Ras al-Khaimah

Understand

thumb|300px|E311 near Ras al Khaimah Ras al Khaimah means "headland of the tent" in English. It is nestled between the Hajjar Mountains on the East and the Persian Gulf on the West and shares mountainous borders with the Musandam Peninsula of Oman. With the completion of the E311 Highway (Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road), RAK is only about one hour from the emirate of Dubai.

The Emirate has been in existence since 1708 under the ruling Al Qasimi clan. The Emirate joined the wider United Arab Emirates in 1972 after the Iranian seizure of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands in the Straight of Hormuz.

The Emirate Ras al Khaimah is a tourist hub with clean white beaches, dramatic desert dunes and the majestic Hajjar Mountains. It has numerous tourist landmarks, beautiful wildlife conservations and sanctuaries. Golf has become one of the leading tourist attractions within the emirate. Its several public and private beaches along the Arabian Gulf feature calm waters suitable for swimming and family-friendly activities.

The cooler months from November to March are considered the best time for outdoor activities in Ras Al Khaimah, including hiking, beach workouts, kayaking, and mountain excursions. Visitors planning mountain excursions or desert activities often prefer early mornings or late afternoons to avoid peak heat.

Get around

For tourists, getting around with public transport or walking is rather difficult, and it would be better to go by either taxi or car.

See

thumb|250px|A preserved old archaeological town in Jazirat al Hamra.

Ras al Khaimah Old City - the oldest residential area in the city of Ras al Khaimah with an old souq, old mosque, fishing harbour and Al Hisn Fort, which now host RAK National Museum. Dhow Building Station – continuation of a long Ras al Khaimah’s tradition of dhow building. Camel Race Track – taste of the Arabic heritage with excitement of the race. Prehistoric Shimal – one of the oldest settlements not only in Ras al Khaimah but also in the region, it has remains of numerous ancient constructions such as Umm an-Nar tombs (2600-2000BC), Wadi Suq tombs (2000-1600BC), a second millennium BC settlement, findings from the Sassanian period (300-632AD) and the Abbasid era (750-1250AD). Wadi Haqil – a large wadi, which up to the 1970s was a centre of pottery production started in the 15th century. Southern Wadis - Wadi Asimah, Daftah, Munay’i, Shawka, Qawr, Safarfir – full of prehistoric sites, scenic and yet undeveloped.

Do

thumb|300px|Sea at Ras al-Kaimah thumb|250px|Campers at night in Jebel Jais.

Beach Fishing Ice land Waterpark - it offers more than 50 rides and numerous water games. Saqr Park - the Saqr Park is the Emirate’s biggest public park. It has some slides, electrical cars, computer games and other attractions for the young ones. Camel race track – camel race is an attraction not to be missed. The races take place on Fridays, early in the morning from October till March. Camping and picnicking – done everywhere, although mountains are particularly popular for camping and beach, Saqr Park, Corniche Road and Emirates Road are often chosen for picnicking. Golf – there are two golf clubs in Ras al Khaimah. Tower Links Golf Club (18 hole) and Al Hamra Golf Club (9 hole). Shisha cafés – a rather relaxing and very local experience. Many restaurants offer shisha, and Corniche Road seems to be particularly popular. Shooting Club Powered parachuting Micro-Light flying Diving Mountain climbing Wadi bashing – Ras al Khaimah has a wonderful mountains which are often visited by residents and tourists. A 4WD is a must. Bird watching Quad biking – popular activity amongst the local community, bikes can be rented at the Awafi desert area. Desert safaris – organized by most of the hotels. Cinemas - there are two cinemas in Ras al Khaimah: Grand Manar (07 2278888) with mainly English-language movies and Gulf Cinema (07 2223313) with a range of Indian and Arabic movies. Corniche Road – it is one of th…

Buy

Old Souq – old souq is not that old, but it is the most traditional shopping experience you can get in Ras al Khaimah. Shopping malls – apart from smaller shops and shopping centres, there are shopping malls in Ras al Khaimah with Manar Mall being the most popular. Other are: Al Hamra Mall and Safeer Mall.

Eat

A typical Emirati food is not widely available but it can be found in so called ‘popular kitchen’ types of restaurants. Lebanese cuisine mixed with some Arabic and Indian influences is often considered a local food. What you can expect in the restaurant is traditional Lebanese mezze (hummos, mutabal, salads, falafel), kebabs, biryani, fish or lamb. Ras al Khaimah's different cultures brought different tastes for food, restaurants of many types and origins are opened in the city. Considering a large number of Indians in Ras al Khaimah, there are plenty of great Indian restaurants. All major international fast food restaurants chains are also present in Ras al Khaimah and there are numerous local fast food outlets.

Vegetarians will be please to know that in most of the restaurants have at least one vegetarian option, there are also a few purely vegetarian restaurants in town and the concept is widely understood.

Drink

Arabic coffee and tea are available almost everywhere. So are the juices made from freshly squeezed fruits. You can only get alcohol in the hotels, although you can buy it for your private use.

Go next

Musandam Peninsula: Omani exclave that borders RAK and seems to be a world away. There are buses to Khasab in Oman only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and now only one bus in the morning. returning from Khasab/Oman in the afternoon. Demand was decreasing, so check if the busses are available. Contact RAKTA for up-to-date-information