Fujairah Museum
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Fujairah Fort
i
Photo: Florian Kriechbaumer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Hours
- Daily 8 am–6 pm per the official Fujairah Tourism site; some guides give other hours and a short Friday
- Time on site
i
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 45 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Entry fee
- Free (unofficial; a few guides mention a token AED 5)
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Timings
- Daily 8 am–6 pm per the official Fujairah Tourism site
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Friday
- Some guides list 2:30–4:30 pm only — go in the afternoon
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 30–45 minutes; another 30 for the heritage village and museum
- Location
- Old Fujairah, Fort Road; about 2 km inland from the Corniche
- From Dubai
- RTA bus E700 to Fujairah Bus Station (about 2 hours, nol card), then a 10-minute taxi
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Shade and water
- Little shade, no café inside — bring water
- Tourism & Antiquities Authority phone
- +971 9 223 1554
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
16th c. – c. 1800competing dates: nobody knows exactly when it was built
3 sourcesi
The National (tourism pamphlet and carbon dating)English WikipediaAl Etihad (1670)3 + 1three round towers and one square tower linked by walls around a courtyard
2 sourcesi
Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities AuthorityEnglish Wikipedia1997–2000restored with the original building materials
2 sourcesi
The NationalEnglish Wikipedia≈ 20 mheight of the rocky hill the fort stands on
2 sourcesi
Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities AuthorityEnglish Wikipedia1808–1810held by Wahhabi forces until local tribes retook it
2 sourcesi
The NationalEnglish Wikipedia1925shelled by the British navy, then left abandoned until the late 1990s
2 sourcesi
The NationalEnglish WikipediaStone, mud, hayplus gravel and sarooj, a local gypsum mortar
2 sourcesi
Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities AuthorityEnglish WikipediaPrisonone of the rooms held prisoners into the early 1900s
2 sourcesi
The NationalEnglish WikipediaOld Fujairahruined mud-brick houses and a mosque surround the hill
2 sourcesi
The NationalEnglish Wikipedia≈ 0.5 kmto Fujairah Museum; ≈ 170 m to the heritage village
Sourcei
OpenStreetMap, straight lineIs there an entry fee?
No official ticket price is published, and most guides say entry is free — treat that as unofficial. A few older guides mention a token AED 5, possibly for the neighbouring heritage village. There's no ticket office at the gate.
Bank cards work almost everywhere in the UAE, but you'll need a topped-up nol card for the intercity bus from Dubai and some small cash for local taxis just in case.
How old is Fujairah Fort?
Nobody knows for sure. A tourism pamphlet quoted by The National puts it in the 16th century, the Abu Dhabi paper Al Etihad says 1670, and carbon dating by an Australian team, also reported by The National, suggested around 1800, under Sheikh Mohammed bin Matar Al Sharqi. Either way it is usually named among the oldest forts in the country.
Wahhabi forces held it from 1808 to 1810. Into the early 1900s it worked as a prison, with inmates lowered into a pit inside the square tower. In 1925 the British navy shelled the fort as part of its anti-slavery campaign — The National says one tower was destroyed, English Wikipedia says three. The fort then stood empty until a restoration in 1997–2000 rebuilt it in stone, gravel, mud, hay and gypsum mortar, just as before.
Is it worth visiting?
It's small — three round towers and one square one on a 20-metre outcrop, walls following the edge of the rock. The Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities Authority points out that its design is unlike any other fort in the country. Inside there are empty rooms, a courtyard and a dry well rather than displays.
Don't make a two-hour trip from Dubai just for this: you'll see it in half an hour. It is worth it if you're on the east coast anyway. Pair it with the heritage village at the foot of the hill and Fujairah Museum for an hour of local history before the beach or Snoopy Island.
What to see
- The square tower — the main block, once living rooms and, according to The National, the prison.
- Round watchtowers with crenellations facing the sea, the town and the Hajar Mountains.
- The courtyard with its long-dry well, once used for weddings.
- Date-syrup channels carved into the floor, where sacks of dates dripped into a collecting pit.
- Ruined mud-brick houses around the hill — what's left of old Fujairah.
- The colour of the walls, which turn deep orange in late-afternoon light.
How to get to Fujairah Fort
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Fujairah Museum is about 9 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Dubai, take RTA bus E700 — about 2 hours to Fujairah. Pay with a nol card (buy one at any metro station). Guides quote AED 25–30 and departures from Union or Etisalat by e& station; check the S'hail app for the current stop and fare.
- From Sharjah, buses to Fujairah leave from Al Jubail bus station.
- Intercity buses arrive at Fujairah Bus Station on the western edge of town, about 5 km from the fort.
- Take a taxi and ask for "Fujairah Fort" — roughly 10 minutes.
- Driving: navigate to "Fujairah Fort", leave the car at the foot of the hill and walk a couple of minutes up to the gate.
- From the Corniche it's about 2 km inland — a 5–10 minute taxi; walking in the heat isn't much fun.
Fujairah Fort and the heritage village
The Fujairah Heritage Village sits just below the fort, about 170 metres away — you'll walk from one to the other in a couple of minutes. It has restored old houses and displays on traditional life, and it gives you the best ground-level view of the fort on its rock.
Fujairah Museum is about 500 metres south, with finds from local excavations, old weapons and traditional costumes. Together the three make a compact morning in the old town.
Fujairah Fort or Al Hayl Fort?
| Fujairah Fortyou are here | Old Fujairah, in town | 16th c. – c. 1800 (disputed) | ≈ 20 m | Heritage village, museum | Short taxi from the centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Hayl Fort | Al Hayl village, ≈ 13 km south-west | 1930, by carbon-14 analysis | ≈ 40 m above the wadi floor | Mountains and wadi | Car or taxi only |
Pick Fujairah Fort if you're short on time and staying in town; Al Hayl suits drivers who want mountain scenery. Dates and heights are from the Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities Authority.
Historic sites in Fujairah compared
Forts, mosques and museums in Fujairah rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Fujairah Fortyou are here | 44 | 45 min | Free (unofficial) | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fujairah Heritage Village | 42 | 40 min | ≈ AED 5 (unofficial) | 42 min walk |
| Fujairah Museum | 38 | 1 h | ≈ AED 5 | 10 min walk |
| Bithnah Fort | 31 | 30 min | Free (unofficial) | 11.9 km |
| Al Badiyah Mosque | 30 | 30 min | Free | 33.4 km |
| Al Hayl Fort | 29 | 1 h | Free (unofficial) | 12.8 km |
Old Fujairah in half a day
Fort, heritage village and museum on foot, then the mosque and the sea. Add them all and YesGo works out the timings.
- Fujairah Fortyou are here45 min · Free (unofficial)
- 42 min walk from the previous stopFujairah Heritage Village40 min · ≈ AED 5 (unofficial)
- 49 min walk from the previous stopFujairah Museum1 h · ≈ AED 5
- 27 min walk from the previous stopSheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah45 min · Free (unofficial)
- 55 min walk from the previous stopFujairah Corniche1 h · Free
5 places · about 7 h 3 min with walks · 173 min on foot in total
Before you go
Ready: 0 of 6You are ready for the visit
Nearby — add to your day
Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Fujairah Heritage Village
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
How to do it right
- Do the fort, the heritage village and the museum together — they're all within half a kilometre.
- Come early or in the last hour before sunset: midday on the hill is hot and the walls look flat.
- The best photo is from below, near the palms of the heritage village, with the mountains behind.
- On a day trip from Dubai, see the fort first, then head north to the beaches and Snoopy Island.
- Kids enjoy the towers and the well, but keep an eye on the wall edges.
Questions
Is there an entry fee for Fujairah Fort?
No official price is published; most sources say entry is free. A few older guides mention a token AED 5. Treat it as unofficial.
What are Fujairah Fort timings?
The official Fujairah Tourism site lists 8 am–6 pm daily. Some guides give 8 am–5 pm or Friday 2:30–4:30 pm only, so call +971 9 223 1554 before a long trip.
How old is Fujairah Fort?
Estimates range from the 16th century (tourism pamphlet) to 1670 (Al Etihad) and about 1800 (carbon dating reported by The National). The exact date is unknown.
Where is Fujairah Fort located?
In old Fujairah on Fort Road, on a rocky hill about 2 km inland from the Corniche and next to the heritage village.
How do I get to Fujairah Fort from Dubai by bus?
Take RTA bus E700 (about 2 hours, paid with a nol card) to Fujairah Bus Station, then a 10-minute taxi.
How long do you need at Fujairah Fort?
30–45 minutes for the fort itself, about 1.5 hours with the heritage village and museum.
Can you go inside?
Usually you can walk into the courtyard and towers, though a few guides list it as closed to visitors. You can always see the walls, hill and old village from outside.
Is Fujairah Fort good for kids?
Yes for a short stop: it's free, quick and has towers and a well to explore. Avoid midday heat and keep children away from wall edges.
What else is near Fujairah Fort?
The heritage village below the hill, Fujairah Museum 500 m away, Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Corniche, both 5–10 minutes by taxi.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Fujairah Tourism & Antiquities Authority (fujairahtourism.ae) — Museum and Forts; Information Centre
- Official Fujairah Tourism site — fort timings (seen in search results)
- The National, 11.12.2010 — Fujairah Fort opens to public
- Al Etihad, 30.01.2024 — Fujairah travel guide
- English Wikipedia: Fujairah Fort; Wikidata Q5953247
- Gulf News, 22.10.2024 — UAE intercity buses
- OpenStreetMap — straight-line distances
Top YesGo picks: Fujairah
Fujairah Corniche
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Bithnah Fort
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Al Badiyah Mosque
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Khor Fakkan Waterfall
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Al Hayl Fort
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Snoopy Island
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates