas with age-appropriate facilities
• Dedicated mosque within the community
• Verdant parkland with extensive native and curated landscaping
• On-site cafés, retail outlets, and dining options
• Co-working spaces and private meeting rooms for remote professionals
• Gated security perimeter with controlled access

Hudayriyat Island Masterplan

Beyond the gated community itself, Nawayef East residents enjoy privileged access to Hudayriyat Island's extraordinary leisure and lifestyle infrastructure — a masterplan unveiled in June 2023 under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan:

• Surf Abu Dhabi — The world's largest artificial wave pool, created in partnership with Kelly Slater Wave Co., featuring the longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool globally
• Velodrome Abu Dhabi — The first UCI Category 1 indoor cycling track in the Middle East, with a rooftop track connected via a 600-metre cycling ramp providing 360-degree island views
• 220-kilometre cycling network — The largest in the region, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global cycling destination
• Urban Park — Spanning over 2.25 million square metres, the largest urban park in the emirate
• 16 kilometres of new beaches — Including Marsana Beach waterfront precinct
• Bab Al Nojoum — Premium glamping resort
• Trail X and Circuit X — Adventure and motor sport hubs
• Boutique retail, restaurants, and waterfront dining

Developer Profile: Modon Properties

Modon Properties was established in January 2018 as a government-backed master developer under ADQ, one of Abu Dhabi's largest sovereign holding companies. Led by Chairman H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi and Group CEO Bill O'Regan (appointed January 2024), Modon's mandate is to develop integrated communities, tourism destinations, and mixed-use masterplanned developments aligned with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Economic Vision.

Modon's portfolio extends well beyond Hudayriyat Island, encompassing developments on Reem Island (Maysan, Muheira, Thoraya), Mina Wharf, Baniyas North, and Western Region Eco-Tourism projects. In a landmark international expansion, Modon was appointed master developer for the Ras El Hekma megaproject in Egypt — a 170-square-kilometre development commissioned by ADQ. On Hudayriyat Island itself, the broader residential ecosystem includes Nawayef West, Nawayef Village (townhouses and villas, January 2029 handover), Nawayef Park Views (first apartments on the island, from AED 2 million), Al Naseem (4–6BR villas from AED 7.8 million), Bashayer (which sold out in a single day in December 2025, raising AED 3 billion for 157 ultra-premium villas and 330 apartments), and Wadeem (residential plots from AED 1.8 million).

Investment Potential and Market Context

Nawayef East sits at the intersection of several powerful investment drivers. Early Nawayef buyers who entered the market between 2020 and 2022 have achieved 30 to 45% capital appreciation by 2024–2025, according to market analysis. Waterfront villa rental yields on Hudayriyat Island are estimated at 6 to 8% annually, competitive with Saadiyat Island and Yas Island benchmarks. Current off-plan buyers at launch pricing are projected to achieve approximately 21.8% capital gain from purchase to handover, with villa price growth across the segment forecast at 10 to 12% through 2026.

The Bashayer launch in December 2025 — which raised AED 3 billion in a single day for 157 villas and 330 apartments — provides definitive evidence of the depth of buyer demand for Hudayriyat Island product. Nawayef East's freehold status within Abu Dhabi's designated investment zones, where foreign nationals and expatriates hold full freehold title rights, further broadens the investor base to include international buyers from across the GCC, Europe, and Asia.

Abu Dhabi's luxury villa segment continues on a multi-year upswing, driven by government infrastructure investment, post-visa-reform international buyer interest, and a structurally limited supply of island freehold residential product. Nawayef East's combination of unprecedented topography, WATG-designed architecture, government-backed developer credentials, and the island's AED 5 billion construction commitment positions it as one of the most significant luxury residential launches in the UAE capital's history.