Khor Fakkan is an east-coast city in Sharjah, facing the Gulf of Oman. Our day trip from Dubai connected Al Rafisah Dam, Najd Al Meqsar, Al Suhub Rest House and the waterfall, amphitheatre and Corniche.
Out of Business Bay at nine. Back in Dubai by three.
9am: Business Bay to the mountains
A friend and I left Business Bay at nine in the morning in a Mercedes-Benz EQS. By around three that afternoon, we were back in Dubai. In between came a dam surrounded by mountains, a hillside hotel that looked like a little fortress, lunch above the coast and a waterfall stop.
This was a compact drive, not a weekend away. That is what I like about the route: a morning departure can take you somewhere that looks completely different from Dubai, without using up the whole day. The times here are how our trip unfolded, rather than a fixed schedule everyone needs to follow.
Our first destination was Al Rafisah Dam. Starting with a specific stop made the outing straightforward, with the coast and lunch coming later.
Where is Khor Fakkan?
Khor Fakkan is part of Sharjah, on the UAE's east coast facing the Gulf of Oman. You will also see it written Khorfakkan. Its location is quite different from Sharjah city: here, the mountains and the sea sit close together.
That geography is the appeal of the drive. The dam gives you water enclosed by rocky slopes; the mountain viewpoint opens up the town and bay; the waterfront brings you down to sea level. These are distinct stops, but they fit naturally into one outing.
It is also a real coastal city rather than a single resort destination. A visit can be as simple as a few viewpoints and lunch, or become a longer stay with time around the water.
Around 11am: Al Rafisah Dam
We reached Al Rafisah Dam at around eleven. The photograph captures the setting well: water in front of us, steep rocky mountains behind it and small boats out on the reservoir. It was a clear change of scene from the morning's starting point in Business Bay.
Sharjah's tourism authority lists kayaking among the activities here. That makes the dam more than a roadside viewpoint: visitors can spend time on the water as well as look at it from the shore. For our story, this was the first stop; the photograph is not a claim that we took a kayaking session ourselves.
A longer outing could give the dam more time. For a compact day, it works as the place where the journey becomes the destination, before continuing towards the hillside and coast.
A fortress-like hotel: Najd Al Meqsar
Near the dam, Najd Al Meqsar caught my attention. Stone buildings climb the hillside towards a tower, giving the place the appearance of a small fortified village. It stands out because the architecture feels connected to the rocky slope rather than placed in front of it.
The property is part of Sharjah Collection. We saw it during the drive rather than staying overnight, so this is a place I noticed, not a hotel review. It adds a different possibility to the route: the same area that works for a short escape from Dubai could also be the setting for a stay.
The closer photograph shows the stepped layout and stonework. Even within a quick trip, this was a very different scene from the reservoir.
Around 12.30pm: lunch at Al Suhub Rest House
By around half past twelve, we were at Al Suhub Rest House for lunch. The climb gives this part of the trip a mountain-road feel, with a terrace and a view over Khor Fakkan waiting at the top.
Al Suhub combines a lookout with a place to eat. In my photograph, the bay and the town appear through the haze, with the slope dropping away in the foreground. It is a different way to understand the city from the waterfront below.
We ate lunch here, and the food photograph is from that stop. A meal gave the outing a natural pause between the dam and the coast, rather than turning it into a sequence of short photo stops.
Khorfakkan Waterfall, the Amphitheatre and Corniche
After lunch, we went to see the waterfall before heading back. Khorfakkan Waterfall and the Amphitheatre sit right beside each other, making them an easy pair of stops after coming down from Al Suhub.
My waterfall photograph shows the water spreading down the broad rock face, with the walkway at its foot. The neighbouring Khorfakkan Amphitheatre brings a different scene: pale stone, long rows of arches and columns, and an open forecourt backed by the hillside. Sharjah's tourism authority lists the two together as a cultural destination.
The seaside photograph below was taken on Khorfakkan Corniche. Palms, the waterfront pavement and the sea bring the trip back to street level after the mountain panorama. This is the coastal side of the same day out.
We kept this part brief because we were returning to Dubai that afternoon. With more time, the Corniche would be a natural place to extend the outing.
Planning your own route: time, costs and stops
Our route was Business Bay → Al Rafisah Dam → Najd Al Meqsar → Al Suhub Rest House → the waterfall and waterfront → Dubai. Save each place separately in your map app: searching only for Khor Fakkan will not recreate the mountain and reservoir stops. Our nine-to-three timeline describes one visit, not a recommended maximum or a guaranteed driving time.
Keep the route, not necessarily our pace. If kayaking is a priority, allow that to be the main activity rather than squeezing it between every photo stop. For lunch with a view, keep Al Suhub; for a slower afternoon, leave more time along the waterfront. These are alternative ways to shape the day, not extra things we claim to have done.
Budget for the choices you make. Check boat-hire prices at Al Rafisah, the restaurant menu and any current parking or access charges before setting a total. The official attraction pages linked here describe the places but do not provide a complete, current price list for this whole route; our visit is not evidence that every stop is free. A hotel booking at Najd Al Meqsar is a separate decision from noticing it on a day trip.
Visit Sharjah places Al Suhub at approximately 600 metres above sea level. It is a mountain stop, not a waterfront restaurant: allow for the ascent and descent when planning lunch. Check the day's weather and live journey estimates before leaving, particularly if you need to be back in Dubai at a fixed time.
Back in Dubai around 3pm
We were back in Dubai at about three. A dam, a hillside hotel, mountain views, lunch and the coast had fitted between a normal morning departure and the middle of the afternoon.
I would recommend doing this route by car. The attraction is the freedom to connect the stops, pause where something catches your eye and leave when you are ready. We used an EQS, but the story is about the route rather than needing that particular model.
For me, this is a good example of how much variety a drive out of Dubai can bring. A friend, a few chosen stops and lunch with a view were enough to make the day feel different.
- Read our Najd Al Meqsar hotel feature: architecture, dining and staying overnight
- University of Khorfakkan: city and visitor information
- Visit Sharjah: Al Rafisah Dam and activities
- Sharjah Collection: Najd Al Meqsar
- Visit Sharjah: Al Suhub lookout and restaurant
- Visit Sharjah: Khorfakkan Amphitheater and Waterfall
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