Places to Visit in Ras Al Khaimah: Mountains, Forts, Beaches and Pearl Farms

The short answer: Ras Al Khaimah's main draws split three ways: the mountain (Jebel Jais and the Jais Flight zipline, billed as the world's longest), the coast (Al Marjan Island's resort beaches, plus the free Flamingo Beach) and the history inland (Dhayah Fort, the National Museum, and Jazirat Al Hamra's abandoned pearling houses). Add a pearl farm tour at Al Rams, a soak at Khatt Hot Springs, and a dhow trip across the border into Musandam, Oman. Most of this fits a weekend: Ras Al Khaimah is about 100–115 km from Dubai, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by road, and about 60 km from Sharjah.

This guide is for UAE residents planning a day trip or weekend in Ras Al Khaimah itself, with what the sights cost where that could be confirmed, and how to get there without a car. Jebel Jais gets a full guide of its own, since the mountain fills a day alone: see our Jebel Jais guide. For the wider country, see our places to visit in the UAE and weekend getaways from Dubai guides.

Ras Al Khaimah at a glance

Where to go in Ras Al Khaimah: the main places

Jebel Jais

Ras Al Khaimah's mountain, the UAE's highest point, fills a day by itself: the Jais Flight zipline (from AED 325 on the official tourism site), the gentler Jais Sky Tour, hiking trails, and a viewing deck charging a separate AED 10 ticket for anyone not already booked onto a zipline, the sledder or the restaurant. It has closed for weather or maintenance at points in 2025 and 2026, so check our Jebel Jais guide for current hours and prices before driving up.

Al Marjan Island

Al Marjan Island is a man-made peninsula off the south coast, about 4.5 km of coastline built up with hotels (Rixos Bab Al Bahr, DoubleTree by Hilton, Waldorf Astoria and others), restaurants and beaches including Turtle Beach and Bab Al Bahr Beach. We could not confirm any stretch of beach there that is free without a resort stay or day pass; every named beach belongs to a hotel, so Flamingo Beach (below) is the free option.

The island's biggest change is still coming: the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort, which Wynn Resorts' 2026 results put on course to open in September 2027, so expect construction there through 2027. The island's New Year's Eve fireworks and drone show has reportedly broken Guinness World Records, so hotels and roads are busiest around 31 December.

Next door, Al Hamra Village is built around Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra Golf Club and Al Hamra Mall (more than 130 shops, VOX Cinemas). The marina club rents paddleboards, kayaks, jet skis and water-skiing gear to non-members at standard rates, a useful half-day stop on the way to or from the island.

Dhayah Fort

Dhayah Fort, on a steep hill above the palm groves near the village of Dhayah, is the only fort in the UAE built on a natural hill, and was the site of the last stand against British forces in 1819. Entry is free. The climb takes about 10 to 15 minutes over bare steps with no shade, so take water; late afternoon gives the best light. Sources disagree on exact hours, most giving close to 9am–5pm, though a few say daily and others Sunday to Thursday only; parking at the base is limited, so arrive early at weekends.

Jazirat Al Hamra: the heritage village

Jazirat Al Hamra, often called a ghost town, is a former pearling and trading village about 18 km south of the city, near Al Marjan Island, abandoned by its residents in the early 1970s. Many of its coral-stone and gypsum houses still stand, unusual for the UAE and popular with photographers. Officially Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, restoration has focused first on the fort, which also hosts the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival. The village's own site lists hours as Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–6pm, closed Mondays, with no entry fee stated, so entry appears free; bookings inside the fort itself were listed as temporarily closed when we checked. A full restoration of six more houses was targeted for 2023–2024, with no confirmation found that it is finished.

The National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah

The museum sits inside Al Hisn Fort in Old Town, the ruling family's residence until 1964 and later a prison before its 1987 opening as a museum of the emirate's archaeology, pearling and seafaring history. The official listing gives Tuesday to Sunday, 8am–6pm (last entry 5:30pm), closed Mondays and the first day of Eid, with hours changing around holidays and Ramadan. Entry is AED 5 for adults, AED 2 for children, paid at the door.

Suwaidi Pearls and Al Rams

Al Rams, a fishing town north of the city, is where Suwaidi Pearls runs its farm tours: a traditional pearling boat crosses the shallow bay to the farm, where a guide explains pearl cultivation and lets you open an oyster yourself. The standard tour runs about 2.5 hours and must be booked ahead. One UAE booking site showed the adult ticket discounted to about AED 157.50 from AED 262.50 in 2026, with lower child rates and under-4s free; other resellers list similar or longer tours, sometimes with lunch, at different prices, so confirm directly with the operator.

Inland: Bassata desert safaris and Khatt Hot Springs

Bassata Desert Village, a Bedouin-themed camp in the Al Wadi Desert off Exit 119 on Highway 311 (about 40 km from the airport), is the emirate's main desert-safari venue, run since 2014. The standard sunset package is a shared 4x4 transfer with about 50 minutes of dune bashing, sandboarding and a camel ride, followed by a barbecue buffet, Tanoura and fire shows; shisha and photography are usually extras. We could not confirm a current price, so compare listings before booking.

Khatt Hot Springs, natural, mildly sulphurous springs in the village of Khatt further east, sit inside the Golden Tulip Khatt Springs Resort & Spa, and have historically been open to day visitors too. We could not confirm current hours, pricing, or whether the pools are presently open, so check with the resort before planning around them.

Saqr Park, and what happened to Iceland Water Park

Saqr Park, in Ras Al Khaimah city, is built around an artificial lake with pedal boats, an arcade (a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, a small rollercoaster), picnic spots and a skatepark. Entry is AED 5 per person plus AED 20 for car parking, open all year round; exact daily hours were inconsistent between sources, roughly 8am to 10pm on weekdays, later at weekends.

If you are searching for Iceland Water Park: it closed permanently in 2018, announced that August as part of a wider shift in the emirate's tourism plans, with more than 200 staff made redundant. There is no working water park of that name in Ras Al Khaimah now.

Ras Al Khaimah's beaches, day passes and Flamingo Beach

Away from Al Marjan Island, most beachfront belongs to hotels, which sell day passes to non-guests for a private beach or pool, usually with food and drink credit included. Representative weekday adult prices found: Anantara Mina Al Arab and InterContinental from about AED 200, Mövenpick Al Marjan Island from about AED 150, and Radisson Marjan Island from about AED 135, rising at weekends; these change by season, so check the current rate first.

The one confirmed free public beach is Flamingo Beach, in Mina Al Arab off the Clock roundabout, roughly halfway between the city and Al Hamra Village. It is open 6am to 8pm, no entry fee, with umbrellas, cafes, restrooms, parking, a floodlit volleyball court and pay-as-you-go paddleboard and kayak rentals.

The Corniche and mangrove kayaking

Corniche Al Qawasim, the city's waterfront promenade, runs about 3 km along the mangroves, free and open around the clock, with bike rental reportedly from 8am to 10pm, close enough to Old Town and the National Museum to combine both. The same mangroves suit kayak and paddleboard tours, spotting crabs, herons and sometimes flamingos; one operator on the official tourism site departs from the waterfront by Al Naeem Mall, priced from about AED 295, with trips elsewhere ranging from an hour to a half-day. Go early morning and check the tide, since the channels can be too shallow to paddle at low water.

Day trips to Musandam from Ras Al Khaimah

Musandam, the Omani exclave at the tip of the peninsula, is reached from Ras Al Khaimah by road through the Al Darah border crossing near the UAE village of Shams, arriving at Tibat before the road continues to Khasab. Bring your original passport (a photocopy or Emirates ID is not accepted) and your vehicle's registration and insurance papers. Reported crossing fees have historically run about AED 35 for the UAE exit stamp and OMR 3 (roughly AED 30) for the Omani entry stamp, though these are dated, so confirm current charges at the border. Most UAE residents need an Oman e-visa arranged in advance (our Oman visa guide for UAE residents explains which), and a visitor on a single-entry UAE visa cannot cross and come back on it. Once across, Khasab's dhow cruises through the khors pass Telegraph Island, usually with dolphin watching, swimming, snorkelling and lunch on board.

Holidayys runs a Musandam day tour that handles the border for you (see below), though its shared transfer departs from Dubai rather than Ras Al Khaimah. For the Dibba crossing further south, see our Musandam trip from Dubai guide.

Getting to Ras Al Khaimah from Dubai and Sharjah

By road, Ras Al Khaimah city is about 100–115 km from Dubai on the E11 (the airport to the city is closer to 85 km), typically 1 to 1.5 hours outside rush hour; from Sharjah it is about 60 km, roughly 35–45 minutes. Without a car, Ras Al Khaimah's transport authority (RAKTA) runs a public bus from Dubai, booked through the Sayr app, from Dubai's Union or Al Karama stations to the Al Hamra bus station: reported one-way fares run about AED 20–27 for a journey of roughly 1.5 to 2 hours, with buses from around 7:30am to 11pm, though confirm the timetable in the app first.

Best time to visit Ras Al Khaimah

November to March is the most comfortable stretch, day highs around 18–25°C, the best window for Dhayah Fort's climb, the Corniche, desert safaris and beach days; it is also peak season, so prices rise, particularly around New Year. June to September is hardest, day highs commonly reported at 35–43°C with high humidity, so outdoor sightseeing works best early or late in the day, though it is also the cheapest time. March and October to November sit in between.

A one-day plan and a weekend plan

• One day, staying close to the city: The National Museum (opens 8am), an hour on the Corniche, then Saqr Park or Flamingo Beach for the afternoon, finishing with sunset and dinner at Al Marjan Island.
• Weekend, Day 1 (coast and heritage): Morning at the National Museum and Old Town, Jazirat Al Hamra before the midday heat, lunch in Al Hamra Village, then the afternoon and evening on Al Marjan Island or at a resort day pass.
• Weekend, Day 2 (north and inland): Dhayah Fort first thing while cool, the Suwaidi Pearls tour at Al Rams (book ahead), Khatt Hot Springs in the afternoon, and a sunset desert safari at Bassata to close. Swap this day for Jebel Jais if the mountain is what you came for.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best places to visit in Ras Al Khaimah?

Jebel Jais for the mountain and zipline, Al Marjan Island and Flamingo Beach for the coast, Dhayah Fort and the National Museum for history, and Jazirat Al Hamra's abandoned village for something different. A pearl farm tour at Al Rams and a Musandam day trip round out a weekend.

How far is Ras Al Khaimah from Dubai?

About 100–115 km by road, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours outside rush hour, or about AED 20–27 and 1.5–2 hours by public bus.

Is Al Marjan Island open to the public?

Yes, the roads, promenade and restaurants are open to everyone, but we found no stretch of free public beach there; named beaches belong to hotels. The Wynn resort under construction there is due to open in September 2027.

Is the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah open?

Yes: Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 6pm (last entry 5:30pm), closed Mondays and the first day of Eid, entry AED 5 for adults and AED 2 for children, per the official tourism listing.

How do I visit Musandam from Ras Al Khaimah?

By road through the Al Darah border crossing near Shams, with an original passport and vehicle documents, arriving at Tibat before continuing to Khasab; most UAE residents need a GCC resident e-visa or Oman's e-visa arranged ahead. A guided tour, such as Holidayys' Khasab tour, handles the border for you.

Is Iceland Water Park in Ras Al Khaimah still open?

No. The government closed it permanently in 2018, and there is no working water park of that name in the emirate now.

Plan it with Holidayys

Holidayys does not currently sell a Ras Al Khaimah package, but we run the Musandam Khasab tour, a full day with a dhow cruise through the khors, dolphin watching and snorkelling, from AED 550 on our booking site. Its shared transfer leaves from fixed points in Deira and Bur Dubai, with help at the border, and returns the same evening: see the Musandam Khasab tour for the current price and inclusions.

If you are hosting family who need a UAE visa for the trip, we book those too: see UAE visa services. For anything else, message us on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001 or use our contact page.

Related guides

• Jebel Jais guide
• Musandam trip from Dubai: Dibba or Khasab, compared
• Places to visit in the UAE
• Places to visit in Fujairah
• Weekend getaways from Dubai
• UAE visa services

Last checked 13 October 2026 against the official Visit Ras Al Khaimah tourism site (Al Marjan Island, Saqr Park, the National Museum, Flamingo Beach and resort day passes), Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village's own site, Wikipedia on the National Museum's history, Wynn Resorts' 2026 earnings announcement and Gulf News and Khaleej Times reporting on the Wynn opening date, Gulf News on the Iceland Water Park closure, holidayys.com's own Musandam Khasab tour listing, and several tour-booking and travel-guide sites for Dhayah Fort, Suwaidi Pearls, mangrove kayaking, Bassata and Khatt Hot Springs, since no single source covered all of them. Hours, fees, border charges and the status of Khatt Hot Springs and Jazirat Al Hamra's restoration change; confirm before you travel.