Inside Saudi Arabia’s man-made city worth a wild $500 billion

New details have emerged about the first destination to open in the $500 billion NEOM megacity in Saudi Arabia.

The grand plans for the island. Picture: NEOM

Amazing plans of the first destination to open at the $500 billion NEOM megacity have been unveiled.

From hyper-lux hotels to a shopping paradise, Saudi Arabia’s Sindalah Island is being prepared to welcome guests next year, The US Sun reports.

Located in the Red Sea, the getaway is set to be one of the Middle East’s most ambitious urban developments planned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

And Sindalah Island itself is planned to be a tantalising peek of what the opulent NEOM city will eventually encapsulate.

It can be revealed guests will enjoy a world-class yachting destination, three mega luxury hotels, a golf course, an array of restaurants and luxury retail outlets.

Sindalah Island is planned to be the gateway for the lux destination. Picture: NEOM

The grand plans for the island. Picture: NEOM

Antoni Vives, chief planning officer at NEOM, told Al Arabiya English the project would be world class.

He said: “Sindalah will be a glamorous gateway to the Red Sea and a world-class super yachting destination, giving visitors a glimpse into the experiences to come across the region.

“NEOM’s vision is to build a land of the future – an entirely new kind of destination.”

The island spans more than 84 hectares and aims to attract 2400 visitors a day by 2028.

The new high-end destination will also be home to a vibrant marina as it positions itself to attract the international yachting community.

Mr Vives said: “Sindalah will be the closest ultra-prime marina to Europe and the Mediterranean, offering a new seasonal option to the global yachting calendar.”

Aside from the marina, the island will offer plenty of other selling points.

A concept picture of the marina at the luxury island Sindalah off Saudi Arabia's coast. Picture: NEOM

It will feature three luxury hotels with over 400 ultra-premium rooms and 300 top-end suites.

This includes three Marriott International properties – Saudi Arabia’s first autograph collection hotel, as well as two luxury collection properties.

The island will also come with 38 food and beverage outlets, including nine high-end restaurants, nine premium casual restaurants, on-yacht dining and three rooftop lounges.

For leisure, guests can enjoy a 6474-yard (5919m) par 70 golf course and a spa and wellness centre.

It also boasts five-star beaches, Michelin starred dining options, sporting events and scuba diving in the famed Red Sea.

The $500 billion megacity is the country’s most ambitious plans to date. Picture: NEOM/AFP

Mr Vives said the living village was an architectural masterpiece.

He said: “Each experience of Sindalah is meticulously crafted and curated by the world’s best companies in their area, working to deliver their best level of service.

“Sindalah will also be a starting point for the world to discover NEOM, which will be a catalyst for economic development and diversification.

“It will re-imagine liveability, business and conservation and support job creation, industry development and sustainability goals in the Kingdom.”

The project is expected to create 3500 jobs.

This article originally appeared on The US Sun and was reproduced with permission