Ras Al Khaimah travel guide

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Ras Al Khaimah

Introduction

Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and the city of the same name — often shortened to RAK or RAK City — serves as its capital and holds most of the emirate's residents. The city's name translates from the Arabic as "headland of the tent", and it stands on the site linked to the historic Islamic trading port of Julfar, its predecessor settlement.

The emirate shares a border with Oman's exclave of Musandam and occupies part of the same peninsula, giving the area a geography shaped by both coastline and mountains. Along its 68 km of beach coastline you'll find the waterfront that defines much of the city's character, while the wider emirate stretches across roughly 2,486 square kilometres of desert, plain and upland.

Before you go

Ras al Khaimah sits between the Hajjar Mountains and the Persian Gulf, sharing mountainous borders with Oman's Musandam Peninsula. The E311 Highway puts it roughly an hour from Dubai, so it works as a base or a day trip. The emirate has been ruled by the Al Qasimi clan since 1708 and joined the wider United Arab Emirates in 1972.

Time your visit for the cooler months, from November to March, when hiking, kayaking, beach workouts and mountain excursions are at their best. If you're heading into the mountains or the desert outside that window, plan around the heat with early morning or late afternoon outings. Expect clean white beaches and calm Gulf waters suited to swimming and family activities, plus desert dunes, wildlife sanctuaries and golf. For practical details, check the Ras al Khaimah Tourism website before you travel.

Getting there

Ras al Khaimah International Airport (RKT) sits about 20 minutes from the city centre and handles a limited number of airlines. Taxis run to the city, some hotels offer airport pick-up, and bus line G1 departs hourly for the Al Nakheel bus station. For a wider choice of flights, look at Sharjah, Dubai (DXB or DWC) or Abu Dhabi, all within a few hours' drive of the city.

There is no railway in Ras al Khaimah yet, though the national Etihad Rail network is under development and will eventually link all the emirates. Driving is straightforward: the Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road (E311) puts Umm al Quwain about half an hour away, Sharjah under an hour, Dubai one to one-and-a-half hours depending on traffic, and Abu Dhabi around two-and-a-half to three hours. The older Coastal Road (E11) is slower but runs directly to Sharjah via UAQ and Ajman, while the Emirates Road (E611) parallels the E311 and skirts central Dubai, which can be quicker. Fujairah is reachable over the mountains or via Masafi (E18) in roughly one to one-and-a-half hours, and the Omani border at Musandam is easy to cross by car.

Intercity buses from Dubai and Sharjah arrive at the RAK Bus Station, while the airport bus terminates at Al Nakheel Bus Station. The RAK Transport Authority runs services to Dubai (Union Bus Station), Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al Quwain, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, with limited routes to Global Village and Dubai Mall; buses to Dubai usually leave hourly during the day. Services from Khasab in Oman run only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a single afternoon departure and a morning return, and demand has been falling, so confirm before relying on them. No passenger boats operate directly to Ras al Khaimah.

Getting around

For most trips around Ras Al Khaimah, plan on taxis, ride-hailing or a rental car rather than public transport or walking. RAKTA-licensed taxis use set-fare meters, are reasonably priced and are considered safe, and the RAKTA website lists current charges. Booking through the Careem app is the suggested approach, and if you are staying at a hotel the concierge can usually summon a taxi quickly. Dubai taxis are permitted to carry passengers back from Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah, but be aware that Dubai has different taxi types: the "limo" category costs more than a standard taxi, so at taxi stands ask specifically for the regular cream-coloured taxis for the cheapest rate.

Buses are run by RAKTA and are air conditioned, but the network is small. One local line runs from Al Nakheel to Jazeera along the main road parallel to the beach, and another connects the RAK Bus Station with the Al Nakheel Bus Station through the day. RAKTA buses intersect at the Al Nakheel bus station, which acts as the main interchange for local services. You can pay in cash or with a Sayer Card; the card is bought with a balance already loaded, card rides work out cheaper than paying cash, and transfers are not included, so you pay again if you change buses. Timetables shown in Google Maps are outdated, so use the RAKTA website or the Sayer app for routes, timings and prices — though note the app hides routes with no remaining departures that day, so avoid relying on it late in the day. RAKTA also runs intercity buses to Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al Quwain, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, plus limited services to Global Village and Dubai Mall, with buses to Dubai usually leaving hourly during the day and intercity arrivals from Dubai and Sharjah pulling in at the RAK Bus Station. Buses from Khasab in Oman run only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a single afternoon departure and a morning return, and demand has been decreasing, so check whether the service is still running before relying on it.

Walking around Ras Al Khaimah is not easy: traffic, a lack of sidewalks and a lack of zebra crossings make it something that is not commonly done and not recommended. For a pleasure walk, Corniche Road and the beaches are the best and safest option.

Car rental is easily available and a practical choice. Most roads are in good condition and it is easy to find your way around, at least in the city, though driving can be a challenge for those not used to slightly chaotic roads. International car rental companies operate in most hotels, and there are numerous smaller local companies around town. Ras Al Khaimah has good road connections with the other emirates: the Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road (E311) is the main artery, the older Coastal Road (E11) is slower but runs directly to Sharjah via Umm al Quwain and Ajman, and the Emirates Road (E611) runs parallel to the E311 while avoiding central Dubai, which can be quicker in some circumstances. Fujairah can be reached via the mountain passage or via Masafi (E18). If you plan to drive into Oman, Al Salamah Cars, with its main branch in Al Nakheel on 120th street, rents out cars for that purpose and provides the necessary paperwork, including the no-objection letter for an extra charge, and insurance for Oman can be bought at the border crossing.

A few tour operators, mainly based in the international hotels, organise Ras Al Khaimah city tours, and most of the big hotels also provide buses for their guests to the RAK Old City and shopping malls. From Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, about 20 minutes from the city centre, your options are a taxi, bus line G1 which runs every hour to the Al Nakheel bus station, or a hotel pickup worth checking when you book. If the airport does not suit your itinerary, Sharjah, Dubai (both DXB and DWC) and Abu Dhabi offer a greater choice of flights but are further away, so factor in a longer transfer by road. There are no passenger boat carriers operating directly to Ras Al Khaimah, so the sea is not an arrival option for visitors.

Food & drink

Emirati food itself is not widely available, but you can find it in restaurants of the "popular kitchen" type. Lebanese cooking, mixed with Arabic and Indian influences, is often treated as the local cuisine: expect traditional mezze such as hummos, mutabal, salads and falafel, along with kebabs, biryani, fish or lamb. Because of the city's mix of cultures, restaurants of many types and origins have opened here, and given the large Indian community you will find plenty of good Indian restaurants. All the major international fast food chains are present, alongside numerous local fast food outlets.

Vegetarians are well served: most restaurants have at least one vegetarian option, a few are purely vegetarian, and the concept is widely understood. Arabic coffee and tea are available almost everywhere, as are juices made from freshly squeezed fruit. Alcohol is only available in hotels, though you can buy it for your own private use.

What to see and do

Start in Ras al Khaimah Old City, the oldest residential quarter, where you can wander an old souq, an old mosque and the fishing harbour. Al Hisn Fort houses the RAK National Museum, which covers the emirate's history and culture. Heritage continues at Al Jazirah al Hamra Heritage Village, the best-preserved fishermen's village in the UAE, and at the Dhow Building Station, where the city's long dhow-building tradition carries on. Inland, Prehistoric Shimal holds Umm an-Nar and Wadi Suq tombs, a second-millennium BC settlement and finds from the Sassanian and Abbasid periods, alongside Shimal Fort, known locally as Sheba's Palace. Further out lie Dhayah Fort, the UAE's only remaining hilltop fort, and Falayah Fort, an 18th-century summer residence of the sheikhs of Ras al Khaimah. Wadi Haqil was a pottery centre from the 15th century until the 1970s, while Khatt is an oasis of thermal waters and archaeological sites. Ghalilah Village and Wadi, Sha'am near the Musandam border, Wadi Bih and the southern wadis of Asimah, Daftah, Munay'i, Shawka, Qawr and Safarfir all reward exploration with old settlements, graveyards, rock engravings and scenery.

For active days, head to Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE and home of the world's longest zipline, or try powered parachuting, micro-light flying, mountain climbing, diving, bird watching and wadi bashing, for which a 4WD is a must. Quad biking is popular and bikes can be rented in the Awafi desert area, and desert safaris are organised by most hotels. Camel racing at the track is an attraction not to be missed, with races held on Friday mornings from October to March. Families gravitate to Ice Land Waterpark and to Saqr Park, the emirate's biggest public park, with slides, electric cars and computer games for children. Golfers have two clubs to choose from, Tower Links and Al Hamra. Camping and picnicking are done everywhere, with the mountains especially popular for camping and Saqr Park, Corniche Road and Emirates Road often chosen for picnics. Corniche Road, a long street by the creek with a green promenade, is the centre of the action, good for jogging, roller-skating and biking, and its shisha cafés offer a relaxing, very local experience. Two cinemas, Grand Manar and Gulf Cinema, show English, Indian and Arabic films.

Three days in Ras Al Khaimah

Day one: Base yourself in RAK City and get your bearings along Al Nakheel, where the corniche faces the Persian Gulf. The city rewards a slow start: Arabic and Islamic heritage sits close to the water, and the story of Julfar, the historic port that preceded modern Ras Al Khaimah, gives context to everything you see afterwards. If you arrive by air, Khaimah International Airport (RKT) is the closest gateway; taxis are the straightforward way to reach Al Nakheel. From Dubai, driving up Highway Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road is the usual approach, and Sharjah sits between the two. Expect warm, humid Gulf conditions for much of the year; the months from November to March are the most comfortable for walking.

Day two: Head inland towards the Hajjar Mountains, the rugged spine that defines Ras Al Khaimah's character and separates the emirate from Oman's Musandam Peninsula. The Musandam itself is a separate enclave across the border, so plan your route accordingly. This is the day for the landscape that makes RAK distinct from its neighbours in the United Arab Emirates - rocky, dramatic and far removed from the coastal strip. Return to RAK City in the evening.

Day three: Use your last day to fill in what you missed in RAK City, whether that means more time along the Gulf shore or revisiting the Al Qasimi-era landmarks that anchor the emirate's identity. Khaimah Tourism can help with orientation if you want to plan a final excursion. If you are flying out, allow time for the run to RKT; if you are continuing to Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi, the highway south is your route.

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