Stunning Vision: A Refreshing Look at UAE Tourism
Author: Isla Campbell
Category: Travel and Leisure
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Since the discovery of oil in 1962, the United Arab Emirates has been transformed from an impoverished region made up of small desert principalities into a modern state with a high standard of living, and one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
And, although this economy is still largely based around the export of natural gas and petroleum, it has seen some drastic diversification in recent years. These changes include an expanding manufacturing industry, a flourishing services sector, and a massive construction boom.
At the forefront of these changes has always been Dubai city, which has become a top holiday and investment spot for the rich and powerful from all over the world. In the midst of a desert setting, on the clear blue waters of the Persian Gulf, a city of the future reaches towards the ever-clear skies, announcing itself to the world through its endless pursuit of grandness; a city that strives for the biggest attractions, the tallest buildings, and a massive tourist industry.
It is a refreshing change, then, when one discovers Ras Al-Khaimah. Just 45 minutes up the road from Dubai, Ras Al-Khaimah (or RAK, as it is known), takes its modernisation with a much more relaxed approach, and there's little wonder why.
Far from the clichéd view of dusty desert towns with stretching seas of sand dunes, Ras Al-Khaimah is set between the sapphire waters of the Persian Gulf, accompanied by lush green plains that swell around the dunes, and vaulting mountaintops whose forested sides slope gradually down into the Strait of Hormuz, forming natural lagoons that have earned the area the nickname 'the fjords of Arabia'.
With such beautiful natural scenery, it's easy to see why Ras Al-Khaimah, as well as looking to modernise its capital city, is also eager to maintain a connection with the stunning nature that surrounds it. This is why much of the tourism that RAK enjoys comes from holidaymakers out to get back to nature - often eco-tourists - and why the best activities that RAK provides are those that take advantage of the surroundings, like hiking through abandoned mountainside villages and forts, cruising along quaint little waterside towns and diving in the pure waters of the Gulf, where dolphins are known to swim and play.
As well as promoting its unspoilt natural surroundings, the visionary Ras Al-Khaimah government is also looking to develop the kind of world-class residential property that placed Dubai on the map. As well as appealing to full-time residents looking for a house on the beach away from the city life of Dubai, holidaymakers and people looking to buy property will also be able to enjoy Ras Al-Khaimah luxury apartments as well as villas and townhouses.
So if you're looking for hot property in a faultless paradise setting, or just looking to get back to nature in all its glory, Ras Al-Khaimah is what you're looking for!
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Keywords: Ras Al-Khaimah, Hot Property, Buying Overseas, Dubai, Eco-tourism, Swimming With Dolphins
View Count: 69
Date Submitted: 5/12/2008
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