When choosing the best emirate for a family holiday in the UAE, it is recommended to stay in Sharjah. Situated between Dubai and Ajman, it is the unofficial cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is convenient to relax in Sharjah with children for several reasons – there are hotels with good conditions, developed local infrastructure, and an excursion program. Beach holidays in Sharjah are safe, in the coastal zone of the Persian Gulf there are attractions, children’s playgrounds.
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The best emirate for family holidays
One of the advantages of holidays in Sharjah with children is a developed hotel infrastructure. The distance from the international airport of the capital to the resort is 6-7 km. The road will not take much time. This region of the UAE has a good public transport system. You can get to sights or places of entertainment by bus, taxi. The emirate is safe and has the lowest crime rate in the country. In addition to a beach holiday in Sharjah, there are entertainment for children – playgrounds, attractions. For a relaxing holiday, you can sit in one of the local city parks.
Features of a family holiday in Sharjah:
- Sandy beaches with gentle entry into the sea. The sand is fine, stones or pebbles are almost never found.
- Most hotels operate under the Kid-friendly program. Young tourists can be provided with a separate bed, there are laundry and dry cleaning services. Babysitting services are available in some hotels.
- Entertainment for children in Sharjah. You can visit the local zoo, aquarium, amusement park. Young guests of the country to look at the singing fountains in Sharjah.
- Excursion programs. Dubai is only 12 km away. Where can you go to the market of gold, spices. Children like shopping, there are many toy stores in shopping centers.
However, when traveling with children in the emirate of Sharjah, local laws must be taken into account. Behavior in public places and on the beach, parents should supervise their child. Communicate with local residents carefully, any violation of personal space can lead to conflicts. Therefore, keep a close eye on young tourists.
Family hotels in the emirate
According to tourists, the best hotels for families with children in Sharjah. They provide additional services – nannies, cribs, strollers for a walk. Good general environment, due to the ban on alcohol, there are no drunk tourists here. The staff of the hotel complexes is friendly, some of them understand Russian. Before booking a hotel room with children in Sharjah, it is recommended to find out all the conditions. Tourist reviews often indicate the TOP of the most convenient hotel complexes.
What hotels can you choose for a family holiday in the capital of Sharjah:
- Sharjah Premiere Hotel Resort. Located on the second beach line, it is well suited for a combined family vacation when you plan to sunbathe on the beach, then go on an excursion or shopping in Dubai. There is no private beach area, but access to the Lou’Lou’a Beach Resort is allowed. It is located 5-7 minutes’ walk from the complex. Umbrellas, sun lounger’s guests can take for free. There is a public city beach nearby. The food is good, often allowed to take food to the room. Nearby are shops, grocery supermarkets.
- Carlton Sharjah. It is located on the first line; the design style is classic Arabic. There are always few tourists here, relatively calm and quiet. You can order food according to the All Inclusive system, but you should not expect much variety in dishes. The rooms are spacious, some with balconies. The hotel is suitable for families with children in Sharjah, but there are no large game rooms. There is an outdoor pool and a small playground. The administration can provide an extra cost for a child. For parents, there is a sauna, a spa center, a gym for sports and fitness. Every day there are buses to shopping malls in Dubai.
- Radisson Blu Resort. This is the most affordable “five” on the first line in the resort. The hotel was built a long time ago, there was a small facelift. The level of nutrition is average, there are dietary and vegetarian products. A feature is a well-equipped private beach, in the sea there is a pontoon for deep diving. Freshly squeezed juice is made by the pool, there is unlimited ice cream. Transfers to Dubai are organized every day. You can order excursions.
In addition to hotels, there are entertainment for children in Sharjah – a water park, an amusement park, you can visit city public places. Concerts are held periodically on the main square. For young tourists it will be interesting to visit the local museum, a trip to the old fort.
What’s on the beaches of Sharjah
The coastline in the emirate is relatively small. Now construction work is underway on it, but part of the territory remains for public access. The beaches of hotels for families with children in Sharjah are fenced, with the exception of public places for swimming and sunbathing. The entrance to the water is gentle, the tides are not strong here. Rescue and medical services work. Some hotel beaches have an entrance fee. You need to know this for those living in city hotels.
General information about the beaches in Sharjah, recommendations for parents:
- To protect against hot sand, which is important for summer, holidays with children are needed with safety shoes.
- During the day you need a protective umbrella. A beach towel can replace a sunbed.
- Strong winds often occur in autumn and spring.
- It can get chilly in the winter; warm clothes are needed.
From entertainment for children in Sharjah, impromptu rides are arranged on the beaches; animators rarely work in hotels. For a beach holiday, young tourists can buy toys – a scoop, a spatula, a bucket. They are sold in almost all supermarkets in the UAE.
Entertainment in the capital
In the capital of the emirate, many places have been created for a good active and relaxing holiday. In Sharjah, entertainment for children can be found in almost any area. But most of them are on the waterfront. Here within walking distance are parks, entertainment and attractions. Ticket prices are lower than in Dubai. There are places with free admission. Additionally, it is recommended to plan a trip to the local museum.
Popular places in Sharjah for entertainment with children, family holidays:
- Aquarium (oceanarium). Built relatively recently, it contains the largest collection of marine life in the United Arab Emirates. It will be interesting for young vacationers to look at fish, marine predators. There are guided tours. Their disadvantage is that they are in English. There are several sculptures of marine animals in front of the aquarium building.
- Al Mamzar Park. Located next to the beach of the same name. Playgrounds have been created here, there are comfortable benches and gazebos for a relaxing holiday. On Monday and Wednesday, only girls and women are allowed to enter. There are several entertainment attractions. Feature – more than 600 species of exotic and local plants and trees grow on the territory.
- Entertainment complex Al Qasba, Al Qasba. Also built relatively recently. This is a favorite place for entertainment with children in Sharjah, as facilities have been created for adults and young tourists. there is a large Ferris wheel, there is an amusement park. You can visit a local cinema, ride a boat on artificial channels. Not far from this place I work “singing fountains” of the emirate’s capital.
- Ferris wheel “Eye of the Emirates”. The largest in the UAE, it has 44 closed glass cabins. Favorite place to stay with children in the UAE. From here, according to tourists, you get good panoramic photos of the city, the coast of the Persian Gulf.
It is recommended to plan 2-3 hours for visiting local attractions. You can get there by taxi or bus. The price of the first trip is from 15 dirhams. Buses run infrequently. From some city and beach hotels you can walk for 10-15 minutes.
Excursions for children
In addition to an active and relaxing holiday in Sharjah with children, you can plan a trip on excursions. This is a convenient way to get distracted, learn new and interesting facts about the UAE, history. Additionally, you can visit modern attractions. This will broaden the horizons of young tourists, help them to know better the country in which they rest.
Popular excursions from Sharjah where you can take children on vacation:
- Sightseeing tour of Dubai. Bus departure at 12:00. During the trip, the local historical museum, sights will be visited. After visiting the gold and spice market, the group heads to Mall Dubai. Here, children like to go shopping for toys. There will also be a stop at Al Fahidi Fort, the residence of the local Sheikh Mohammed. An alternative to a beach holiday with children in Sharjah is a trip on an Arab boat along the Persian Gulf. Near the shopping center you can look at the “singing fountains” of Dubai.
- Safari in the desert. This trip will appeal to fans of extreme recreation. Here you can ride a jeep on the dunes, after the active part there will be a visit to the Bedouin village. This is the most memorable holiday in Sharjah with children. For young tourists, they will show household items, especially the preparation of local dishes. For a fee, you can ride a camel. Adults will be interested in Belly show programs Dance Show, Fire Show.
- Musandam Reserve, Musandam. It is located on the west coast; its shores are washed by the Indian Ocean. After a beach holiday on the coast of the Persian Gulf in Sharjah, children will be interested to look at the fish and other inhabitants of the Indian Ocean. During the tour, you will be offered to swim, dive in the warm waters of the ocean. Adults can order fishing.
It is better not to take children on vacation from Sharjah for shopping in Dubai. They will be bored there. During this time, you can leave them in the kid’s club or hire a babysitter. An alternative to excursions is to walk around the evening capital of the emirate. Here you can look at new buildings, relax in parks and squares of the city.
Travel Tips
It is better to plan a vacation in the United Arab Emirates in winter or early spring, late autumn. At this time, the air heats up to + 25-27 °, the water in the Persian Gulf is good for swimming. But for families with children in Sharjah, you still need to prepare panama hats, hats, beach shoes.
If during an excursion or shopping a child is lost, immediately contact the police. They will help to find the loss using the video surveillance system. According to tourists, the UAE is the safest country for a family and relaxing holiday.
The country has good baby food. But prices are high compared to Russia and the CIS countries. Therefore, you can take a small supply from home. In the future, products are bought in ordinary supermarkets.