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Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah

Al Marjan Island: palm-lined seafront promenade and turquoise sea
Photo: Tashmetova808, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — the island is an open residential and resort district
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Island and promenade open 24 hours; the emirate's beaches are closed until further notice
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
2 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Beaches
Closed until further notice: Ras Al Khaimah has shut every beach in the emirate, including Marjan Island and its hotel beaches
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Hotel beaches
Guests or day-pass holders only; each hotel sets its own price
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Wynn resort
Under construction, opening announced for September 2027
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Time needed
1.5–2 hours for a walk and sunset; a full day with a hotel day pass
From the old town
≈ 29 km, 25–30 minutes by taxi
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
From Dubai
≈ 75–80 km, 1–1.5 hours by car or taxi
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment
All Ras Al Khaimah taxis take bank cards
Coordinates
25.67186, 55.74068YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

4 islandsBreeze, Treasure, Dream and View — a coral-shaped archipelago
3 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaMarjanVisit Ras Al Khaimah
4.5 kmhow far the archipelago reaches into the Gulf
3 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaVisit Ras Al KhaimahProperty Finder
Sept 2027announced opening of Wynn Al Marjan Island, home to the UAE's first casino
2 sourcesWynn Resorts Q2 2026 results (Gulf News, iGaming Business)English Wikipedia
2.7 km²total area of the four islands
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaWikidata
≈ 7.8 kmof beaches, public and hotel-owned
2 sourcesVisit Ras Al KhaimahProperty Finder (Marjan says “over 7 km”)
2 kmof promenade on Breeze Island
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
5 kmof waterfront around Dream Island
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Reclaimed landbuilt off the coast of Al Jazirah Al Hamra
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Guinness recordsset by the New Year's Eve fireworks and drone shows over the islands
3 sourcesGulf NewsThe NationalKhaleej Times
≈ 29 kmby road from the National Museum in the old town
2 sourcesYesGo calculation with OSRM (OpenStreetMap)Visit Ras Al Khaimah — “26 minutes from the city centre”

Things to do on Al Marjan Island

With the sea off-limits, Al Marjan Island is a place for a waterfront walk and a sunset, not a beach day. The palm-lined promenade, running and cycling track, parks and playgrounds are free and open around the clock. E-scooter hire and food trucks line parts of the corniche.

The islands face west, so the sun drops straight into the Gulf — the best time to come is an hour before sunset. After dark the resort hotels light up along the shore.

For a longer stay, buy a hotel day pass for pool, shade and lunch. There are no museums, souks or old buildings here: for history, head to the old town or the abandoned pearling village of Jazirat Al Hamra next door.

What to see and do

  • Walk or cycle the promenade on Breeze Island — about 2 km by the water.
  • Watch the sunset over the Gulf from the western shore.
  • Spend a day at a resort pool with a day pass while the beaches are shut.
  • Have lunch or dinner at one of the resort restaurants.
  • See the Wynn Al Marjan Island tower going up.
  • Let the kids loose in the playgrounds along the corniche.

Al Marjan Island beaches: public vs hotel

Right now you can't swim anywhere on the island — public stretches and hotel beaches are both closed. Once they reopen, the set-up is simple: some of the shoreline is public and free, with few facilities and lifeguards not guaranteed; loungers, shade, showers and lifeguards come with the hotel beaches.

Hotel beaches are for guests or day-pass holders. Each resort sets its own price, often as a food-and-drink credit, so call the hotel on the day.

UAE dress norms apply: swimwear on the beach and by the pool only, covered shoulders and knees in shops and on the street.

Wynn Al Marjan Island: when does the casino open?

Wynn Al Marjan Island is a large integrated resort — hotel, restaurants and the UAE's first casino — under construction on the island. Wynn Resorts has announced a September 2027 opening, later than the early-2027 date it gave before. No exact day has been set.

For now it's a fenced building site you can only see from the road and promenade. Don't plan a trip around it yet.

How to get to Al Marjan Island

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. From the old town (National Museum): taxi only — about 29 km, 25–30 minutes. No Ras Al Khaimah city bus goes to the island.
  2. Book through the Careem or Sayr app: both bring official metered Hala RAKTA taxis, and every Ras Al Khaimah taxi takes bank cards.
  3. From Dubai on a budget: RAKTA intercity bus to Al Hamra Bus Station in Ras Al Khaimah (about AED 30, 1.5–2 hours), then a taxi of about 20 km, roughly 20 minutes.
  4. From Dubai, fastest: taxi or car direct — 75–80 km on the E311 or E611, about an hour without traffic, longer on Friday evenings.
  5. Give the driver your hotel's name as the drop-off point, and book the ride back in advance — late in the evening taxis are scarce.

Is Al Marjan Island worth visiting?

Yes, if you're already in Ras Al Khaimah: a sunset walk here is an easy, free evening, and it pairs well with Jazirat Al Hamra. It also works as a resort base if you want a quieter, cheaper alternative to Dubai's beach hotels.

Not as a day trip from Dubai while the beaches are closed — that's two to three hours on the road for a promenade. And not for the casino, which isn't open yet.

Before you go: checklist

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Waterside places in Ras Al Khaimah compared

Every waterside place in Ras Al Khaimah rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Al Qawasim Corniche411 hFree22.9 km
Al Marjan Islandyou are here262 hFree—
Ras Al Khaimah mangroves232 h≈ AED 100–180, unofficial13.9 km
Suwaidi Pearls farm212 h≈ AED 250 (unofficial)36.9 km

Ras Al Khaimah in a day: museum to island sunset

The fort museum in the morning, the corniche at midday, the ghost pearling village in the late afternoon and sunset on Al Marjan Island. Add them in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and drives.

  1. National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah1 h 15 min · AED 5, children 5–13 AED 2
  2. 36 min walk from the previous stopAl Qawasim Corniche1 h · Free
  3. 277 min walk from the previous stopAl Jazirat Al Hamra ghost town1 h · Free
  4. 121 min walk from the previous stopAl Marjan Islandyou are here2 h · Free; beaches closed

4 places · about 12 h 29 min with walks · 434 min on foot in total

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How to do it right

  • Pair the island with Jazirat Al Hamra, about 12 km and 15 minutes by taxi — go there before sunset, then watch the sun go down on Al Marjan.
  • While the sea is closed, pick a hotel with a big pool rather than coming for the beach.
  • Book taxis via Careem: same official cabs, but you see the fare upfront.
  • Jebel Jais is on the other side of the emirate — doing both takes a full day.
  • New Year's Eve brings fireworks over the islands — book a hotel for those dates well ahead.

Questions

Can you swim at Al Marjan Island right now?

No. Ras Al Khaimah has closed all beaches in the emirate until further notice, hotel beaches on the island included. Hotel pools are open.

Is Al Marjan Island free to visit?

Yes. It's an open district with public roads and a promenade. You pay only for hotel day passes, restaurants and activities.

How do I get to Al Marjan Island from Dubai?

Fastest by taxi or car — about an hour without traffic. Cheaper: RAKTA intercity bus to Ras Al Khaimah, then a 20-minute taxi.

Is there a bus to Al Marjan Island?

No city bus serves the island. Take a Hala RAKTA taxi booked through Careem or the Sayr app; they all accept cards.

When will Wynn Al Marjan Island open?

Wynn Resorts has announced a September 2027 opening. No exact date has been given.

Is there a casino on Al Marjan Island?

Not yet. The UAE's first casino will be inside Wynn Al Marjan Island, which is still under construction.

Is Al Marjan Island worth visiting?

Worth it for a sunset walk if you're in Ras Al Khaimah, or as a resort base. Not worth a day trip from Dubai while the beaches are closed.

How long do you need at Al Marjan Island?

1.5–2 hours for the promenade and sunset; a full day if you book a hotel day pass.

Is Al Marjan Island man-made?

Yes — it's a reclaimed archipelago of four islands, Breeze, Treasure, Dream and View, reaching 4.5 km into the Gulf.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Khaleej Times and Al-Monitor (Reuters): Ras Al Khaimah closes all beaches until further notice, 24–25.10.2026
  • Gulf News: full list of beach closures in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain, updated 28.10.2026
  • Gulf News and iGaming Business: Wynn Resorts on the Wynn Al Marjan Island opening, 05.08.2026
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Al Marjan Island; Wikidata Q4704385
  • Visit Ras Al Khaimah (the emirate's tourism board): Al Marjan Island, beaches, buses and taxis
  • Marjan (master developer); Property Finder area guide
  • Gulf News and RAKTA: card payment in all Ras Al Khaimah taxis
  • OpenStreetMap and OSRM: distances and driving times, 03.11.2026
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 03.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThe beach closure is checked against Khaleej Times, Al-Monitor and Gulf News; the emirate gave no reason, while the UAE environment ministry confirmed the oil spill off Umm Al Quwain. We found no reopening announcement. The Wynn date comes from Wynn Resorts' own results. Sources disagree on when construction began, so we leave it out. Distances are our own OpenStreetMap calculation; we don't repeat the marketing claim of “45 minutes from Dubai”. Hotels change day-pass prices often, so we don't quote them.

Top YesGo picks: Ras Al Khaimah

Al Qawasim Corniche

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

1 h · Free

National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah

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1 h 15 min · AED 5, children 5–13 AED 2

Al Falayah Fort

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

30 min · Free, confirm access by phone

Sheba's Palace

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45 min · Free, book 3 weeks ahead

Dhayah Fort

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

45 min · Free

Jebel Jais

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

3 h · Free to drive up; rides cost extra

Ras Al Khaimah mangroves

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

2 h · ≈ AED 100–180, unofficial

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