SAUDI Arabia plans to construct a sprawling seaside resort built on blood and worth an eye-watering £3.8billion.
New video footage reveals work is underway for the for Dubai-style hotspot which aims to be the height of luxury.
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The Arab country is famous for its wealth and is home to many ambitious megaprojects -most recently Amaala – but it is also steeped in controversy.
Saudi Arabia is notorious for having a poor human rights record leading to many of its brainchilds being met with a frosty reception.
Amaala will cover 3,800 square kilometres, and will have three distinct communities: Triple Bay, The Island, and The Coastal Development.
The video shows the development coming to life, and workers creating the different buildings and facilities.
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Looking beyond the cranes the site currently includes inviting blue lagoons and sandy beaches although it is still very much a work in progess.
The finished plans show infinity pools with sunset views and futuristic buildings overlooking the sea.
A social media post reads: “Nestled within the breathtaking natural landscape of @AMAALA_sa, Triple Bay offers a lifestyle dedicated to wellbeing.
“With luxurious resorts and residences set against the backdrop of the Red Sea’s pristine blue waters and the majestic coastal mountains, it promises unforgettable experiences year-round”.
Clinique La Prairie was the first resort to be unveiled, and is designed for guests seeking a holistic approach to health and wellness.
Equinox Resort aims to be an “architectural masterpiece” and will have 128 rooms, suites and even penthouses.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences at Triple Bay offers 220 keys across rooms, suites, and villas.
Jayasom Wellness Resort offers state-of-the-art facilities for beauty, holistic health, fitness, nutrition, and physiotherapy.
Rosewood Amaala will be a luxurious retreat with 110 rooms and suites, alongside 25 residences, while Six Senses Amaala (the second property for the brand in the Kingdom) is set to boast 64 rooms, six suites, 30 villas, and 25 branded residences.
It comes as it was revealed that the first part of Saudi Arabia‘s $500billion Neom megacity will open to visitors this year, it has been revealed.
Luxury travellers will soon be able to experience the futuristic island resort of Sindalah in all its glory and stay in one of three grand hotels.
The island, planned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is one of the Middle East’s most ambitious urban developments.
Saudi Arabia’s brutal regime
Saudi Arabia is renowned for having a brutal regime where individuals are targeted for exercising freedom of expression and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences after “grossly unfair trials.”
The country has also been accused of Sportswashing which is the idea that an association with something widely enjoyed can ease bad reputation.
Saudi is notorious for having “abysmal” human rights and critics of the government are often jailed or exiled.
The Saudi state has come under severe criticism over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Middle Eastern countries have been accused of pumping money into top tier football to gain popularity with the hopes their reputation will be overlooked.
This includes the purchase of Premier league teams Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
F1 driver Lewis Hamilton has spoken out about the country’s reputation with human rights and said: “It is obviously mindblowing to hear the stories. I have heard there is a letter that has been sent to me, for example, from a 14-year-old that is on death row.
“At 14, you don’t know what the hell you are doing in life.”
Its planners have pitched it as an “exclusive gateway to the stunning Red Sea”, fit for big spenders and the global yachting community.
Sindalah will be the first physical showcase of Neom, an otherworldly gigacity launched in 2017 by Crown Prince Bin Salman in Tabuk.
Neom, meaning “new future”, currently has more than 3,600 staff from 97 countries living and working onsite.
At completion, the “smart city” will stretch over a space of 26,500km2 – almost 17 times the size of London.
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It was revealed by Neom on Sunday, at the end of a tour courting Chinese investors, that Sindalah will open to the public this year, according to Arab News, meaning the island will be the first physical showcase of Neom.
The glitzy resort will include a beach club, a yacht club, a spa and wellness centre, and 51 luxury retail outlets, as well as three opulent hotels with more than 400 rooms and 300 suites, and a large marina.
Concept pictures of the holiday destination showed modern villas with extraordinary ocean views and plenty of greenery.
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