Visit Sharjah: Forests, a safari or the beach, here are 12 things to do

As the end of the year fast approaches, this is the perfect time to start planning out your outdoorsy weekends in the UAE. Sharjah offers a lot of diversity in the kind of activities you can do, and places to visit. Here are our top recommendations. From culturally significant museums and forts, to a safari park and waterfront destinations, the emirate has a variety of attractions to visit depending on your interests.

Al Majaz: Enjoy beautiful evenings with family and friends while strolling through the Al Majaz Waterfront. It is one of the best places to visit in Sharjah as of now but it has various attractions and activity areas. The park also houses the beautiful Al Taqwa Mosque, which is a testament to the rich Islamic culture of the city. Take a stroll by the Buhaira corniche and stop by the Al Majaz waterfront where you can enjoy the 100-metre high fountain. There are also many art galleries, cafés and other leisure facilities at the waterfront.

Take a ride on the Eye of the Emirates Wheel. This will give you spectacular views of the emirate.

Souk visit: A distinctly Middle Eastern activity, take a stroll through the souks of Sharjah. You could find fresh produce at bargain prices, and also shop around for carpets, antiques and jewellery. Don’t forget to haggle to bring the prices down.

Sharjah Safari Park: More than 50,000 animals call this space home. The park is the largest safari park outside Africa. Among the wildlife you can spot gazelles, giraffes, African wild turtles, crocodiles, lions, rhinos, African rock python, elephants and flamingos – take your binoculars along.

Mangroves and history at Kalba: Kalba was an important settlement 4,500 years ago. The fort in Kalba, now in ruins, was mentioned by the Venetian traveler Gasparo Balbi in an account of his travels in the region in 1580. The quaint town by the coastline of Sharjah, is well known for its creek. The area is lush with mangrove forests that date back generations. If you like bird watching, this is also good site to wander into.

AL Hisn Fort Museum: The Al Hisn Sharjah Fort was which was built in 1823 and established as a museum in 1997. It was renovated in 2015. Al Hisn Fort offers visitors the chance to learn about Sharjah’s modern history including the royal family, the fort itself and how people in Sharjah used to live 200 years ago. Al Hisn fort used to be the government headquarter of the emirate and the home of the Al Qawasim family. The Fortis made up of two floors and three towers. The construction of the fort is out of coral stones that were brought up the deep sea waters of the Arabian Gulf. Exhibitions include a large assortment of photographs and archaeological artefacts. You will also learn about weapons and defence strategies at the time.

Sharjah Museum of Islamic civilization: Sharjah Islamic Museum first opened its doors in 1987 as was known to locals as the Souk Al Majarrah. Now the Islamic museum displays a range of artefacts representing the different periods of Islamic history from its beginnings in Arabia and the Umayyad era until the Ottoman and Mamluk eras. The ground floor of the museum holds the Islamic Faith Gallery that displays ancient mathematical and astronomical works that were important in locating the direction of prayer towards the Ka'ba in Makkah. The entire first floor is devoted to Islamic Art that depicts historical relics, such as a Mongolian silk tunic dating back to 14th Century. The Islamic Art gallery also displays ceramics, metalwork, glass and minor arts made in the Muslim world between the seventh and 13th century. Location: Opposite the Sharjah Creek.

A waterfall and an amphitheater: The Khor Fakkan waterfall is one of the most prominent tourist and entertainment addition in Sharjah. The Khorfakkan Amphitheatre is a new Sharjah landmark located at the foot of Al Sayed mountain, facing the beach. As well as offering panoramic view of the Khorfakkan beach, it features a restaurant and café within the cave.

Snorkelling and scuba diving: Popular dive sites near Khorfakkan include Martini Rock, Shark Island, the Anemone Gardens and Coral Gardens. You could hire a small boat from one of the beach-huts to go snorkelling or scuba-diving.

Kayaking / canoeing: For a kayaking session in the sea, head to Khor Fakkan beach or the Al Khan beach in the emirate. The best part of taking a trip to these beaches is that there is something for everyone, so if you don't want to get on a kayak you can enjoy other activities or simply spend a sunny day on the beach. A spot to enjoy UAE's mangrove forests in Sharjah while canoeing is the Khor Kalba mangrove centre.

Sharjah Natural History Mueseum and Desert park: The Natural History Museum and Desert Park were founded in 1997 as a children’s petting zoo. The museum gives visitors a chance to learn about the growth of flora and fauna of the Arabian Desert. People can additionally observe and enjoy the various species of animals that are found on the Arabian Peninsula.

See the fishes: Sharjah aquarium is a place where tourists can see a wide range of marine life. The aquarium comprises of 20 large tanks housing a large variety of oceanic marine life. The main purpose of this place was to encourage the conservation of marine life.

The Sharjah Science Museum first opened its doors on April 17, 1996. It is one of the most interactive and fun museums in Sharjah. This museum is great for children as it is very educational. The museum includes more than 50 interactive exhibitions and provides visitors with programs and interesting events catered just for the kids. The Sharjah Science Museum offers tonnes of scientific exploration including hands-on experiments, laws of nature, thermal physics, physiology and aerodynamics.