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Saadiyat Island off plan: three projects, three launch dates

Sei Saadiyat launched its first phase on 16 September 2026. SENSI broke ground on 5 June 2026. Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat launched commercially on 23 September 2026. All three remain price on request.

6 November 2026 · By Orven Properties · 4 min read

Pictured: SENSI, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Off plan buying on Saadiyat Island currently means a choice between three recently launched projects, each one at a genuinely different stage and from a different developer: Sei Saadiyat and Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat, both by Aldar Properties, and SENSI, by Reportage Properties.

Sei Saadiyat: apartments in the Cultural District

Sei Saadiyat sits in the Saadiyat Cultural District, with 778 planned homes across six buildings, apartments of 1 to 3 bedrooms plus 2 bedroom double-height lofts with mezzanine bedrooms. The first phase, 265 homes across two buildings, launched commercially on 16 September 2026. The project targets Estidama Pearl 3 certification. Price is on request, with delivery stated for Q4 2030.

SENSI: a small, near-campus collection

SENSI, near New York University Abu Dhabi, is a much smaller project: 89 homes total, split between 43 two-bedroom apartments, 37 three-bedroom apartments, and 9 four-bedroom townhouses. Reportage broke ground on 5 June 2026, five months after the commercial launch. Price starts from AED 2.8 million, as published on Reportage's own official page per our fiche.

Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat: standalone villas, first phase of a new district

Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat is the first community launched within Marsa Al Saadiyat, described by Aldar as the final phase of its wider 6.4 million square metre Saadiyat masterplan, with 8 kilometres of coastline and three schools planned. Talay itself comprises 351 individual villas of 4, 5 and 6 bedrooms, measuring 502 to 634 square metres, with direct beach access and a planned on-site school. The project launched commercially on 23 September 2026. Price is on request, with delivery stated for Q4 2030.

A quick comparison

Project	Developer	Homes	Launch date
Sei Saadiyat	Aldar Properties	778 (265 in phase 1)	16 September 2026
SENSI	Reportage Properties	89	Groundbreaking 5 June 2026
Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat	Aldar Properties	351 villas	23 September 2026

What none of these projects confirm yet

None of the three publishes a price beyond SENSI's AED 2.8 million. Delivery dates for Sei Saadiyat and Talay both point to Q4 2030; SENSI's delivery date is not published in our records.

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Registration and the Golden Visa

Saadiyat Island is on the historical list of zones open to non-UAE nationals under UAE federal law. A property investment of at least AED 2 million opens the door to a Golden Visa application, subject to conditions confirmed by the authorities; SENSI's AED 2.8 million entry price sits above that threshold.

Saadiyat within Abu Dhabi's list of open zones

Saadiyat Island is on the UAE's historical list of zones open to non-UAE nationals under federal law, alongside Yas, Al Reem, Al Maryah, Lulu, Al Raha Beach, Sayh Al Sedairah, Al Reef, and Masdar City. All three projects compared here, Sei Saadiyat, SENSI, and Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat, benefit from this same confirmed ownership framework.

A disclosure repeated across all three fiches

The official Abu Dhabi destination page states that project locations are approximate and that your adviser should be asked for the exact plot. Each of the three fiches separately confirms that current availability and unit-specific terms are set by your adviser, not assumed from general marketing material.

Why Talay stands apart from the other two

Unlike Sei Saadiyat and SENSI, which are both apartment-led developments, Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat is exclusively standalone villas, and it opens an entirely new district, Marsa Al Saadiyat, rather than adding to the existing Cultural District. This makes Talay the clearer choice for a buyer who specifically wants a villa rather than an apartment on Saadiyat.

What remains confirmed only through your adviser

Sei Saadiyat and Talay's exact pricing, SENSI's payment plan, and any service charge figures across all three are not published generally in our records; each is confirmed once a specific unit or villa plot is identified.

Next step

Tell your adviser whether apartments, a small near-campus project, or standalone villas fit your plan on WhatsApp at +971 52 776 1939 or at sales@orvenproperties.com. Our investing in Saadiyat Island guide and our Aldar Properties projects in Abu Dhabi article go further. You can also start at /find-your-home/.

FAQ

Which Saadiyat Island project has a published price? SENSI, from AED 2.8 million, as published on Reportage's official page.

How many homes does Sei Saadiyat plan in total? 778 across six buildings, with 265 released in the first phase.

What is Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat? The first community launched within Aldar's new Marsa Al Saadiyat district, 351 individual villas of 4, 5 and 6 bedrooms.

Does SENSI's price qualify for the Golden Visa? Its AED 2.8 million entry price sits above the AED 2 million threshold, subject to conditions confirmed by the authorities.