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The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority has expanded Khorfakkan Beach through targeted projects that combine natural coastal features with modern amenities, creating an integrated destination that supports domestic tourism growth. Recent efforts include the inauguration of a AED700 million resort in May that added residential capacity, retail outlets and enhanced beach access directly on the shoreline. Shurooq’s developments align with broader emirate strategies to distribute visitor traffic beyond central areas while capitalising on the east coast’s unique geography along the Gulf of Oman.
Khorfakkan Beach stretches across a three-kilometre crescent shoreline lined with palm trees and framed by the Hajar Mountains, where calm waters accommodate swimming, snorkelling excursions to nearby Shark Island and water sports ranging from parasailing to jet ski rentals. The corniche provides playgrounds, cycling paths, cafes and full facilities including showers and changing rooms that cater to family groups throughout the year. Official tourism portals detail how these elements allow visitors to transition seamlessly from beach leisure to cultural sites such as the adjacent amphitheatre complex.
Shurooq oversaw the May opening of the Khorfakkan Resort, featuring 573 units from one-bedroom to four-bedroom configurations alongside 16 commercial spaces, multiple swimming pools, fitness centres and extensive landscaped gardens exceeding 100,000 square feet. The beachfront property delivers panoramic views across sea, mountains and urban skyline while incorporating private beach sections and hospitality services for both residents and short-stay guests. This investment has contributed to increased overnight visitation in the eastern region since its launch.
Plans for an AED8 million heritage market at a restored 15th-century archaeological location near the beach will introduce additional shops, cafes and pedestrian walkways to highlight local history within the tourism offering. The initiative extends earlier beach upgrades that installed sports courts, picnic zones and event infrastructure valued at tens of millions of dirhams in prior phases. Shurooq has framed such projects as catalysts for economic activity that preserve environmental qualities while expanding recreational options.
The Khorfakkan Amphitheatre, with capacity exceeding 3,500 spectators and advanced climate control systems, now anchors a November-to-April events calendar that includes concerts and festivals complementing daytime beach use. Visitors frequently pair shoreline activities with hikes to viewpoints like Al Rabi Tower or explorations around the 45-metre engineered waterfall carved into natural rock. These layered attractions have helped elevate average visitor dwell times and reinforced the destination’s role in Sharjah’s tourism diversification.
