Sharjah (Sharjah) takes the third place in the list of emirates of the UAE . Here you will find a quiet quiet atmosphere, as night entertainment is almost completely absent, and alcohol in Sharjah is prohibited. The city has undoubted advantages in view of the availability of inexpensive hotels and restaurants, a lot of interesting places for lovers of Arab culture and shopping centers for profitable shopping. Sharjah is a great option for both leisure with children and business travel.
Location:
The map of the UAE shows that the city of Sharjah is located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, not far from Dubai and Ajman , to the northeast of the capital of the Arab Emirates - the city of Abu Dhabi . The central part of Sharjah is located along the lagoon, among parks and recreation areas, and suburbs and industrial areas stretch north and east into the desert.
History of Sharjah
The name of the city is translated from Arabic as "the rising sun". Until the beginning of the XIX century, Sharjah was the main seaport in the south of the Persian Gulf. It was from here that the main trade was carried out both with Western countries and with the East. Until the 70's. XX century, the main profit in the state treasury was from trade, fishing and pearl mining. In 1972, Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qazimi came to power. Since that time, Sharjah's rapid development in the spheres of economy and culture began. In the same year, oil deposits were discovered in the city, and in 1986 - gas reserves. The tourist attraction of the city has grown, as magnificent hotels, shopping centers and restaurants were built, parks and recreation areas were broken. Today, the city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates is very attractive for both beach rest and cultural.
Climate
The city is dry and hot all year round. In summer, the daytime air temperature reaches + 35-40 ° С, in winter it keeps at + 23-25 ° С. From April to November, the waters of the Persian Gulf in this place warm up to + 26 ° C and above and do not fall below the mark of + 19 ° C during the rest of the year.
The most favorable period for a trip to Sharjah is the time from the end of September to the beginning of May. A very memorable event can be a trip to Sharjah for the New Year.
Nature in the city
Sharjah is famous for its parks, flowering alleys and squares with many amazing tropical plants. This is the greenest city in the UAE, which is confirmed by the photo of Sharjah. The residents and guests of these places are very popular with such recreation areas as the Sharjah National Park , Al-Madjaz and Al-Jazeera parks . Entrance to them is free, there are playgrounds for children, for all others - running and bicycle paths, cafes, alleys with flower beds and fountains. With fauna you can get acquainted at the local zoo of the Arabian Wildlife Center, which is located in the Desert Park of the city (Sharjah Desert Park). In the aquarium of Sharjah, you will see the inhabitants of the ocean - reef sharks, rays, various fish.
What to see in Sharjah?
In the city is worth visiting such places of interest in Sharjah as:
- the mosque of King Faisal ;
- fountain in Al Majaz park;
- the ancient district of Meredzha;
- all kinds of museums and exhibitions;
- Al Jazeera Park;
- the Sharjah Water Park ;
- a monument to the Holy Qur'an ;
- a monument to Progress;
- watchtowers.
Holiday in Sharjah
In Sharjah, you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the distinctive Arab culture. For this, you can visit the regularly held arts festivals, for example, Sharjah International Biennial, Sharjah Biennial of the Art of Calligraphy or the Ramadan Islamic Arts Festival.
In addition to beach recreation in the city there are many opportunities for outdoor activities:
- diving ;
- windsurfing ;
- sailing, water skiing or scootering;
- horseback riding;
- playing golf, cricket, tennis.
Lovers of nightlife from Sharjah will have to go to clubs in Dubai, tk. in the city are more popular clubs with national music, working until midnight.
Purchases
For shopping in Sharjah, there are the largest malls, shops, Arab markets (souvenirs) and souvenir shops. The central bazaar in the city is the sushi in the Khaled lagoon, where over 600 retail shops are presented with a huge selection of jewelry, carpets, furniture, perfumes, etc. In Al Arsah, you can buy unique handicraft items, and in Al Bahar you can buy spices, henna, hookahs, incense, Arabian clothes and accessories.
In Sharjah, there are many shopping centers and large shops. Among them are Sahara Center, Sharjah City Center, Sharjah Mega Mall, Safeer Mall. In them you can do not only shopping, but also visit cinemas or entertainment complexes.
Restaurants in Sharjah
In the center of the city you will find a wide selection of cafes and restaurants of different price category offering guests dishes of Arabic and Indian, Chinese and Thai, as well as European cuisines. Restaurants in hotels are most often focused on Arabic and international cuisine. Service in them is carried out in the format of a buffet, sometimes all-inclusive, but more often you will be offered to choose the type of food.
In the city there are also street stalls with fast food, Indian and Pakistani curry restaurants. Of the drinks are always available only non-alcoholic - teas, coffee and freshly squeezed juices.
Speaking about location, the most expensive and prestigious establishments can be found in elite 5 * hotels, and in the shopping centers, on the Corniche promenade, on the shores of the Khaled lagoon and near the Al-Qasbay channel, there are mainly inexpensive cafes.
Lovers of seafood should pay attention to Al Fawar Restaurant, and vegetarians - to Saravana Bhavan and Bait Al Zafaran.
Hotels in Sharjah
The choice of hotels in the city is also very large, and the category is mostly 3-5 * (there are 2 *). Hotels in Sharjah in the UAE compared to similar in Dubai is much cheaper, although the level of comfort and room service is in no way inferior to the institutions of the latter. The cost of living in a double room in a 2 * hotel is $ 40-60, in 3 * - about $ 90, in 4-5 * - from $ 100. In Sharjah, both urban and beach hotels operate on the first coastline with a private beach. Take into account that in Sharjah there are no public beaches, but only private ones at expensive hotels. The entrance to them can be paid for tourists of other hotels, keep this in mind when choosing the placement. Please note that in Sharjah in 1 room will not be inhabited unmarried couple.
Transport
Sharjah has its own international airport , seaport and intercity bus station. With the main cities of the Arab Emirates, Sharjah is connected by highways. The condition of the road surface is excellent, but it should be noted that while traveling to Dubai and Abu Dhabi you can get into a traffic jam. The peak hours in these areas are in the morning hours (from 7:00 to 9:00) and in the evening (from 18:00 to 20:00).
The most widespread forms of transport in the city are minibuses and taxis. For example, the shuttles can be reached for $ 8-10 in Abu Dhabi and El Ain . They are sent from the fruit market. By taxi parked near the park on Al-Sharq Rd, it's more profitable to go to Ras Al Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain , especially if a group of 4-5 people is typed (then the trip will be $ 4-5). And from the area of Rolla Sq you can go on the same minibuses or taxi to Dubai .
Some hotels offer their excursion services and provide buses for trips and transfers to the airport or to the beach. In the center of the city you can take a sightseeing bus.
How to get there?
You can visit Sharjah by choosing one of the following travel routes:
- Flight to Sharjah International Airport. It is located 15 km from the city center. A taxi from the airport to the center of Sharjah costs about $ 11.
- Flight to Dubai International Airport and then a trip by minibus or taxi to the destination. The distance from Dubai to Sharjah is only 15 km. Minibuses depart every half hour, the journey costs $ 1.4. For a trip by taxi from Dubai to Sharjah will need to pay $ 5.5. If you take a joint taxi (4-5 people in the car), then $ 1-1.5 per person.
- By ferry from the seaport in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas.