From the desert oasis to the highest zipline in the world
A trip to the UAE always has a few surprises in store.
Dubai has once again outdone itself in terms of architecture, as shown by a recently opened building called the "Dubai Frame", which is already being celebrated as the "largest picture frame in the world" made entirely of gold and steel. But the neighboring emirate of Ras al Khamah also has plenty of new things to offer. Apart from the new luxury hotels and a championship golf course that hosts the European Open, the emirate also boasts the world's highest zipline. This has resulted in an entry in the Guinness Book of Records, a run of visitors from Dubai and, last but not least, the hoped-for upturn in tourism.
Where is Ras al Khaimah, please?
The answer is: only around an hour away from Dubai. And yet you enter a completely different world. Nothing here is reminiscent of the gigantism of the glittering city and life for the 250,000 or so inhabitants is still tranquil and oriental, with no hectic pace or business plan. No sky-high towers and skyscrapers disturb the idyll of the 1700 square kilometer emirate, which borders Oman to the south. Shimmering reddish mountains and the azure blue sea on the Persian Gulf paint a tranquil picture. Thanks to its mountain springs and the fertile Digdagga oasis around 18 kilometers away, Ras Al - Khaimah is in the fortunate position of being able to supply all the emirates and other sheikdoms with vegetables, fruit, milk and dairy products. Hence the name "granary of the UAE". The desert state also offers a remarkable range of experiences, from 64 kilometers of beaches and terracotta-colored sand dunes in the desert to a 1,930-meter-high mountain range. In addition, there is a rich culture with 7,000 years of history and numerous archaeological sites. The city itself, which is divided by the river "Al-Khor" into the new "Nakheel" and old part "Old Town", looks back on a long seafaring tradition, which can still be seen in the historic harbor and the dhow shipyard. Somehow time seems to have stood still here and anyone looking for attractive fashion stores or jewelry stores will be bitterly disappointed. If it weren't for the pearl farm in the small harbor town of Al Rams north of the capital, which we are taken to by boat. After 70 years of standstill, an Arab-Japanese pearl farm has been established here and is now producing significant quantities of pearls again. Mohamed Al Suwaidi introduces us to his company: "Every year in January, we open 40,000 oysters. Eighty percent of the oysters contain pearls, 20 percent are dead or discarded. Of the 80 percent pearls, ten percent are top quality, 40 percent are medium quality, the rest are unusable for jewelry and are used for medical or cosmetic purposes." Starting at 50 euros. Not cheap for a pearl, but it's a real one.
Romance in the desert and adrenaline on the mountain.
The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah luxury resort is located in the middle of the 500-hectare Wadi Khadeja nature reserve. At first glance, it looks like a Bedouin village until you enter the luxurious lobby, from where you can access the individual villas. Here in the Al Wadi Desert it is so quiet and tranquil that you feel like you are alone. The spacious oriental-style villa with its huge bathroom, opulent bedroom and private pool overlooking the sand dunes and evergreen Ghaf trees conveys this feeling. Of course, there is also plenty of wildlife to see here in the nature reserve - starting with gazelles, camels, falcons, buzzards, owls and even the oryx antelope, which sometimes even registers as a visitor. What can you do here, I ask myself and am offered a whole catalog of activities - from desert rides to jeep tours. I, on the other hand, am drawn to the mountains, where the highest zipline in the world beckons. Ziplining is normally understood to mean the transportation of people or goods via a zip wire with the help of a pulley or carabiner. In the past, this was a necessity in many countries, but today it is simply great fun for young and old alike - and very much to my taste.
From mountain to mountain at 150 km/h.
On the drive to the 1900-metre-high summit of Jabel Jais, the highest mountain in the Emirates, I can already see a rope stretched over the rocky abyss with little red dots whizzing by. I'll probably be there at 150 km/h, I think, and I feel a little queasy. Especially when we reach the highest point after an hour's drive. Here we are given an introduction with safety instructions and the "harness" for the flight, including helmet and gloves. Packed up and lashed down, we take the minibus up to the boarding platform. There's no turning back now. Like "Superman" in a red apron with your legs horizontal, you speed along the steel cable at 150 km/h to the other side of the mountain. After almost 3 long kilometers, which literally fly by, I am slowed down by the guides on a free-floating landing platform. No time for relaxation or euphoric small talk, because the next ride awaits: this time sitting comfortably in a harness on a platform opposite, where a "good-looking gay" brings me ashore and releases me from the harness. What comes out of it? A euphoria that lasts the whole day and the feeling that "nothing in the world can scare me now".
Sunset golf in Al Hamra.
A round of golf at sunset? No problem, because there are floodlights here and it's as bright as the morning hours. I'm excited about this championship course, which is hosting the European Challenge Tour for the second time from October 31 to November 3. This year, the tour final will be held here for the first time, with 45 players competing for a European Tour card. "The four-day Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge is the biggest sporting event in our emirate. It is a great honour for us to host the European Challenge Tour for the second time," says organizer Haitham Mattar.
And everything is being spruced up for the event - from the clubhouse to the pro store.
I get good clubs, a cart and lots of good wishes for the round. My first impression: Peter Harradine didn't make the par 72 course particularly difficult, although the large amount of water that forms a lagoon between the sand and the houses makes it a little scary to lose the ball at first. But this mix of water and desert is what makes the course so attractive. The fairways, which meander between them like a green ribbon, are also mostly wide and forgive a few slips. The four par-3 holes are definitely good for birdies. Only the 15th is longer than 160 meters. But the fast greens have it all! The "signature hole" for me is the 18th - an approximately 470-meter-long par-5 where you play along the lagoon directly towards the clubhouse. The green here is defended by three bunkers and, like all of them, is fast. Conclusion: a beautiful and well-maintained course that you should play despite the high green fee (170 euros). But some hotels have put together affordable packages - in al Hamra, directly on the golf course, the Waldorf Astoria, the al Hamra Beach Resort and the Beach Club of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. If you want to combine golf with the beach, the newly created "Marjan Island" district right by the sea is the place to be. The Double Tree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island offers five-star comfort and the finest vacation for the whole family. With five pools, its own beach, fitness and spa on the ninth floor of the hotel and seven bars and restaurants, including some with specialty cuisine, such as the Meze restaurant. The golf course is nine kilometers from here.
Info:
www.ritzcarlton.com/de/hotels/uae/al-wadi-desert
reise.hiltonhotels.de/hotels/doubletree-by-hilton-resort
www.rasalkhaimah.ae/
www.suwaidipearls.ae/book-online
www.raktda.com
jebeljais.ae/worlds-longest-zipline/
www.alhamragolf.com
