Khor Fakkan in the UAE

Khor Fakkan

Khor Fakkan, meaning “creek of two jaws”, gets its name from the bay in Gulf of Oman on which it is located. Occupying a small portion of the east coast of the UAE, this city officially belongs to the Emirate of Sharjah although on three sides it is surrounded by the Emirate of Fujairah, the fourth side being water which is responsible for the town’s importance in being a major container terminal.

It takes two hours to cover a distance of 137 kilometres from Sharjah and arrive at Khor Fakkan and the first sight which greets the eye is the splendid bay of sparkling blue water which stretches out till the horizon. Some of the high points of the town are Shark Island is the midst of the sea, Port Khor Fakkan, The Oceanic Hotel distinct because of its porthole style windows as well as the magnificent palace of the Ruler of Sharjah perched on the hilltop.

By the side of the port lies the rocky mountainous terrain wherein the inhabitants have carved terraces on the slopes for to grow date palms, vegetables and mangoes. Even though there is water everywhere, flooding is least among the concerns courtesy of the man-made dam which also acts as a reservoir for the town.

Khor Fakkan is an important archaeological site due to the traces of ancient human settlements unearthed in the area. Further interest was generated when an excavation team identified 34 graves along with remnants of settlement believed to have existed early-mid 2nd millennium B.C. on a rock outcrop facing the harbour.