The foundation stone for the $110 million Tala Island and $40 million Al Marsa the Floating City were laid recently. Both are key components of Amwaj Islands on the northern tip of Muharraq in Bahrain.

The symbolic foundation stone laying took place on a giant 2 by 2 m colour sand sculpture of Amwaj Islands, with a marble-made logo of Al Marsa representing the actual stone.
“Al Marsa Floating City, which is reminiscent of Venice, seeks to capture the exclusive ambience created by other upmarket residential marina projects such as those in St Tropez,” said chairman of Al Marsa, Saoud Kanoo.
“The Floating City is a yacht-owner’s haven as it has been designed with a series of canals where boats may cruise leisurely and even moor right by their own back garden and private quay.
“The water level will be maintained within 50 cm ‘rise and fall’ by a sector-lock gate located at the south entrance to the island by the proposed yacht club,” he said.
The Al Marsa waterfront project covers an area of 53,430 sq m out of a total of 83,772 sq m of residential canal lots located at the eastern section of the island, right by the main entrance to Amwaj Islands.
The project involves the design, management, construction and marketing of 215 waterfront villas, chalets and flats.
The Floating City District will include a town centre with a condominium block and beach area; shopping centre; banquet hall; four mansion lots; interior lots; private beach lots and a yacht club occupying an overall area of 264,000 sq m.
There are 13 different designs of villa/chalet and flat types to choose from, he said.