Saudi Oger has been appointed the main contractor of the $1.5 billion Saraya Islands project set to come up in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

The announcement was made by the developers at the project’s recent unveiling, where they also disclosed further details of the project almost a year after the initial agreement for the project’s development was signed between the Government of Ras Al Khaimah’s Investment and Development Office (IDO), Saraya Holdings and a subsidiary of the Arab Bank.
Set to occupy the 7 km Julfar Island, located between the Hajjar Mountains and the Arabian Gulf, the project is slated to cover an area of over one million sq m and create an iconic representation of Ras Al Khaimah’s seafaring heritage using contemporary technology.
Actively involved in promoting Ras Al Khaimah and in attracting and establishing new ventures in the emirate, the IDO is playing a pivotal role in the Saraya Islands project as a key shareholder.
Saraya Islands capitalises on the site’s main features, including its location between the mountains and the sea, its proximity to Ras Al Khaimah’s international airport, and to the bustling city of Dubai. A planned extension of the Emirates Highway will connect the project to the nearby Ras Al Khaimah airport and to Dubai.
The project will encompass exclusive palatial waterfront estates, high-end designer villas, lagoon-view townhouses with private piers; waterfront terraced apartments, world class themed hotels, exotic bungalows, a top-of-the-line spa and serviced rental villas. Other project facilities will include retail shops, restaurants, entertainment outlets, Arabian sailing boats, an amusement/water park, a state-of-the-art sports centre, a futuristic planetarium, a cultural centre, bicycle and waterfront walking trails, sailing, fishing and navigation facilities, a training institute, 6 km of sandy beaches, tidal exploratory walkways, bird sanctuaries and car parks.
The project’s master plan envisions the development of four distinct islands referred to as Al Boum, Al Marsa, Al Sahab, and Al Wahat, in addition to the mainland ‘Saraya Village centre. All four islands will be interconnected via a series of appropriately scaled, resort-style roads and bridges. Connecting the mainland and the islands is the Boulevard – a 2.5 km tree-lined, scenic and themed driveway. This avenue, which connects to the Emirates Highway extension, will terminate at Saraya Village, the most public area at the centre of the Saraya islands project, and the gateway to the development.
Saraya Village will serve as the project’s central and transitional hub. It will offer bus and taxi drop-off points, as well as hotel and resort check-in and parking facilities. Incorporated into the Village will be a series of themed ‘Suqs’, selling authentic versions of the goods that Ras Al Khaimah’s sailors once traded in.