# Al Qasba, Sharjah > Al Qasba is a car-free canal promenade about a kilometre long between Khalid and Al Khan lagoons in Sharjah, lined with cafés, a theatre and the free Maraya Art Centre. Walking it costs nothing; boat rides start at AED 20. It comes alive from late afternoon. The Eye of the Emirates wheel is gone. Allow about 90 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-qasba - City: [Sharjah](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah), United Arab Emirates - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Opening hours: Open public promenade; cafés, boats and attractions mostly 16:00 to midnight (unofficial) - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Maraya Art Centre: Free - Maraya hours: From 10:00 to 19:00 or 22:00, Friday from 16:00 — sources disagree - Sharjah Boats: From AED 20; piers at Al Qasba and Al Majaz Waterfront - Private abra: 15 or 30 minutes, up to 10–11 people; confirm the price when booking - Kids Fun House: From AED 45 - Eye of the Emirates: Moved to Al Montazah Parks in 2018 — no longer here - Café and boat hours: Roughly 16:00 to midnight; in winter many cafés open earlier - Payment: Cards are widely used in the UAE; carry some dirhams as a back-up - Parking: Several visitor car parks, some paid (unofficial) - Alcohol: None — Sharjah is a dry emirate - Coordinates: 25.32229, 55.37384 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 1 km** — canal length between Khalid Lagoon and Al Khan Lagoon (source: Gulf News; OpenStreetMap — canal-side street about 1.1 km) - **Free** — entry to the promenade and the Maraya Art Centre (source: Shurooq (Sharjah Investment and Development Authority), Al Qasba page on Discover Shurooq) - **From AED 20** — Sharjah Boats rides (source: Shurooq, Al Qasba page on Discover Shurooq) - **2018** — the Eye of the Emirates wheel moved from Al Qasba to Al Montazah Parks (source: Khaleej Times; Gulf News) - **13 years** — the wheel spent at Al Qasba after opening in 2005 (source: Khaleej Times; Gulf News) - **1.36 km²** — area of the Al Qasba district (source: English Wikipedia) - **Shurooq** — runs the promenade, boats, theatre and art centre (source: Discover Shurooq (Shurooq); Tiqets — boat tour supplier) - **Theatre** — Masrah Al Qasba stages seasonal plays and concerts (source: Shurooq; English Wikipedia) - **Mosque** — Al Qasba Mosque stands on Al Khan Street by the kids' centre (source: OpenStreetMap; Property Finder) > **The Eye of the Emirates is no longer at Al Qasba** The Eye of the Emirates Ferris wheel still turns up in older guides and tour listings, but Shurooq dismantled it in 2018 and moved it to Al Montazah Parks. There is no wheel on the canal today. Come to Al Qasba for the walk, a boat ride and dinner — not for a view from the top. ## What is Al Qasba? Al Qasba is a short leisure canal in Sharjah's Al Khan area, running about a kilometre from **Khalid Lagoon** to **Al Khan Lagoon**. Both banks are pedestrian promenades lined with cafés and restaurant terraces, with bridges across the water. It's an evening hangout rather than an attraction with a gate: there's no ticket and no entrance. The district is run by **Shurooq**, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, which also operates the Maraya Art Centre, the Masrah Al Qasba theatre, the kids' centre and the boats. Al Qasba has no website of its own — the old address redirects to Shurooq's Discover Shurooq platform, which lists venues, events and prices. ## Things to do at Al Qasba - **Walk the canal** — up one bank and back down the other via the bridges; 30–40 minutes covers it. - **Cross the footbridge** for the long view down the canal, best after dark when the lights come on. - **Maraya Art Centre** — a non-profit contemporary art space with changing exhibitions and free entry. - **Take a boat** — Shurooq's abras leave from the Al Qasba pier for Khalid Lagoon. - **Catch a show** at Masrah Al Qasba — plays and concerts by season, booked on Discover Shurooq. - **Kids Fun House** — a children's play centre, from AED 45. - **Eat by the water** — Levantine and Arabic restaurants, coffee shops and dessert cafés line both banks. ## Al Qasba boat ride: price and how it works The boats are **Sharjah Boats**, run by Shurooq, and the official Al Qasba page lists rides **from AED 20**. There are also private abras for 15 or 30 minutes, where your group of up to 10–11 gets the whole boat. Booking sites quote different prices for these, so check the figure when you book. You board at the Al Qasba pier or at **Al Majaz Waterfront**; the route loops round Khalid Lagoon past the towers and Al Noor Island. Boats mainly run in the evening, roughly 16:00 to midnight (unofficial). The best slot is just after sunset, when both waterfronts light up. ## Al Qasba timings: when to go The promenade itself is an open public space. Cafés, boats and attractions mostly run from **late afternoon to around midnight**; guides give 16:00 to midnight in summer and from 10:00 in winter, but there's no official timetable for the whole district, so treat these as approximate. Go **after sunset** — it's cooler, everything is open and the canal is lit. From October to April a daytime visit works too; from May to September the midday heat empties the place and many cafés don't open until the afternoon. The Maraya Art Centre keeps its own hours: listings say Saturday or Sunday to Thursday from 10:00, Friday from 16:00, with closing given as either 19:00 or 22:00. If the gallery matters to you, go before 19:00. ## Is Al Qasba worth visiting? Yes, as an evening: it's free, walkable and pretty when lit, with plenty of places to eat and an easy boat ride. Combined with a stroll to [Al Noor Island](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-noor-island) and the [Al Majaz Waterfront](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-majaz-waterfront) it makes a relaxed night out by the water. It isn't worth a special trip from Dubai on its own. If you only have half a day in Sharjah, start with the [Museum of Islamic Civilization](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/museum-of-islamic-civilization) and the old centre, then come here for dinner. And if you're after the Ferris wheel, it's now at Al Montazah Parks. ## How to get to Al Qasba 1. From the old centre (Heart of Sharjah and [Al Hisn Fort](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/sharjah-fort)): taxi, about 10 minutes — 4 km as the crow flies. Street taxis and ride-hailing apps both work in Sharjah. 2. From **Al Jubail bus station**, where buses from Dubai arrive: about 3 km, a short taxi ride. 3. From Dubai by bus: RTA routes E303 (Union), E306 (Al Ghubaiba), E307 (Deira City Centre) or E307A (Abu Hail) to Al Jubail — AED 12 on a nol card (some sources say AED 10) — then a taxi. 4. From [Sharjah Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/sharjah-aquarium): 2 km — a short taxi or a half-hour walk. 5. From Al Noor Island and Al Majaz Waterfront: about 1.5 km, a 20–25-minute walk along Khalid Lagoon. 6. From Dubai by taxi: 30–60 minutes depending on traffic at the Sharjah border (unofficial). > **Sharjah's rules for visitors** Sharjah is a dry emirate: no alcohol is sold or served, including at the canal-side restaurants, and you shouldn't bring any in from Dubai. Public decency rules are stricter than Dubai's — no bare stomachs or backs, no skirts above the knee or tight, see-through clothes; men shouldn't go shirtless or in very short shorts. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Going in the evening, not the midday heat - [ ] Card plus a few dirhams for the boat and cafés - [ ] Shoulders, stomach and knees covered - [ ] Not expecting the Ferris wheel — it's gone - [ ] Maraya hours checked, if I want the exhibition - [ ] Way back to Dubai sorted: taxi, or bus from Al Jubail ## Walk, boat or Maraya? | | Canal walk | Boat ride | Maraya Art Centre | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | From AED 20 | Free | | Time | 30–40 min | 15–30 min | 30–60 min | | Best time | Evening | Evening | Day or early evening | | Best for | Everyone | Couples and families | Contemporary art fans | The ideal evening does all three: Maraya first while it's open, then the walk, then a boat after sunset. ## Sharjah by the water Sharjah's lagoons, island and waterfronts rated by YesGo. - [Al Majaz Waterfront](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-majaz-waterfront) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Al Qasba](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-qasba) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; boats from AED 20 - [Al Noor Island](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-noor-island) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · AED 35; AED 50 with Butterfly House - [Sharjah Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/sharjah-aquarium) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · AED 25, kids 2–12 AED 15 ## An evening round Khalid Lagoon Aquarium in the afternoon, Al Qasba at sunset, then walk on to Al Noor Island and the Al Majaz Waterfront fountain. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Sharjah Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/sharjah-aquarium) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · AED 25, kids 2–12 AED 15 2. [Al Qasba](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-qasba) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; boats from AED 20 3. [Al Noor Island](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-noor-island) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · AED 35; AED 50 with Butterfly House 4. [Al Majaz Waterfront](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/al-majaz-waterfront) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## Not to be confused with Al Qasba isn't a kasbah fortress like those in Morocco, and it isn't the old town: Sharjah's heritage area with Al Hisn Fort and the souks is about 4 km north. It's also not Al Montazah Parks, where the Eye of the Emirates wheel now stands. ## Tips - Arrive around sunset — lights, cooler air and the boats all start in the evening. - See Maraya first while it's open, then walk and take a boat after dark. - From the canal, walk on to Al Noor Island — about 20–25 minutes along the lagoon. - Have dinner here, but don't expect a glass of wine: Sharjah is dry. - Late at night a taxi back to Dubai is easiest — Dubai buses leave from Al Jubail, 3 km away. - Ignore older guides that send you here for the Ferris wheel; it now stands at Al Montazah Parks. ## Questions ### What is there to do at Al Qasba Sharjah? Walk the canal and its bridges, visit the free Maraya Art Centre, take an abra onto Khalid Lagoon and eat at a waterside café. Kids have the Kids Fun House play centre. ### Is Al Qasba free to enter? Yes. The promenade and Maraya Art Centre are free; boats (from AED 20), the kids' centre (from AED 45) and theatre shows are paid. ### Is the Eye of the Emirates still at Al Qasba? No. The wheel was moved to Al Montazah Parks in 2018. ### How much is the Al Qasba boat ride? From AED 20 according to the official Al Qasba page. Private 15- or 30-minute abras cost more; confirm the price when booking. ### What are Al Qasba timings? The promenade is open public space. Cafés, boats and attractions mostly run from late afternoon to around midnight (unofficial). ### How do I get to Al Qasba from Dubai? Take an RTA E303, E306, E307 or E307A bus to Al Jubail (AED 12 on nol) and a 3 km taxi, or a taxi all the way — 30–60 minutes. ### Is Al Qasba worth visiting? Yes for a relaxed evening walk, boat ride and dinner. It isn't worth a special trip from Dubai on its own. ### How long do you need at Al Qasba? 30–40 minutes to walk it; 90 minutes to two hours with a boat ride and dinner. ### Is there parking at Al Qasba? Yes, several visitor car parks; some charge a small fee (unofficial). ## How we checked The list of venues, free entry to the promenade and Maraya, and the boat (from AED 20) and kids' centre (from AED 45) prices come from the official Al Qasba page on Shurooq's Discover Shurooq platform — the old alqasba.ae address redirects there. Khaleej Times and Gulf News both report the Eye of the Emirates moving to Al Montazah Parks in 2018. Canal length is from Gulf News, cross-checked on OpenStreetMap. We found no official hours for the district or the boats: guides give 16:00 to midnight, from 10:00 in winter — marked verifying. Maraya's closing time differs between listings (19:00 or 22:00), and both its own site and Shurooq's main site returned only redirects, so we show both. Private abra prices vary between booking sites, so we don't quote them. The AED 12 bus fare is from Gulf News; other sources give AED 10. Distances are calculated from OpenStreetMap coordinates. ## Sources - Shurooq (Sharjah Investment and Development Authority): Al Qasba page on Discover Shurooq — venues, boat and kids' centre prices, free Maraya entry - Tiqets: Sharjah Boat Tour, supplied by Shurooq — piers at Al Majaz and Al Qasba - Khaleej Times, 7 March 2018; Gulf News, 5 November 2018: Eye of the Emirates moved to Al Montazah Parks - Gulf News: opening of the Al Qasba canal between Khalid and Al Khan lagoons - English Wikipedia: Al Qasba Sharjah - Property Finder, 2024: Al Qasba Sharjah — parking, mosque, Maraya hours - Gulf News, 2024–2025: Dubai–Sharjah buses; Sharjah alcohol and decency rules - OpenStreetMap — canal, street and mosque locations; Wikidata Q131008014 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.