Sharjah: Why KhorFakkan won Best Arab Tourist City for 2023

At ITB Berlin 2023 held from March 7 to 9, led by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), Sharjah had an innovatively designed pavilion offering visitors a vivid experience of Sharjah’s leading tourist attractions spanning its stunning diverse natural and manmade landscapes. At the event, the Arab Union for Tourist Media named Khorfakkan the Best Arab Tourist City for 2023.

The destination’s natural beauty in its pristine beaches and rugged mountainous terrain, along with its unique cultural heritage attractions and events, new adventure tourism and water sport activities and luxury accommodations is why the city won the award, a press statement from the Sharjah authority said.

A waterfall and an amphitheater: The KhorFakkan 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.

Al Rafisah Dam: Originally built in the 1980s the Al Rafisah Dam offers boating among the magnificent Hajar mountains a perfect antidote to urban life. A kilometer-long walkway, fringed with palm trees, circumventing the dam, wends its way along the mountain’s edge, through the plantations up to the fort.

For a relaxed beach day: Now is the perfect time to head to Khorfakkan with its 3km sandy beach lined with palm trees and spotted with shops and eateries. Relax and see the warm waters of the Gulf of Oman as you ride by. You can play beach football as the sun sets or try one of the seaside swings for that perfect Insta-worthy, breezy shot.

Adventure sports: If you’re feeling adventurous, try parasailing off the back of a speedboat.

For an incredible view: The Cloud Lounge in the city is the place to go if you’re looking to spend a great family day that has incredible views, beachy vibes and good food. The mountain-side rest stop lies 600 meters above sea level offering a great vantage point to enjoy the city views. There are also rest-stops along the route so you can enjoy the scenic drive up.

Hiking: Al Rabi Hiking Trail provides an ideal experience for all adventure lovers and mountain hiking enthusiasts. It was designed with great precision to enable visitors to reach the top of the mountain at 395 meters overlooking stunning nature views and the charming Khorfakkan beaches.