What's on in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates through the year

Peak crowds — New Year's Eve fireworks, Winter break in United Arab Emirates

• Holiday

  Ramadan

  18 Feb – 19 MarClosures

  Beach hotels serve as normal behind screens, but live music stops, public eating during the day does not happen, and the mountain roads are quiet until sunset. Source ↗

Still on: Jebel Jais outdoor season (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually)), New Year's Eve fireworks (31 Dec – 1 Jan)

Busy — Ramadan, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Ramadan (18 Feb – 19 Mar), Jebel Jais outdoor season (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr

• Holiday

  Eid al-Fitr

  20–23 MarRamadan & EidCrowdedBook early

  Dubai empties north for the long weekend and the beach resorts sell out at their highest rates of the spring. The Jebel Jais road queues from mid-afternoon. Source ↗

Still on: Ramadan (18 Feb – 19 Mar), Jebel Jais outdoor season (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))

Busy — Spring break in United Arab Emirates, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Sea warm enough to swim

  1 Apr – 30 Nov · usually

  The Gulf is swimmable from spring and by August it is closer to a warm bath than a cool one. Winter needs a little resolve for the first minute and nothing after that.

Still on: Eid al-Fitr (20–23 Mar), Jebel Jais outdoor season (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  Outdoor season closed

  1 Jun – 20 Sep · usuallyExtreme heatClosures

  Humidity on the coast, no wind on the mountain, and the whole emirate moving between cooled rooms. Hotel rates fall to their annual low, which is the argument for it.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually))

Busy — Summer break in United Arab Emirates, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually)), Outdoor season closed (1 Jun – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Summer break in United Arab Emirates, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually)), Outdoor season closed (1 Jun – 20 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually)), Outdoor season closed (1 Jun – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Autumn mid-term break in United Arab Emirates, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Opening

  Jebel Jais outdoor season

  15 Oct – 15 Apr · usuallyTrail seasonBook early

  Trails, the via ferrata and the zip line all run through the cool half of the year, and the summit road is several degrees cooler than the coast. Weekends book out. Source ↗

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually))

Busy — one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (1 Apr – 30 Nov (usually)), Jebel Jais outdoor season (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — New Year's Eve fireworks, Winter break in United Arab Emirates

• Festival

  New Year's Eve fireworks

  31 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

  The emirate spends the last night of the year setting records off Al Marjan Island, and the beachfront hotels sell the view months ahead. The causeway traffic afterwards is the catch. Source ↗

Still on: Jebel Jais outdoor season (15 Oct – 15 Apr (usually))