Al Marjan Island has become the symbol of Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism transformation. Twenty years ago this stretch of coastline was open Gulf water. Today it is four crescent-shaped reclaimed islands carrying half a dozen international hotel brands, with Wynn Al Marjan arriving in 2027 as the UAE’s first integrated-resort destination. Here is the story of how that happened and what makes the island the headline RAK destination of the decade.
For a current visitor’s guide to the island (hotels, beaches, dining, getting there), see our dedicated Al Marjan Island complete guide. This piece is the story behind the destination.
From open water to four crescents
Al Marjan Island was conceived in the mid-2000s as part of Ras Al Khaimah’s pivot from a quiet quarry-and-cement emirate toward a tourism destination. The plan called for 2.7 square kilometres of reclaimed land in the shape of four overlapping crescents, set off the coast of Al Hamra. Construction started in 2007. The land was complete by 2010. The first resort, Marjan Island Resort and Spa, opened in 2013.
For most of the 2010s the island grew slowly. The four crescents accumulated hotels at a measured pace: DoubleTree by Hilton in 2014, Rixos Bab Al Bahr in 2014, Hampton by Hilton in 2018, Mövenpick in 2019. Each opening added 200 to 500 rooms. The island had a real beach, a real corniche and a real visitor base, but no headline anchor.
The Wynn announcement that changed everything
In November 2022, Wynn Resorts and Marjan Holdings announced an integrated resort on the southern tip of Al Marjan Island. The headline was the UAE’s first regulated casino floor. The size was extraordinary even by Wynn standards: 1,530 rooms, 22 restaurants and lounges, a beach club, a nightclub, a theatre, a 98-berth marina, a destination spa. The site value alone signalled a structural change in the UAE’s hospitality positioning.
The Wynn announcement re-rated the entire island. Land prices on the four crescents tripled within 18 months. The pipeline of new properties accelerated. Today the island carries (or has committed) properties from Accor (Mövenpick, Pullman, NH Collection, Fairmont), Hilton (DoubleTree, Hampton), Rixos, plus Wynn and several others. By 2027 the island will have roughly 4,000 hotel keys plus thousands of branded residences.
Wynn Al Marjan Island (opening 2027)
The UAE’s first integrated resort, anchoring the southern tip of Al Marjan Island.
Area: Southern tip of Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah
Website: wynnalmarjanisland.com
Rooms: 1,530 including 313 suites
Opening: Spring 2027 (with possible modest delay)
Map: Open in Maps
What is on the island in 2026
- Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island: opened 2019, family-friendly all-inclusive option
- DoubleTree by Hilton Marjan Island: opened 2014, the workhorse of the island, multiple pools and a popular day pass
- Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island: opened 2018, mid-tier family choice
- Rixos Bab Al Bahr: opened 2014, all-inclusive with a destination beach club
- Pullman Al Marjan: business and leisure mid-luxury
- Accor properties: NH Collection arriving 2026, Fairmont arriving 2027
- Marjan Island Resort and Spa: the original 2013 opening, still operating
- Wynn construction site: tower topped out 2025, opening spring 2027
The island also has a free public corniche, palm-lined boulevards, a small commercial centre and (since 2025) a WeRide autonomous robobus pilot that links the resorts across nine stops.
Why the island matters for RAK
- Tourism numbers: Al Marjan Island accounts for roughly a quarter of RAK’s overnight visitors in 2025, with Wynn projected to push that share higher post-2027
- Revenue mix: integrated-resort tourism shifts RAK’s revenue mix from low-margin volume to high-margin discretionary spend
- Brand positioning: the Wynn name puts RAK on the global travel map alongside Las Vegas, Macau and Boston (Wynn’s other integrated-resort destinations)
- Property values: branded residences on the island have driven RAK property prices into competitive parity with Dubai’s mid-market
- Infrastructure flow-through: the new RAK port and free zone (announced for 2027 completion), the WeRide pilot and the upgraded E311 corridor all serve the post-Wynn flow
WOW-RAK Expert Tip: If you want to see Al Marjan Island before the Wynn opening permanently changes the vibe, 2026 is your last full year. The corniche is currently quiet on weekday evenings, the existing hotels are running pre-launch promotional rates, and the construction noise dies down most afternoons. By summer 2027, the dynamic will be different.
What comes next
The 2026 to 2027 window is the most active in the island’s history. Construction noise across multiple plots, new hotel keys coming online at NH Collection and (in 2027) Fairmont, the Wynn site moving toward soft opening and the surrounding road and utilities infrastructure expanding to meet the new flow. The corniche stays free and public throughout. The beaches remain accessible.
Beyond Wynn, the next-decade pipeline on Al Marjan Island includes Fairmont, Roof Al Marjan, the existing Pullman expansion and further mixed-use plots that have not yet been formally announced. The vision is for the island to host 6,000 to 7,000 hotel keys by 2030, with a strong residential and retail spine.
Frequently asked questions
Al Marjan Island reclamation began in 2007 and the four crescents of land were complete by 2010. The first resort, Marjan Island Resort and Spa, opened in 2013. The island has been adding hotels at a measured pace since, with significant acceleration after the Wynn announcement in November 2022.
Al Marjan Island covers approximately 2.7 square kilometres of reclaimed land, configured as four overlapping crescents off the coast of Al Hamra in southern Ras Al Khaimah. The island has a 7.8 km coastline and supports multiple hotels, residences and the public corniche.
As of 2026, Al Marjan Island has approximately eight operating hotels including Mövenpick, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hampton by Hilton, Rixos Bab Al Bahr, Pullman and Marjan Island Resort and Spa. NH Collection joins in 2026; Wynn Al Marjan opens in spring 2027 with 1,530 rooms; Fairmont and Roof Al Marjan also targeting 2027.
Wynn Al Marjan Island will be the UAE’s first fully integrated resort, with the country’s first regulated casino floor. It re-rates RAK’s position in global hospitality and is the headline opening of the decade for the UAE tourism sector. Spring 2027 opening, with possible modest delay.
Yes. The Al Marjan Island corniche, boulevards and certain beach stretches are free and open to the public year-round. Hotel beaches and beach clubs require day passes or guest status. The WeRide autonomous robobus pilot (since 2025) provides free public transport between the major resorts across nine stops.
The bottom line
Al Marjan Island is RAK’s most consequential tourism asset and arguably the UAE’s most strategically positioned. The 2026 to 2027 window is the inflection point: existing hotels still operate at pre-Wynn rates, the corniche is still quiet, the visitor base is still measured. By 2027 the island will be unrecognisable.
For the practical visitor’s guide (hotels, beaches, dining, getting there), see our Al Marjan Island complete guide. For the broader RAK 2026 picture, see Things to Do in Ras Al Khaimah.
