Are Ras Al Khaimah beaches safe for swimming after the oil spill, including Al Hamra and Al Marjan Island?

On 8 September 2026, answering a question about whether the gulf had been cleaned, a participant posted a summary with links to sources: the coastline had been fully cleaned, restrictions lifted, hotel beaches (including BM Beach) reopened and swimming allowed without restrictions; according to a tour operator, the water and shore were clean. This was a summary of online sources rather than a personal check, so confirm water conditions with your hotel on arrival.

Opinions differed: on 29 August 2026 one participant called the news a false alarm, saying the pollution was somewhere else and noting that Ras Al Khaimah lies on the Persian Gulf coast near the Strait of Hormuz. This contradicts the reports of oil near Cove Rotana and BM Beach, so rely on up-to-date information from your hotel.

A first-hand report: on 22 August 2026 a visitor in Ras Al Khaimah wrote that there was no oil on their beach for now — a small amount had washed ashore the day before but was removed straight away, and the beach stayed open. They did not name the beach, so this cannot be applied to the whole coastline.

Which areas were mentioned in late August 2026: on 21 August a traveler planning to stay on Al Marjan Island wrote that the spill had reached the shore not far from Cove Rotana and BM Beach, and was considering Ajman instead. On 23 August participants relayed reports that oil had washed up on Al Hamra beaches and that hotels were taking guests to swim elsewhere. These were second-hand reports, not first-hand observations.