Sharjah

Sharjah is very closely connected to Dubai through the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area, with commuter traffic creating rush hour traffic jams. Many people live in Sharjah but work in Dubai to take advantage of lower rents, hence traffic from Sharjah to Dubai and Dubai to Sharjah is largely expected in rush hours.

The emirate is considerably larger than Dubai, with coastline on both west and east coasts of the peninsula, and with exclaves of Kalba, Khor Fakkan, and Dibba Al Hisn. The road to the east coast goes through rugged Al Hajar mountains. Public buildings in the Emirate are all in Umayyad and Abbasid architecture, and were all designed by the present Shaikh (a qualified architect). Therefore, the city offers a nice visual change and a more cultural atmosphere from the usual fare of skyscrapers in other Emirates.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism website has sections on business, heritage, leisure, education, and coast.

As in the rest of the UAE, Arabic is the official language, although most residents speak other languages - particularly Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog. English is widely spoken in shops, souqs, and hotels.

For visa requirements to visit Sharjah, see the United Arab Emirates page.

• Heritage Area - Good overview available here including a few restoration of old houses. The Heritage is near the Corniche between Burj Avenue & Al-Maraija Road. Many historic buildings have been reconstructed with traditional materials. The most interesting sites are Al Hisn Fort, Literature Square with House of Poetry, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Sharjah Heritage Museum and Souq al-Arsa. Most sites in the Heritage Area have opening times set aside solely for women. Visitors of both genders should make certain of these on arrival in the city.
  • Al Hisn Fort, Al-Hosn Avenue, ☏ +971 6 5685500. Sa-Th 8AM-2PM, F closed. The Sharjah Fort Museum dominates the Heritage District. The fort itself has been lovingly restored by the present Sheikh and the museum provides something of a glimpse at social history of the Emirate. Many exhibit signs, however, are solely in Arabic, with those in English often being rife with errors. Adult 5 dirham, family 10 dirham, children free. 
  • 🌍 Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, ☏ +971 6 5655455. Sa-Th 8AM-8PM, F 4-8PM. Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is a fascinating place for any visitors with an interest in the faith, as there are handwritten Qur'ans, letters from the Prophet Muhammad to other leaders and various artifacts from Mecca. Also a comprehensive display of Arab handicrafts. Adult 5 dirham, family 10 dirham, children free. 
  • Bait al-Naboodah, Heritage Area, ☏ +971 6 5685500. Sa-Th 8AM-8PM, F 4-8PM. Adult 5 dirham, family 10 dirham, children free. 
  • Souq al-Arsah, Heritage Area. Sa-Th 9AM-1PM, 4-9PM, F 4-9PM only. Another souq worth a visit. It is considered to be the oldest souq in the country. Stop at the traditional coffee house for a mint tea and a plate of dates. 
  • Sharjah Calligraphy Museum (Heritage Area), ☏ +971 6 5694561. Sa-Th 8AM-8PM, F 4-8PM. A small museum with magnificent calligraphic works of art by Persian, Arabic and Turkish artists with a workshop where students are trained in the art of calligraphy Adult 5 dirham, family 10 dirham, children free. 
  • Sharjah Heritage Museum (Heritage Area), ☏ +971 6 5680006. Sa-Th 8AM-8PM, F 4-8PM. A small museum about the history and habits of the emirate Adult 10 dirham, children 5 dirham. 
• Art Area - Includes Sharjah's Art Museum which covers regional and international art exhibits, with the oriental collection being its highlights. The Arts Area is situated opposite the Heritage Area on the other side of Burj Avenue.
  • Sharjah Art Museum, ☏ +971 6 5688222. Sa-Th 8AM-8PM, F 4-8PM. The Sharjah Art Museum shows contemporary art by local and foreign artists. It is also the home of the Sharjah International Art Biennale, a bi-yearly exhibition of international contemporary art and performance. Free. 
• Sharjah Archeology Museum, Sheikh Rashid bin Saqr alQassimi Rd, ☏ +971 6 5665466. Sa-Th 9AM-1PM, 5-8PM; F 5-8PM. The museum explore the changing environments experienced by the region's inhabitants from the Stone Age to the present day through displays of artefacts, coins, jewellery, pottery and ancient weapons. Investigate a dig in progress, explore models of burials, houses and tombs and see the first forms of writing in this area. Adult 10 dirham, children 5 dirham. 
• Other museums also covers marine, natural history, aviation, and other valuable aspects http://www.sharjahmuseums.ae/%5Bdead+link%5D.

• Blue Souq (Souq Al Markazi or Central Souq). An interesting, if slightly chaotic, shopping centre hosting around 600 shops in two wings. The ground floor shops tend to stock gold and expensive designer clothes, with the upper level containing shops stocking carpets and curios from as far afield as Afghanistan and Tibet. Haggling over prices in the upper-level shops will frequently attract massive discounts. A great place to buy gifts and traditional goods. Considered superior to Dubai for carpets by Western expatriates.
• Sharjah Desert Park (28 km from Sharjah on the road to Al Dhaid). Su-Th 9AM–5:30PM, F 2PM-5:30PM, Sa 11AM–5:30PM. It has three components spread over 1 km²: the Natural History Museum, Arabian Wildlife Centre and the Children’s Farm. The museum provides people of all ages with an opportunity to learn about the flora and fauna of the Arabian Desert and has five main exhibition halls: A Journey through Sharjah, Man and the Environment, A Journey through Time, The Living Desert and The Living Sea. The Arabian Wildlife Centre showcases the rich diversity of fauna in the Arabian Peninsula as well as teaching about species which have become, and are becoming, extinct. It contains more than 100 species of animals, and is divided into a reptile and insect house, aviary, nocturnal houses, viewing area and a section for large predators and monkeys. The children’s farm gives children a chance to come into close contact with farm animals, such as donkeys, goats, sheep and chickens. Adult 15 dirham, child (12–16 years) 5 dirham, child (under 12) free. (updated Nov 2019)
• Fish Market, Corniche Road (opposite Blue Suq). Daily 5AM-1PM. 
• King Faisal Mosque, Al-Ittahid Square. This magnificent mosque was a gift of the Saudi Arabian King Faisal. It was opened in 1987 and has space for 15,000 people. There are separate prayer rooms for men and women and the mosque has an Islamic library with more than 7,000 books. Admission for Muslims only. 
• Al-Qasba Waterfront and Eye of the Emirates, Al-Taiwoon Road, Al-Khan Lagoon, ☏ +971 6 5560777. Sa-Th 10AM-11PM, F 4-11PM. Here you can enjoy culture, entertainment and leisure attractions representing the very best from the Arab world and beyond. 
• Al-Mahattah-Museum, Estiqlal Square, ☏ +971 6 5733079. Sa-Th 8AM-8PM, F 4-8PM. Al Mahatta was the first airport in the Gulf region. It opened in 1932 as a staging post for commercial flights from Britain to India. There is an interesting film about the daily life at the airport and Sharjah town in the 1930s and four original propeller planes stand in the hangar. Adult 5 dirham, family 10 dirham, child free. 
• 🌍 Sharjah Aquarium, Al Meena Street,Al Khan Area,Near Sharjah Maritime Museum, ☏ +971 6 528 5288. The Sharjah Aquarium first opened its doors in 2008. It features deep-sea creatures. Sharjah Maritime Museum gives you a close-up look at the local fishes and lets you learn about Sharjah's historic coasts and ports. 35 dirham per adult (13 and over), 25 dirham per child (age 2-12), below 2 yr free. 90 dirham family (2 adults + 3 children). (updated Jun 2019)

• Jetskiing is very famous around summer time in the Khalid Lagoon.
• F1 Boat Races happen around the human-made island in the Buhaira Corniche sometime around December.
• Qanat al Qasba has a beautiful mosque right by the canal.
• From Al Qasba there is a ferry that gives a boat tour around Sharjah.
• Several different yearly festivals take place, and each one is a wonderful cultural experience. There are many fun activities at these festivals including camel rides, henna, delicious Arabian foods and dishes.
• In celebration of the date season, which runs from mid-May to mid-August, the Date Festival is held at the Fruit and Vegetable Market from May 15 to August 15.
• Cricket: 🌍 Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Second Industrial Street, ☏ +971 6 542 2991. Sharjah's heyday was in the 1990s when it held many ODI tournaments. Although the games held at the ground were never implicated, the match fixing scandals at the turn of the millennium tarnished Sharjah and its use started to wane. With a capacity of 16,000 it has reemerged as an international cricket stadium, either as a neutral venue for Pakistan and its opponents or for inter-associate games involving the UAE. (updated Oct 2023)

• Souq al-Arsa (in the Heritage Area). 10AM-1:30PM, 4-10PM. Souq al-Arsa is considered the most atmospheric souq in the United Arab Emirates: authentic antiques, handicrafts, carpets and souvenirs for a much better price than in Dubai. (updated May 2019)
• Central Souq (Blue Souq, New Souq). 9AM-1:30PM, 3-10PM. The Central Souq is one of the best souqs in the United Arab Emirates, specialising in carpets from Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey, pashminas from Kashmir and silver jewellery from Oman and Yemen. In the Gold Center (corner of Sheikh Humaid bin Sar al-Qassimi Road and Al Wahda Roas) there are plenty of stores selling gold jewellery. (updated May 2019)
• Khlas Malaki Dates, Corniche Road (near Marbella Resort), ☏ +971 6 5738383. Sa-W 9AM-1PM, 4-8PM; F 4-8PM. Sweet dates, packed into small boxes, a nice souvenir. (updated May 2019)
• Sharjah Mega Mall, Immigration Road, ☏ +971 6 5742574. Sa-W 11AM-11PM, Th 11AM-1AM, F 2PM-1AM. Luxury shopping center with more than 140 international shops and the Lebanese Beyrouth Restaurant. (updated May 2019)
• City Center Sharjah (Al Wahda Road.), ☏ +971 6 532 7700. Sa-W 10AM-10PM, Th 10AM-midnight, F 2PM-midnight. Luxury shopping center with a high class, multi-screen cinema. (updated May 2019)
• Sahara Center Sharjah (Al Nahda Interchange, Dubai-Sharjah Border), ☏ +971 6-531-6611. Daily 10AM- 1AM. Sahara Center offers an enormous selection and variety of stores including fashion, sports, toys, cosmetics, jewellery, books, home furnishings and electronics among others. Some of the mall’s key anchor stores include Marina Exotic Home Interiors, Toys ‘R’ Us, Home Centre and Spinneys as well as entertainment such as Novo Cinemas and Adventureland. (updated Dec 2021)

The ubiquitous shawarma is sold all over Sharjah and makes a very cheap and hearty meal. Khuboos made of wheat also a cheap food available at very cheap

• Mushmaool Arabic Grill Restaurant, Al Miraj Building 1, beside Megamall Entrance 3, Abu Shagara, ☏ +971 6 5754244. Noon-4PM & 7PM-midnight. Mushmaool is good food and amazing service. Provides the best grill in town and an outstanding dining experience. Committed to provide quality food and a healthy dining experience as close to as what you get at home. 35 dirham/person. 
• Seashells, Ahmed bin Dar-eish Square, Al-Chan Road (near Raddission SAS Resort), ☏ +971 6 5283501. Sa-Th noon-3PM, 7PM-midnight. Fish restaurant serving fried or grilled shrimps, tuna fish and hammour or a seafood platter at reasonable prices. 
• Lasani, Sameer Al Mahmood Building, King Faisal Road, Al Majaz 1, Al Majaz (Near RAK Bank), ☏ +971 6 573-0075. Pakistani barbecue and oriental food. One of the best Pakistani food in Sharjah. 
• Syed Al Biryani, Shop#2, Ezza Tower, Al Nad Qassmia, opp Crystal Plaza Hotel, ☏ +971 6 5506699. House of great taste. One of the best restaurants in Sharjah. 

Sharjah is a "dry emirate" which means sale or possession of alcohol within Sharjah is almost entirely forbidden. There are three exceptions:

• Sharjah Wanderers Club. Members and their guests only. Founded in 1977 as a sports club for rugby and diving, it has a pool, tennis courts and lighted rugby fields. There is a British bar which sells spirits, wine, bitter, lager and stout and which serves traditional British food. 
• Alcohol is available at the duty-free and business class lounges of Sharjah International Airport.
• If you have a personal alcohol license, you may bring in alcohol from other emirates and consume it at home.

Also, it is legal to transport alcohol through Sharjah if your final destination permits it (such as from Dubai to Fujairah). Some police may not be familiar with this rule though.

• Holiday Inn Sharjah (in the heart of the Central Business District), ☏ +971 6 5599900. Check-in: noon, check-out: 2PM. 180 rooms, lobby lounge open 24 hr, Al Dana Dining Restaurant, health and fitness center, sauna, shuttle service to access the beach (distance: 2 km) Single or double 270-430 dirham. 
• Lou' Lou'a Beach Resort, Al Mina Rd, ☏ +971 6 5285000. 
• Al Reem Suites, Sharjah (Al Reem Hotel Apartments, Sharjah), Alqulayyah Sharjah (at Rashid Bin Khadim Square (opposite Khuthubah R/A), on the way to Ajman cornish Rd, very close to Radisson Blu resort), ☏ +971 6 5647700. Check-in: noon, check-out: 2PM. A well-furnished serviced apartment hotel. Rooms available at reasonable rates (monthly and daily basis). Room service available. Airport drop and pick up services, city tours and shopping centre drops are available upon request. Spacious and well arranged rooms. 180 to 350. 

Generally speaking, Sharjah is a safe place. Women are usually stared at in certain parts of the city, so bring a male relative or friend to be safe.

• The smallest emirate, Ajman, is Sharjah's northern neighbor.