ras al khaimah hotels

• Luxury Ecotourism, Dubai-Style

[Al Maha]'s version of ecotourism isn't always ecologically friendly. Its air-conditioned bungalows use lots of water and electricity. And the resort's owner, Emirates Airlines, has introduced non-native plants and more than double the animals than the desert can support, so they need to be fed. Some animals and trees in Al Maha don't belong in the reserve, most notably a herd of scimitar-horned oryx, once native to Africa's Sahara, now extinct in the wild. Conservationists here are struggling to revive the herd after its numbers dropped alarmingly, from 35 to 18. Another misplaced breed is the Thomson's gazelle, a native of east Africa. Getting there: Dubai's airport is served by 110 airlines. Emirates Airlines offers two daily New York-Dubai non-stops. Al Maha is a 40-minute drive fro...

...In the northern emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, my wife and I also joined an overnight trek with ... those who can handle the heat, flights and hotels are cheaper. Al Maha is open year-round, and Mount...

• Winnipeg Free Press
• August 12, 2009