Al Bidyah Mosque
Built of stone and mud brick around 1446, the oldest known mosque in the UAE and still in use.
07 · Emirate
The other coast
The only emirate that faces the Gulf of Oman rather than the Arabian Gulf, which changes everything: deeper water, coral within swimming distance of the beach, mountains that come down to the shore, and the oldest mosque in the country.
Getting there
Fujairah International Airport, or roughly two hours from Dubai through the Hajar mountains.
When to go
Diving visibility is best from September to November. The east coast stays a little cooler and greener after rain.
Good to know
Wadis flood fast and without warning after rain in the mountains; never camp in a wadi bed.
Signature places
Built of stone and mud brick around 1446, the oldest known mosque in the UAE and still in use.
A rock formation ringed by coral you can reach from the beach; turtles and reef sharks are regular sightings.
The country's first mountain protected area, holding freshwater pools, waterfalls and Arabian tahr.
A 16th-century fort above the old village, restored with its watchtowers and the date plantations below.
Roadside stalls of carpets, clay pots and mountain fruit on the pass between the two coasts — open all week, despite the name.
See the place
Al Aqah, Fujairah
The other coast
0s / 26s
Experiences here
Coral within swimming distance of the beach at Al Aqah, on the Gulf of Oman side. Turtles are routine; reef sharks are common and harmless.
Stone and mud brick, built around 1446, four domes on a single central pillar — and still in use for prayer.
The country's first mountain protected area: freshwater pools, waterfalls after rain, and Arabian tahr on the cliffs above.
Tickets
Equipment and guide included
Where to stay
Coral a hundred metres off the sand, tanks filled on site, and mountains directly behind the car park.
Free cancellation · 6 rooms left · 964 reviews
Eat & drink
On the pass between the two coasts, beside the pottery and fruit stalls. Order the whole grilled hammour.
Tours that include it
One country, all seven emirates, anticlockwise from the capital so the mountains and the east coast come last.
Sand, then rock, then reef — the three landscapes of the country in the order that makes sense.
Snoopy Island, Dibba Rock and Martini Rock in the clear-water season, with one day out of the water in the mountains.
What's on
September to November
When visibility on the Gulf of Oman is at its best and the water is still warm. Turtles on almost every dive.
Dives and snorkelling trips are sold by licensed operators, and a certification card is checked before a dive.
People who were there
@reefminutes
Three turtles in twenty minutes, straight off the beach. No boat.
Snoopy Island, Al Aqah · #Fujairah
Continue the journey
The capital, at its own pace
Where the record is the baseline
The country's reading room
Small emirate, long shoreline
Every emirate is within a day's drive of every other.