Located in the South of Ras Al Khaimah, the Red Island AKA Al Jazirah Al Hamra. This is a ghost village that links to the coast. Abandoned about half a century ago, the walls here remain intact. Giving a glimpse of the town that belongs to a different era, here’s all you need to know about the last remaining intact pearling village in the UAE.
Al Jazirah Al Hamra Is The Last Remaining Intact Pearling Village
Once the home of the Za’ab tribe, people here made a living from the sea. In fact, more than 2,000 people lived here during the early 20th century. The people here tended to fleets of pearling boats, farmed, and even herded sheep and cattle. This town was divided into two quarters, with mosques, watchtowers and a market street binding them all together. However, the end came swiftly when, by the late 1960s, the pearling economy collapsed. Oil industries started to draw more people towards new jobs and gradually, by 1971, the town grew empty.
Visitors Get To Step Into The Past
Today it is one of the most well-preserved pearling villages in the UAE. As visitors get to step into the past and experience the legacy of the UAE, they get to explore historic alleyways, traditional courtyards, houses and a magnificent fort. In fact, Al Jazirah Al Hamra translates to Red Island in English. Nestled between the mountains, this is the last remaining intact Emirati pearling village. The immediate surroundings have been occupied since Neolithic times.
A Village Frozen In Time
With the village perfectly intact and frozen in time, you will find walls that are leaning but still standing. The courtyards are wide enough to hold extended families, and alleys are narrow. An open-air archive, conservation works have stabilised parts of it. A part of heritage attraction in Ras Al Khaimah, it comes alive once a year, setting the stage for the Ras al Khaimah Art Festival.
In fact, the reputation as a ghost village shrouds it with an aura of mystery. So, if you also wish to experience this age-old village, you will want to sign up for heritage tours that are guided by trained volunteers. You get to walk through the same pathways that were once walked by by traders and divers.
So, make sure you check if the bookings are open currently before you decide to visit this landmark location.
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