Saudi Arabia's first island golf course and luxury hotels including SLS, Edition and InterContinental are now opening on Shura Island as part of the Red Sea destination project. Olivia Palamountain reports

The Red Sea destination has begun opening its first hotels and golf course on Shura Island, a naturally dolphin-shaped landmass accessed by Saudi Arabia's longest internal bridge or by boat.

SLS, Edition and InterContinental hotels will welcome first guests in the coming weeks, alongside Shura Links, Saudi Arabia's first island golf course. The openings represent phase one of an 11-resort development designed by Foster + Partners using a "Coral Bloom" concept inspired by surrounding coral reefs.

The island sits approximately seven hours' flight from the UK via The Red Sea International Airport, which receives domestic and international flights. Qatar Airways announced direct connections from London Heathrow via Doha three times weekly starting at the end of October, with further routes expected.John Pagano, group chief executive of Red Sea Global, sauys: "As the heart of The Red Sea, Shura Island represents everything Red Sea Global stands for: bold ambition, deep respect for nature, and a commitment to redefining tourism in Saudi Arabia and beyond. With the soft opening of Shura in the coming weeks, we move closer to achieving our mission to set new standards in regenerative tourism, while realising Vision 2030."

SLS Red Sea features 150 rooms and villas including beachfront and overwater options with cultural, wellness and leisure programming. The Red Sea Edition offers 240 rooms including 53 suites, whilst InterContinental The Red Sea Resort provides 178 rooms and 32 suites across five dining venues. All three properties emphasise luxury positioning within the pristine natural environment.

The remaining eight resorts - Faena, Fairmont, Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, Jumeirah, Miraval, Raffles and Rosewood - will open in coming months, creating a concentration of luxury hotel brands unusual for a single island development. The island will eventually offer guests access to turquoise lagoons, beaches and what developers term "elevated hospitality."Guests reach the island either by boat to the marina or by electric vehicle across the 3.3km Shura crossing, which includes Saudi Arabia's longest internal bridge. The approach provides views of the surrounding seascape before arrival at the resort cluster.

Shura Links golf course combines desert landscapes with maintained fairways, incorporating water management systems and practices designed to minimise environmental impact. The course will be accessible to guests at all Shura Island resorts as well as visitors staying at other Red Sea destination properties.

The entire development operates on renewable energy, with engineering designed to minimise environmental impact whilst maximising efficiency.Shura Island also includes residential properties, with the first homes announced earlier in 2025 scheduled for handover at the end of the year. Residents will access the island's amenities, beaches and waters alongside hotel guests, with connections to the wider Red Sea destination.

The development forms part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme, the kingdom's economic diversification strategy reducing dependence on oil revenues through tourism, entertainment and other sectors. Red Sea Global claims its destinations at The Red Sea and Amaala will create 120,000 jobs whilst driving economic growth.