Shebara Resort: Saudi Arabia's Floating Orbs
Aug 22
4 min read
Updated: Aug 23
About 25 kilometres from Saudi Arabia’s coast, Sheybarah Island sits in a lagoon so clear it almost vanishes. The island is home to mangroves, desert dunes, nesting turtles, and some of the world’s most untouched coral reefs. It’s also where you’ll find Shebara, a 73-room resort that is recognized as one of the decade’s boldest hospitality projects.
Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026
Red Sea Global developed Shebara with a bigger goal than just creating another luxury getaway. The resort was designed to show that high-end hospitality and delicate ecosystems cannot only coexist but also benefit each other. Built completely off-grid and powered by systems that use no extra energy, water, or waste, Shebara brings Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for a more eco-friendly and diverse future to life.
The villas at Shebara weren’t built on the island. Instead, each one was fully assembled and finished elsewhere, then brought over and connected to the resort’s solar-powered system, much like fitting puzzle pieces together. This careful approach was chosen to avoid bringing heavy equipment or too many people onto the island, protecting the coral and wildlife below.
The architecture follows this same idea. Inspired by how pearls form in the sea, the villas are shaped like smooth, shiny orbs that reflect light from the sky and water. Lined up across the lagoon, they look less like buildings and more like a natural string of pearls floating on the Red Sea.
This design is intentional. Instead of standing out, the buildings blend into the landscape, aiming for subtlety rather than showiness. It’s unusual to see a resort that tries to be quiet while still being remarkable.
Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026 Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026
One of the most important choices at Shebara is what the resort leaves untouched. Each villa is built above a protected lagoon and its coral gardens, set more than 50 meters from the natural reef. Only a small support column touches the seabed, so each villa leaves behind just a few square meters of impact.
The result is an architecture that seems to float, placing guests directly above a living ecosystem rather than next to it. From these high viewpoints, visitors can quietly watch turtles swimming below, fish swimming through coral, and seabirds flying over the water at sunrise. The resort gives guests more than just a view of nature—it puts them right in the middle of it.
This LEED Platinum-certified approach shapes how the whole resort runs. A large solar farm, on-site desalination, and water treatment make the island self-sufficient. Only electric vehicles are allowed, both on land and water. Even the resort’s infrastructure is part of the guest experience, showing what self-sustaining development can really be.
Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026 Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026
Sustainability at Shebara goes beyond the buildings. Guests can join hands-on programs, for example, planting mangroves, helping coral grow, or supporting turtle nesting. These are not just empty gestures—they are real educational activities built into each stay.
The resort’s goals also reach inland to nearby communities along the Saudi coast. Red Sea Global made social responsibility a core part of the project, working to improve education and job opportunities for local communities. There is a special focus on supporting local Saudi women through staff development programs, making Shebara an economic and ecological force.
Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026 Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026
Shebara isn’t just wondering whether luxury and sustainability can go together—it’s showing they can, one solar-powered villa at a time. By proving a five-star experience can use zero net energy and have almost no environmental impact, the resort sets a new standard for tourism in Saudi Arabia and around the world.
As Red Sea Global grows along the Red Sea coast, Shebara acts as early proof that genuine luxury might mean leaving a place healthier and more vibrant than before.
Render Shebara Resort. Credit © Red Sea Global 2026
Technical sheet
Project: Shebara Resort
Location: Sheybarah Island, The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
Client: Red Sea Global
Architect: Killa Design
Interior Designer: Studio Paolo Ferrari
Project Type: Luxury eco-resort (38 overwater villas, 35 beachfront villas)
Key Features:
Polished stainless-steel villa
Private pools and panoramic sea views
Spa
Fitness centre
5 signature restaurants
Sustainability Highlights:
Powered by an on-site solar farm
110,000 sqm solar farm
Desalination and reverse osmosis systems
Water reclamation system
Electric land and marine transport
Off-site villa construction to reduce environmental impact
Sensitive positioning to protect coral reefs, dunes, and turtle nesting areas
