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Inside Saudi Arabia’s futuristic luxury travel destination, Neom: 33 times bigger than NYC, Crown Prince MBS’ multibillion-dollar project has a ski resort in the desert and a zero-gravity skyscraper

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s extravagant US$1 trillion mega-project Neom in Saudi Arabia could redefine luxury holidays in the nation. Photo: Neom
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s mega-project Neom has already established unprecedented records of inventiveness, architecture and luxury living. Skyscrapers the Mirror Line could cost US$1 trillion to build, the Wall Street Journal reported last year, while other outlets estimated the entire city may set developers back a cool US$500 billion. Converting a abstracted mega opus into a tangible reality in the Tabuk Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia is this great giga-project.
Amid Neom, which will be 33 times the size of New York City when completed, comprises The Line, an elongated “linear” city challenging gravity, and Trojena, a year-round outdoor skiing resort built in a desert, challenging nature. Neom’s Sindalah Island, more extensive than Disneyland, is set to be a well-appointed paradise redefining lavish holidays, and the octagon-shaped city, Oxagon, could win the title of world’s largest floating structure, its developers claim.
Saudi CEO of Neom Nadhmi al-Nasr speaks during the last day of the Future Investment Initiative FII conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh, in October 2018. Photo: AFP

These massive structures will be surrounded by giant fake moons, animatronic dinosaurs, robots and tropical rainforests, making Neom city larger than Kuwait. It may reportedly take Neom another 50 years to be completed – decades that will surely advent a new way of life. But the magic will also be witnessed as early as 2024, with Sindalah opening its gates to visitors.

Here’s everything you need to know about the four regions that make up Neom …

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1. Sindalah

Sindalah boasts unique architecture indeed. Photo: Neom

What: Sindalah marks the marriage of idyllic island life with New-Age luxury

When will it be completed: 2024

What makes it unique: Italian superyacht and architecture studio Luca Dini Design and Architecture designed the 840,000-square-metre island to be an exceptional resort and a yacht club destination.

Sindalah is set to be a hot new yacht club destination. Photo: Neom
Set to open in 2024, Sindalah will comprise a yacht club, hotels, a spa, 51 luxury shops, 86 piers, 38 restaurants and a beach club. Whether you’re after superyachts, boats, golf or shopping and living it up, Neom’s luxury island will indulge every divertissement.

2. Trojena

Skiing in the desert? That could be possible in the future, with Trojena. Photo: Neom

What: A futuristic ski resort in the desert

When will it be completed: 2026

What makes it unique: Year-round outdoor skiing and adventure sports smack in the middle of a desert? Yes, it’ll soon be possible. The almost-60-square-kilometre skiing and outdoor activity resort Trojena will include six distinctive development districts based on visitors’ moods and choice of activity.

Adventure sport aficionados will want to add Trojena to their bucket lists. Photo: Neom

The opulent resort will allow adrenaline junkies to indulge in a range of activities in the ski village, featuring a ski slope, mountain biking and watersports. Those with no penchant for sports can spend time at the Vault, a vertical village dotted with restaurants and retail stores. It is believed that attractive chalets, villas and ultra-luxury hotels will house up to 9 million residents by 2045.

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3. Oxagon

Oxagon, as its name suggests, will boast a striking octagon shape. Photo: Neom

What: The eight-sided floating city on the Red Sea

When will it be completed: 2030

What makes it unique: This octagon-shaped construction will reportedly be the world’s first fully automated port and integrated logistics hub. This net-zero city aims to modernise the conservative kingdom under the nation’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify its economy by minimising dependence on oil. The industrial port hub with a cruise terminal and oceanographic research centre will use robots and AI for operations. The Oxagon will operate on 100 per cent clean energy and aims to introduce housing for 90,000 residents by 2030.

“Through Oxagon, there will be a fundamental shift in how the world views manufacturing centres. What encourages us is to see the enthusiasm of a number of our partners who have shown eagerness to start their projects in Oxagon,” said Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of Neomm, in an official announcement. “These pioneers of change will establish factories developed with the latest technologies using artificial intelligence to achieve a significant leap for this era into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” He continued, “As with The Line, Oxagon will be a comprehensive cognitive city that provides exceptional livability for its residents.”

4. The Line

The Line is set to be 170km long when completed. Photo: Neom

What: A 170-kilometre-long mirrored megacity

When will it be completed: Around 2030

What makes it unique: The cynosure of Neom City and its most talked-about aspect is The Line, which would be a groundscraper unlike any other on the planet, standing 1,640 feet high and stretching horizontally for miles. A number of architectural firms are working on the out-of-the-box idea, including California-based Morphosis.

The Line should accommodate nine million people when completed. Photo: Neom

The Line will be home to a whopping nine million people living together in a car-free place powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. It is genuinely the stuff of dreams; if realised, The Line will unveil an entirely alien yet amazing way of life. The urban dwelling will incorporate public parks, pedestrian areas, schools and workplaces, all accessible within five minutes. The high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes will make all daily needs reachable.

This article originally appeared on Luxurylaunches.
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  • Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has grand plans for a luxury travel destination set to be 33 times the size of New York City when completed
  • Sindalah Island – opening in 2024 – could be more extensive than Disneyland, while the octagon-shaped city Oxagon could be the world’s largest floating structure