Tourism

The government’s “Ras Al Khaimah: Top of the Emirates” tourism development program features innovative developments that focus on the emirate’s unique natural and cultural heritage.

Unique Natural and Cultural Attractions

Mountains, desert, beaches

RAK’s rugged, 6,560-feet-high mountain range sets it apart from its neighbors. Nowhere else in the UAE can visitors combine a seaside holiday with some snow-skiing at a luxurious mountain resort just a cable-car ride away from white-sand beaches. The new Jebel Jais Mountain Resort will also give visitors a chance to try wildlife-spotting (the mountains are home to the rare Arab tiger, the red lynx and the thick-tailed fox), mountain climbing and other sports while enjoying five-star accommodations and a range of amenities.
RAK’s wadis (steep-sided valleys) in the mountains are another natural attraction that will appeal to adventurous travelers, and the emirate also has spectacular deserts that can be toured on organized safaris. In Khatt Springs resort, travelers can relax in natural hot springs.
RAK has 24.8 miles of white-sand beaches, and several new tourism developments are planned along the coastline. These include the Port Arabia project, with the Arabian Adventures theme park, luxury hotels, a nature conservation area and many other attractions; the Mina Al Arab mega-development with several theme parks, beach resorts and two eco-resorts; and Al Hamra Village, complete with its own 18-hole championship golf course, among many other amenities. Another project will create its own coastline: the Al Marjan development, with five-star resort hotels, a marina, a water theme park and more, all on a man-made island.

Cultural heritage

Visitors will discover that RAK’s cultural heritage is as rich as its natural one. Historic sites include Shamal, a fertile area with tombs that date back to the Umm Al Nar period around 4,500 years ago, and a palace that is the only one in the UAE from medieval times; local legend says it was the home of the Queen of Sheba. Dhayah is a small oasis near Dhayah Fort, site of the last battle between local and British troops in 1819. Julfar, the most famous city in RAK’s past, was the Gulf region’s most important trading center in the 16th century, and the city’s central mosque is a remnant of this period. Al Falayah, the summer home of the Al Qawasim family in the 18th century, still has two fortified towers, a mosque and the remains of an ancient village, while in Galilah, in the foothills of the Hajjar mountains, archeologists have discovered Iron Age tombs.

Festivals throughout the year showcase RAK’s folklore, folk music, folk dance and other traditional and popular art forms, including Al Wahabiyyah, a performance combining music, dance and poetry. RAK National Museum in RAK City contains displays on the country’s rich past, while the city’s Old Souq is a blend of past and present. Local restaurants give travelers a chance to sample RAK’s culinary heritage.
RAK, an ancient land with very contemporary amenities, offers a wealth of attractions and welcomes international visitors. Visitors will discover that RAK is like no other destination in the region.

Bin Majid Group

“Ras Al Khaimah is where relaxation and business come together.”

The Bin Majid Group is proving instrumental in developing Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism industry. Having founded a travel agency that organizes trips throughout the country and beyond, including city tours, desert excursions and diving holidays, the Bin Majid Group has two outstanding hotel properties, the new City Hotel and the four-star Bin Majid Beach Hotel and the Bin Majid Beach Resort.

Dr. Ali, GM, explains that the 92-chalets in the Bin Majid Beach Resort not only gives guests access to a beautiful beach but also offers an array of other amenities, including swimming pools, a sports bar and Arabic & Indian Nightclubs. The 136 room Bin Majid Beach Hotel and the Majid Beach Resort specializes in serving international executive travellers from throughout the world, including a growing number of travellers from the United States.

Aiming to provide a complete range of tourism offerings, the Bin Majid Group, which is based in Dubai with offices in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah Airport, organizes excursions to Dubai and anywhere in the UAE, for example for those who want to ski at Dubai’s indoor ski centre. The Bin Majid Group also provides Impala car-rental services for independent travelers. The company can also help visitors who would like to discover Ras Al Khaimah’s unique attractions, including Khatt hot springs, whose waters are known for their healing properties, and the natural beauty of the country’s mountains, the only mountains in the United Arab Emirates.

Aside the tourism branch of the Bin Majid Group, they also have the knowledge in any kind of cargo shipment through the Ras Al Khaimah Airport.

Dr. Ali urges American investors and travelers to explore all the many opportunities Ras Al Khaimah offers. He says, “Sheikh Saud has done a good job of putting Ras Al Khaimah on the map, and so we have been able to attract more guests and to expand our services. We would like to attract more American travelers, and we believe that if they come here they will see for themselves that the area is a very good choice for both investment and holidays. Ras Al Khaimah is where relaxation and business come together.”