Desert dream: Ras al-Khaimah is UAE’s rising star

Ras Al Khaimah – you’ve probably never even heard of it.

But, RAK is the fastest growing among the seven emirates in the UAE and borders Oman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.

While it may not be as well known as the more familiar Dubai and Abu Dhabi, RAK, located in the Northern part of the country, has much to offer.

A “rising emirate”, RAK manages to bring luxury while also offering outdoor activities, nice beaches along the Persian Gulf, stunning scenery and a history stretching back an impressive 7,000 years.

RAK has a range of attractions to enjoy, and accommodation here is of a high standard. The emirate has experienced an increase of almost 25% in hotel occupancy in the past year.

The saying that good things come in small packages could have been coined to describe Ras Al Khaimah. The emirate may not be big, but it has plenty to enjoy, from natural assets, such as beautiful mountains, red desert, green

plains and blue lagoons, to man-made attractions including a water park, sailing and shops.

It’s home to the Jabal Al Jais mountain, which at 6,300 ft, is the highest peak in the United Arab Emirates.

In RAK, you should visit the ruins of the historic Sheba’s palace with its fine views or the 16th-century hilltop Dhayah Fort - a strategic military fortification that played a major role in the history of the UAE.

Housed in a former royal palace, the 18th-century national museum is also worth a visit. It helpfully dispels some popular myths – Ras Al Khaimah apparently does not translate as ‘top of the tent’ as some people claim, but rather describes the headland near a certain type of traditional hut.

At the top of your list should be a visit to the dunes, which are simply breathtaking.

A short drive from the city centre and you’ll suddenly feel you’ve arrived on the set of Lawrence of Arabia with a vast sea of sand in every direction.

The emirate is also famous for its palm gardens and fertile grounds, which have provided food and shelter in the region for many centuries.

The city of Ras Al Khaimah is the capital of the emirate and is divided into two parts by a natural creek. RAK City is the old part and mainly consists of government

A “rising emirate”, RAK manages to bring luxury while also offering outdoor activities, nice beaches along the Persian Gulf, stunning scenery and a history stretching back an impressive 7,000 years.

departments, residential neighborhoods, and markets. The other half of the city is Al Nakheel which has more of a mix of commercial, administrative and residential developments.

Al Hamra and Al Marjan Island in the south of the emirate are mixed developments of residential and tourist facilities.

RAK is popular with western tourists since it receives year-round sunshine, little rainfall, and nearly perfect winter temperatures. It enjoys a moderate, cool, and refreshing climate for eight months of the year between October and May, with high temperatures expected for the remaining four months. In June, temperatures get up to a toasty 48° C.

Qatar Airways has launched a very comfortable flight to RAK, so there’s never been a better time to go.

I flew on Qatar Airways’ Airbus 320 from Baku into the $17 billion Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

From Doha, it’s less than an hour to RAK on Qatar’s newlylaunched connecting flight offering business class travel.

What they call business class is so good it would be considered first class on many other airlines. The huge amount of space in your own personal booth, a seat that stretches into a bed for overnight flights, and the constant excellent personalized service makes the journey literally fly by.

State-of-the-art Hamad International is a breeze to transit through and gives you a good indication of what to expect in the region.

You will be really surprised when you see a giant teddy bear in the airport with a lamp on its head, which cost $6.8 million.