Ras Al Khaimah

This emirate is located a hundred kilometers from Dubai. It can be divided into two equal parts - coastal and central zone. In total it is 1684 miles, from the north and the north-east it borders on Oman. Some of the islands and harbors belong to the emirate, including Al Hamra, Al Jazira, Big Tunb and Small Tunb.

The capital of the emirate is the city of Ras Al Khaimah. It is divided by the Gulf into two parts - western and eastern.

Here is also Port Saqr- a key point for exporting various raw materials as well as the legendary Port Julfar which became a starting point for many ships to travel the world under an Arab flag. If you translate the name of the emirate from Arabic it means "Top of the Tent." According to a legend one of the leaders of a local tribe broke his tent here. It is also believed that the place was chosen from the Queen of Sheba to spend a night during her journey to Solomon.

Some of the attractions of Ras Al Khaimah are the thermal springs with hot water as well as the wonderful palm groves. The view of the local mountains and luxurious oases are a delight to the eye of the tourists and the unusual birds and animals complement the picture of this heavenly place.

For the bird lovers here are a couple of unique places such as Hamraniya and Diqdaqha. In addition this emirate is a popular place for divers of all classes and for those who just wish to rest on the beach. The underwater world here is truly unique and literally tempting the tourists to its dark depths full of exotic secrets.

The highlight of the emirate is the unusual but purely Arab sport - the camel racing. Each year the camel racings take place here as well as in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. To support this traditional sport banks and many companies including from the public sector allocate certain funds.

Ras Al Khaimah is considered a true land of secrets and surprises.

Here you can find a lot of architectural remains and other examples of the rich historical heritage of the U.A.E. All the attractions blend together with the unusual topography of the place which makes traveling in the emirate very exciting. Exotic palms and green hills provide enough space to hide in the shade in a hot afternoon and the azure coast attracts the fans of swimming. During the archaeological excavations some historical artifacts have been found including such dated back in the 5th century BC. Many of them show the high development of the emirate at that time, in particular its close trade relationship with Mesopotamia.

An important role in the political and military life of Ras Al Khaimah had the famous fort named Dhayah dated back in the 16th century AD. Due to this important strategic facility it was possible to block a significant part of this side of the coast and the Gulf and successfully reflect even the most furious attacks. In 1819 the British forces attacked Ras Al Khaimah, they captured the port and decided to blow it up. However, after almost a century, in 2001 the fort was fully restored to its original beauty. Now here are regularly held exciting and entertaining tours.

Another fort is also worthy the attention of the tourists too: This is the famous Al Hisn Fort, a place where you can learn all about the history and traditions of Ras Al Khaimah. There are plenty of amusing displays featuring archeology, crafts and history - in fact here is a stunning national museum created by the initiative of the ruler of the emirate. The museum consists of several sections; the most interesting is located on the upper floors of the building. Here you can see with your own eyes original manuscripts and documents of high historical value. The fans of knives will also be delighted - there is a collection of private weapons belonging to the ruling family. The historical artifacts are mainly located in the lower part of the building which highlight is the extensive collection of silver jewelry.

Almost across the entire emirate you can see high observation towers left over from the days when the local people had to constantly defend themselves from nomadic tribes. They were designed to protect the crops and the palm groves. These buildings are about sixty and most of them are restored.

While in Ras Al Khaimah ensure to visit the Al Falayah Fort dated back in the 18th century. Here was located the summer residence of the famous Al Qassimi family- hidden in the palm groves. This is the place where in 1819 was signed a historic peace contract between the Arab sheikhs and the British government. Just to mention that the United Arab Emirates were established much later, in 1971.

The lovers of the deep blue sky have to visit by any mean the Al Jazira Aviation Club. Founded in May 1998 it offers the tourists a variety of unusual opportunities. The very location of the club is very picturesque featuring the nature of the emirate in the best way. The two runaways - Sakr and Al Jazira offer all the possibilities for comfortable take-off and landing. The length of the Sacra runway is 700 meters. Al Jazira also has two runaways- 500 and 800 meters respectively along with hangars and terminals. The club experienced instructors will teach you the art of flying all the way to obtaining a pilot license. You can also attend a general course for operating an aircraft, conduct test flights or learn to pilot a light aircraft. The bird's-eye view will reveal a panoramic eyeshot of Ras Al Khaimah.