Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah, often referred to its initials RAK, is an industrial port city and the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.
Ras Al Khaimah, often referred to its initials RAK, is an industrial port city and the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. The city had a population of 191,753 people in 2025, and is the sixth-most populous city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and Ajman. The city is divided by a creek into two parts: old town in the west and Al Nakheel in the east. The town is the successor to the Islamic era port and trading hub of Julfar.
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Worth seeing in and around Ras Al Khaimah
4 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name.
- 01Al Fulayyah
Al Falayah fort is an 18th-century fort in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Traditionally the summer residence of the ruling Al Qasimi family, the fort was used as a rest house.
4.2 km · 18th-century fort in United Arab Emirates · Wikipedia - 02National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah
The National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah is a museum located in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, in the north of the United Arab Emirates. The museum contains archaeological collections and historical artifacts of the country.
3.1 km · history & Archeology Museum in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates · Wikipedia - 03RAK Medical and Health Sciences University
RAK Medical and Health Sciences University is a medical university in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The university was established by the Ras Al Khaimah Human Development Foundation under the leadership of Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi, Crown Prince & Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and Chancellor of the University.
2.7 km · medical and health sciences university in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates · Wikipedia - 04Seih Al Harf
Saih Al Harf is an archaeological site in the northern part of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, dating to the Wadi Suq period.
8.5 km · archaeological site in Ras Al Akhaima, United Arab Emirates · Wikipedia
Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What Wikivoyage says to see
Ras al Khaimah Old City - the oldest residential area in the city of Ras al Khaimah with an old souq, old mosque, fishing harbour and Al Hisn Fort, which now host RAK National Museum.
- 01Ras al Khaimah National Museum
- 02Jebel Jais
- 03Al Jazirah al Hamra Heritage Village
- 04Queen of Sheeba’s Palace
Shimal Fort, known locally as 'Sheba's Palace', the remains of an Islamic era fortification.
- 05Dhayah Fort
- 06Ghalilah Village and Wadi
Th main attractions include famous Stairway to Heaven track, ancient tomb, heritage village and fishermen houses.
From Wikivoyage: Ras Al Khaimah, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Things to do
Beach Fishing Ice land Waterpark - it offers more than 50 rides and numerous water games. Saqr Park - the Saqr Park is the Emirate’s biggest public park. It has some slides, electrical cars, computer games and other attractions for the young ones. Camel race track – camel race is an attraction not to be missed. The races take place on Fridays, early in the morning from October till March.
From Wikivoyage: Ras Al Khaimah, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Where to eat
A typical Emirati food is not widely available but it can be found in so called ‘popular kitchen’ types of restaurants. Lebanese cuisine mixed with some Arabic and Indian influences is often considered a local food. What you can expect in the restaurant is traditional Lebanese mezze (hummos, mutabal, salads, falafel), kebabs, biryani, fish or lamb.
From Wikivoyage: Ras Al Khaimah, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Getting to Ras Al Khaimah
- Airports
- Ras Al Khaimah (RKT), 17 km · Sharjah (SHJ), 65 km · Dubai (DXB), 82 km
- Stations
- Al Saqr Field Airport, 1.8 km
- Sharjah → Ras Al Khaimah73 km · quickest by road, 1h 29m · AED17–24
- Dubai → Ras Al Khaimah102 km · quickest by road, 1h 49m · AED22–31
- Fujairah → Ras Al Khaimah85 km · quickest by road, 2h 17m · AED23–32
- Plan a tripFrom anywhereThe planner compares every way there from wherever you are.
Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.
No local-transport research exists yet for Ras Al Khaimah
Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Ras Al Khaimah. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.
- Get aroundDubai taxis are allowed to ferry passengers back from Dubai to RAK, and the charge to RAK City is around 250-300 AED; be aware of the different types of Dubai taxi - it is more expensive to take the "limo" type of taxi rather than a standard taxi, and you have to be careful at taxi stands that you ask for the regular cream coloured taxis for the cheapest rates.
- Get aroundA few tour operators (mainly in the international hotels) organize Ras al Khaimah city tours.
From Wikivoyage: Ras al Khaimah, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us; that article was last edited 2026-05.
- 011,843 km
- 021,873 km
- 031,897 km
- 042,009 km
- 052,051 km
If you know how people move in Ras Al Khaimah – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.
Next door to Ras Al Khaimah
- Al Fahlaynhuman settlement in United Arab Emirates9.3 km
- Al Mu'amurahhuman settlement in United Arab Emirates5.5 km
- Al Matafhuman settlement in United Arab Emirates8.1 km
- Mu'ayridhuman settlement in United Arab Emirates4.9 km
- Shimalhuman settlement in United Arab Emirates10 km
- Khazamhuman settlement in United Arab Emirates1.6 km