Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost emirate, where the Hajar Mountains come down to the sea. On its quiet coast lies Al Marjan Island, home to the Rixos Bab Al Bahr on white sand, about 70 km from Dubai International Airport.

Above it rises Jebel Jais, the highest point in the UAE at about 1,934 m. The road up is a long, beautiful climb, and in winter the summit is markedly cooler than the coast. Here are Jais Flight, a 2.83 km zipline that set a world record when it opened in 2018, and 1484 by Puro, the country's highest restaurant at 1,484 m.

History has its place too: Dhayah Fort stands on a hill between the mountain and the palms, the only hilltop fort left in the UAE. Ras Al Khaimah suits a family that wants sea and mountain in one journey, away from the city.