Since 1971 it’s been one of the seven member states that make up the United Arab Emirates and in a few short years has gone from being a land of fishermen and farmers to an emerging tourist destination. A large part of this is thanks to its natural wealth and magical landscape.
Fujairah has managed to quickly put in place its economic and social development plans around tourism. One of its pillars has been the conversion of the port infrastructures and gearing more towards large-scale shipping and container operations in the area. The emirate is increasingly enticing more travellers, with many of them coming for its natural environment. We’ve picked out some of the places you can’t afford to miss out if you visit this corner of the Middle East.
Let’s start with the impressive Al Hajar Mountains, which are easy to spot to the west of Fujairah. It’s the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian Peninsula and runs from the United Arab Emirates to Oman with its highest point, Jabal Yibir, reaching 1527m. The wild and beautiful mountain range terrain offers numerous hiking and trekking activities.
Now it’s time for a stop at the commonly named “wadis”, in other words, the valleys, ravines or channels that are dry more of the year except during the rainy season and are common, and unquestionably beautiful, in arid, dry or desert areas.
Firstly, let’s take a look at Wadi Ham, the largest and longest wadi in all the United Arab Emirates, running for 30km from Masafi to the dam. Accessibility is not a problem as a lot of the dam runs alongside the main road. It’s dry most of the year, but when it rains, the landscape is transformed into a rushing wadi making it ideal for adventure and water sports.
Wadi Al Wurayah is another highlight, a beautiful boulder-strewn wadi to the north of Fujairah that is a particularly popular recreational area for residents. Photography lovers are in for a treat when visiting at dusk as the stunning show of lights on the walls is incredible. Spanning 192 square kilometres, the wadi is protected by international organisations like EWS-WWF because of its rich flora and fauna.
Enjoy complete luxury in the emirate while staying at the Blue Diamond Salam Palace***** GL. The hotel is just a short distance from Dubai International Airport and is also very close to Fujairah’s main sights like the old Al Badiyah Mosque, the Al Bithnah Fort Museum and the historic city centre. The rooms and suites are perfect for you to enjoy a different style of holidays in the emirate, which holds an abundance of surprises and secrets to discover.
