Things to Do in Khor Fakkan: Waterfall, Beach, Al Suhub & Shees

The best things to do in Khor Fakkan (also spelled Khorfakkan), Sharjah’s town on the Gulf of Oman about 1 hour 45 minutes from Dubai, fit into one day around a small bay between the Hajar Mountains and the sea: sunrise at Al Suhub Rest Area 580 metres above the town, a swim at Khorfakkan Beach, photos at the free 45-metre waterfall beside the amphitheatre, kayaking on Al Rafisah Dam and a late-afternoon walk at Shees Park on the way home. Most of it is free: the waterfall, the beach, the dam and Shees Park cost nothing to enter, kayaks cost about AED 30 to 60, and Al Suhub charges about AED 20 an hour to park inside. Go from October to April and start early.

On this page

1. The sunrise day plan
2. The sunset and night plan
3. The family plan
4. Khorfakkan waterfall
5. Al Suhub Rest Area
6. Al Rafisah Dam
7. Beaches and the sea
8. Heritage and history
9. Getting there
10. Good to know
11. Khor Fakkan FAQs

The sunrise day plan

Sunrise is at about 6:10am in October and 6:40 to 6:50am from December to January. If you would rather hike than swim, swap the beach for the Al Rabi trail at 8am: 4 to 5 km return to a summit flag above the bay, about 2 to 3 hours.

The sunset and night plan

• 2pm: leave Dubai.
• 4pm: Al Rafisah Dam for a late-afternoon paddle, or Shees Park on the way in.
• 5pm: drive up to Al Suhub for sunset, which falls between about 5:30pm and 6:30pm in winter. It is the busiest time, so arrive early for the free outdoor parking.
• 7pm: the waterfall lit up after dark, then dinner on the corniche; check for a show at the amphitheatre.
• 9pm: drive home, arriving around 11pm.

The family plan

• Leave Dubai at 7am.
• 9am, Al Rafisah Dam: pedal boats and doughnut boats, play areas and a lakeside walk; single kayaks are usually for ages 16 and over, so take a double kayak with children.
• 11am, Khorfakkan Beach: shallow swimming, the corniche playgrounds and lunch.
• 2pm, the waterfall and amphitheatre: a short photo stop with ice cream.
• 3:30pm, Shees Park: the 25-metre waterfall, play area, BBQ spots and cafés, then home by about 7pm.

Khorfakkan waterfall

The Khorfakkan waterfall is a man-made cascade about 45 metres high, falling down a natural cliff beside the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre above the corniche. It is free to visit and can be seen at any time; it is at its best after dark, when lighting turns the falling water gold, and in the soft morning light. Parking and cafés are next to it, and the free spaces fill on winter evenings.

The waterfall and the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre are listed by Visit Sharjah. The amphitheatre, a Roman-inspired venue covering more than 1,700 square metres with seats for about 3,500, hosts concerts and festivals; tickets depend on the event.

Al Suhub Rest Area

Also called Al Suhub Rest House, this viewpoint sits on a Hajar Mountains peak 580 metres above Khor Fakkan, reached by a winding road, with a 30-metre circular viewing platform, the Cloud Lounge restaurant over the cliff, Fen Café, a coffee shop, an ice-cream stall and play areas. The viewpoint is open around the clock; the café opens from about 7am to 11pm. Parking inside costs about AED 20 per car per hour, valet about AED 21, and the free outdoor spaces fill fast at sunset. The Cloud Lounge has charged a cover of about AED 10 an hour per guest, redeemed against food. Full details in our Al Suhub guide.

Al Rafisah Dam

A mountain reservoir a short drive inland (sometimes spelled Al Rafisa Dam), with the Al Rafisah Rest Area, Al Rafisah Lounge café, picnic and play areas and water sports. Single kayaks are about AED 30 to 40 and double kayaks about AED 60, often with no time limit, and pedal boats about AED 45 for 30 minutes to AED 100 an hour. Boats usually run from early morning to sunset. Entry is free, with paid parking at the central area and the ends of the lake. See the Al Rafisah Dam guide.

Beaches and the sea

• Khorfakkan Beach: the long town beach along the palm-lined corniche, with restrooms, loungers, cafés and calm water most mornings.
• Shark Island: a small rocky island off the south-eastern side of the bay, with coral and good snorkelling; local boats from the corniche charge about AED 20 to 25 return. Bring your own gear and ID.
• Water sports: parasailing, boat trips and diving from operators along the coast.
• Further north: Snoopy Island at Al Aqah in Fujairah, about 30 minutes away, for the best snorkelling on the coast.

Heritage and history

• Portuguese Fort: the triangular fort at the southern end of the corniche dates from 1635, from the era when Portugal controlled this coast.
• Hisn Khor Fakkan: a museum built to resemble the old fort, opened in 2019, with artefacts, photographs and models of the east coast’s history.
• Souq Sharq: a restored, heritage-style souq for spices, herbs and handicrafts.
• Al Rabi Tower: a 1915 watchtower and the start of the Al Rabi trail.
• Najd Al Maqsar: a mountain village in Wadi Shie with 13 traditional houses, a fort about 300 years old and rock carvings thought to date to about 2000 BC; it is being restored by The Sharjah Collection as a heritage retreat, so check access before you go.

Getting there

From Dubai, take Emirates Road (E611) towards Sharjah, the Sharjah to Kalba road (E102) east, then Khor Fakkan Road (S142), which runs through five mountain tunnels; Khor Fakkan is just after the last one. Allow 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. If you prefer to avoid tunnels, the older route via Fujairah and up the coast takes longer. From Abu Dhabi, allow about 3 hours.

Good to know

• Dress: Khor Fakkan is in Sharjah, which has a modest dress code in public and no alcohol; swimwear is for the beach only.
• Heat: from May to September, do outdoor stops before 9am or after 5pm.
• Rain: avoid the wadis and mountain roads during rain warnings.
• Weekends: Friday to Sunday afternoons are busy at Al Suhub, the waterfall and the beach.

Khor Fakkan FAQs