Ras al Khaimah: perfect for a romantic holiday

Relaxation and romance

Couples searching for beachside bliss will find it in spades in Ras al Khaimah, which boasts a 65km-long shoreline indented with golden bays and long ribbons of sand. A range of tranquil resorts hug the shoreline from the ultra glamorous Waldorf Astoria hotel to the laid-back, chic Banyan Tree Ras al Khaimah Beach. Styled to resemble an opulent Arabian palace, the Waldorf offers the last word in luxury, while the Banyan Tree has a range of deluxe Arabian-style beach cabanas each with their own plunge pool. Each is custom-designed for relaxation and romance and wellness-enhancing on-site facilities include signature spas. If luxuriating with your loved one in an indulgent spa is high on your agenda, the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa is another good option, with eight treatment rooms and a Turkish hammam to pamper you to perfection.

For the ultimate spa experience, couples can head to the Golden Tulip Khatt Springs Resort and Spa in a serene desert location at the foot of the Hajar Mountains to enjoy the natural hot springs that feed into the Ayurvedic wellness centre. Bubbling up from deep underground, the mineralised waters are said to have health-enhancing properties and a range of accompanying spa treatments will leave you feeling totally revitalised.

One of the most romantic settings for a couples holiday is the five-star Banyan Tree Al Wadi, with streamlined architecture melting into the dunes and the trees of the surrounding valley and turning red, orange and purple as the sun dips beneath the horizon. To make the most of the magical sundowns, the hotel runs a sunset drinks camel caravan into the neighbouring nature reserve that offers the chance to spot wildlife such as gazelles and Arabian oryx while you sip a sundowner atop a sandy dune. The resort also has a hydrotherapy spa and organises a wide range of exciting activities for guests.

Couples activities in RAK

You and your partner can enjoy some truly magical and enriching experiences on holidays to Ras al Khaimah. Just a few highlights include diving into the underwater world together on a scuba trip, channelling Lawrence of Arabia on a camel-back adventure through glittering dunes and valleys, spending a romantic night camping beneath the stars in a traditional Bedouin camp or taking a sunset catamaran cruise with dinner and champagne.

Famous for its pearl diving industry, Ras al Khaimah is the ideal place to shop for pretty pearls. Visit one of the upmarket stores in the emirate's malls or in RAK City's corniche area, or hunt for a prize pearl yourself at the Pearl Farm, which produces more than 100,000 pearls per year. Here, visitors have the chance to open an oyster searching for the ultimate aphrodisiac – a glittering pearl to take home as a souvenir.

For a magical night under a sea of stars, couples can stay in one of several desert camps located in the dunes and valleys of Ras al Khaimah. The Bedouin Oasis Desert Camp is the perfect place to experience traditional Arabia with goat hair tents in a camp atmospherically lit by antique gaslights and a roaring fire. For a more entertainment-focused experience, visit the Bassata Desert Village, which features Arabian belly dancing, camel rides, dune bashing and a sunset barbecue.
Owing to its position overlooking the warm, aquamarine waters of the Arabian Gulf, watersports are a popular pastime in Ras al Khaimah. Couples can take advantage of excellent beach-side facilities at Banyan Tree Ras al Khaimah Beach, for instance, where you can master a range of activities with your partner, from snorkelling and sailing to wake-boarding and jetskiing. Similarly, the five-star Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa has its own watersports centre set beside a wide crescent of white sand.

Thrill-seeking couples can try any number of aquatic adrenalin-inducing activities offered by Adventure Sports or scuba dive into the clear Arabian Gulf with the expert instructors at Al Jazeera Diving and Swimming Centre. Romantic boat trips are also easily arranged from the resorts with sunset catamaran cruises that include dinner and champagne and private yacht charters where you can choose your own itinerary.

Ras al Khaimah's climate

Like its neighbours on the Arabian Peninsula, Ras al Khaimah has a hot and dry desert climate with two main seasons - long summers and short, mild winters. The sun shines all-year round but temperatures start to climb in late April with daytimes averaging around 30 degrees Celsius. By July, outdoor temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius during the day and humidity is generally very high. During the winter months daytime temperatures average a clement 23 degrees. Nights are cool and there tends to be a light smattering of rain between January and March with occasional fog rolling in off the sea.
 

The best time to visit Ras al Khaimah

When the weather turns cooler in Europe between November and April, Ras al Khaimah stays comfortably warm and sunny, making it the ideal destination to escape the winter. At this time of year, daytime temperatures in Ras al Khaimah are pleasantly warm, hovering between 20-28 degrees Celsius, with clear skies and bright sunshine. For outdoors enthusiasts and active travellers, either side of winter is a good time to explore the emirate, when the heat is less intense. In the summer months thermometers regularly reach a scorching 40 degrees or more, which makes outdoor sightseeing and physical activities difficult.

That said, if you want to explore RAK during the summer, most places such as indoor attractions, hotels, shopping centres and restaurants are air-conditioned. There are also plenty of things to do based in and around the water from visiting RAK's Iceland water park to going scuba diving. Most Ras al Khaimah hotels are on the coast where it's generally cooler with a welcome sea breeze to take the edge off the heat.

Average daylight hours fluctuate over the year in Ras al Khaimah, though less significantly than in the UK. In December, RAK gets roughly 10-and-a-half hours of daylight, while in June the emirate is bathed in almost 14 hours of sunshine each day.