11 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Ras
Al-Khaimah
Ras Al-Khaimah ismanyDubailocals'topescapefromthecity.
Most people are here for the beach but, backed by the spine of the Hajar Mountains, which roll down to the shore, Ras Al Khaimah is also a great base if you're looking for moreactivethingstodo.
JebelJais(Jais Mountain)isthemaintouristattraction,andinrecentyearshasbecome amajoractivitycenter.Whetheryouwanttoziplinedownthemountainortacklesome climbing on its slopes, this is one of the best places to visit in the UAE for adventure seekers.
Ras Al Khaimah's city and coastline resort strip may be in permanent beach vacation mode but historically, this region is very important, with archaeological excavations hererevealingthatthisareahasbeeninhabitedsincethe3rdmillenniumBCE.
The Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum does an excellent job of explaining this longreachinghistory.
For historic sightseeingoutside the city, Al Khams village and the nearby Dhayah Fort, and the wonderfully atmospheric Jazirat al Hamra area, provide further peeks at Emiratilifebeforethemid 20thcenturyoilboom.
Find out more with our list of the top attractions in this emirate with Ras Al-Khaimah visa.
1. Relax on Ras Al-Khaimah's Beaches
Most visitors to Ras Al Khaimah beeline are directed to the beach. The emirate's long shoreline is strung with luxury resorts all offering their private patch of golden sand, manyofwhichareamongthetoptouristdestinationsintheUAE.
Most allow non guests to use their facilities with a day pass but if you want to make yourRasAl Khaimahstayallaboutthesunandsand,bookahotelorresortwithbeach access.
The beaches are well cared for and packed with facilities, including sun loungers, sun shades, cafés, and restaurants right on the sand, freshwater showers, and pretty much everythingyouneedforadayoftoppingupyourtan.
Nearlyalltheresortsofferwatersportsfacilitieswithequipmentrentalsuchaskayaks, paddleboards,andJetSkis,andactivitiessuchaswindsurfingavailable.
ThemostpopularbeachesinRasAl KhaimaharelocatedsouthwestofRasAl Khaimah cityinAl MarjanIslandandtheAlJazeerahandAlHamraarea.
Inthecityitself,themainpublicbeachisFlamingobeach(alsoknownasRAKbeach).
2. See Sunset on Jebel Jais
About 55 kilometers northeast of Ras Al Khaimah, Jebel Jais is part of the Hajar Mountain Range and is the tallest mountain in the UAE, with its summit at 1,934 meters.
A20-kilometer-longroadtothetop(notquitetothesummit)snakesinaswitchbackup themountain'sflank,withviewingplatformsalongtheroutetotakeinthefar reaching vistasofsurroundingbarrencliffs.
Atthetopoftheroadis Viewing Deck Park,aseriesoflandscapedterraces(withcafés andotherservices)fromwherevisitorscangazeoutoverthecraggypeaks,alltheway downtothecoastalplain.
It's among the best places to visit for photographers, particularly in the early evening whentheorange huedrocksglowinthelightofthesettingsun.
3. Zipline Down Jebel Jais' Slope
Ifyoufeellikethrowingyourselfoffamountain,headtoJebelJais.
Themountainishometotheworld'slongestzipline,calledthe Jebel Jais Flight,which stretchesdowntheslopefor2.8kilometres.
IthasbecomeoneoftheUnitedArabEmirates'majoradventureactivitiesandthemain drawforadrenalinejunkiesvisitingthecountry.
From the take off point, near the summit of Jebel Jais, zipliners whip over the craggy, boulder strewn contours of the mountain below, travelling at speeds of up to 120 kilometresperhour.
As well as the thrill of the flight itself and the stupendous mountain scenery along the way, a major highlight is landing on the zipline's platform, which is suspended in mid air.
A further zipline adventure on the mountain, called the Jais Sky Tour, offers a less speedy experience with a better opportunity to pause and take in the scenery on a seriesofsevenziplines,connectedbyplatformssuspendedtothesideofthemountain, onafive-kilometercourse.
4. Hike Up to Dhayah Fort
This 16th century mud brick fort, about 20 kilometers north of Ras Al Khaimah city, wasbuiltin astrategic hilltop positionfacingthegulf todefendtheregion fromattack bytheBritish.
Asadefensivemilitarytower,theDhayahFortplayedanimportantroleinthehistoryof RasAl Khaimah.
Otherruinedfortificationsandwatchtowerscanbeseentothesouthofthehill.
A battle in 1891 between the emirate and British forces destroyed much of the fortificationshere.
The panoramic views from the fort's ramparts are well worth the trip here, and for anyone interested in history, exploring the fort itself is one of this small emirate's top thingstodo.
5. Take a Road Trip into the Hajar Mountains
Awayfromthecoast, theruggedandrawHajarMountainsdominateRasAl Khaimah's scenery.
Road tripping into the Hajar area offers some of the best scenery in the UAE, with the jagged and barren mountain landscapes sprawling outward as the roads climb higher intotheinterior.
For an easygoing road trip, take the main E18 highway heading south inland from Ras Al Khaimah city and then turn onto the E87 highway, which cuts through the heart of theHajarMountains.
The E11 highway heading north from Ras Al Khaimah city towards Dhayah Fort also takesinaswathofmountainscenery.
6. Climb or Hike on Jebel Jais
ThelowerslopesofJebelJaisareamajordestinationforkeenhikersandclimbersinthe coolerwintermonths.
Six hiking trails, ranging from easy to moderate, have been laid out on the mountain's lowerslopes,allbeginningatonetrailheadonthemainroadleadingtothemountain.
All of the trails offer great views; chance encounters with mountain goats; and the opportunitytoexperiencethemountainonacloser,moreintimatelevel.
Forclimbers,JebelJaishasa Via Ferrata (aclimbingrouteofsteelcables,permanently fixedintotherockface),whichrunsonthelowerslopesofthemountain.
AccesstotheViaFerratarouteisbyguidedclimbingtouronly.Thehikingroutescanbe tackledindependently.
7. Learn about Pearl Heritage at Al Rams
The town of Al Rams, 12 kilometers north of Ras Al Khaimah city, is home to Suwaidi Pearls, where Abdulla Rashed Al Suwaidi, a descendent of generations of pearl divers, continuesthetraditionbyfarmingpearlsjustoffthecoast.
The Suwaidi Pearls pearl farm runs regular tours, which explore the cultural legacy of theUAE'spearldivinghistory,aswellasprovidetouristswithadifferentperspectiveto moretypicalboatUAEboattrips.
Suwaidi Pearls tours include a boat trip in a traditional wooden dhow around the islandsandmangrovestandsofthewatersjustoffAlRams,andatourofthefarm,with plentyofinformationaboutpearlsandtheUAE'shistoricpearlingindustry. You'llalsogetthechancetoshuckyouroysterandcheckifyou'reluckyenoughtofinda pearl.
Al Rams are only five kilometers west of Dhayah Fort, so it makes sense to plan your itinerarytovisitbothonthesameday.
8. Take in Local History at Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum
The Ras Al Khaimah NationalMuseumisinafortthat wastheresidenceoftheruling familyupuntiltheearly1960s.
Themuseumhousesanexcellentcollectionofarchaeologicalandethnologicalartifacts.
The Qawasim Room on the first floor is particularly interesting, with a collection of documents, manuscripts, and treaties between the rulers of Ras Al Khaimah and Great Britain.
Therearealsoexhibitsoftraditionalweaponsbelongingtotherulingfamily,aswellas archaeological displays about the earliest settlers in the area up to the late Islamic period.
Themuseum'sethnographicsectionintroducestraditionallifeintheemirate,including architecture,pearldiving,dategrowing,farming,andfishing.
Tolearnmoreabouttheregion,thePrivateFull DayTourofRasAl Khaimahdelvesinto its cultural and historical attractions, as well as showcasing its scenic coastal scenery, with plenty of photo stops along the most scenic parts of the Corniche and at the marina along the way. Major sightseeing destinations are the museum, Dhayah Fort, and Jazirat al-Hamra.Alltransportincludingpickupanddrop offfromRasAl Khaimah hotelsisincluded.
9. Stroll through the Abandoned Village of Jazirat al-Hamra
This abandoned village with its slowly decaying houses of traditional coral block architecturesitsabout20kilometerssouthofRasAl Khaimahcity.
Jaziratal Hamrawasafishingandpearlingvillagethatwasfoundedinthe16thcentury. Withthedemiseofthepearlingindustryandthebeginningoftheoilboom,thevillage's inhabitants abandoned it in the1960s. Since then it has sat mostly eerie and empty as resortsandnewtownareashavemushroomedarounditonthecoastalplain.
Due to the desert climate, a lot of the coral-block architecture is well preserved, so visitors can get a real sense of what traditional Emirati village life would have looked like.
Thevillagemosquehasalsobeenfullyrestoredinrecentyears.
10. Soak in Khatt Springs
About 26 kilometers southeast of Ras Al Khaimah, KhattSprings is an area of mineral richhotpools,wherethewaterisnotedforitsrelaxingandtherapeuticproperties.
Khatt lies amid an oasis, backed by barren mountains. The hot spring waters are pumpedintopoolswhichareseparatedbygender.
Thefacilitiesareabittiredthesedays,butifyoujustwantaquicksoakinthehotwater tosoothetiredjointsfromtraveling,they'restillworthastop.
The village is home to the restored towers of Khatt Fort, and the surrounding countryside is of major interest to archaeologists, with tomb sites dating back to the Chalcolithic era and 19th century mud brick fortifications unearthed on excavations here,pointingtothelongandcontinuoussettlementofthearea.
