Sharjah Things to Do

As non-Muslims we could not go inside, but this stunning mosque is located opposite the blue souq. We originally passed it on our way in to Sharjah on the bus. I insisted we walked back to take a closer look, but I thought it was a pretty stunning building.

Our bus passed this on our way to Sharjah. It was not far back from the bus station so we walked back to have a look. The building is lovely with beautiful tiles, You can buy all sorts of things inside: jewellery, cloth, clothes etc.

The UAE has a rich culture and a strong relationship with the sea. For more than a thousand years, pearl divers searched the turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea for treasure off the coast and sailors navigated the sea to engage in trade with India and the Far East.

In winter it is possible to walk to the Heritage Area from Al Jubail bus station, but I would take a taxi in summer. The Heritage area was a bit of a disappointment as so much of it was still under construction or restoration. Things available to see were two touristic style souqs, calligraphy exhibitions and the Bait Al Naboodah Heritage House, admission 5AED. The heritage house and the souqs were quite interesting and worth a look if you happen to be in Sharjah. The best thing about the Bait Al Naboodah was getting to try some cardomum flavoured coffee - very tasty.

Although it only has a pedestrian walkway for part of the way, it is quite interesting to walk along the corniche. You will pass a beautifully tiled (possibly Iranian) mosque, the heritage area, the fort, the arts area, the Museum of Islamic Culture - a lovely building and supposedly very interesting, but we did not have time to visit. We walked all the way to the lovely mosque near the Radisson Hotel. Many people were fishing and there were several boats. Quite pleasant if it is not too hot.

Sharjah Fort is located between the Sharjah Heritage Area and the Sharjah Arts Area. It is an interesting building from the ouside but it had a sign on the door saying it has been closed for restoration since March 2010, so we could not go inside.

This was on the walk from the bus station into the old part of town. There were two parts - an outdoor livestock market with cows, goats and sheep and an indoor market with birds including falcons, dogs, cats, small rodents.

The fish souq is also right next to the bus station. Follow the smell of fish. There were some interesting specimens on sale here. Had I had access to a cooker I would not have minded cooking some. Good for photos.

Sharjah fruit and vegetable market was right next to the bus station. I think our bus went to Al Jubail Bus station. The fruit and Vegetable souq is housed in a lovely building that runs parallel to the bus station. It is quite colourful and good for photos.

Expo Sharjah center is where all the trade meeting and exhibits take place. Some times entertainment and shows are on display too. Check @ the time of visiting you might find something of interest to you. You can look under calender @ the web site attached to find out what is going on

Again this museum opens only when there are exhibits. However it has a descent size local art library; so it is open daily for that purpose in morning. No body asked me for a ticket but the general ticket for Sharjah Museum should cover this one also.
The museum has also a coffee shop and a gift shop

Qanat Al Qasba or Al Qasba is a place for all ages. It is for family, friends and lovers for a night of relaxation. A giant ferris wheel is a must-try ride for everybody. It offers an aerial view of the emirate's corniche, lagoons and landscape as well as the horizons of the neighbouring Dubai . Kidszone offers a wide range of edutainment activities specially created for children of various age groups. A ride in a traditional boat offers a panoramic view of the walkways, bridges and some of the cultural attractions and modern skyscrapers of the emirate of Sharjah. Another attraction is the Al Qasba Musical Fountain for daytime and night person to see. A tourist destination will never be complete without restaurants and cafes. There are lots to choose from in Al Qasba.

While not as cool as Dubai....a lot less expensive. Sharjah is a working city with its own share of marine traffic. You could probably spend and good hour or two walking along the Corniche on your way out to the beach to the East.

The Heritage Area is a small area on the Corniche Road near most of the main sights in Sharjah..it is a small area which was still under restoration when I visited a few months ago. It is a nice break from the tall buildings that sprout up all over the Emirates. I stumbled across while checking out the Dhow docks

Not that great..compared to other souqs in Arabia but if you are out walking around the Khalid Lagoon/Dhow loading docks it is a great place to walk thru. If you are staying at the hostel it is even a place to pick up some fresh fruit/vegetables for a meal.