Pristine beaches, Jebel Jais mountain and the longest zipline in the world: this is Ras Al Khaimah, UAE!
Overview
Ras Al Khaimah presents visitors with a multitude of thrilling options: beautiful beaches, the highest mountain in the UAE and the longest zipline in the world! The road from Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah and its famous mountain, Jebel Jais (Jebel meaning mountain in Arabic), takes one past flat desert landscapes, through rocky canyons and up towering escarpments for some truly unforgettable views. This varied topography makes Ras Al Khaimah particularly fascinating with its iconic claim to fame undoubtedly being the Jebel Jais zipline. Jebel Jais is in fact part of the Hajar mountain range, sharing a border with Oman.
The emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is one of the seven that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I have written extensively about Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, Fujairah and many other interesting desert activities and luxury resorts to be found in the UAE, which you can find here. Driving time from Abu Dhabi to Jebel Jais is roughly 3.5 hours and just over 2 hours from Dubai.
Visitors will find a crescent shaped landmass just south of the city of Ras Al Khaimah, which is home to all of the upmarket resorts and hotels. Recently, the New Year’s Eve fireworks display broke 2 new Guinness World Records here! On the outskirts of the city is a fascinating abandoned village, which we visit in this itinerary.
Highlights
Adventure Day – Day 1
Dhayah Fort
Jazirat Al Hamra abandoned village
Drive through the Hajar mountain range
Jebel Jais Toboggan
Jebel Jais Zipline – the longest in the world
Sunset picnic / restaurant dinner at Jebel Jais mountain top
Pre dinner drink: Peacock Alley, Waldorf Astoria
Dinner & live music: Qasr Al Bahar Restaurant, Waldorf Astoria
Late walk along the beach
Pool & Beach Day – Day 2
Morning beach walk, Waldorf Astoria Private Beach
Relax at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Pools and Beach
Swim up bar cocktails at Azure Pool & Beach Bar
If driving back to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, a convenient stop at The Sum of Us cafe, Dubai
Additional activities if time
Ras Al Khaimah National Museum
Ras Al Khaimah Cave
Adventure Day – Day 1
Dhayah Fort
Dhayah Fort is a great opener to your time in Ras Al Khaimah. It’s hot, arid and spectacular. You’ll drive through some impressive mansions with ornate decorative features on both the house facades and imposing gates. Don’t be surprised when you also pass a handful of goats wandering around on the desolate roads! By and large this small town has a strange feel to it. There’s the sense that important and wealthy people live in these fancy homes, juxtaposed by the fact that it’s really in the middle of nowhere and there’s not a person in sight.
This 18th- century hilltop fort is the highest in the UAE and was the site of a battle during the Persian Gulf campaign of 1819. During this time, British troops captured the fort after a brief siege. Visitors who ascend the 234 steps will be rewarded with incredible views. You’ll see flat-topped acacia trees on the flat sandy ground and the steep slopes of the Hajar mountain range.
Jazirat Al Hamra abandoned village
Talk to a local and you’ll hear various theories about this huge, abandoned shell of a village. What drove its residents away rendering this intricate town of houses, schools, mosques and shops a ghost town? Was it the lure of oil and gas in the rich emirate of Abu Dhabi? Was it the result of a tribal conflict? Or was it related to the evil force Jinn that is revered by many Arabic people?
Noone really knows the answer but what is left behind is the remaining symbol of a ‘pre-oil’ pearling village. People left en masse for Abu Dhabi in the 1950s and by 1968, Jazirat Al Hamra was completely abandoned.
Jazirat Al Hamra is a window into the traditions and trades that were abandoned when oil wealth gave rise to rapid urbanisation in the UAE.
Take a moment to look around and you’ll find structures made of mud, sticks, rock and fossilised corals. This landscape was once a seabed!
Visitors can park on the outskirts of the village or take the brave step to drive through its narrow streets and sharp corners! I’m sure you can guess what I did …
Drive through the Hajar mountain range
You’ll already have experienced the Hajar mountains at the beginning of your trip but things are about to get SO MUCH BETTER! En route to the Jebel Jais zipline, you’ll be exposed to the rugged beauty of these stunning mountains as you ascend the 30km Jais Road. The colours of the mountain vary depending on how close you are to them, creating a stunning gradation in shades as you traverse the well maintained road.
Of course there are various roadside stops available to take the perfect photograph!
Jebel Jais Toboggan
The incredible zig-zag Jais Road climbs steadily and the first major point is the carpark for the newly opened Jebel Jais Toboggan. The ‘Jais Sledder’ sits impressively on a track that sees guests reach up to 40 kilometres per hour as they experience hairpin curves and undulating waves with the glorious backdrop of the mountains and coastline before them. It takes roughly 8 minutes to course the 1.84 kilometre track.
Jebel Jais Zipline
First word of warning: make a booking! We sadly did not which means this is now a bucket list item for me to complete later this year. The website provides visitors a one hour dedicated timeslot. The Jebel Jais zipline is the longest zipline in the world and provides a sensational and completely unique vantage through the mountain range. At 2.83km long, riders will experience exhilirating speeds of 160 km/hr. Notably, the official website promises that this is the closest you’ll get to experiencing life as a falcon!
Sunset picnic / restaurant dinner at Jebel Jais mountain top
One thing you’ll soon realise about the UAE is that they love their gourmet food trucks. The carpark at the Jebel Jais zipline is no exception. It’s the perfect place to grab some tucker and settle in for a brilliant sunset across the Hajar mountain range.
Pre dinner drink: Peacock Alley, Waldorf Astoria
The drive back from Jebel Jais to the high end hotels in Ras Al Khaimah takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. We decided to check in to our accommodation earlier on in the day. Amongst our group of four, the Waldorf Astoria was a unanimous choice. We stayed in a family suite which gave four excited ladies plenty of room and space to relax and unwind.
There’s no better place to have a cheeky pre-dinner drink than in Peacock Alley: Waldorf Astoria’s charming and plush ground level bar. The hotel chain’s iconic ornate mirrored staircase flanks the bar and wait staff will deliver you some magical creations.
Dinner & live music: Qasr Al Bahar Restaurant, Waldorf Astoria
Various restaurant options are available at the Waldorf. For a relaxed outdoor setting and diverse buffet spread, look no further than Qasr Al Bahar. This catered perfectly to our group with varied food preferences and we all loved the live music beneath the string fairylights. It was a no brainer for me: I bee-lined for the seafood.
Late walk along the Waldorf Astoria private beach
After dinner, find your way down to Waldorf Astoria’s private beach. You’ll be privvy to magical views of the hotel which is lit up like a glowing castle from Aladdin. The traditional Arabesque archicture is something to behold as you soak up a minute of peace, away from the lively dinner setting.
(NB: We did find the children at dinner terribly distracting, running between tables and yelling to each other across the terrace. I’d recommend that if you are after a quiet, romantic setting, to choose one of the other hotel restaurants).
Pool & Beach Day – Day 2
Morning beach walk, Waldorf Astoria Private Beach
Waking up at 6am on an idyllic weekend getaway was not ideal but presented a wonderful opportunity: a morning sunrise walk. All four of us stirred early and went for an individual walk to greet the day. The grounds were still partially covered in shadow awaiting the blazing sun to take force for the day and it was a tranquil, shaded and calm journey I set out upon. The trees were gently rustling, the pool bar was humming in readiness for a busy day ahead, a few eager patrons were swimming some early morning laps in the adult pool and groundsmen were setting up sunbeds and checking hammocks.
If you’re partial to an early rise, I would definitely recommend experiencing the hotel grounds in the morning before the noise and busyness of the day begins. The beach extends for miles and sets the scene for a peaceful daybreak.
Relax at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Pools and Beach
Buffet breakfast on the Waldorf Astoria terrace is another experience altogether. Visitors have multiple food stations to choose from, including bespoke eggs, waffles, Arabic foods, Western treats, a juice bar, cheese station, bakery, fresh salad pots and coffee and tea delivered to the table.
After this, most hotel patrons descend to the pool or beach. A number of hotel guests had been down to the pool before breakfast and ‘saved’ sunbeds. I find this practice a little entitled but it seems to be the trend in many hotels and resorts. Again, the pool was run rampant by children splashing and not caring less for others, including at the swim up bar which serves alcoholic beverages. For this reason, if you find yourself after a peaceful day, then head straight for the beach. The sunbeds here are glorious: comfortable, overlooking the bay, calm … and you can also order drinks.
If you’ve come with a family, then the pool is definitely your go to zone! Furthermore, in the time of the Covid pandemic home-schooling, it provides an opportunity for them to interact with other children.
Swim up bar cocktails at Azure Pool & Beach Bar
The swim up bar at Waldorf Astoria is a highly instagrammable, relaxing place to spend a few hours (well-behaved children permitted!). I mean who doesn’t love being able to perch themselves in a pool under the Arabic sun whilst being served a Corona and lime?
If driving back to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, a convenient stop at The Sum of Us cafe, Dubai
Sadly, the weekend must come to and end and for most visitors, that means driving back to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. (There is also a small international airport in Ras Al Khaimah). Fortunately we had a Dubai resident in our midst who suggested a late lunch / early dinner at an Australian run eatery called ‘The Sum of Us‘. Located in Old Dubai not too far from the airport, this cafe offers convenient valet parking, fresh coffee and organic gourmet food. The breakfast menu is served until 5pm which gave us less than 5 minutes to order on arrival! It was well worth it however, with the zucchini fritters and poached eggs being the unequivocal selection for me!
