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    Khor Fakkan

    United Arab Emirates

    Khor Fakkan

    CityBeachMountains

    Khor Fakkan, an exclave of Sharjah Emirate on the Gulf of Oman, facing the Hajar Mountains and surrounded by Fujairah.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. United Arab Emirates
    7. Sharjah Emirate
    9. Khor Fakkan
    Khor Fakkan, an exclave of Sharjah Emirate on the Gulf of Oman, facing the Hajar Mountains and surrounded by Fujairah. Home to around 43,000, the city boasts the region's only natural deep-water port and is known for its white sandy beaches. Waterfall, amphitheater, the expanded Al-Rafisah Dam and the Al Suhub viewpoint make it an east coast excursion destination.

    Sights in Khor Fakkan

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Khor Fakkan Waterfall and Amphitheater
    Park

    1Khor Fakkan Waterfall and Amphitheater

    The 45-meter-high artificial waterfall plunges over a rock face above the Corniche. Right next to it is the amphitheater, inspired by Roman theaters, with over 3,500 seats; cafés and restaurants are located nearby.
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    Al-Rafisah Dam
    Park

    2Al-Rafisah Dam

    The reservoir on the Sharjah-Khor Fakkan Road was created over an old village and later developed into an excursion destination with parks, a restaurant, a mosque, and boat rental.
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    Al Suhub Rest Area
    Attraction

    3Al Suhub Rest Area

    The rest area is located around 600 m above sea level, high above the city, and offers sweeping views over Khor Fakkan and the bay. A roughly 3 km long mountain trail connects it with the Al-Rafisah Dam.
    Open in Google Maps
    Beach of Khor Fakkan
    Attraction

    4Beach of Khor Fakkan

    Khor Fakkan is known for its bright sandy beaches. The city beach stretches along the Corniche, offering views of the bay and the Hajar Mountains.
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    Restaurants in Khor Fakkan

    1

    Emirates Sea Restaurant

    Fish restaurant on the Corniche with seafood platters of mussels, prawns, lobster, and fish. The menu also features Indian, Thai, and Chinese dishes.
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    2

    Al Safi Fish Cooking

    Modest fish eatery in Khor Fakkan.
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    3

    Rebou Lebanon

    Lebanese restaurant with mezze and chicken or fish biryani. Western dishes are also available, but Lonely Planet recommends the Middle Eastern options.
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    Food and Drink

    Die Lage am Golf von Oman prägt die Küche, an der Corniche dominieren Fisch und Meeresfrüchte.

    Fish and seafood

    Restaurants along the Corniche serve grilled fish and platters of mussels, prawns and lobster.

    A break at Al Suhub

    The rest area at around 600 m offers wide views over the town and the bay, a good stop after the climb from Al Rafisah Dam.

    Picnic at Shees Park

    Opened in 2020, the park in Wadi Shees sits next to a 25 m artificial waterfall and suits a picnic in the mountains.

    History and Heritage

    Contested PortAround 1500, the Portuguese Duarte Barbosa described Khor Fakkan as a village with many gardens and fields. In the 16th century, the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque conquered the port. In 1765, according to the traveler Carsten Niebuhr, it belonged to a sheikh of the Al Qasimi, Sharjah's ruling family.Heritage in City and MountainsThe historic Souq Sharq market is to become a center for handicrafts by order of the ruler. A 1,600 m long hiking trail leads to Rabi Tower, built in 1915 as part of the city's defenses. In the mountains lies the Heritage Village Najd Al Maqsar with a roughly 300-year-old defensive tower.

    Getting There & Around

    Getting There from SharjahThe Sharjah-Khor Fakkan Road, opened in April 2018, leads from Dafta through the Hajar Mountains to Khor Fakkan: 89 km long, four-lane, with five tunnels; the longest is the 2.7 km Al-Sidra Tunnel. The journey now takes about 45 minutes, instead of the previous hour and a half.On SiteThe Corniche, beach, waterfall, and amphitheater are close to each other. You drive to the Al-Rafisah Dam, Al Suhub viewpoint, and Shees Park by car.

    Accommodations in Khor Fakkan

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      • 1Khor Fakkan Waterfall and Amphitheater3 days
      • 2Al-Rafisah Dam4 days
      • 3Al Suhub Rest Area5 days
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    Nearby

    Al Bidiya and Dibba are located on the northern east coast in the Emirate of Fujairah, between the Hajar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman. In Al Bidiya, about 40 kilometres north of Fujairah city, stands the oldest preserved mosque in the Emirates, further north are Al Aqah beach with the snorkelling island Snoopy Island and the city of Dibba Al Fujairah. From Dibba, dhow trips depart into the fjords of the Omani Musandam Peninsula.
    Fujairah

    Fujairah

    Fujairah is the capital of the eponymous emirate on the east coast of the UAE on the Gulf of Oman. Around the 16th-century fort are a museum and a Heritage Village; the 2015 Sheikh Zayed Mosque shapes the city's skyline. Off the coast, tankers anchor near the port, one of the world's largest bunkering ports; in the hinterland, the Hajar Mountains begin.
    Fujairah Emirate

    Fujairah Emirate

    The Emirate of Fujairah is the only one of the seven emirates whose entire coast lies on the Gulf of Oman. Around 70 kilometers of coastline stretch from the capital Fujairah in the south to Dibba in the north, backed by the Hajar Mountains. Forts, the country's oldest preserved mosque, and reefs for snorkeling make the East Coast a contrast to Dubai.
    Mleiha

    Mleiha

    Mleiha is some 65 km southeast of Sharjah city in the country's inland desert. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre is the hub of the Faya Palaeolandscape, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2025 and preserving traces of human settlement from over 200,000 years ago. From here, guided tours begin to tombs, the fort, Fossil Rock, and Camel Rock.
    Ras al-Khaimah

    Ras al-Khaimah

    Ras al-Khaimah is the capital of the eponymous emirate on the Gulf coast in the north of the UAE. An inlet divides it into the Old Town in the west and Al Nakheel in the east, with mangroves growing along its banks. The National Museum, located in the historic fort, Dhayah Fort, and the abandoned pearl fishing village of Al Jazirat al-Hamra tell the story of the Qawasim; to its west lie the hotels of Al Hamra and Al Marjan Island.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI