The easternmost of the United Arab Emirates, Fujairah is the only Emirate not to have a coastline along the Persian Gulf. It is also the youngest of the Emirates, only becoming independent from Sharjah in 1952. Fujairah is the only Emirate of the U.A.E. that is almost totally mountainous. All the other Emirates, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are located on the west coast, and are largely covered by desert. Therefore, Fujairah boasts a higher than average yearly rainfall, allowing farmers in the region to produce one meaningful crop every year.
The weather is seasonal, although it is warm for most of the year. The months of October to March are generally regarded as the coolest, with daytime temperatures averaging around 25 °C (77 °F) and rarely venturing above 30 °C (86 °F) with temperatures climbing to over 40 °C (104 °F) degrees in the summer. The winter period also coincides with the rainy season and although by no means guaranteed, this is when Fujairah experiences the bulk of its precipitation. Rainfall is higher than the rest of the U.A.E. partly because of the effect of the mountains that encircle the Emirate, and partly because the prevailing winds are westerly bringing with them water-laden clouds off the warm Indian Ocean.
PLACE TO VISIT
Despite its location, there is very little to see in Fujairah city. The city is a business centre first and foremost, with none of the enticing atmosphere of the other large cities of the UAE.
Of some interest is the fort, located just outside the city itself. The main structure is still undergoing renovations, but visitors may walk around the reasonably large site (for free). Compared to other forts in the UAE, though, Fujairah Fort is a poor cousin.
WHAT TO DO
While the Indian Ocean is enticingly close, some parts of the beach would not seem to be a good option to swim at. However, the city of Diba which is 30km far from Fujairah city would be a good choice, where you can enjoy the sunny beaches and you can practice any sea activity you like. One more interesting thing to do is that you can make a boat trip to one of many islands that lay in the Gulf of Oman, a really wonderful places to visit and it is a good place for fishing.
All things considered, Fujairah is probably more suited as a base from which to go on excursions to the surrounding areas (most of which are enclaves of Sharjah), rather than doing anything much else. The city is growing in stature as a business destination, particularly where oil is concerned, but tourism remains some how significantly behind.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - While Fujairah has an airport, it is closed to passenger aviation at the present time. Airborne visitors will arrive at one of the western Emirates.
By car - Fujairah is roughly 2 hours by car from Dubai and the trip is on sealed roads throughout. It is also quite easy to reach Fujairah from nearby Oman, as the border is very close.
Note: Fujairah is in UAE, which is separate from Oman (two countries), although they belong to the group known as GCC Countries. Visitors must have separate visas for Oman and UAE in order to move from one to the other by car or any other mode of travelling.
By bus - Buses run reguarly from Dubai and other Emirates. Fujairah has something of a reputation as a vacation spot in the Emirates, which should equate to reliable bus coverage. Bus services are available from Dubai to Sharjah, from where a traveller must take the Fujairah bus. The bus service bound for Fujairah from Sharjah operates every hour. The bus service is comfortable and inexpensive. As UAE is an Islamic country, male and female travellers have separate seating areas(females in the front two to three rows and males in the remaining seats.
By Taxi - Taxis run from Fujairah (next to the old cinema) to Dubai and Sharjah. A shared taxi to downtown Dubai (Deira taxi stand) costs around $7 and they go as soon as the car is full. An unshared one costs about $28 but it depends on where you want to go in Dubai. Add another $15 if you want to go the Marina area where all the tourist hotels are. Beware - metered taxis from Dubai to Fujairah are twice the price.
