Best places to celebrate your birthday in Ras Al Khaimah

Celebrating your birthday is celebrating your life, and it’s important to be surrounded by all the people you love! Ras Al Khaimah is the perfect destination to rejoice in your being with your friends and family. Whether you are a resident of the glorious northernmost emirate or are visiting on holiday, Ras Al Khaimah has all sorts of bucketlist activities and dining experiences for you to try on your birthday, from pearl fishing to completing the longest zipline in the world, pampering, lunch in the mountains or dinner in the desert. There is something for everyone’s schedule and budget in Ras Al Khaimah.

The Rainforest

A one-of-a-kind experience in the Middle East, The Rainforest at the Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert is pure bliss! Explore all 16 water stations as you weave through a carefully considered sequence of hydrothermal experiences. There are affusion showers, aroma steam, the brine cavern, a hammam, an ice igloo, a rain walk, and sole therapy for you to explore. The journey ends with gentle stretches and relaxation on the comfortable lounge beds and the use of the indoor vitality pool. Powerful acupressure massage water jets treat stress, release tense muscles, and improve circulation. Continue the pampering experience by choosing one of the heavenly treatments available in the spa. Why not choose a complete day-long wellness journey and have a mindful yoga session, traditional bamboo massage, a natural resilience facial, the rainforest experience and lunch in Kaheela restaurant?

The Rainforest, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert

[email protected], https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/uae/al-wadi-desert/spa/the-rainforest

Take to the skies over Ras Al Khaimah

Al Jazirah Aviation Club is on the outskirts of Al Hamra Village. Jump on board a two-seater plane or gyrocopter and fly over the terracotta dunes synonymous with Ras Al Khaimah. Imagine seeing the formidable landscapes, the Arabian Gulf, the artificial Al Marjan islands, endless beaches, bustling ports, flamingo-filled mangroves and the spectacular towering Jebel Jais Mountains from the sky. What a birthday treat! If you get the flying bug, why not become a club member, complete your ground school training and dual flight lessons, complete your first solo flight, and receive your light sport aircraft flight permit and regularly fly the skies over Ras Al Khaimah?

Al Jazirah Aviation Club, [email protected], http://www.jazirahaviationclub.com/

Experience the longest zipline in the world

Jais Flight, the longest zipline adventure in the world, is located in the cloud-piercing Jebel Jais mountains in Ras Al Khaimah. If you are a thrill-seeker, you will enjoy the adrenaline-fueled experience that takes you at knee-trembling speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour for almost three hair-raising minutes through jagged peaks, across deep ravines and canyons that lie 1680 metres above sea level. Ras Al Khaimah has quickly become the international hub for adrenaline sports. There is no better place to start than the mountains that are thought to date back 70 million years. The spectacular pinnacles make a perfect backdrop for adventure-seeking thrills. The Guinness World Records has acknowledged that the Jais Flight is indeed the longest in the world, superseding Puerto Rico’s “El Monstruo” by over 60 metres. The Jais Flight is likened to the remarkable trajectory of a hungry hunting falcon. Don your spider-man style suit and have an exhilarating flight that you’ll remember forever.

Jais Flight, Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 50 265 6224, [email protected], https://visitjebeljais.com/adrenaline/jais-flight/

Kayak through the Ras Al Khaimah mangroves

Kayak with knowledgeable guides who will share the importance of mangroves within Ras Al Khaimah’s coastal system. The mangroves are the perfect home to pastel pink flamingoes who spend their busy days feasting on fresh shrimp, plankton, algae and crustaceans. The mangroves are also home to the western reef heron, the Kalba collared kingfisher and the greater spotted eagle. You’ll encounter a variety of terrestrial and marine life while you paddle through the mangroves. The diversity of life within the Ras Al Khaimah mangroves is astonishing. The mangroves are peaceful, and there is no better way to explore the salt-loving mangrove vegetation than aboard a kayak or paddleboard. Most of the mangrove forest is around the Ras Al Khaimah Corniche in the heart of the city. Various guided tours depart from the corniche so you can journey through the rare and glorious beauty of these ancient ecosystems with the backdrop of the city behind you.

Challenging Adventure, [email protected], https://www.challengingadventure.com/

Pearl fishing

Visit Suwaidi Pearl Farm and embark on a historically fascinating journey aboard a traditional pearl fishing boat. From the original fishing village in Al Rams, your tour will begin as your guide explains the importance of the shallow bay and its protective mangroves. Your guide will impart courageous stories of the fishermen, the diving techniques they once practised and explore the tools they used from the trader’s box ‘bish-takh-tah’. Even today, pearl fishing is revered as one of the UAE’s most treasured traditions. Entire communities of men would once dive for exotic pearls. Historically, turtle shell nose clips were used whilst diving; they plugged their ears with wax and consumed endless coffee and sweet dates before each dive. Current day Suwaidi Pearl Farm is in the northernmost neighbourhood of Ras Al Khaimah. Al Rams village life has mostly stayed the same over the centuries. The wives of the pearl fishermen still welcome home their beloved husbands, brothers and sons with musk, saffron and amber offerings. You can occasionally hear the chants and songs of seafaring journeys and stories of old as you wander through the narrow streets. The pearl farm is spectacularly located at the foothills of the formidable Jebel Jais mountains.

Suwaidi Pearl Farm, Al Rams, Ras al Khaimah +971 50 773 6086

[email protected], http://suwaidipearls.ae/

Alfresco dining under the stars

If you want to experience the traditional Bedouin way of daily desert life in the emirate’s most authentic camp, Bedouin Oasis is in the heart of the towering sand dunes and Ras Al Khaimah’s glorious rural landscape. Time-honoured goat hair tents form unique entertainment areas with comfy oversized cushions and plush Arabian rugs set around a roaring campfire. Dine on delicious Arabic side dishes and warm, freshly made bread to give you an authentic taste of Bedouin living. Feast on food from a delicious barbeque and an underground oven. Traditional dishes include slow-cooked whole mutton cooked in a zarb covered with sand, an ancient cooking style. The camps replicate typical Bedouin villages where you can experience a nomadic existence. Watch in awe the lythe movements of the belly and tanoura dancers under twinkling stars and a crackling campfire. Enjoy 1001 Arabian Nights at Bedouin Oasis Desert Camp to experience life as a Bedouin.

Bedouin Oasis Desert Camp, +971 55 228 4984, [email protected]

Lavish dining in a New York-inspired steak house

Head to Ras Al Khaimah’s iconic Waldorf Astoria to dine in its lavish steakhouse, Lexington Grill. The authentic New York-inspired restaurant serves impressive cocktails at the Long Bar, expansive outdoor terraces and in the elegant interiors. Pop in early and take advantage of their happy hour between 5 pm and 8 pm. Enjoy delicious dishes, including freshly shucked local oysters from Dibba Bay with lemon, mignonette and tabasco or the quintessential Waldorf Salad with apple, celery, truffle mayonnaise, grapes and walnuts. The Lexington in-house dry-aged prime US Angus is a must-try in this multi-award-winning restaurant, best served with classic potato puree and creamed spinach. The resident sommelier will help you pair a fine wine from the 350 labels in the temperature-controlled cellar. Lexington Grill is the only restaurant in the Middle East to have an in-house dry-ageing process.

Lexington Grill & Bar, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, [email protected]

An afternoon tea to remember

Dress up in your Sunday best and head to Camelia to enjoy the multi-award-winning Waldorf Astoria afternoon tea with a range of savoury bites and deliciously sweet treats. Camelia is an elegant tea lounge and bar, home to an expert tea sommelier who will guide you through over 150 of TWG’s finest loose teas. Afternoon tea is a fancy affair with elegant sandwiches, bite-sized cakes, scones, jam and lashings of cream served with piping hot tea or crisp cold bubbles. Camelia is a peaceful lounge on the lobby level with striking art and deep plum furnishings. Its extensive terrace has shaded areas and views over the hotel’s beautifully manicured gardens, swimming pools and the Arabian Gulf. Enjoy trying various teas, including the King of Indian teas, the Royal Darjeeling 38, the White House 62, a lovely white tea with fruits and fragrant roses and Chocolate Earl Gray 45 with hints of bergamot and pure dark chocolate.

Camelia, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, +971 54 998 9514, [email protected]

Mountaintop dining

With one of the most impressive views in the United Arab Emirates, 1484 by Puro is the highest restaurant with an inimitable combination of a breathtaking location, sleek modern design and world-class international cuisine combinations; you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner to remember. The panorama of the Jebel Jais mountains is extraordinary, dine with views across the cloud-piercing mountains peppered with small abandoned shepherd huts, sleepy tribal villages and otherworldly moon-like landscapes. Modern interiors, retro-inspired furniture, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to spectacular views set the centre stage for a memorable dining experience. The refreshing menu has a comprehensive, perfectly curated collection of your favourite world dishes, including breakfast staples such as stacks of pancakes with mixed berries, chantilly cream and maple syrup. The all-day menu has a range of light snacks, including crispy zucchini fries served with lemon chilli aioli, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Oyster lovers can choose from the UAE salt-water bivalve molluscs.

1484 by Puro, Jebel Jais, +971 4815 7333, [email protected], https://puro.ae/1484-by-puro/

New York dining vibes

Trendy New York street vibes have come to Ras Al Khaimah’s Intercontinental in Mina Al Arab. Houston Street is the central east-to-west thoroughfare in Lower Manhattan; it’s divided into east and west sections by the world-famed Broadway. ‘North of Houston Street’, otherwise known as NoHo is a bright and bustling neighbourhood in New York. NoHo Mina Al Arab is an artistic bar and grill with a family atmosphere throughout the day that transforms into an edgy hub as day turns to night. NoHo bar and grill has delicious gastro-pub offerings paired with its fine collection of craft beers, thoughtfully selected wines and in-house barrel-aged cocktails. Try the duo of beef sliders, mini cheeseburgers with onion jam, and guacamole topped with brie and cheddar paired with Heineken or the delicious crab ‘n’ crack, jumbo lump crab, crunchy short grain rice, kimchi slaw paired with Anchor Steam beer. The bar is perfect for sharing platters and boasts the latest mixology techniques, exciting cocktails and captivating late-night live entertainment.

NoHo Bar and Grill, InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa, +971 7 202 6666, [email protected]