Things to Do in Khorfakkan: Beach, Amphitheatre, Dam and Free Places to Visit

The short answer: Khorfakkan's main sights fit into a long day or an easy overnight: the 3-kilometre beach and corniche (free, with a swimmers' area and fountains, lit up at night), the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre and its Waterfall Cave, Al Rafisah Dam for kayaking, and Al Suhub Rest Area, a mountain-top viewpoint at around 580 metres. Add Shark Island for snorkelling, and a short drive north to Snoopy Island for diving. Khorfakkan is about 89 km from Sharjah (45 minutes to an hour on the Sharjah-Khorfakkan Road) and roughly 120–160 km from Dubai, about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your route.

This guide is for UAE residents planning a day trip or a one-night break to Khorfakkan, Sharjah's town on the Gulf of Oman coast: the beach, the amphitheatre, the dam, the mountain viewpoint, the heritage sites, where to stay and eat, and practical details including driving, buses, Sharjah's rules on alcohol and dress, and what is free. For the wider east coast, see our guides to places to visit in Fujairah and places to visit in Sharjah; for more of the country, try places to visit in the UAE and weekend getaways from Dubai.

Khorfakkan at a glance

Where to go in Khorfakkan: the main places

Khorfakkan Beach and the Corniche

Khorfakkan's beach runs about 3 km along a palm-lined corniche, rebuilt under an AED 95 million Shurooq project opened in January 2020: a swimmers' area with lifeguards, showers and changing rooms, a 350-car park, food trucks, a play area and tennis courts for hire. Swimming and the corniche are free; private operators rent kayaks, jet skis and parasailing gear with no fixed published price, so ask on the day.

The fountains people search for are a landscaped feature, not a timed show: the main one, redeveloped at a cost of Dh500,000, is 30 metres across with 55 nozzles in four rings and a central jet reaching 6 metres, with a second set at the Flag Square roundabout inland. Both look best lit after sunset. For food, Pentagon suits a smarter dinner, Mangrove Café and Vinci are casual, and the train-themed Railway Café serves breakfast until 2pm.

Khorfakkan Amphitheatre and the Waterfall Cave

The Sharjah Ruler opened the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre on 14 December 2020, at the foot of Al Sayed mountain facing the beach: a Roman-style, semicircular theatre with a stone facade of 234 arches and 295 columns, a cooling system for year-round use, and a reported capacity of 3,500 to 3,600. Past events include a Hussain Al Jassmi and Angham concert and the annual Dakakeen Ramadan market; check Shurooq or Sharjah tourism channels for the current calendar. Outside events, visitors can walk the steps and grounds for the view, with no entry fee found for that.

Beside it is the Waterfall Cave, a man-made waterfall built into natural rock at a reported 43–45 metres above sea level, with a café and restaurant behind it, lit at night. Sources disagree on its hours (24 hours against 8am–6pm), so check before a special trip for it alone.

Al Rafisah Dam: kayaks, pedal boats and a lakeside walk

Al Rafisah Dam sits in the Hajar Mountains about 10–20 minutes from central Khorfakkan, holding the waters of Wadi Shie among sandstone peaks, and entry is free. A 730-metre, palm-lined walkway circles the lake, a short climb leads to the historic Al Rabi Tower (built 1915), and a man-made waterfall, reported at around 55 metres, feeds the lake. On site: a small restaurant, a mini-mart, a mosque, a play area and parking.

Kayaks and pedal boats are the paid part: a single kayak runs roughly AED 30–40, a double AED 60–80, a family or "doughnut" boat up to about AED 250, pedal boats roughly AED 90–150 an hour, hours reported as 7am to 9pm. Life jackets are compulsory and under-twos are not permitted on the boats; confirm prices on arrival, since our sources did not agree.

Al Suhub Rest Area: the view from 580 metres

Al Suhub Rest Area, nicknamed the "cloud lounge," is a circular, two-storey viewpoint the Sharjah Ruler opened on 15 July 2021, at a reported 580 to roughly 600 metres above sea level, reached by a winding 5.6 km mountain road from the coast near the Beach Park. Large glass walls give a 360° view over the town, the bay and the Gulf of Oman, and inside is a branch of the Sharjah Art Foundation's Fen Café, a restaurant seating over 130, a hall, a play area and a prayer room.

Entry is free and the road is open 24 hours, but parking is paid: AED 10 an hour on weekdays, AED 20 on weekends and holidays, with two hours free for an AED 50 café or restaurant spend (open roughly 8am–10pm). A 3 km trail connects it down to Al Rafisah Dam. Go at sunrise or sunset; the road has closed briefly before after heavy rain, so check conditions if the forecast is bad.

Shees Park and Wadi Shees

Shees Park, opened on 15 October 2020, sits in Wadi Shees off Khorfakkan Road (S142), reached from Emirates Road (E611) through a tunnel and signed turns to Shees Village. The park covers about 11,362 square metres around a 25-metre artificial waterfall feeding a small lake, with roughly 506 metres of walkways across three mountain terraces to a 30-metre viewing platform, a play area, shaded seating and a barbecue area (reported hours 8am–11pm, unconfirmed officially). The wider Wadi Shees trail is an easy walk past small farms watered by a centuries-old falaj channel system, with fresh water year round; weekend food trucks serve the trailhead, there are no rest stops on the walk, and no camping is allowed.

Najd Al Maqsar: a restored heritage village

In the hills above Khorfakkan, Najd Al Maqsar is a mountain settlement reported at around 300 years old: a hillside fort once warned the town of approaching ships, families farmed dates and figs with falaj irrigation, and nearby rock engravings have been dated to roughly 2,000 BCE. Shurooq's Sharjah Collection has restored it into an adults-only retreat: seven "Kareen House" units, a restaurant and a reception lounge, rooms reported from AED 720 a night as of March 2026. Hiking trails link it toward Al Rafisah Dam; treat it as a hike-through viewpoint rather than a drop-in stop unless staying.

The Heritage Area and old souq

Khorfakkan's old quarter, inaugurated in October 2020, is centred on the restored Eastern Market, also called Souq Sharq, with a free Traditional Crafts Museum inside. Plans exist to redevelop parts of it for resident artisans as "Craftsmen's Houses," though some reports describe this as still a work in progress, so check current status if a specific shop matters to you. A roughly 700-metre canal links the quarter to the sea, the nearby Al Hisn Museum covers Sharjah's Eastern Region, and the Sultan Al Mutawa Mosque, around 200 years old, stands nearby, with a fresh fish and produce souq at the corniche's southern end. All free to walk around.

Al Luluyah Beach

A short drive north of the main corniche, Al Luluyah Beach is a quieter public beach about 1.5 km long, sand and pebbles backed by the Hajar Mountains, free with parking on site. Shurooq announced an AED 110 million redevelopment here (a roped-off swimming zone, a women-only section, water-sports features), targeted for late 2022; we could not confirm it finished, so expect a simpler beach unless you can verify otherwise.

Boat trips: Shark Island and Snoopy Island

Shark Island

Shark Island, officially Sira Khorfakkan, is a small rocky islet just off the main beach, a 5 to 10-minute boat ride from the corniche. It is a popular snorkelling spot: anemone gardens, turtles, moray eels, rays and the occasional blacktip reef shark, more often seen off the island's northern and eastern side, in water roughly 5–15 metres deep. There are no toilets on the island, so use the beach facilities first and bring your own mask or rent one there. Boat prices are negotiated with private operators, reported anywhere from about AED 25–40 to AED 60–100 per person, weekends pricier; confirm the fare before boarding. Visibility is best from November to April.

Snoopy Island, a short drive north

Snoopy Island sits off Al Aqah Beach in Fujairah, not Khorfakkan itself, a drive we estimate at roughly 20–30 minutes up the coast road (unverified against an official source, so check current conditions). Most visitors reach it via Sandy Beach Hotel & Resort, directly opposite: at low tide you can almost walk across on a sandbar, and snorkellers see soft and hard coral, clownfish, parrotfish, moray eels, turtles and reef sharks.

This is also where our Scuba Diving Tour Fujairah departs from, from AED 600: a 3-hour introductory shore dive, equipment and instructor included, no prior experience needed.

Where to stay and where to eat

Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa on Corniche Road is the main hotel in town: a 4-star beachfront property (reported room counts vary, 90 to 177) with its own private beach, on-site diving and parasailing, a pool, a spa and two restaurants, Al Murjan (international buffet) and Bab Al Bahr (seafood); we could not verify current nightly rates, so check directly. Najd Al Maqsar's seven heritage units, adults-only, are the smaller option above town, and if Snoopy Island diving matters more than Khorfakkan itself, resorts including Sandy Beach and Le Méridien Al Aqah sit 20–30 minutes north in Fujairah.

For eating out, the corniche names above cover most of it, with the old souq's fish and produce market and a café at both Al Rafisah Dam and Al Suhub. No venue can legally serve alcohol: Khorfakkan is part of Sharjah, a dry emirate where selling, possessing or drinking alcohol is banned, including in hotels. Sharjah's modest dress rules are also law, with swimwear kept to the beach or pool.

Getting to Khorfakkan from Dubai and Sharjah

The Sharjah-Khorfakkan Road, an 89 km four-lane highway opened in 2019, runs from the Dafta interchange near Masafi through the Hajar Mountains via five tunnels, the longest, Al Sidra, running 2.7 km. It cut the old drive from around 1.5–2 hours to roughly 45 minutes to an hour, passing Al Rafisah Dam on the way. From Dubai, estimates vary with your route, from about 120 to 160 km and roughly 1.5 to 2 hours; check a map app before leaving, since our sources did not agree closely.

By bus, the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority runs route 116 from Jubail station through Sharjah Airport, Al Dhaid and Masafi to Khorfakkan bus station. The fare is reported at about AED 27 (one wider estimate gives AED 26–35), buses reportedly run every 30 minutes from about 5:30am to 11pm, and the journey takes around 2 to 2.5 hours. Confirm the current timetable before travelling.

Best time to visit Khorfakkan

November to April is the comfortable season: sunny, warm days with highs of roughly 18–30°C, cooler evenings and low humidity, which suits the dam walk, the viewpoint and the hiking trails, with occasional rain or storms possible from January to March. May to September is hot and humid, with July and August midday highs around 40°C and nights near 36°C; that still works for a beach day if you keep to early morning or evening and lean on air-conditioned stops through the middle of the day. The same November to April window gives calmer, clearer water for snorkelling at Shark Island or Snoopy Island.

A day trip from Dubai or Sharjah

• Morning: Take the Sharjah-Khorfakkan Road and stop at Al Rafisah Dam for the lakeside walk and a kayak, before the day heats up.
• Midday: Drive up to Al Suhub Rest Area for the view, then down to Khorfakkan Beach for lunch on the corniche.
• Afternoon: Walk the Amphitheatre grounds and Waterfall Cave, browse the old souq, then take a boat to Shark Island for a late snorkel before driving home.

An overnight stay in Khorfakkan

• Day 1: Drive in during the afternoon and check into Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa (or Najd Al Maqsar, adults-only). Spend the evening on the lit-up corniche, with dinner at Pentagon or Vinci.
• Day 2: Start at Al Rafisah Dam and Al Suhub Rest Area in the cool of the morning, walk Shees Park and the Wadi Shees trail, then spend the afternoon at Shark Island or Al Luluyah Beach before driving back.

Frequently asked questions

Is Khorfakkan beach free to visit?

Yes. Swimming, the corniche walk and the fountains cost nothing; only extras such as kayak or jet-ski hire and a boat to Shark Island are paid.

Can you visit Khorfakkan Amphitheatre without a show?

Yes. Outside ticketed events, visitors can walk the grounds and steps for the view, with no entry fee found for that. Check Sharjah tourism channels for the current events calendar.

What is the best hotel in Khorfakkan?

Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa on Corniche Road is the main beachfront hotel in town. Najd Al Maqsar offers a smaller, adults-only heritage stay in the hills above, and more resorts cluster 20–30 minutes north near Snoopy Island.

Is Khorfakkan in Fujairah or Sharjah?

Khorfakkan is legally part of Sharjah, an exclave on the UAE's east coast, even though it sits surrounded by the Emirate of Fujairah. Sharjah's rules, including the ban on alcohol, apply there.

What can you do for free in Khorfakkan?

The beach and corniche, the Amphitheatre grounds and Waterfall Cave, Al Rafisah Dam itself (the boats cost extra), Shees Park, and the old souq and its Traditional Crafts Museum all cost nothing.

How far is Khorfakkan from Dubai?

Roughly 120–160 km depending on your route, about 1.5 to 2 hours. From Sharjah it is closer: about 89 km, 45 minutes to an hour on the Sharjah-Khorfakkan Road.

Plan it with Holidayys

Holidayys does not sell a Khorfakkan package: there is nothing to book in the town itself through our site. Two nearby trips are, though. For diving by Snoopy Island, see the Scuba Diving Tour Fujairah above, from AED 600 on our booking site. If you would rather cross into Oman, our Musandam Dibba tour, from AED 190 on our booking site, is a day trip from Dubai: shared transfers to Dibba, a short drive north of Khorfakkan, then a five-to-six-hour dhow cruise into the Musandam fjords with lunch, swimming and snorkelling (bring your original passport; it crosses the border).

Hosting family and need their UAE entry arranged first? See our UAE visa services. For anything else, WhatsApp us on +971 4 589 0001 or use our contact page.

Related guides

• Places to visit in Sharjah
• Places to visit in Fujairah
• Places to visit in the UAE
• Weekend getaways from Dubai

Last checked 13 October 2026 against Wikipedia's entries for Khor Fakkan, the Khor Fakkan Amphitheatre and Al Suhub Rest House, Visit Sharjah's page on Al Rafisah Dam, Gulf News, Khaleej Times and What's On Sharjah (including a March 2026 guide), and Bayut and Property Finder's Khorfakkan guides, since no single official source covered every attraction. Our booking site pages were checked directly for the two tour listings. Hours, boat and parking prices, and the Al Luluyah Beach and old souq redevelopments change and were not all confirmable from one source; check before you go.