# Living in Satwa



## zoglug (Oct 22, 2010)

Hey everyone.....im just after a little advice from those currently living in Satwa!

Ive got 3 weeks left in my hotel so am off out on a mission to find an apartment. First stop for me is Satwa, as there are a couple of apartment blocks with vacancies. What is Satwa like to live in? Is it lively, much nightlife going on? Im checking there out before heading down to the Marina area inc JBR & JLT.

I work on Oud Metha Road, opposite Rashid hospital, however, my primary need is somewhere near a few bars so i can socialise with others, im happy to commute to work as soon i should have a hire car.

Any advice would be great.

Regards

Andy


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

Satwa is cheap and run down. I think it's not going to be the place for socializing in bars (if they even have any!)

Your best bet is the Marina for bars and meeting people so anything around that area is where you should be.


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Depending on where in Satwa you go, you should be in walking distance of the bars/nightclubs in the hotels on SZR, and Rydges Plaza also, so a fairly good selection. Plenty of great places to eat on your doorstep too. Living in Satwa could be quite fun if you're the adventurous type.

If you want to be around other westerners though and don't like being stared at by brown people, then it may not be for you. I'd imagine it would be quite noisy too.

If you do go to view apartments, go at night. You'll either love it, or run a mile.

The more traditional areas for westerners are Marina, JBR, JLT and Old Town I guess.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

I live in the area next to Satwa call Al Badaa and while I had reservations prior to moving here, both myself and the wife now love it and couldn't think of a better area to live in in Dubai. 

Granted a lot is down to our big, cheap (by Dubai standards) house but we love the area which is a mix of colossal palaces for locals right next to the old one storey houses with tiny windows. Our street is off road and mixture of all nationalities, the kids play on their bikes, make a racket with noisy toys and at weekend nights the Filipinos across the way do karaoke until all hours of the morning. There have been a few nights when we've had a 'back to ours' from the pub and nobody has said anything.

Walking distance to Jumeriah Beach, Satwa, Boston Bar, Ausssie Legends and Ravi's!!! Less than 10 AED in a cab to Fibbers and around 20 or to Goodfellas. 

I dunno what else. Best I can sum it up is when I stand on my roof and look at SZR on one side and the rooftops of Satwa on another or when I am walking to the pub and it all feels like life is happening here, in an actual buoyant city in the middle east.

It's horses for courses but I would die inside if I had to move to the palm or JBR next.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

I'm guessing the above posters (apart from Mr Rossi) have never lived in Satwa. I did for over a year and loved it, walking to the bars at Rydges (Aussie Legends) and Jumeriah Rotana (Boston Bar) also the Dubai Marine Club and That other one, (Capital Hotel is it?)

It's cheaper and less sterile than Marina etc. and I like it that way, proper people not the fake lot that inhabit the places mentioned above.

The apartments in Al Ghazail (I think) building - upstairs from the little Mall at the bottom of Al Diyafa road are very nice too, mainly westerners.

I'd move there over Marina/JBR etc. any day. And it's AED20 in a taxi too Bur Dubai too.

Well worth it.


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

These days 10dhs is a minimum charge for a taxi fare even if they just drove for 1 minute.


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## zoglug (Oct 22, 2010)

I took the metro today down to the Marina and thought it was really nice! I took a walk out to the Palm and also headed to JBR. I actually really liked the place!!!

Heading out through Satwa tomorrow evening to check out a few apartments blocks and ill also check out Al Badaa too Mr. Rossi.


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

i used to live in jumeirah quite close to satwa, and went there almost any time i had free time for shopping. 

if you can find a place for low rent in a clean building and nice neighbours, and are a lady that doesn't mind being stared at, go for it. if you're a bloke, it's even simpler. i don't know what your budget is, but it wouldn't hurt to have a look at the villas there, especially if you have family and kids.

it's very close to szr and the bars in the hotels there, but this doesn't guarantee you'll have a great social life. it's just boozing closer to home. from what i heard, the bars there are full of women of "purchasable virtue," as well as ladies who would do it just for fun, so "social life" could get really interesting for males. again, this is only from the horse's mouth as i've never been to the places the other posters mention. however, i went to bauhaus in jumeirah rotana, and i think it's the best german restaurant here in dubai. great food, good prices, nice people around. 

food is cheaper in satwa than in other areas, but you need to see what you eat and where, to avoid food poisoning. it happened to one of my flatmates when we went to satwa for a quick dinner, and he almost died. i won't mention here what type of food he had to avoid being called ignorant again... you could always walk to al dyiafah road (not sure about spelling) for meals.

it's a great place to find books (second-hand too) and fabrics, and have your clothes altered, as there are a lot of good tailors in that area. 

the iranian hospital is close by, and they have good doctors, from what my students tell me.

the smell in summer will knock you down. there's little parking space, and traffic gets manic after 4 p.m. if you're a lady, you may be bothered by men staring like idiots, but if you cover your shoulders and legs, you'll survive.

good luck with your search.


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## zoglug (Oct 22, 2010)

Hey everyone. Thanks for the advice!

I dont mind providing some further details. Im a 27 year old male, yet still seem to get stared at when walking about....i think thats the problem, i enjoy walking about and there arent many other pedestrians! My budget is just short of AED 79,000, so when i take out the agency fees, dewa costs etc im left with around AED 70,000. Ive come here on my own, however it is highly likely my girlfriend will follow suit early next year as we are looking to get married. Im looking at hopefully getting a 2 bed apartment, because if people come like they say they will i should have a few visitors over the next 12 months!

Now when looking on Bayut & Dubizzle there are very few apartments for Satwa, but i have made calls and am off to view them tomorrow and monday, whereas when i look at the Marina and JBR there seem to be a rather large amount available within my price range!

I suppose i need to venture to these places in the evenings and check them out to see what they are like!


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

cami said:


> as well as ladies who would do it just for fun


If my teenage, university and bachelor years are anything to go by - such ladies are a purely a myth.


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

Mr Rossi said:


> If my teenage, university and bachelor years are anything to go by - such ladies are a purely a myth.


here's more info that wouldn't probably go with what you have already experienced: the (western) girl i and another bloke used to share the villa with loved rydges. every night she dragged home another "mouse." arabs, indians, the odd european. some 80% were "happily married." and the friday breakfast stories...

she was one in a group of five. and all these girls loved to "experience life" - no charge, just fun.

we even got invited out to a fancy dinner when she had been with the 1000th man. she was 31 at the time.

now, i'm not saying rydges was her "hunting ground." there was also bur dubai, jumeirah beach, and oud metha. the marina and jbr were not completely finished at the time...


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

What lucky guy did she end up with! And what number was he lol


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

Moe78 said:


> What lucky guy did she end up with! And what number was he lol


i moved out before she did, and heard from our maid who kept coming to help me with cleaning once a week that she went back to her country and married there eventually. 

my sincere condolences to the groom. if only he'd known what we the others knew...


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## rossi92353 (Jan 8, 2011)

*Bars*

Gee don't you guys talk about anything else but Bars and drinking?




Andy Capp said:


> I'm guessing the above posters (apart from Mr Rossi) have never lived in Satwa. I did for over a year and loved it, walking to the bars at Rydges (Aussie Legends) and Jumeriah Rotana (Boston Bar) also the Dubai Marine Club and That other one, (Capital Hotel is it?)
> 
> It's cheaper and less sterile than Marina etc. and I like it that way, proper people not the fake lot that inhabit the places mentioned above.
> 
> ...


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

rossi92353 said:


> Gee don't you guys talk about anything else but Bars and drinking?


au contraire! 

for the more discerning and puritanical eyes, there is sex, drugs. and rock'n'roll in the lounge...


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

zoglug said:


> Hey everyone. Thanks for the advice!
> 
> I dont mind providing some further details. Im a 27 year old male, yet still seem to get stared at when walking about....i think thats the problem, i enjoy walking about and there arent many other pedestrians! My budget is just short of AED 79,000, so when i take out the agency fees, dewa costs etc im left with around AED 70,000. Ive come here on my own, however it is highly likely my girlfriend will follow suit early next year as we are looking to get married. Im looking at hopefully getting a 2 bed apartment, because if people come like they say they will i should have a few visitors over the next 12 months!
> 
> ...


I was going to suggest you try looking for a villa in the Satwa/Jumeirah area but with a budget of AEd 70,000 a year, I doubt you'll have much luck finding one. You should perhaps also look at the apartment buildings behind Burjuman. It used to be called the Golden Sands area and they have some great apartments with facilities. 

You are either going to love or hate Satwa, don't think there are any in-betweens. The people who just got here during the boom are under the impression that the city begins and ends at the Marina/JBR. If given a choice, I would pick the Jumeirah area any day over the Marina!


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## JerryT (Jan 9, 2011)

Satwa is good, you just have to find the right "Spot". Villa's after the bus station are quiet, unlike those in the roundabout/satwa road areas.

Food is cheap, taxi going to the nearest bar/pub/hangout place is less than AED20. Thu-Fri nights could be busy especially around the mosque and parking could be a headache.

In the end, it all depends on your preferences. In my opinion, Satwa has its advantages (Cheap, easy to get around, most stuff you need is in Al Diyafah rd, or Satwa rd.) and disadvantages (noise in some areas, too busy during weekends).

Good luck!


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2011)

Mirdif is a nice place to live in...


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