Jazirat Al Hamra

Jazirat Al Hamra was a pearling and fishing town on what was once an island, and when its people left in the late 1960s they left the buildings standing: houses of coral block and gypsum, courtyards, wind towers, a mosque and a small fort, several hundred structures in all. It is the most complete surviving example of a pre-oil coastal settlement in the country, and because it was abandoned rather than demolished the street plan and construction methods are all still legible.

What you actually see

• The coral-block houses - buildings of sea coral set in gypsum, roofed with palm.
• The wind towers - barjeel cooling towers on the larger courtyard houses.
• The street plan - a complete pre-oil town layout left intact.
• The mosque and fort - the communal buildings at the centre of the settlement.

When to go

October to April; the site is fully exposed and summer is dangerous. Early morning and late afternoon are best for light and heat. Some areas are fenced during restoration works.

Honest expectations

Many buildings are unstable and collapsing, and entering them is genuinely risky. Restoration has fenced off parts of the site without notice. There is no shade, no water and minimal signage.

Nearby

Al Hamra is beside it, and Ras Al Khaimah city is north.