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Sun, Dec 01, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 29, 1446 | DXB
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Dubai's Al Barari exudes idyllic charm, multiculturism
Al Barari playground. — Supplied photo
Dubai - Around 60 per cent of the neighbourhood's area of 15 million square feet is covered by verdant greenery
- By
- Sa’adia Reza
Al Barari — a clean, green and happy neighbourhood that exudes idyllic charm — is tucked behind one of Dubai’s arterial roads, the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
A row of trees separates the incessant traffic of the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road from Al Barari’s quiet surroundings.
Al Barari — a clean, green and happy neighbourhood that exudes idyllic charm — is tucked behind one of Dubai’s arterial roads, the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
A row of trees separates the incessant traffic of the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road from Al Barari’s quiet surroundings.
Al Barari lives up to its apt name, which means wilderness in Arabic. Around 60 per cent of its humongous 15 million square feet is covered by verdant greenery.
The landscape embodies an air of peace and tranquility and far from the madding traffic on the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
The neighbourhood has all the civic amenities and is an embodiment of luxury, style and extraordinary quality of life — these attributes have touched a big chord with property investors from far and wide.
The community is divided into clusters. It’s a combination of villas and low-rise apartments.
Realty investors are spoilt for choice because of their high luxury quotient, which comes with both the villas and the compact apartments. A scenic view of the beautiful surroundings is an added incentive that money can’t buy.
Ben Davey, an expatriate, who moved into Al Barari less than a year ago with his family, is all praise for its “close-knit community”.
“We decided to move to Al Barari because it’s a lot calmer, and peaceful. Perhaps, we could have had more space at our disposal. The price point could have been more affordable than what’s on offer in Downtown Dubai. This is an incredible community, where members are always willing to help each other. Several entrepreneurs live here. The evenings are when the community comes alive. Typically, several residents go for their routine evening walks accompanied by their beloved pets. The bonding is seen to be believed,” said Davey.
The outdoor culture is thriving, thanks to several thematic gardens, abundant picnic spots, water bodies, gorgeous lakes, fountains and community playgrounds for children.
A nightly flea market and year-long festivals spread the good cheer of community feeling. The annual Spring Festival has been a top draw because of fun-filled activities such as treasure hunts, arts and craft workshops, pony rides and vegetable patches, where children get an opportunity to hone their gardening skills. Adults can look forward to wellness-centric pop-up market and a personalised shopping experience.
The open-air cinema, which heightens the experience of watching movies outdoors, is back with a bang, as Dubai has won over the Covid-19 challenge.
Mousa, a Lebanese expat, zeroed in on Al Barari after he and his fiancée lived in a hotel apartment within the community for a while.
“We fell in love with this place for its natural beauty, its dog-friendly areas. It’s indeed a friendly neighbourhood. We can speak to people casually, and also get to make more friends with each passing day. As long as we’re in Dubai, we’d like to live in this community, since we feel very comfortable here,” he said.
Al Barari is a self-contained neighbourhood because it’s a one-stop destination for all civic amenities — from wellness spa and salon, a first-of-its-kind wellness department store, nursery, pharmacy, supermarket, laundry, a clinic and two gymnasiums.
Fine dining is at hand because of The Farm – a gourmet restaurant – along with other popular eateries.
Residents can rent a bike and ride around the multicultural community, which is what living in Dubai is all about.
Davey, who runs a business, flowers.ae, has much to thank the local residents for their unstinted support.
“We provide most of the local residents with fresh flowers every week. The community also houses life coaches, social media influencers, those dabbling in realty and gig economy, among others. No wonder, it’s a thriving community of creative people, who believe in harmonious co-existence,” he added.
Mousa, who owns a marketing agency that deals in creative content, echoed the sentiment. “We’ve several groups who dabble in playing football, dealing in cryptocurrency and those who help growth and development of a business. This is a good residential colony for entrepreneurs,” he added.
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