Ras Al Khaimah, the soul of the Emirate beyond the shimmer of Dubai

Ras Al Khaimah has a charm that you will love once you've shopped to the brim in Dubai and had your fill of the sand and speed in Abu Dhabi.

When you think of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is what comes to your mind, or Abu Dhabi maybe. But there's more to the UAE and one is hot on the list of destinations to visit in 2023.

Ras Al Khaimah is a glittery little oasis in the middle of the desert that boasts of the prettiest views of the Arabian Gulf, some high-adrenaline adventures atop its highest peak, and then of course, there's that Emirati hospitality we have all heard paeans sung to. Ras Al Khaimah has a charm that you will love once you've shopped to the brim in Dubai and had your fill of the sand and speed in Abu Dhabi.

With its eye firmly set on nature, sustainability and responsible tourism, Ras Al Khaimah or RAK is quite the city to add to your must-visit list. For one, it lies a stone's throw from Dubai, with temperatures that are at best a dream in the Emirates. On an average summer day, the mercury is 10 degrees lower in the mountains than in Dubai. But that's merely scratching the surface of all that RAK has to offer.

The sea and the sand

Right on top of what makes Ras Al Khaimah such a superb holiday destination is its beautiful beachfront resorts. The place has several options to choose from, high-end to budget and all in between.

There's also the 500-acre Ritz-Carlton in the middle of the Al Wadi desert where Arabian Oryxes graze next to you and parakeets sing you a song as you sit back with a cocktail at Kaheela - 'Kohl-eyed' in Arabic - the restaurant. A nature drive through the Al Wadi is rewarding in numerous ways. Pack that hat and sunscreen (and all your energy) for the ride.

The Bassata village adjacent to the Ritz is where the desert camps are. Along with the quintessential dune-bashing and camel and ATV rides, as the sun sets, the fire-breathers of Ras Al Khaimah treat you to a performance worth taking back with you.

The mountains

Ras Al Khaimah, which goes back 7,000 years, has had the Al Hajar mountains as its silent, towering witness to history. Jebel Jais is the highest peak in the UAE. It rises a cool 1,934 metres above the sea and you can drive right till the top.

At the top of Jebel is where there's a lot waiting for the extreme-adventure lover. It has the world's longest zipline. At the Jais Adventure Park here, this zipline stretches 2.831 kilometres at a height of 1,680 metres above sea level. Flying down the zipline is quite a feeling. If you can muster up the courage to harness yourself in, feet packed in, hands firm behind your back, the experience is life-altering.

What else

RAK, beyond the sea, mountains and the desert, is rich in history and culture. The beginning of the emirate can be traced back to the Bronze Age. Called Julfar back then, Ras Al Khaimah has had continuous human habitation for 7,000 years. Its location on the sea served as an important gateway to the world.

Later, as the channels silted up, the habitation moved. The Dhayah Fort is an important landmark in the later history of this emirate.