Day Trips from Sharjah

Sharjah’s position directly north of Dubai makes the larger emirate the obvious first target, but many visitors overlook the range of destinations accessible from Sharjah in other directions: the east coast (including Sharjah’s own Khor Fakkan), RAK’s mountains, and Ajman’s quiet waterways are all under two hours away.

Khor Fakkan — Sharjah’s East Coast

Distance: 130 km | Drive time: 90 minutes via Masafi | Day trip cost: AED 40–200 per person

Khor Fakkan is technically a Sharjah emirate enclave on the east coast — so this is a domestic excursion rather than a cross-border trip. The town sits in a bay backed by the Hajar Mountains: one of the most visually striking settings in the country. The Oceanic Hotel beach offers day passes (approximately AED 75–100 with food credit as of 2026); the public corniche beach is free.

The drive from Sharjah city via Masafi is scenic throughout — the E89 through the Hajar Mountains is especially dramatic. Stop at the Friday Market at Masafi for fresh fruit, pottery, and souvenirs (open daily, busiest Fri–Sat).

Add Dibba Al Hosn: Continue 15 km north of Khor Fakkan to Dibba for lunch at a waterfront restaurant and a view of Musandam’s fjord entrance. Round trip from Sharjah: roughly 310 km — a long but worthwhile full day.

Dubai

Distance: 20–30 km | Drive time: 30–80 minutes | Day trip cost: AED 50–400+ per person

Dubai is on Sharjah’s doorstep — the cities share a border at the Mirdif/Deira area. Traffic between them is the obstacle: the Sharjah–Dubai bottleneck is one of the worst commuter corridors in the region during weekday mornings and evenings.

Best time to travel: 09:30–11:00 (after the morning rush) or 20:00+ (after the evening rush). Weekends are generally easier.

Dubai highlights reachable as day trips:

• Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall area: AED 169–269 for At the Top. Pre-book via burjkhalifa.ae.
• Old Dubai (Al Fahidi, Creek, gold and spice souks): Free access; abra AED 1.
• Dubai Frame: AED 50. 45-minute visit.
• JBR Beach / Dubai Marina: Free beach, paid parking.

Route tip: E311 (Emirates Road) bypasses central Sharjah and connects to Dubai south of the main congestion point — faster than E11 for reaching Dubai Marina, JBR, or Jebel Ali areas.

Ras Al Khaimah and Jebel Jais

Distance: 65 km | Drive time: 55–70 minutes | Day trip cost: AED 80–800+ per person

RAK is accessible in under an hour on E311 from Sharjah. The drive continues north past Al Hamra (golf and resort district) into RAK city, then east to the Jebel Jais mountain road.

Jebel Jais (UAE’s highest peak, 1,934m) is the standout day trip for anyone based on the Gulf coast — the mountain scenery is unlike anything else in the western UAE. Browse tours in Ras Al Khaimah if you’d rather skip the driving. The summit road climbs to 1,680m; the Jais Flight zipline (approximately AED 799) and Jais Adventure Peak activities operate from the base station.

Return via the coast road for a different perspective — past the fishing villages of Al Rams and Sha’am with the Gulf visible to the west.

Ajman

Distance: 15–20 km | Drive time: 20–25 minutes | Day trip cost: AED 20–100 per person

Ajman is one of Sharjah’s immediate neighbours (sharing a border). As a day trip, it’s more of a half-day — the Museum of Ajman (AED 4, open Sat–Thu 09:00–13:00 and 16:00–18:00, Fri 16:00–20:00) is one of the better small emirate museums. The corniche promenade is free and pleasant in the evening. The Ajman Gold Souk and traditional souk areas have better value than their Sharjah equivalents for everyday goods.

Al Ain — Oasis City

Distance: 200 km | Drive time: 2 hours | Day trip cost: AED 40–200 per person

Al Ain is further but manageable as a full day. Take E611 (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road) south and then E22 east. The Al Ain Oasis (UNESCO World Heritage, free), Al Jahili Fort (free), and Jebel Hafeet mountain drive fill a day comfortably. The camel souk (most active Friday mornings) is the most authentic market experience in the UAE.