General Map

Darin and Tarout Island aims to offer a lively environment that raises quality of life for its residents and enriches its visitors’ experience, with destinations for leisure, hospitality and shopping, public spaces and parks, walkable neighbourhoods and sports facilities, along with infrastructure that makes getting around easy.

Building on this, the development approach aims to create a vibrant, integrated community that combines quality of life with efficient infrastructure, making the island a better place to live, work and visit.

Developing the lifestyle

This track raises quality of life on the island with varied destinations and spaces that meet residents’ and visitors’ needs and support social, leisure and sports activities.

Beach resort

A resort on the island’s sandy coast offering rest and relaxation, where visitors and families can enjoy the coastal nature and the calm the island is known for.

Eastern waterfront

Renewing the eastern waterfront as a public destination with green spaces and areas for sport and everyday activities, creating an attractive, lively place for residents and visitors.

Public park and sports facilities

An integrated public park with open spaces, a running track and cycle paths, and a range of community sports facilities, linked to public gardens and shops to strengthen community life and physical activity.

Improving infrastructure

This track develops the road network, transport options and supporting facilities, making it easier to reach and move between the island’s areas and raising the efficiency of its infrastructure over the long term.

Revitalizing the central commercial axis

Upgrading the infrastructure of the central commercial axis (Uhud Road) and improving the streetscape and building façades, reflecting the island’s architectural identity and making the axis a stronger commercial and urban destination.

Inner ring road

An inner ring road that improves access and connections between the island’s facilities and areas, making the road network more efficient and traffic flow smoother.

Long-term transport and infrastructure

Preparing the island for public transport with bus stops, better internal roads and public car parks, supporting more efficient and easier ways to get around for residents and visitors.

Darin and Tarout Island has a rich natural variety: some 22 kilometres of coastline, mangrove forests, and open farmland and green spaces, together forming a unique environment tied to the island’s identity and quality of life.

Building on these assets, the development approach aims to protect, renew and sustainably activate the island’s natural assets, preserving the environment while letting residents and visitors enjoy the island’s nature and waterfronts.

Renewing the natural footprint

This track protects and grows the island’s natural and ecological systems and uses them sustainably, adding to the island’s appeal while preserving its natural identity.

Preserving and expanding the mangroves

Protecting the mangrove forests and growing their area, with a national park that includes a visitor center, nature trails and bird-watching platforms, enriching biodiversity and offering a distinctive nature experience.

Protecting environmentally sensitive farmland

Preserving farmland and making it more sustainable by developing the agricultural sector, empowering local farmers and sharing knowledge and expertise, keeping the island’s farming heritage alive and growing its agricultural economy.

Floating eco-resort

An eco-resort built on a marine pier, in harmony with the island’s marine and coastal environment, offering a nature-based stay with access to the mangrove forests.

Mangrove eco-resort

An eco-resort in the north of the island, designed in keeping with local architecture and integrated with the mangroves’ natural environment.

Mangrove Boulevard

A lively destination south of the mangroves with shops, restaurants and cafés, forming a gateway to the forests and a complete experience for residents and visitors.

Developing and activating the waterfronts

This track makes the most of the waterfronts, among the island’s most important natural assets, developing them to raise quality of life and widen the choice of leisure and marine activities.

Public beach

A public beach open to residents and visitors that showcases the natural beauty of the island’s coast and offers a complete seaside experience, while protecting the marine and coastal ecosystem.

Activating water sports

Preparing and organizing the right environment for water sports, making use of the island’s waterfronts and offering varied leisure and tourism experiences to residents and visitors.

Darin and Tarout Island carries a rich historical and cultural heritage, shaped by centuries of ties with the sea, trade, fishing and pearling, and marked by landmarks from Darin Port and Tarout Castle to the historic Darin Airport.

Building on this heritage, the development approach aims to preserve the island’s identity and to revive and activate its heritage and cultural assets, strengthening the community’s bond with the island’s history and offering visitors an authentic, complete cultural experience.

Restoring and activating heritage assets

This track preserves the island’s most prominent historic landmarks and brings them back to life as cultural and tourism destinations.

Tarout Castle and Al-Deira houses

Restoring and rehabilitating Tarout Castle and the historic town of Al-Deira, and creating public spaces for cultural activities, to revive the area and strengthen its place as a distinctive heritage destination.

Darin Palace and its surroundings

Restoring and rehabilitating Darin Palace (Al-Faihani) and the historic town of Darin, developing the surrounding spaces and connecting the palace to the sea, bringing back its historic standing and its close ties with the area and the sea.

Historic Darin Airport

Reviving the historic Darin Airport as a park and aviation museum that tells the story of the site and the stages of aviation in the Kingdom.

Celebrating the island’s culture

This track brings the island’s cultural heritage forward as living experiences that deepen residents’ and visitors’ connection with its history and identity.

The cultural trail

A cultural trail linking the island’s main heritage sites, including Tarout Castle, Darin Palace and Darin Airport, to the waterfront, with spaces for exhibitions, arts, events and cultural and heritage activities.

Boutique heritage hotel

A hospitality experience inspired by local identity: a boutique heritage hotel in keeping with the area’s urban and historic character that enriches the visitor experience.

Darin and Tarout Island Cultural Festival

An annual cultural festival celebrating the island’s history and heritage, with arts, music, crafts and local traditions, drawing residents and visitors and raising the island’s profile as a cultural destination.