By Faten Omar

As part of our occasional series exploring various areas of Kuwait, Kuwait Times visited Abu Al-Hasaniya to discover the main features of this area, which is a part of Mubarak Al-Kabeer governorate. Historically, the area was known as a hunting ground for foxes, which Kuwaitis used to call "Abu Al-Hasani", thus the area came to be known as Abu Al-Hasaniya, according to a report on the history of the name of the area published by the Kuwait Municipality.

Abu Al-Hasaniya is a well to do area with seaside villas and several restaurant complexes in southern Kuwait. These complexes are distinguished by their design and selection of international and local restaurants and cafes. Most of the complexes are located near Fahaheel Expressway and designed in modern European style. They have created an environment of entertainment and shopping in the area, with an artificial lake and green areas in some complexes.

The area also has a police officer's club, Mall 30 and uniquely designed mosques. One of the mosques is named after the martyrs who died in the terrorist attack on Imam Al-Sadiq Mosque. The area has only two blocks - blocks 10 and 11 - with an entrance and an exit from Fahaheel Expressway. When you enter the area, you will see Kuwaiti flags on every house and villa. One of the most interesting installations here is a tree with small Kuwaiti flags. It seems like the flags are growing on the tree.

Resident of the area Mohammad Al-Ansari, 32, said Abu Al-Hasaniya is a beautiful coastal suburb of southern Kuwait. "The area's character is about luxury and entertainment, but in the evening, with that many restaurants in such a small area, cars start to park in front of our homes, with traffic congestion in the streets. The municipality did not study the traffic situation before licensing investors, and residents are suffering from the crowds," he said. Ansari noted that the area also suffers from a lack of medical and educational services. "We do not have hospitals or schools in the area, so when we need anything, we go to Abu Fatira, to buy groceries for example," he told Kuwait Times.

Nour Al-Enzi, 24, said the most interesting thing about Abu Al-Hasaniya is its location, where you have a seaside view, restaurants and a mall, and the streets are super clean unlike other areas. Saad Al-Ajmi, 18, told Kuwait Times that the area is mostly commercial, and most of the residents are annoyed by customers frequenting the cafes and restaurants because of their behavior during weekends.