For decades it sat on a hill above Al Dhait North, shuttered and silent, the kind of building taxi drivers slowed down for and told you not to look at after dark. Locals called it the Palace of Ghosts. Today you can park outside, buy a ticket for AED 75 and wander through all 35 rooms yourself. Al Qasimi Palace – now officially rebranded Al Qasr Al Ghamedh, “The Palace of Ambiguity” – is one of the most unusual afternoons out in Ras Al Khaimah, and one of the few genuinely eerie things to do in the emirate that the whole family can enjoy.
Here is everything you need to know before you go, plus the plot twist that has the whole UAE talking – the palace is now up for sale.
Al Qasimi Palace at a glance
- What it is: A lavish 1985 palace turned public museum, famous for its “haunted” reputation
- Also known as: Al Qasr Al Ghamedh, the Palace of Ambiguity
- Where: On a hilltop off Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Road, Al Dhait North, Ras Al Khaimah
- Opening hours: Daily, 9am to 8pm
- Tickets: AED 75 per person, AED 50 per person for families and groups
- Time needed: One to two hours
- Photography: Not permitted inside
From ghost stories to guided tours
The palace was built in 1985 for the late Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Qasimi, reportedly at a cost of more than AED 500 million. It is a four-storey, roughly 20,000 square metre statement of ambition, crowning a hill so it looks down over the surrounding neighbourhood. And then, almost as soon as it was finished, it was abandoned.
The prosaic explanation is that the family objected to the artwork – the palace is filled with murals and figures depicting humans and animals, which sat uncomfortably with their beliefs. The far more fun explanation, the one that stuck, is that the family moved in, spent a single night, and fled before sunrise convinced the place was full of jinn. Flickering lights, footsteps, shadowy figures – the usual roll call. For years the palace stood empty and the legend grew.
In December 2019 the doors finally opened to the public as a museum, and the ghost stories became the main attraction rather than the reason to stay away. If you like a slice of local history with your day out, pair this with the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah for the official version of the emirate’s past, then let Al Qasimi Palace supply the folklore.
Inside the palace – what you actually see
This is where the palace earns the ticket. The interiors are a maximalist blend of Islamic, Indian, Moroccan and Persian design, restored and refurnished rather than left to crumble. Expect crystal chandeliers imported from France and Belgium, cool Thassos marble floors underfoot, an indoor fountain, and lifelike murals of far-off places painted across the walls. Look up in the right rooms and you will find the twelve signs of the zodiac worked into the decoration – one of the details that so unsettled the original owners.
There is a glass pyramid crowning the roof, sweeping staircases, and room after room of antique furniture and curios. Visitors are generally free to explore at their own pace, and part of the charm is that it swings wildly between genuinely beautiful and gloriously over-the-top. One TripAdvisor reviewer summed it up perfectly – you turn a corner into a stunning hand-painted salon, then the next room is pure kitsch. That contrast is half the fun.
WOW-RAK Expert Tip: Photography is not allowed inside, so leave the camera in your bag and actually look up – the ceilings are the best part. Go in the late afternoon when the low sun through the windows makes the chandeliers and murals glow, and the stone stays cooler than the midday heat outside.
So, is it actually haunted?
Short answer – no, and the current operators are fairly upfront about that. What you get is a wonderfully atmospheric old palace, a great backstory, and the delicious feeling of walking through somewhere that was off-limits and whispered about for a generation. Kids tend to love the mild spookiness, and the “haunted” label is doing a lot of gentle marketing heavy lifting. Come for the architecture and the legend, not for a genuine paranormal encounter, and you will leave happy.
If real thrills are what you are after, RAK has plenty above ground too – our guide to the most incredible tourist places in Ras Al Khaimah is a good place to plan the rest of the trip.
Plan your visit
The palace is open daily from 9am to 8pm. Standard entry is AED 75 per person, dropping to AED 50 per person for families and groups, which makes it an easy-to-justify outing for a family afternoon. Set aside one to two hours to do it justice – there is more to see than you expect, and rushing the rooms is a waste of the ticket.
You will find it on a hill off Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Road in Al Dhait North, near Sheikh Khalifa City and only a short drive from Downtown Ras Al Khaimah. It is an easy add-on to a wider day out – many visitors from Dubai and Abu Dhabi fold it into a longer RAK itinerary rather than a trip in its own right.
WOW-RAK Expert Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and bring water. It is four floors with a lot of stairs and no lift to speak of, and the hilltop position means a bit of a climb from the car in summer. Because the palace stays open until 8pm, an evening visit is the smart move from June to August.
The twist – the haunted palace is now for sale
Here is the news that has given the palace a fresh wave of attention. In October 2025 Al Qasimi Palace was listed for sale for AED 25 million, with one notable condition – the buyer must be Emirati. After years as a paid visitor attraction, its next chapter is suddenly uncertain. It may keep running as a museum under new ownership, or it may close its doors to the public once again.
The practical takeaway – if walking through RAK’s most famous haunted house is on your list, do not put it off. As of this writing the museum is still open daily and tickets are still AED 75, but a sale could change that with little warning. We will update this guide the moment the status shifts.
Make a day of it
Al Qasimi Palace works best as part of a bigger RAK story. The emirate is one of the oldest port cities on the planet, so there is real history to layer around the folklore. If you would rather have someone else handle the logistics, a local operator like Adventurous Camel can build the palace into a wider day of sightseeing across Ras Al Khaimah.
Frequently asked questions
Is Al Qasimi Palace open to the public in 2026?
Yes. As of this writing the palace, also known as Al Qasr Al Ghamedh, is open daily from 9am to 8pm as a museum. Note that it was listed for sale in October 2025, so it is worth confirming before a special trip.
How much are tickets to Al Qasimi Palace?
Entry is AED 75 per person, reduced to AED 50 per person for families and groups.
Where is Al Qasimi Palace located?
It sits on a hill off Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Road in Al Dhait North, Ras Al Khaimah, close to Sheikh Khalifa City and a short drive from Downtown RAK.
Can you take photos inside Al Qasimi Palace?
No. Photography is not permitted inside the palace, as the building and its contents are privately owned.
Is Al Qasimi Palace really haunted?
The palace earned its haunted reputation from a local legend that the owners fled after a single night, but there is no evidence of anything paranormal. Today it is a restored museum, and the ghost stories are part of the appeal rather than a warning.
