There’s something relaxing and dreamy about owning a seafront property. The chance to retreat from the hectic city life and enjoy the sights and sounds of the beach is a very attractive prospect. The presence of a large body of water is also often seen as a highly positive Feng Shui element. However, there are other elements that also come into play, and the sea itself cannot be a determining factor when choosing seafront property.

When selecting a seafront property, keep in mind that water is the Yang counterpart of the Yin mountain. These two must exist in a harmonious configuration for the Qi in the area to be beneficial to you. Therefore, having your seafront property face an open ocean is not necessarily good. This is because without an island, mountain or body of land facing your property, any Qi in the area will quickly be dispersed. Look for property that faces an island, or that is at one end of a bay facing the other end. You’ll still be able to enjoy a great view, while retaining the Qi in the environment.

If your seafront property is facing the sea, it is best for it to be located in a bay where the sea is gentle and calm. Having your property in an area with crashing waves means the wind is too strong and the Qi in the environment is easily dispersed. Crashing waves and rocky beaches can also be very noisy, especially in high tide. In some locations the sound can be irritating enough to be disruptive and is considered Sound Sha.

It is also important to keep in mind that not necessarily all seafront property faces the sea. Find out where the main façade of the property is. It is not always where the main door is. Some properties have the main door face inland for easier access to the roads, while the main façade faces the sea. Some however have both the main door and the main façade face inland, while the sea is in the “backyard”. Take note of these locations, since they can affect the Feng Shui of the property differently.

Having water in front of the house is considered a “Yang feature” and is ideal, though as mentioned above, facing open water is not advisable. If your main façade faces inland, the sea would be considered to be at the back of the property. Here, the property is said to be disharmonious due to the Yin (mountain) and Yang (water) being out of place, and fights over money may occur since water governs wealth and career aspects of the house. However, like with water in front, if it is not the open sea and there is a mountain or island beyond the water, the location is considered all right.

In Asia, most seafronts have Yin elements located nearby, such as cliffs, mountains and hills. These help balance out the Yang of the water. However, how do you determine the suitability of a seafront property’s Feng Shui if it is located on a beach where the inland is flat? A great example would be the Burj Al-Arab hotel in Dubai, the third tallest hotel in the world and located by Dubai’s seafront on a man-made island.

According to classical Feng Shui principles, when the land is completely flat (Yang), the tallest structure in the area serves as the mountain (Yin), drawing in all the Qi of the area. However, attracting Qi is not enough, since it has to be locked in to benefit people. For Burj Al Arab, the Jumeirah Palm Beach Resort performs this duty, coming in from the left in the Green Dragon embrace. In front of the Burj is Wild Wadi Water Park, where the slightly higher terrain serves as a table mountain that prevents Qi from escaping through the front. There also happens to be a large fountain by the road that leads to the hotel: it serves as the water feature in front of the Burj, and helps collect Qi. To complete these harmonic man-made formations, the road leading up to the Burj Al Arab follows a gentle meandering curve, avoiding the Sha Qi that would have been caused by a “sharp” straight road.

All these features come together to give the hotel some pretty good Feng Shui, helping balance out the less ideal feature of having its back to the open sea. Though very few can to afford to create their own “mountains” and “waters”, by keeping an eye out on other structures on the seafront, you will be able to pinpoint some beneficial locations for a property. Should locating the right place be harder, consider your use of the property. If you plan to stay there long term you may want to look around further for a property with more favourable Feng Shui. However, if you only plan to use your seafront property as a holiday home, allowances can be made regarding some of the features since you won’t be continuously affected by unfavourable Qi.