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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirat Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaima, UAE |
Ras Al Khaimah is one of the seven (7) emirates that sum up the country, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located in the north part of the country and is referred as the rebel emirate for it does not mind its burgeoning neighbors and seems like no plan of competing in terms of economic, infrastructure and etc development at all.
There are luxury hotels and resorts around the area with beautiful architecture but apart from those, you can never find high rise buildings. It is said that Ras Al Khaimah chose to preserve its history but developed enough to cater its people's needs.
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
Ras Alkhaimah is just a 2-hour bus ride away from Dubai (minus the traffic) where I decided to spend my 2-day chill time. What actually made me choose Ras Al Khaimah was the fascinating, intriguing and history-rich Al Jazirah Al Hamra or as they call it nowadays, the Ghost Town, and is located 5-10 minutes walk from the main road.
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
It is called the Ghost Town for its eerie ambiance but only for people with third eye or sixth sense maybe. I went there feeling nothing but amazement. I liked the solemnity of the place. I was amazed by the fact that these structures have stood and still standing against the test of time and I could sit there for hours just looking at the ruins. Upon wandering around, aside from my sighs, wows and ayes, my thoughts also wondered on how this community was, the life it held prior to the nothingness it is now.
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
Al Jazirah Al Hamra is Arabic phrase which means 'the red island'. According to a lot of sources, its first inhabitants were the Hadhr or also know as 'Coastal Bedouins' as it is located in coastal area of Ras Alkhaimah where their primary means of living was pearl farming/diving.
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
What fascinated me the most was how the houses were structured. Whole and giant corals were piled up along with stones and sands with sea shells and mud to hold them up to make their walls. Their roofs were made of dates/palms trees' trunks and bundles of leaves held together.
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
The last settlers were the Zaab Tribe; whom have dispute with the government hence abandoned the area and moved to Abu Dhabi; another UAE's emirate, carrying with them a promise of a better living.
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
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| Ghost Town, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Ras Alkhaimah, UAE |
Buses bound to Ras Alkhaimah can be found in the Union Bus Station, Exit 1 from the Union metro Station. To board, you must purchase a ticket (AED 20) from the same ticketing booth where NOL cards are topped up. NOL cards cannot be used. And when you reached Ras Alkhaimah, you may get down in the Al Hamra Mall Bus Stop; for the Bus Station is still a bit far, and from there you may ride a taxi going to the Ghost Town.
