The Middle East is home to many things, but surfing is not typically one of them. At least, not surfing in the traditional sense. That’s starting to change, however, as the first-ever Wavegarden Cove wave pool is coming to the Kingdom of Bahrain. And construction is now underway.
Bahrain Surf Park, Club Hawaii has granted a construction deal to build the 1.3 million square meter facility, with hopes of opening in 2026. And with the deal struck, the groundbreaking announcement was dropped. Per Bahrain Surf Park: “Construction is officially underway!”
“This is a monumental milestone for Bahrain Surf Park – Club Hawaii Experience,” Victoria Williams, General Manager of Bahrain Surf Park, told TTN Worldwide. “We are thrilled to be moving forward with this pioneering project that will bring a world-class surfing destination to Bahrain. This park is a key addition to the Kingdom’s leisure landscape, creating new opportunities for tourism, recreation, and economic growth.”
And with the announcement, came the first image – an artist’s rendering – of the pool.
In the first rumblings we heard about the Bahrain Surf Park, the project announced its commitment to bringing Hawaiian vibes to the Middle East:
“Paying homage to Hawaii as the birthplace of surfing, Bahrain Surf Park aims to infuse Hawaiian culture and vibes into its attractions and facilities. Leveraging the innovative ‘Wavegarden Cove’ technology, known for its minimal energy consumption, the park will host up to 90 surfers simultaneously and generate 1,000 waves per hour.”
Already, the Middle East has Surf Abu Dhabi from the Kelly Slater Wave Company. And this year, they held the first-ever professional surfing competition at Slater’s pool in this region of the world. As for the Bahrain Surf Park, they have similar plans for competitions in the near future:
“A major international surfing competition is already planned for 2026, further establishing Bahrain Surf Park as a premier destination for global surfing events,” the announcement stated.
Stay tuned.