The majority of the UAE's (United Arab Emirates) eastern coast and the Hajar Mountain region are both included in the Emirate of Fujairah. Fujairah City, a contemporary industrial town with few tourist attractions, serves as its primary hub. Apply for a Fujairah visa to reach this beautiful beach destination in the UAE.
The emirate has a lot to offer, even though you might not want to stay too long in the town itself, which is separated from Fujairah city's grid pattern of high-rise office buildings.
The beaches of Fujairah Emirate in the north draw a regular stream of tourists seeking a less hectic sun and sand getaway than Dubai has to offer. One of the best areas to go scuba diving in the UAE is along this stretch of beach.
The Emirate of Fujairah's part of the Hajar Mountains offers hiking in the rough desert mountain highlands as well as scenic road trips, even if the sand is the main point of interest for tourists.
Use our list of the top attractions and things to do in Fujairah to get an idea of what this less-traveled emirate has to offer. You need a Fujairah visa in order to get this activity done.
1. Swimming and beach time in Al Aqah
Most visitors seeking sun and sand in the Emirate of Fujairah make their way to Al Aqah, where a lengthy beach encircles the coastline and Snoopy Island dominates the view of the Gulf of Oman from the sun loungers.
Al Aqah, which is 45 kilometers north of Fujairah City, is one of the UAE's less-developed resort locations. There are just a few five-star hotels scattered along the coastline, but much more development is anticipated in the near future.
For the time being, this is still the place to go if you want a peaceful beach vacation away from Dubai's packed beaches. The beach resort hotels along this stretch of coast are designed to accommodate both leisurely sunbathers and fans of water activities, with on-site amenities for divers, snorkelers, and paddleboarders.
Al Aqah is the core of the UAE's scuba diving scene, and while the reefs in the Gulf of Oman offshore are not as famous as the Red Sea in the Middle East, there is still a lot of fish life to see.
The primary dive locations are the vehicle cemetery site and two intentionally sunk wrecks that serve as divers' artificial reefs (created during the 1980s when a series of cars and trucks were sunk to create an artificial reef for local fishermen).
For divers, there is an abundance of marine life, including big shoals of fish like trevally and parrotfish, as well as turtles and black-tip sharks that can frequently be spotted at particular locations.
2. Visit the Hajar Mountains via car
The UAE's northern interior is traversed by the Hajar Mountains. The landscape of sharp mountain peaks is unrecognizable from what most people connect with the nation and is a popular destination for road trips.
Even on a brief journey from the west coast to the east, you may see a glimpse of the magnificent mountain views. Officially, distinct areas of the Hajar belong to the Fujairah visa, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Sharjah emirates.
The important connecting roads that travel inland, such as the E18 and E87 that connect Ras Al-Khaimah to the east coast and the especially stunning E89 that runs from Masafi to Dibba Al-Fujairah in the north, provide a feast of views.
3. Head to the Al-Bidyah Mosque.
The mud-brick Al-Bidyah Mosque, which is the oldest in the United Arab Emirates and was named after the community that once surrounded it, is located about 35 kilometers north of Fujairah City. The engineering elements represent a significant achievement for the construction time.
The mosque has a prayer hall with a mihrab and ventilation apertures that are adorned with arches (prayer niche pointing to Mecca). The interior is divided into four similar-sized squares by a central pillar and has dome-shaped ceilings in each of them.
Excavations in the mosque's vicinity have shown that the area has been occupied for 4,000 years. Nearby, in a vast Islamic cemetery, is a massive Iron Age tomb that was recently discovered to contain pottery fragments, metal
4. Investigate the Wadis of Hajar Mountain
One of the top activities in Fujairah for hikers and climbers is to explore the wadis of the Hajar Mountain. A wadi is primarily a dry riverbed that can hold water after significant rain, but it can also refer to any valley oasis.
Wadi Siji, Wadi Saham, and Wadi Maidaq are some of the most stunning wadis in the region. The longest valley is Wadi Ham, which extends from Ras Al-Khaimah in the north to Fujairah in the south. Wadi Al Taiwan is a beautiful site to visit because of the breathtaking hilly route that leads there. There are various types of Fujairah visa one can apply for to visit the wadis of Hajar mountain.
The most well-known wadi in the UAE and a UNESCO biosphere reserve is Wadi al-Wurayah, which is north of Fujairah. However, for the past few years, it has been off-limits to the public in order to protect its delicate and distinctive environment.
5. Travel to Fujairah City to see Fujairah Fort
A British invasion in the early 20th century severely devastated Fujairah Fort, which was constructed in 1670.
It is thought to be the oldest fort in the United Arab Emirates and has previously served as both a defensive structure and the residence of the royal dynasty. It served as the sole stone structure along the Fujairah coast for many years.
The fort consists of one square tower, two round towers, multiple halls, and three main parts. It has recently undergone a complete restoration.
The Department of Archaeology and Heritage in Fujairah created a tiny Heritage Village that includes the area around the fort.
Old cottages that have been repaired, exhibitions on traditional living, and a demonstration of the Al Yazrah irrigation system used by Emirati farmers may all be found here.
6. See Khor Fakkan Waterfall & Theater
Along with Dibba and Kalba, Khor Fakkan is one of the three eastern coast exclaves of the Sharjah Emirate, however, most travelers will pass through Fujairah Emirate instead because Khor Fakkan is only 30 kilometers from Fujairah city.
An artificial 43-meter-high waterfall tumbling down a purpose-built rocky cliff face can be seen in central Khor Fakkan town, right on the main north-south route overlooking the beach, as well as a sizable modern theatre constructed in Classical-Roman style.
Since it was established in 2020, it has grown to be a well-liked stop for travelers looking to get some exercise and snap a few pictures of the route connecting Al Aqah and Fujairah. Both provide fantastic panoramic views of the ocean and are interesting photo opportunities in and of themselves.
7. Kayak on Al-Rafisah Dam
The Al-Rafisah Dam is located 30 kilometers north of Fujairah city and six kilometers inland from Khor Fakkan town, an exclave of Sharjah on the east coast.
The Dam is a well-liked vacation spot for families who wish to spend a laid-back day outside of the city, surrounded by nature. It is surrounded by scenery of ragged, dark mountain peaks and is home to a variety of birds.
A restaurant, a café, a few stores, a sizable children's playground, and lots of room for picnicking are among the good amenities on the shorefront. You may rent kayaks and pedal boats if you want to get out on the water itself.
Consider coming on a weekday if you want a more relaxing experience as it can get very busy here on weekends.
8. Visit Bithnah
Make sure to stop at Bithnah if you plan to tour the Hajar Mountains.
This little town in Wadi Ham, only 13 kilometers west of Fujairah city, served as a crucial stopping point for centuries on the trade routes connecting the west and east coasts.
The Bithnah Fort, which was constructed in 1735 and serves as the area's principal tourist attraction, was seen to be essential to the protection of this region of the Arabian Peninsula's eastern shore.
The fort's massive frame of thick golden-stoned walls, bordered by a substantial circular watch tower, makes it exceptionally photogenic, and the views over the surrounding landscape of palm groves and craggy mountains from the ramparts are breathtaking.
9. See the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah City
The contemporary Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah has six 100-meter-tall minarets on a site the size of three football fields. There is a capacity for 32,000 worshipers in the enormous prayer hall.
The traditional Ottoman-style mosque, which was completed in 2015 and is now the second-largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates after the more well-known Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, has become a prominent landmark in Fujairah.
Between 9 am and noon on Saturday through Thursday, non-Muslim tourists can enter the mosque to see its opulent interior, which includes opulent chandeliers and arches in the Moorish style. Visitors can have a free tour of the mosque at this time.
In order to visit, please dress accordingly. Men should wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts, while women should bring a head scarf.
10. Visit the Fujairah Museum to study local history
The Fujairah Museum, which is close to Fujairah Fort, has a fantastic collection of early Bronze Age artifacts that were discovered during excavations at Qidfa and Bithnah.
Weapons from the Bronze and Iron Ages, decorated ceramics, carved soapstone pots, and pre-Islamic silver coins are among the on display items.
A valued object at the museum is a 2,200-year-old dish made of ostrich egg that was unearthed at Qidfa.
A strong ethnography area is also present, featuring examples of customary Emirati everyday life and handicrafts.
11. Driving Tour of Fujairah's Smaller Forts
A few forts in the east of the UAE are worthwhile pit stops for travelers traveling south from Fujairah city.
The former administrative center for Fujairah's royal family was Al-Hayl Castle, located 11 kilometers to the west of Fujairah City.
It was constructed about 250 years ago and has been crucial to the defense of the region, serving as a base for patrols and surveillance to protect Fujairah.
One two-level tower that exists on the hill as a memory of the days when these forts were dispersed all across crucial hillsides in what is now the United Arab Emirates is all that is left today; the original defenses have long since been destroyed.
Turn south from Al-Hayl and travel 30 kilometers on unpaved hinterland roads to reach the settlement of Wahlah (also spelled Aouhlah).
This area is home to the striking Awhlah Fort (sometimes spelled Wahlah Fort), which is one of the best-preserved examples of defensive architecture in the emirate thanks to its massive, high walls.
It is a fantastic spot for history buffs to visit and get a sense of Emirati heritage because it lacks the overly repaired "new" aspect of many other forts in the United Arab Emirates.
The round watch tower is 20 meters high inside, with good views and tiny apertures cut onto the walls for archers.
12. Soak in the park's Madhab Hot Springs.
The hot springs at Madhab Springs Park, on the outskirts of Fujairah city, are a well-liked local getaway.
Here, warm sulfuric water from the Ain al-Madhab mineral springs is piped into two bathing pools (separated by gender).
Families from Fujairah visit the parks surrounding the pools for picnics, barbecues, and activities. There is also a special children's playground area that is well-maintained. The Madhab Springs Park neighborhood fills up on weekends, as is to be expected.
The mineral-rich pool water here is a fantastic choice if you've been traveling and need to soak to ease nagging pains.