By air
Ras Al Khaimah (RKT) or Dubai (DXB), Dubai ~1 h
Middle East · UAE
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
The UAE's highest mountain above quiet beaches
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to March — mild
Don't miss
Jebel Jais
Dhayah Fort
The Al Marjan island beaches
The National Museum
Things to do
The Jebel Jais zipline
Mountain hikes
The beaches
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: wilhelmtittes · CC BY 3.0
What to pack
Layers for the mountain
A quieter corner
The abandoned pearling village of Al Jazirat Al Hamra
Questions travellers ask
Which months are good for Ras Al Khaimah?
November to March, when it's mild. Bring layers if you're heading up the mountain.
What can I do in Ras Al Khaimah?
Fly down the Jebel Jais zipline, go on a mountain hike, then unwind on the Al Marjan island beaches. Dhayah Fort and the National Museum round it out.
Is there an off-the-beaten-path spot in Ras Al Khaimah?
The abandoned pearling village of Al Jazirat Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah's hidden gem.
Which airports serve Ras Al Khaimah?
Fly into Ras Al Khaimah (RKT), or into Dubai (DXB), about 1 h away. For dinner, find seafood by the creek.
About Ras Al Khaimah
- Mountains
- Coastal
Where it is
Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates, on the Gulf coast between Umm Al Quwain and Oman's Musandam Peninsula, with the Hajar Mountains rising behind its creek-side capital.
History
People have lived here for thousands of years, and the medieval port of Julfar nearby was a major pearling and trading centre of the Gulf. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was a base of the Al Qasimi, whose fleets clashed with the British, leading to the treaty of 1820 that began the Trucial States. Ras Al Khaimah joined the United Arab Emirates in February 1972, a few weeks after the other six emirates.
People
Emiratis here include mountain communities such as the Shihuh, who speak their own dialect of Arabic, and coastal families long tied to fishing, pearling and date farming. Arabic is the official language, English is widely used, and large South Asian communities live in the emirate.
Known for
- Jebel Jais, the UAE's highest mountain
- The Jebel Jais zipline
- Dhayah Fort
- The abandoned village of Al Jazirat Al Hamra
- The beaches of Al Marjan Island
Did you know?
Julfar, the medieval port near today's city, is traditionally held to be the birthplace of Ahmad ibn Majid, the celebrated 15th-century Arab navigator.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.