Waterfront flat with sea views — Al Marjan Island, Arabian Gulf

Al Marjan Island is an artificial archipelago that rose from the waters of the Arabian Gulf and today looks as though it always belonged here. Ras Al Khaimah chose a different path from Dubai — not financial district towers, but a coastline, beaches, and air thick with salt. And Dubai is still within easy reach.

There are places you see through a taxi window and think: that's somewhere you go on holiday. Al Marjan Island is different — people come here looking for somewhere to live. Far enough from the metropolis to breathe, close enough never to feel cut off. I remember one of my clients telling me that it was only standing on the balcony, looking out at the sea, that she finally understood what she'd meant all along when she said she wanted peace. This is exactly that.

This development sits on the water. Not near the water — literally on it. Glass facades draw in light throughout the day, kitchens come with premium appliances, bathrooms are en-suite. Living and dining spaces are designed for real life, not just to look good in renders. On the balcony — the sea. On the horizon — the silhouette of Wynn Al Marjan.

Daily life here looks something like this: a few steps across the sand in the morning before the coffee's even brewed, then the gym or the co-working space — because plenty of people who end up here don't give up work, they just change where they do it. In the evening, the beachside pool or dinner at Beach House, a minute away. At the weekend, Al Hamra Golf or Dubai — whichever takes your fancy. Flats available as studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts.