The UAE has some of the most powerful billionaires in the Arab World, they own some of the strangest and most expensive things in the world and they have a combined estimated net worth of around $300 Billion Dollars.
30. Emirates Hills Mansion
Locate in one of the most sought after gated communities in Dubai,, UAE, nicknamed the Beverly Hills of the area, this massive mansion not only takes up 2 house plots, but it covers an area of 32,000 square feet.
The house features 2 kitchens, entrance hall complete with Buddha statue, private gym complete with cardiovascular machines and a home office.
The downstairs guest suite comes with a large lounge, private terrace and bathroom and a lift allows you to completely skip the grand staircase and head up to the 5 bedrooms that have their own walk-in closets and the master bedroom even has its own dressing room, private steam room and full bathroom.
There is a roof terrace, bar, sun deck and large hot tub all looking overviews of the Montgomerie golf course and the Dubai Marina.
Just when you thought we might be finished… nope, this house also includes a massive basement that has 2 more bedrooms, TV room, and access to the sunken garden outside.
In the garden, you can find a large swimming pool with underwater speakers, parking space for 5 cars and accommodation for a guard, housekeeper and 3 maids.
The total price paid for this insane piece of Dubai living, Dh179 Million or nearly $50 Million Dollars.
29. Hamad Island
Stretching over a total area of 50 square kilometres, this island called Futaisi and has the name of Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan carved into its sands.
Not only did the letters carve waterways into the island, but they were also so large and so deep that the name can actually be seen from space.
Nothing else was ever built on the island as the sheikh himself has more of a passion for automobiles as we will see later in the list.
The price paid for the island has never been revealed and its thought he could have inherited the island from his father, the creator of the UAE.
28. Number 7 License Plate
License plates are a big thing in the UAE and the name Talal Ali Mohammad Khouri is definitely one you should remember as not only does he appear twice on our list, he has spent a fortune on License Plates.
The number 7 plate was purchased by Talal for a reported price of around $3.2 Million Dollars and currently hangs on his Purple Rolls Royce.
Keep watching to see which other number-plate this businessman has invested in!
27. Longcross Estate
Longcross Estate is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who purchased the estate over 20 years ago.
Extreme security on the estate has made it almost impossible to get inside and its thought that there is three large hangers under construction to house the sheikhs large car collection.
Several electronic gates and guard towers protect the property which was used every year by members of the family in the summer months.
Several public facilities are situated on the estate including the Old School Cafe, boarding kennels and several serviced offices.
26. Bugatti L’Or Blank
The Bugatti L’Or Blank is a one off super-car that has been covered in a mix of aluminium and carbon fiber but has had a very interesting paint job by Berlin company KPM.
Many of the finer details, like the wheel center caps, fuel filler cap and interior trim pieces, were all fashioned by KPM from porcelain with most of it being designed by hand.
The car is thought to have cost around $2.5 million dollars and has been purchased by an unknown businessman from the UAE.
25. Replica of the World Car
This strange-looking sphere is an accurate replica of the entire world that contains several bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and other amenities inside.
The whole vehicle is able to move, has been used for adventures across the desert and is the brainchild of Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan also known as the Rainbow Sheikh.
He owns one of the largest collections of cars in the world and most of them are housed in a massive public museum that’s open for free.
The Sheikh lives by the motto Go Big or Go home and the massive globe mobile home is even thought to be one-millionth the size of the earth.
24. Palm Jumeirah
The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial archipelago in the United Arab Emirates, created using land reclamation by Nakheel, a company owned by the Dubai government.
The islands feature a monorail that is around 5.4 kilometres long and connects the islands to the mainland.
Construction began with the Palm Jumeirah island in June 2001 and the developers announced the handover of the first residential units in 2006.
Several hotels are also situated on the islands and its thought that the cost to complete the entire project runs somewhere in the region of $12 Billion Dollars.
23. Dalham Hall
Dalham Hall is located in the area of 33,300 acres of pristine farmland, parkland and woods in the village of Dalham, Suffolk, England.
The whole estate is thought to have been purchased by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for around $45 Million Dollars and has vast manicured gardens complete with fountains.
Also sitting on the estate is the main mansion which is a grade 2 listed building with large rooms and living areas.
22. Aquaventure Waterpark Dubai
Its dubbed as one of the biggest and most amazing water-parks in the world and sits on the Palm Jumeirah islands of the coast of Dubai.
The park features 700 meters of pristine golden beaches, several lazy rivers, Zipline from top to bottom, Ray Feeding, Shark and stingray experiences in an underwater aquarium and several award-winning restaurants
The full shopping space lets you buy unique gifts and a large selection of flumes and shoots including the leap of faith, a 9 storey mega-slide and Poseidon’s Revenge, a launch capsule ride that moves you at kilometres an hour after the floor disappears beneath you.
21. Day of the Week Car Collection
Moving back over to the Rainbow Sheikh once again and this time we take a look at 7 multi coloured cars that he used to use for each day of the week.
The collection of Mercedes Benz 500 SELs are coloured Violet, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Indigo Red and was ordered back in 1983.
Each vehicle has gun racks built into the inside of the boot lid that can hold three M16 rifles.
The rifles are also painted to match the colour of the car and there are also refrigerators and television sets on the vehicles, with customized painting to keep with the rainbow theme.
20. Number 5 Number Plate
We are back once again with Talal Ali Mohammad Khouri who was not happy with just the number 7 number plate, no, he had to have number 5 as well.
This number-plate is thought to have cost twice as much as his other investment at a cost of around $7 million dollars.
Talal plans to keep the plate for life and it will go back to auction when he dies with all proceeds going to charities in need.
The number-plate will go on his personal car, another Rolls Royce, this time coloured red.
19. Monaco Penthouse
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is once again featured on our list and is spending a fortune, snapping up the glamorous La Belle Epoque Penthouse in Monaco for around $323 million dollars in 2010.
It’s one of the most prestigious penthouses in Monaco and features a double-height library, cinema screens that emerge from the walls, large walk-in wardrobes, leisure room, media room and a jacuzzi room with a personal spa.
The vast roof terraces offer stunning sea views complete with mature 15-foot trees and an infinity swimming pool.
The penthouses elaborate security features include a panic room with reinforced glass and surveillance cameras throughout.
Situated on the top two floors, above three private banks that occupy the first four floors, of the prestigious La Belle Epoque building, the 17,500 sq. ft. the penthouse is not only the largest and arguably the most impressive in Monaco but is also located in one of the most sought after areas.
18. Burj Al Arab
Owned jointly by the Royal Family, this massive 5-star hotel is more well known as the only 7-star hotel in the world and sits on its own artificial island, connected to the mainland by curving bridge.
The atrium is over 590 feet tall and the hotel features 202 bedroom suites with the largest covering 8,400 sq ft.
The Royal Suite comes with a price of US$24,000 per night and is listed at number 12 on World’s 15 most expensive hotel suites.
Located 660 feet above the ground is the Ultimate restaurant offering amazing views over Dubai and is accessed by a panoramic elevator.
Another restaurant, Oyster is accessed via a simulated submarine voyage, features a large seawater aquarium, holding roughly 260,000 gallons of water.
There is a private helipad on the roof that even has access to its own immigration centre allowing immigration directly through the hotel.
Its thought the Burj Al Arab cost roughly $1 Billion Dollars to build.
17. Gold ATM Machines
Looking to buy some gold when you’re in Abu Dhabi? Then look no further than Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Hotel, which not only boasts that it is the most luxurious hotel in the United Arab Emirates, but it also has a gold ATM machine in its lobby.
The exterior of the machine is coated with a thin layer of gold and offers customers 320 items to choose from, ranging from gold bars that can weigh up to 10 grams, to customized gold coins.
Gold rates are constantly updated inside the shiny machine in the hotel’s lobby, courtesy of a built-in computer connected to a dealer which sells gold online
Through a computer system, the ATM gold machine updates the gold price every 10 minutes to match international markets.
Users feed Dirham notes, the local currency, into the machine but it may be possible to use credit cards in the future.
16. The Cayan Tower
Located in downtown Dubai, this real estate tower stands over 1000ft tall and is designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill SOM architectural group, who also designed the Burj Khalifa.
Apartments feature reconstituted wooden floors, Chinese synthetic marble countertops and kitchen fixtures and the tower features a parking garage behind it.
The Cayan Tower was inaugurated with fireworks accompanied with laser light display on the tower on 10 June 2013 and become the world’s tallest twisted tower, surpassing Turning Torso.
The Cayan Tower was thought to have cost $272 million to build.
15. Inverinate Estate
Billionaire Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum is the owner of this large 63,000-acre estate located in Scotland.
Featuring a 16 bedroom mansion, 16 bedroom hunting lodge, large gardens, private gated driveway and 4 helicopter pads this massive estate is known to be a favourite of the Crown Prince’s during the summer.
Its thought he purchased the estate 20 years ago for around $2 Million Dollars and in today’s money, it could easily be worth over $100 Million.
14. Mall of the Emirates
Launched in 2005, Mall of the Emirates is the largest shopping complex in the UAE and houses over 700 stores and services over 4 floors.
The mall is home to such things as the first indoor ski resort in the middle east, the Dubai Community Theater and Arts Center, the 14-screen VOX Cinemas multiplex, the Magic Planet family entertainment area and over 90 dining and cafe options.
Alongside the mall is 2 five star hotels that feature their own swimming pools and entertainment centre.
The mall of the emirates is thought to have cost around $218 Million dollars to build.
13. Willy’s WW2 Jeep Model
The Willys MB Jeep is a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle that was manufactured during World War II.
Produced from 1941 to 1945, it evolved post-war into the civilian Jeep CJ, and inspired both an entire category of recreational 4WDs and several generations of military light utility vehicles.
This large motorized model of a Willys WW2 Jeep belongs to Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan and its currently on display at the Emirates National Auto Museum.
Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan of the UAE, specializes in the development of off-road 4×4 vehicles and runs a museum outside Abu Dhabi.
12. Number 1 Number Plate
In what has to be one of the most expensive licence plate auctions in the UAE and on the planet, the number 1 plate for Abu Dhabi was sold for $14 Million Dollars, that’s 14 times more than you can expect to pay for a Bugatti Veyron.
Saeed Khouri has said he purchased the plate as he likes to be number one and the best in the world and he said he was willing to pay around $27 million dollars for the plate if necessary.
Overall 90 licence plates were auctioned off in 1 day recently, raising a total of $24 Million Dollars.
11. Gainsborough Stud
Located in Woolton Hill, England this large equestrian facility is owned by non-other than Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the UAE.
The stable employs 11 people during the winter and more during the summer, with over 177 horses based on-site.
10. Islands of the World
Branded as one of the biggest ever projects undertaken in Dubai, the Islands of the world is a collection of islands off the coast.
Each one of the islands represents a country and several of these have already been purchased including Italy and the UK.
Originally created by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, construction of the islands began in 2003 but was halted due to the financial crisis.
The overall development of the world archipelago is thought to have been around $13 billion dollars however ongoing costs are still thought to exist.
9. Manchester City Football Club
This club is owned and operated by Sheikh Mansour also known as Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan who has a personal fortune of $32 Billion dollars.
Manchester City Football Club has a net worth of around $2 Billion dollars and has a major base in china as well as offices in Manchester, London, America, Australia and Japan.
The club has seen much success over the last few years and its thought Sheikh Mansour, from the UAE, paid roughly $256 Million for the club in 2008
8. Belhasa Estate
Owned by UAE businessman Ahmed Saif Belhasa this massive gated estate features a huge swimming complex, an underground tunnel that leads to the main house and even a full zoo with lions, tigers and various other animals.
Belhasa’s son is none other than Rashid Belhasa AKA Money Kicks who has his own YouTube channel and owns one of Dubai’s largest sneaker collections.
Ahmed Saif Belhasa owns a company called Belhasa International and he has an estimated net worth of $2.1 Billion Dollars.
7. Oil Fields
The source of major wealth in the UAE is, of course, the oil fields that produce almost 3 Billion barrels a day with its reserves to production expected to last 93 years.
Abu Dhabi has most of the oil with 92 billion barrels and Dubai has 4 billion barrels. Most of the oil is in the Zakum field which is the third-largest in the Middle East.
As of January 2015, the UAE holds the seventh-largest proven reserves of oil in the world and profits from the oil are responsible for many of the amazing construction projects you see in the UAE.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company alone has a yearly revenue of $60 Billion Dollars and employees over 25,000 people.
6. Azzam Yacht
Azzam was launched on 5 April 2013 at 180 meters in length as the largest private motor yacht in the world.
With a price tag of around $400 Million Dollars, this mega yacht took four years to build and was, at the time of its construction, the largest private yacht in the world.
At 590ft, Azzam is 57ft longer than Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse and is currently owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The yacht carries a personal submarine and her own missile defense system, luxury bedrooms, bathrooms, entertainment deck with swimming pool and many other features said to be a secret.
5. Yacht Radiant
Owned by Abdulla al Futtaim who has an estimated net worth of $3.1 Billion Dollars, this massive private yacht is thought to have cost almost $280 Million Dollars.
Featuring a total of 28 cabins for both guests and crew, this private yacht was originally built for Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky and later sold to Futtaim.
Radiant is equipped with sonic guns that can burst the eardrums of attackers, along with water cannons that could sink an approaching boat from 100 yards away.
The boat also features a small speed boat that can be used as a last resort.
4. Atlantis Hotel
Located on the Palm Jumeirah, this massive 5-star hotel has some of the most luxurious hotel accommodation in the middle east for billionaires to stay and relax.
Rooms in this hotel feature flat-screens, free Wi-Fi and mini-bars, as well as gulf or island views.
Lavish suites offer sitting area’s, terraces, whirlpool baths and living rooms, while upgraded suites offer floor to ceiling windows and some have underwater views with room service available 24/7.
There are 23 restaurants, spa, salon, large gym and the aqua-adventure water park is right next door.
The largest room at the hotel is the spectacular and very private Royal Bridge Suite, a unique 924-meter pad that has its own guarded entrance, dedicated team of butlers and chefs and its own private elevator.
Inside the suite, you can find 3 large en-suite bedrooms, floor to ceiling windows, 2 large terraces, 16 seat dining room, games room, theatre and hallways lined with marble.
A one night stay in this suite alone will set you back around $20,000 dollars a night and its thought the whole hotel cost around $500 million dollars to build.
3. Gold Cars
Most billionaires, UAE businessmen and members of the royal family own cars in some way or form and some of these cars are literally the best in the world.
Take, for example, Turki Bin Abdullah, who owns a fleet of gold super-cars that were recently seen in London including a 350,000-pound gold Lamborghini Aventador, gold range rover sport, gold Bentley Flying Spur and even a gold six-wheeled Mercedes Mercedes G63.
Abdullah’s gold car collection alone is thought to be worth somewhere in the region of $1.3 Million Dollars and this is before the other gold car we haven’t even seen yet.
2. Dubai Yacht
Another massive yacht named Dubai is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is 531ft long, being the 3rd largest private yacht in the world after Azzam and Eclipse.
The yacht can hold a total of 115 guests including crew and is thought to have cost around $400 Million Dollars to build, something billionaires of the Arab world don’t even blink at.
The yacht features a large staircase, split-level owners deck and large social area, all spread over 7 decks.
On the outside, there is a large amount of sunbathing space, mosaic swimming pool and several Jacuzzi’s.
She can accommodate a helicopter of up to 9.5 tonnes and can carry two 10-meter long tenders.
1 — Dubai Marina
Located right in the centre of Dubai, Dubai Marina has to be one of the most amazing and picturesque places in the whole region.
Lined with expensive floating real estate, this harbour is said to give Monaco’s harbour a run for its money.
The whole harbour is currently around 2 miles long and features a range of developments including waterfront towers, shops, outlets and landscaped gardens.
The whole harbour is currently undergoing massive expansion thanks to a development project announced by Sheikh Mohammed that is set to turn it into the Middle East’s Largest Marina.
When the entire development is complete, it will accommodate more than 120,000 people in residential towers and villas.
The new marina will be capable of handling 1400 vessels and will contain a 135 meter-high tower and will allow the UAE and middle east’s billionaires to park their floating real estate with ease.
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