# Al Jazirat Al Hamra ghost town, Ras Al Khaimah > Al Jazirat Al Hamra is an abandoned coral-stone pearling town 20 km south-west of Ras Al Khaimah’s old town — fort, wind-tower houses, ruined mosques. Entry is free and an hour is enough. The restored area opens Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–6 pm, closed Mondays. Come in daylight: there’s no lighting or staff among the ruins. Web page: https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/jazirat-al-hamra - City: [Ras Al Khaimah](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah), United Arab Emirates - YesGo score: 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; some guided tours and events may charge - Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–6 pm - Closed: Mondays - Conflicting hours: Visit Ras Al Khaimah calls it open-access and suggests 8 am–6 pm; a Khaleej Times piece gave 9 am–5 pm - Guided tour: Volunteer guides, 1–2 hours, book on the heritage village website; price not listed - Time needed: ≈ 1 hour; up to 2 with a tour - Location: Just off the E11, near Al Hamra Mall, ≈ 20 km south-west of the old town - Getting there: Taxi from the old town ≈ 20 min; parking at the entrance - Shade and water: Very little shade and no café on site — bring water and a hat - Heritage village phone: +971 7 236 8797, +971 56 548 6909 - Nearby beaches: All Ras Al Khaimah beaches are closed until further notice — no swimming - Coordinates: 25.70953, 55.79610 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Free** — entry to the village; only some tours and events are paid (source: Visit Ras Al Khaimah; Khaleej Times) - **1968–1971** — the residents left, most of them for Abu Dhabi (source: RAK Department of Antiquities and Museums (RAK Heritage); English Wikipedia (1968); heritage village website (1969 to the early 1970s)) - **≈ 500 houses** — stood here by the early 20th century (source: RAK Heritage; English Wikipedia; heritage village website; Khaleej Times) - **Late 1500s–1600s** — founded by the Za’ab (Al Zaabi) tribe (source: English Wikipedia and heritage village website (late 16th century); The National and Khaleej Times (17th century)) - **2,500–3,000** — people lived here in the early 20th century (source: heritage village website; English Wikipedia (≈ 2,500)) - **Coral stone** — and fossilised beach rock — the main material of houses, mosques and the fort (source: RAK Heritage; The National; Khaleej Times) - **“Red Island”** — the meaning of the name: the town stood on a tidal island of reddish sand (source: English Wikipedia; The National; heritage village website) - **UNESCO Tentative List** — as “the pearl trading town of Jazirat Al-Hamra”, since 2020 (source: English Wikipedia; The National) - **1820** — Sheikh Rajib bin Ahmed Al Zaabi signed the treaty with Britain alongside the coast’s rulers (source: RAK Heritage; English Wikipedia) - **20 domes** — on an old mosque found by archaeologists and matched to an 1820s British map (source: RAK Heritage; The National) - **Bait Abdul Kareem** — the merchant’s house with wind towers — the town’s best-known building (source: The National; heritage village website; RAK Heritage) - **Art festival** — the annual Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival fills the restored houses and fort (source: English Wikipedia; Visit Ras Al Khaimah) ## Is Al Jazirat Al Hamra worth visiting? Yes, if you’re curious about life in the Emirates before oil. Al Jazirat Al Hamra is the rare Gulf pearling town that was never bulldozed: coral-stone courtyard houses, a fort, a souq and mosque ruins, left almost as they were when people moved out in 1968–1971. It’s free, quiet and very photogenic. It’s less rewarding if you’re short on time and came for beaches and skyscrapers — then make it a 30-minute stop on the way to [Al Marjan Island](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island). Summer is the real catch: with almost no shade, a midday walk in July is miserable. From November to March it’s a pleasant hour. ## Opening hours and entry fee Entry to Al Jazirat Al Hamra is **free**. The heritage village website lists **Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–6 pm**, closed Mondays. Visit Ras Al Khaimah describes the site as open-access, suggests coming between 8 am and 6 pm, and asks visitors not to stay after dark. In practice the restored area — fort and courtyard houses — keeps the heritage village hours, while the surrounding ruins can be walked freely in daylight. If you’re making a special trip, call ahead: **+971 7 236 8797** or **+971 56 548 6909**. You don’t need cash for the gate. Money matters only for the taxi, water and some festival events. Taxis booked through Careem or the RAKTA Sayr app take cards, so you can manage without dirhams in cash. > **Daylight only — and stay out of the ruins** The site is unmanned and unlit. Visit Ras Al Khaimah asks visitors not to climb walls or enter crumbling houses, which may be unstable, and not to remove anything from the protected site. Summer temperatures pass 40 °C with almost no shade: come early or a couple of hours before sunset, with water and a hat. ## How to get to Al Jazirat Al Hamra 1. From Ras Al Khaimah’s old town and the [National Museum](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/ras-al-khaimah-national-museum), take a taxi: **≈ 20 km south-west on the E11, about 20 minutes** without traffic. Book through Careem or the Sayr app — both call official metered RAKTA taxis, card or cash. 2. Ask for “Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village” or “the ghost village near Al Hamra Mall”. It’s just off the E11, and there are signs and parking at the entrance. 3. A RAKTA city bus does serve the area, but only every 1–1.5 hours (unofficial), so a taxi is far easier for visitors. 4. From Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RKT): ≈ 31 km, about 30 minutes by taxi. 5. From Dubai: the RAKTA intercity bus from Union metro station to Ras Al Khaimah’s bus station, then a taxi — or drive or taxi straight up the E311 and E11, about 1–1.5 hours. The village is on the Dubai side of the city, so there’s no need to go into the old town first. 6. Book your ride back before you finish — there are rarely free taxis waiting at the ruins. ## Why was Al Jazirat Al Hamra abandoned? The town lived on pearls. Founded by the **Za’ab** tribe in the late 1500s or 1600s on a tidal island — hence “Red Island” — it had about 500 houses and 2,500–3,000 people by the early 20th century, with pearling boats, fishing, trade and date groves. The pearl market collapsed in the 1920s, and after oil was found the jobs moved to the growing cities. Between 1968 and 1971 most families relocated, largely to Abu Dhabi, after the move was offered to them. The empty town survived because nobody redeveloped it — which is exactly what makes it valuable now. Since 2020 it has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List. ## Is Al Jazirat Al Hamra haunted? Only in folklore. Like many empty places in the Emirates, the town has stories of djinn — spirits from Arabian tradition — and the “ghost town” nickname comes from decades of deserted lanes, not from any event. Film crews have used it as a location for the same reason. Former residents and their families still return for gatherings and have shared old photos to guide the restoration. Treat it as a place of memory: enjoy the eerie quiet, but keep it respectful. ## What to see - **The fort** — a round watchtower and fortifications that guarded the way onto the island; one of the first buildings restored and now an events venue. - **Bait Abdul Kareem** — a large merchant’s house with wind towers (barjeel) that cooled the rooms long before air conditioning. - **Bin Dulum House** — a pearling captain’s compound with two winter houses and a summer house. - **The souq** — once a few metres from the shore, where camel and donkey caravans loaded goods for the interior. - **The Large Friday Mosque** — excavated remains of the town’s biggest religious building. - **Six restored courtyard houses** behind the fort, showing summer and winter rooms around a yard. - The ruined lanes beyond — the reason photographers come. Look from the street; don’t go inside. ## Guided tours You can explore on your own, but a guide makes the empty houses make sense. The heritage village runs **1–2 hour tours with trained volunteer guides**, with the route agreed with you; book on its website, where no price is listed, so ask when booking. Without a car, a full-day Ras Al Khaimah tour is the easy option — most combine the ghost town with a pearl farm, Dhayah Fort and the red dunes, and you won’t have to hunt for a taxi back. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It’s not Monday — the restored area is closed - [ ] Arriving in daylight, ideally morning or 2 hours before sunset - [ ] Water, hat and sunscreen - [ ] Closed shoes — sand and rubble underfoot - [ ] Careem or Sayr installed for the ride back - [ ] Kids kept close: uneven ground and crumbling walls ## Historic sites in Ras Al Khaimah compared Forts, museums and old quarters in Ras Al Khaimah rated by YesGo. - [National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/ras-al-khaimah-national-museum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · AED 5, children 5–13 AED 2 - [Al Falayah Fort](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/al-falayah-fort) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, confirm access by phone - [Sheba's Palace](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/shebas-palace) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free, book 3 weeks ahead - [Al Jazirat Al Hamra ghost town](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/jazirat-al-hamra) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Dhayah Fort](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/dhayah-fort) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Suwaidi Pearls farm](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/suwaidi-pearls) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ AED 250 (unofficial) ## Old town, ghost town and the islands in a day Morning at the museum in the old fort, midday in the empty pearling town, evening on the Al Marjan waterfront. 1. [National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/ras-al-khaimah-national-museum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · AED 5, children 5–13 AED 2 2. [Al Jazirat Al Hamra ghost town](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/jazirat-al-hamra) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Al Marjan Island](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free; beaches closed > **Pair it with Al Marjan Island** Al Marjan Island is ≈ 12 km away, about 15 minutes by taxi. Do the ruins in the morning before the heat, then the waterfront and sunset. Don’t plan a swim: all Ras Al Khaimah beaches are closed until further notice, and the emirate will announce any reopening. ## Not to be confused with Al Jazirah Al Hamra is also the name of the modern district around the old town, and Al Hamra Village is a separate golf resort. Many online photos labelled “Jazirat Al Hamra, Umm Al Quwain” are mistitled. This page is about the old pearling town off the E11 in Ras Al Khaimah. ## Tips - Best light is early morning and the last 60–90 minutes before sunset; midday is flat and very hot. - Go between November and March — in summer even a morning walk with no shade is hard work. - The Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival takes over the restored houses in winter, with exhibitions and evening events. - Start at the fort and the restored courtyards, then wander into the ruins — you’ll read the broken houses better. - Cover shoulders and knees — good for the sun and respectful of the place. - No car? A day tour of the emirate almost always includes the ghost town. ## Questions ### Where is the Ras Al Khaimah ghost town? Just off the E11, about 20 km south-west of Ras Al Khaimah’s old town, near Al Hamra Mall. From Dubai it’s roughly 1–1.5 hours by car. ### How do I get to Al Jazirat Al Hamra? By taxi: about 20 minutes from the old town or 30 from RKT airport. From Dubai, take the RAKTA bus from Union station to Ras Al Khaimah, then a taxi — or drive straight there. ### Is there an entry fee? No, entry is free. Only some guided tours and festival events may charge. ### What are the opening hours? The restored heritage area opens Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–6 pm, and is closed on Mondays. The ruins around it are open-access but should only be visited in daylight. ### Why was Al Jazirat Al Hamra abandoned? The pearl trade collapsed in the 1920s, oil brought jobs to the cities, and between 1968 and 1971 most families moved away, largely to Abu Dhabi. ### Is Al Jazirat Al Hamra haunted? Only in local folklore about djinn. The “ghost town” name comes from its empty lanes, not from any event. ### How long do you need there? About an hour for the fort, courtyards and lanes; up to two with a volunteer-guided tour. ### Can you go inside the houses? Only the restored buildings when they’re open. Don’t enter or climb the ruined houses — the walls can be unstable. ### Is it good for kids? Yes, with supervision: the ground is uneven and walls crumble. Avoid summer middays with children — it’s too hot. ### When is the best time to visit? November to March, in the morning or before sunset. In winter the Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival brings exhibitions to the restored houses. ## How we checked Hours, the Monday closure and tours come from the official heritage village website; free entry from Visit Ras Al Khaimah. Visit Ras Al Khaimah calls the site open-access and suggests 8 am–6 pm, and a 2025 Khaleej Times piece gave 9 am–5 pm — we show the heritage village hours and flag the conflict. Sources differ on when residents left (1968 in Wikipedia, 1968–1971 from the Department of Antiquities, 1969 to the early 1970s on the village website) and on the founding (late 16th or 17th century), so we give ranges. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. The UNESCO page wouldn’t load from our server; the Tentative List details come from The National and Wikipedia. Drive times are OSRM estimates without traffic; city bus frequency is unofficial. Djinn stories are presented as folklore. ## Sources - Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village — official website: hours, tours, history, buildings, phone numbers, 03.11.2026 - Visit Ras Al Khaimah — attraction page and FAQ (entry, rules, access), taxi guide - RAK Department of Antiquities and Museums (RAK Heritage) — Al Jazeera Al Hamra - English Wikipedia: Al Jazirah Al Hamra; Wikidata Q4704143 - The National, 2020 — “The UAE’s Pompeii”, the UNESCO Tentative List and the watchtower restoration - Khaleej Times, 08.01.2025 — restoration and visitor information - Aletihad, 30.03.2026 — the heritage village welcoming visitors - RAKTA and Dubizzle — intercity and city buses (bus frequency unofficial) - Ras Al Khaimah Public Services Department and Police (via Khaleej Times and Gulf News) — beach closure - OpenStreetMap and OSRM — distances and drive times --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.