What’s the area like?
Large. Al Bateen practically stems the length of Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, from Sheikh Zayed First to Saeed Bin Tahnoon. There are plenty of villas and townhouses, and on the whole it’s a fairly quiet, family area, with locals making up a large percentage of the population.
Amenities
The Al Bateen Mall is just a supermarket with a collection of cheap electrical goods and clothing upstairs, but it does the job. Those in the northern half tend to head for the Spinneys in Khalidiya. The Al Bateen Marina is another draw, with its sports club, restaurant, and nightclub Waves being the only entertainment in the area.
Best for…
It’s typically not an expat area, so for those who want a taste of traditional Abu Dhabi, and can afford it, it’s perfect.
Pros
The northern third is close to the corniche, and it is largely a quiet peaceful suburb, complete with a number of schools. We also like the bike route which runs from 32nd Street to Baynunah Street.
Cons
As usual, don’t count on a taxi penetrating the area. Some of the roads are also four to six lanes, and in a largely suburban area this makes little sense; which tend to attract kids on motorbikes breezing through them at crazy speeds. Also, property tends not to come up that often, so finding somewhere here can be that little bit trickier.
Rent
Nothing to be had for less than Dhs400,000 for a three-bed, although one dodgy fellow offered us a studio for Dhs50,000. Very suspicious.
