Top tourist sites: 20 reasons to visit Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

TOURISM, STARTUP HAVEN: Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) has been quietly making a name for itself both as a tourism and start-up haven in the UAE for a number of years now.

MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS: 1484 by Puro is officially the UAE's highest restaurant. Operators said there's a refreshing menu and, of course, guaranteed breathtaking views. Bookings are accepted.

FIVE-STAR DESTINATIONS: A scene from Rixos Bab Al Bahar in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. The Emirate, also known as "RAK", has been named the "Gulf Tourism Capital" by the Ministers of Tourism of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states during a 2019 meeting in Muscat, Oman. Ras Al Khaimah’s selection as the capital of Gulf tourism highlights the UAE’s leading stature as a popular tourism destination. Pre-COVID, the UAE has witnessed a hue growth in the number of tourists visiting the country from around the world. The sector is showing signs of recovery, with domestic tourism spiking especially among weekenders.

RICH HISTORY: The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has a rich history and heritage. Four sites in Ras Al Khaimah have been added to UNESCOs tentative list of world heritage sites. Photo shows Shimal tombs that date back to the Umm Al Nar culture (2,600 to 2,000 BC). Shimal’s tombs, prehistoric settlements and medieval palace form part of the emirate’s history spanning more than 4,000 years.

DRAW FOR TOURISTS: RAK received an estimated 1.12 million tourists in 2019, up from just about 500,000 in 2007. Nearly 118,000 visitors visited Ras Al Khaimah in August 2019, according to figures from the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development. Ras Al Khaimah has been internationally recognised for their COVID-19 recovery strategy and is now re-open for US tourists.

DHAYAH FORT IN RAS AL KHAIMAH. A testimony to the emirate's rich and fascinating culture and heritage sites. Dhayah Fort is an 18th-century fortification in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the highest hilltop fort in the UAE. In 1819, it was the last bastion of local resistance to the British punitive expedition, which sacked Ras Al Khaimah, Rams and southern coastal settlements as far as Dubai. A larger fortification constructed from mud bricks sits at the foot of the hill. This 'Sur' was used as a retreat for local people. A third element of fortification at Dhayah are watchtowers in the palm groves.

STANDING TALL: This watchtower once guarded Jazirah Al Hamra’s water wells from attack. Located just outside Al Jazirah Al Hamra - an ancient maritime village renowned for its fishing, pearl diving and boat building - the watchtower is about 100 years old and was a crucial part of the area’s defense system. The tower was constructed using traditional materials, such as coral and beach stone, mangrove beams, and palm fronds.

RESTORATION WORK: More than 1,600 structures have been recorded and mapped as part of the plan of Ras Al Khaimah Department of Antiquities and Museums, with 75 being towers.

JULFAR: Faleiyah Fort in Ras Al Khaimah. Ras Al Khaimah is in fact the new name of the emirate - it used to be known as Julfar over the ages.

JAZIRA AL HAMRA: The original 45-hectare island was located along the Gulf close on the southern coast of Ras Al Khaimah. Its eastern and southern parts were connected to the mainland and constantly accessible. To the east, the island overlooks the desert and currently, two surveillance towers protect it. The towers also secured drinkable water wells, and water was previously brought to the island by donkeys. The city's maritime environment provided marginally-salty water for household use only. The small alleys on the Red Island contain houses with yards, markets, mosques and a fort, along with surveillance towers.

HERITAGE SITE: Al Shamal is a rich heritage site stretching from Ras Al Jabal for over three kilometres. The area is characterised by gravel plains and Acacia forests overlooking limestone quarries in Ras Al Khaimah. To the west, Al Shamal overlooks vast palm tree gardens on the fertile plains of Wadi Beeh and Wadi Hail. site has many settlements and over 100 cemeteries dating back to prehistory, as well as a palace dating back from 1600 to 2000 BC, and other sites dating back to the Late Bronze Age (1600 to 1300 BC) and the Middle Islamic Era (13th to 16th century AD).

THE DESERT, THE SEA, THE MOUNTAINS: Mountain climbing has been a big draw for tourists to Ras Al Khaimah. In a September 2020 survey by Dnata Travel, the emirate has emerged as the most popular destination in the country, with 55 per cent of respondents stating they would like to explore more of the emirate next year.

PRISTINE BEACHES: Ras Al Khaimah offers 64 kilometres of pristine beaches, an abundance of cultural experiences, as well as incredible outdoor adventure activities at Jebel Jais, the highest mountain peak in the UAE. It's not surprising that this emirate is leading the way as a destination that domestic tourists want to see more of this year.

GREAT OUTDOORS: The world's longest zipline is in Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah. Pre-COVID, tourism contributed 5 cent to RAK’s gross domestic product. The emirate aims to grow that to 10 per cent by 2025.

DESTINATION RAK: Today, RAK has 6,300 hotel rooms — up by 1,500 rooms from three years ago. Currently, there are 5,000 hotel rooms in the pipeline between now and 2021. This will give the emirate 11,000 rooms, deemed sufficient for 1.5 million visitors. A view of the Cove Rotana Resort in Ras Al Khaimah.

IBIZA OF THE MIDDLE EAST: A view of the luxurious Rixos Hotel, opened in 2014. The property is located on Al Khaimah's Al Marjan Island, the emirate’s first man-made island project, in what is dubbed as the Ibiza of the Middle East. Al Marjan is a four-island development off the coast of the UAE’s most northern emirate.

EXPERIENCE THE DESERT, IN STYLE: A view from a villa at The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert. Al Wadi Desert invites guests to connect with nature and culture amid the beauty of a 1,235-acre protected preserve. The resort can arrange a desert trek on camel- or horseback, a private archery lesson or an evening of stargazing. There are luxury villas, inspired by Bedouin architecture, which feature private outdoor pools and breathtaking desert views.

PRISTINE BEACHES: Ras Al Khaimah offers 64 kilometres of pristine beaches, an abundance of cultural experiences, as well as incredible outdoor adventure activities. A view of Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah.

JEBEL JAIS VIEWING DECK. This park has seven viewing decks offering 360-degree vistas of Hajar mountains.

IMPRESSIVE VIEWS: A twilight view of the lights from the trail of cars going up and down Jebel Jais mountain in Ras Al Khaiham never fail to impress visitors. For thrill seekers and rock climbers, Jebel Jais is nothing short of an adventure park.

MOUNTAIN OF EXCITEMENT: It is fairly well-established that Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah offers a "mountain" of excitment for one and all, including families and adventure-seekers. A group of visitors manages to find a vantage point to chill and soak up the magnificent view. The UAE's highest peak, Jebel Jais is part of the spectacular Hajar mountain range that were formed over 70 million years ago in the eastern part of Ras Al Khaimah.