VIEW TO A THRILL

HARRY LEACH FINDS AN IDEAL MIX OF RELAXATION AND EXHILARATION IN THE UAE'S RAS AL KHAIMAH

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WHILE sitting having lunch, overlooking the highest peak in all of the United Arab Emirates, my view from Jebel Jais mountain is so breathtaking I've forgotten to take a bite from my poke bowl in over five minutes.

Ahead, adrenaline junkies shoot across the world's longest zipline, Jais Flight, reaching hair-raising speeds of up to 100mph on the 1.75-mile journey. Suspended in Superman positions, 4,869ft above sea level, I can just make out their gleeful shrieks as they reach safety after a three-minute dopamine hit.

To my right is the Jais Sledder: a 1.14-mile mountainside toboggan on a low-slung track. It's certainly not for the faint-hearted.

This is Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) - the northernmost of UAE's seven emirates and only a 45-minute drive from Dubai airport. It's a thrillseekers' dream destination while simultaneously a relaxing desert paradise.

From a seat on a microlight aircraft, operated by flight school Jazirah Aviation Club, I can see where I will be staying for the next four nights: the luxurious and imposing Mövenpick Resort. The hotel is located on man-made Al Marjan Island a nirvana of four coral-shaped islands, lapped by the Persian Gulf's turquoise waters.