A view from Al Jazeera Al Hamra.
Al Jazeera Al Hamra Village is one of the biggest attractions on the coast of Ras Al Khaimah.
A few weeks ago, on a sunny Friday afternoon, a local guide named Haseena took the initiative to show us an abandoned village on the shores of the Persian Gulf. At first, we saw empty, ruined houses, basking in the sun as the sea lapped at their deserted shores. You expected an eerie feeling to come over you. But that afternoon, the village seemed different, it seemed ready to tell us the story of Al Jazeera Al Hamra.
Popularly known as the abandoned village resting between the red mountains and the sea, Al Jazeera Al Hamra has the mistaken reputation of being a “ghost town.” On the contrary, our guide explained to us that the village was abandoned in the late 1960s due to rapid changes in the pearl harvesting law in the country. But how could pearl harvesting bring about such a drastic change in a village? Let’s take a quick tour of the history of Al Jazeera Al Hamra.
What is Al Jazeera Al Hamra?
Al Jazeera Al Hamra was a prosperous village until the 1960s. Due to its proximity to the sea, the village was mainly home to divers who went deep into the sea to search for the best pearls. The village was named Al Jazeera Al Hamra after a local tribe called Zaab who occupied it. The village was home to pearl traders, ship captains, fishermen and their families.
During the tour, our guide revealed to us that the size of the houses revealed the status of a pearl diver. The bigger the house, the more popular the pearl diver was. She also informed us that while the village was mainly home to divers, there was one person who was not part of the divers' community, but was a trader. As he owned the biggest house in the village, the trader helped the pearl divers and collectors get a good price for their finds.
British connection with Al Jazeera Al Hamra:
The village played a pivotal role when the British invaded the country in the 19th century. The British tried to enter the country through the Gulf Sea. They attacked the ports, but the village stood as a strong barrier between the country and the British during the war.
Why did fishermen and pearl collectors abandon Al Jazeera Al Hamra?
Following the discovery of oil in Arab countries, pearl traders and divers began to lose their livelihoods. As a result, between 1968 and 1971, the villagers began to emigrate from Al Jazeera Al Hamra. Soon, all that remained of the village were empty houses.
Why you should visit Al Jazeera Al Hamra?
Al Jazeera Al Hamra is home to the extraordinary history of the UAE’s northern regions. This desert village has preserved the architecture of its centuries-old houses, which feature sun-dried coral, fossilized rocks from the beach, date palm trunks, layers of seashells for drainage, and rooms that could rival rental apartments in Mumbai – and a mosque, part of which dates back to the 16th century. At the time of writing, Al Jazeera Al Hamra village was on UNESCO’s tentative list of World Cultural Heritage sites.
Best time to visit:
The best time to visit Al Jazeera Al Hamra is between October and April. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
