Sharjah Things to Do

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There is a Ferris wheel at the end of the Corniche.It offers breathtaking views of Sharjah. The charges are AED 20 for an adult (+14) for a 6 min ride. For those of you who are scared of going on the ferris wheel, this one is not that intense! its a very slow ride and you won't feel scared at all

While we were there, a Chinese Lantern festival was going on.The entire corniche area was covered with beautiful red lanterns - it was a pretty sight! They even had a DJ playing music as part of the festivities.I was informed that they host diff festivals and even put up a calendar of the events.Check if out, something might interest you.

The Al Qasba area,also called the Corniche, is a really great place to take a stroll in the evening.The canal is lined with restaurants, cafes and ice cream joints.Its also a great place for taking the kids as there is an amusement park right there and you can even take a boat ride along the canal

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There's a gorgeous fountain at the end of the walkway right next to the Ferris wheel.On fridays 7 PM they have a show with music for about 15 mins.The fountains dance to the tunes of the music and its a great sight to watch.The best thing about the show is that its FREE of cost:)

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On a lazy Saturday in summer we decided to go and have a look at the recently opened Sharjah Aquarium. It is located down by the "corniche" waterfront, not too far from the famous Al Qasba and "Eye of the emirates." At the time of our visit (September 2008) construction was still ongoing on a neighbouring building, and we noticed that some of the displays were still lacking detailed information boards, etc. Surely, given another few months, the centre will be 100% operational and completed.

Nevertheless, we really enjoyed our visit and the layout of the museum is well-designed. A path leads you through different displays, and eventually also through the eagerly-awaited underwater tunnels... I find there is hardly anything more beautiful on this earth than looking up and seeing Stingrays gently "flying" above you head, their mouths appearing to have an eternal smile on their lips ;-) They have over 250 different species on display, most of which can be found in the Gulf waters & the Indian ocean (surrounding the UAE).

Entrance fees are extremely reasonable and it also wasn't too crowded, yet (I can imagine that in the future, most weekends may be filled with school classes and families with children).
After your visit, it's nice to take a stroll along the water front outside the museum. The museum can't quite keep up with the standard of some similar centres that I've visited in the UK and in Europe, but it's a great start and a good effort by the authorities.
I'd definitely recommend the Sharjah Aquarium to anyone with interest in marine life and I'm looking forward to visiting again in the future.
There are parking spaces, elevators and rest-rooms with wheel chair access.
NOTE: Please show some consideration and do NOT use a flash whilst taking pictures. This startles the fish and causes them unnecessary stress. There was a sign at the entrance stating that anyone caught using flash will have their camera confiscated until they leave the museum. But alas, as this is the UAE, there once again weren't enough security guards in the building to actually stop people from using their flash, much to my annoyance & dismay.
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Opening hours:
Sun - Tues: Closed.
Wed: 4:00pm - 7:30pm Families only!
Thurs: 9:00am - 7:30pm
Fri: 3:00pm - 8:00pm.
Sat: 9:00am - 8:00pm.

Ticket prices:
Adults: 20 AED.
Child (6-15 yrs) 10 AED.
Child (5 years old &under) free.
Family (2 Adults & 3 Children) 50 AED

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Arabia's Wildlife Centre is full of live animals from the Arabian Peninsula. See the rodents, reptiles, spiders and birds housed in clean and well looked after enclosures. No photos allowed here but cameras can be left at reception. After the centre, see the Children's Farm next door which houses camels, geese, goats, donkeys and cows. Kids can take donkey rides here and pet some of the animals. Entry for both is included on the park ticket (see Natural History Museum details) and opening hours are the same.

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This is a great museum for young and old alike. See how life started on earth, fossils, dinosaurs, how volcanoes and earthquakes occur, wildlife of the Arabian Peninsula, etc. Then move on to the Botanical Museum section in the same building to see how plants are used in our everyday life from fossil fuels to medicines. There are also interactive exhibits and a greenhouse section with real trees and plants.
Fees are: 15 Dhs for Adults, Children (12-16 yrs) Dhs 5, Under 12's - free. Fee also includes entry to the Children's Farm and Arabia's Wildlife Centre (on same site). Open Sun-Thurs 9am-5.30pm/Fri 2pm-5.30pm/Sat - 11am-5.30pm/ Tues - Closed.

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Take a look around the Calligraphy Museum to see lots of pictures of calligraphy art written in Arabic. The pictures are pretty and although it would be nice to know what they say in English (as very few did), you can still appreciate them. Timings are: Sat - Thurs 8am-8pm/Fri - 4-8pm. Charges: Adults Dhs 5, Family Dhs 10, Children - free. Can get a multi museum ticket for Adults - Dhs 15/Family Dhs 20.