Geographical location
Just a few years ago Ras Al Khaimah was little more than an unknown piece of earth northeast of the glittering metropolis Dubai, but the fantastic climate and the immeasurable boom of the entire United Arab Emirates ensured a meteoric rise here too.
Today Ras Al Khaimah is a new trend destination and inspires with its beautiful beaches and high-class hotel resorts, which are usually much cheaper than Dubai and Abu Dhabi and often have all-inclusive offers.
Abbreviated as RAK by abbreviationfinder, Ras Al Khaimah is only around 60 minutes’ drive from the international airport in Dubai, but more and more holidaymakers are landing directly (e.g. with charter flights from SunExpress) at the airport of Ras al-Khaimah. Around 280,000 people live in the emirate, which was the last of the seven UAE members to join in 1972.
The city center is characterized by low buildings in traditional style, the sources of the neighboring Hajar Mountains make the region comparatively fertile. Numerous construction projects are being built along the coast, from high-class holiday hotels to modern residential complexes. In addition to Al Marjan Island and the nearby Al Hamra Village, these include the major projects Mina Al Arab and Rakeen.
Climate in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE)
Ras Al Khaimah impresses with a year-round warm (sub) tropical climate with quite high humidity and extremely hot temperatures in summer. Basically, it can be said that the weather in Ras Al Khaimah and the entire Emirates offers a guarantee of sun almost every day of the year. Brief rain showers only occur in exceptional cases; you have the greatest chance of this rare spectacle in February and March.
But please don’t get us wrong: We are talking about a region that is considered to be extremely dry and in which there is not even a ten-minute drizzle from May to October. Ras Al Khaimah is pleasantly mild in winter, in November temperatures reach over 30 ° C during the day. From December to mid-March, the thermometer fluctuates between 13 and 15 degrees at night, and around 25 to 29 degrees at lunchtime. Since the water temperatures in the Gulf never drop below 23 degrees, there is bathing weather in Ras Al Khaimah all year round.
Please note that summer in UAE is considered an absolute low season as it runs from mid-May to mid- September every day values of well over 40 degrees in the shade are completely normal. This extreme heat can be particularly dangerous if you are physically weak or if you are not drinking enough fluids. But especially at this time, there are wonderful savings offers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Co – so a closer look is definitely worth it!
When to go to Ras Al Khaimah?
As described, the weather in summer reaches temperatures that are otherwise only found in the desert. All hotels, shopping centers and attractions (including in Dubai, of course) are air-conditioned, but the focus during this time is clearly on “doing nothing” at the pool and beach. The enormous heat and high humidity really leaves no room for great activity.
A little tip: the further away you are from the coast, the drier (and therefore more pleasant) the air becomes – especially luxurious desert resorts like the Banyan Tree Al Wadi are therefore particularly popular in summer.
In our experience, the best travel time for Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) is from the end of October to mid- April, with November, December and March being our favorites. Nevertheless, the region on the Arabian Gulf is a real year-round destination with the small restrictions mentioned! Despite the enormous heat, the summer holidays are also very popular as a travel time.
Temperatures, precipitation
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 25 ° C | 26 ° C | 30 ° C | 35 ° C | 39 ° C | 42 ° C | 43 ° C | 42 ° C | 40 ° C | 37 ° C | 31 ° C | 27 ° C |
| Night temperature | 12 ° C | 13 ° C | 16 ° C | 19 ° C | 23 ° C | 26 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 25 ° C | 21 ° C | 17 ° C | 14 ° C |
| Water temperature | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 26 ° C | 29 ° C | 32 ° C | 33 ° C | 33 ° C | 33 ° C | 31 ° C | 29 ° C | 26 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 13 | 36 | 35 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 17 |
| Rainy days | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sunrise | 7:05 | 6:50 | 6:25 | 5:55 | 5:30 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:50 | 6:00 | 6:15 | 6:35 | 6:55 |
| Sunset | 17:45 | 18:10 | 18:25 | 18:40 | 18:55 | 19:10 | 19:10 | 18:55 | 18:20 | 17:50 | 17:30 | 17:25 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature is 27.3 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (35.6 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 18.3 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 33 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 132 mm on 14 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Sharjah and Ajman.
Sights and highlights
Ras Al Khaimah is clearly the focus of the classic package tour, vacationers of all ages from singles to couples to families appreciate the luxurious hotel complexes on the beach and spend unforgettable holidays in the emirate. Nevertheless, there is of course a lot to discover in the area:
Most hotels have their own water sports centers, and golfers get their money’s worth in the Al Hamra club. An early morning visit to the Al Sawan Camel Track, where traditional camel races take place far away from mass tourism, is highly recommended.
Meanwhile, the Ras Al Khaimah zoo doesn’t exactly shine with species-appropriate husbandry and is therefore not recommended by us. Instead, enjoy the view from Dhayah Fort or learn more about the history of the Emirates at the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum. In any case, you should also consider a day trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi:
At least at the moment, the sights, malls and attractions in the “small” Ras Al Khaimah are no comparison to their big brothers. And yet it is the ideal starting point for your vacation, as you will find the right amount of rest, relaxation and enjoyment here!
The national territory of the United Arab Emirates includes Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi as well as the somewhat lesser-known emirates Fujairah (Fujairah), Umm al-Qaiwain, Ajman (Ajman) and Sharjah (Sharjah). The federation, called “UAE” for short, borders on Oman and Saudi Arabia, the capital of the Emirates is Abu Dhabi.
Ras Al Khaimah weather in March, April and May
Average daily temperatures between 30 ° C and 39 ° C can be expected over the next three months. In Ras Al Khaimah, it gets warmest in May, while March is noticeably cooler.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 24-29 ° C. This is great weather for a great time on the beach and in the water.
You can expect about 5 days of precipitation in March, about one day in April and about 0 days in May.
