Khorfakkan: the east coast's easiest day by the sea

The UAE's east coast has a different feel from the Gulf: mountains come down to the sea, the water is clear and cooler, and the towns are small. Khorfakkan is the best-equipped place to enjoy that, with a protected beach and a promenade that fills with families in the evening. It is also a major port town, so the waterfront is a working one.

Spend the morning on the beach, walk the promenade at sunset, and see the amphitheatre carved into the hillside. Hill roads lead to viewpoints and to Al Rafisah Dam, a quiet reservoir among the mountains that is popular for walks and photographs. Snorkelling and diving trips run along the coast, with Snoopy Island and Dibba a short drive north.

Khorfakkan is about two hours from Dubai by road, via the Sharjah mountain roads, and further from Abu Dhabi. For a day trip, leave early and drive back after sunset. Staying overnight turns it into a relaxed weekend, and it combines well with Kalba, Fujairah and Dibba. Weekends are busy.

The waterfront has cafés and restaurants with sea views that fill in the evening, and there are hotels and resorts along the coast if you want to stay. Book weekend rooms ahead in the cool months, because Khorfakkan is one of the easier weekend escapes from Dubai and Sharjah.

The mistake most visitors make is treating it as a pure beach town. The better days include a morning at the dam or a viewpoint in the hills and the beach in the afternoon, once the light is lower. In summer the coast is hot and humid, so keep the trip for October to April.