Walking around the Khorfakkan amphitheater and waterfall costs nothing, and the waterfall runs Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 8 PM. The one charge most visitors meet is parking, which is paid every day from 8 AM to midnight along the corniche.
Both stand on Khorfakkan’s waterfront in the Emirate of Sharjah, facing the bay. The Roman-style theatre opened on 14 December 2020, and a 45 m man-made waterfall drops down the rock beside it. Seats inside the bowl are booked event by event.
Amphitheatre & waterfall details
| Detail | Facts |
|---|---|
| Location | Khorfakkan Waterfront, Corniche Street, Sharjah |
| Opened | 14 December 2020 |
| Style | Semicircular theatre with a Roman-inspired stone facade |
| Entry | Free to walk around, free waterfall admission, ticketed event seats |
| Parking | Paid, 8 AM to midnight daily |
| Bus | Route 116 from Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah |
Hours & entry
The waterfall is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 8 PM, with free admission. Monday is its off day.
| Area | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfall | Tuesday to Sunday | 10 AM to 8 PM |
| Amphitheatre complex | Saturday to Wednesday | 9 AM to 11 PM |
| Amphitheatre complex | Thursday & Friday | 9 AM to 1 AM |
Hours shift on show days. Seats for concerts and performances are booked online through the amphitheatre’s event schedule, and the plazas around the bowl are open to walk through.
The viewing windows at the top of the waterfall are only open to the public at certain times, so treat them as a bonus rather than the plan.
Architecture & scale
The amphitheatre is a semicircular, Roman-style theatre set into the foot of the mountain, with tiered seating and a stone facade that looks out over the beach. Strictly it is a theatre rather than a full oval amphitheatre, but Khorfakkan Amphitheatre is the official name.
The numbers behind it:
- Over 3,500 spectators fit in the seating
- The amphitheatre covers over 1,700 m²
- The facade has 234 arches and 295 columns
- Six main lifts serve the building, three at each of its two entrances
The design pairs Roman arches with Arab and Islamic detailing. The seating area has a cooling system for outdoor shows, and a walkway and lifts connect the amphitheatre to the waterfall.
The back of the 10 dirham note shows the amphitheatre, and that note entered circulation on 21 April 2022.
The waterfall
The waterfall is a 45 m man-made cascade, 11 m wide, cut into natural rock beside the amphitheatre. It sits 43 m above sea level and is lit in the evening.
Stand back on the plaza or corniche side to see the whole drop. Viewing windows near the top let visitors watch the water run down the rock when they are open.
Behind the water, the Habib Beirut restaurant fills a space styled like a mountain cave, so meals come with the sound of the cascade.
How to get there
By car
The road is the Sharjah-Khorfakkan Road (E102), an 89 km route through the Hajar Mountains with five tunnels.
- Join the E102 from Sharjah or Dubai and follow it toward Khorfakkan.
- Allow about 1 hour 15 minutes from Dubai or Sharjah city, roughly 115 to 120 km.
- Set your navigation to Khorfakkan Amphitheatre on Corniche Street.
- Park along the corniche (see the parking section below).
By bus
Route 116 runs from Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah city to Khorfakkan Bus Station, roughly every hour, and the trip takes about 2.5 hours. From the bus station, a short taxi ride reaches the waterfront. From Dubai, you first need to reach Al Jubail.
By taxi
A taxi follows the same road and drops you at the waterfront. For a one-way trip of 115 to 120 km it is the most expensive of the three options, but the quickest without your own car.
Parking
Parking on Corniche Street is paid every day from 8 AM to midnight, holidays included, from AED 2 for the first hour. Pay at the machine or by SMS to 5566.
Rules & accessibility
- Personal photography is allowed, and professional cameras need a permit.
- Drones need authorisation before they fly.
- Modest clothing that covers the shoulders and knees is expected in public across Sharjah.
The building has six main lifts, and the venue provides accessible parking, drop-off zones and wheelchair seating with clear sightlines. Visitors who need help planning a show visit can contact the venue’s accessibility team beforehand.
Nearby stops
- The beach in Khorfakkan faces the amphitheatre, and boats to Shark Island, a snorkelling and diving spot, run from the shore.
- A 3 km paved walking and running track follows the corniche.
- Al Suhub Rest House sits about 580 m above sea level in a circular structure, reached by a 5.6 km mountain road, with views over Khorfakkan.
- Al Adwani Tower and Al Rabi Tower are two of the town’s defensive watchtowers, with Al Rabi at 395 m above sea level and a well-lit path up to Al Adwani.
- The Resistance Monument is a memorial to the people of Khorfakkan who died defending the city.
- Shees Park has its own 25 m artificial waterfall and sits on the Khorfakkan Road, so it works as a stop on the drive in.
- The Hanging Gardens in Kalba lie further south along the coast.
Is it worth the drive?
From Dubai or Sharjah the round trip is about 2.5 hours behind the wheel, so the stop works best as part of a coastal day. The beach, the corniche walk and Al Suhub Rest House together fill an afternoon, and the waterfall slots in before its 8 PM close.
A Monday trip misses the waterfall entirely, and a late-evening arrival misses its scheduled hours. By bus the journey takes about 2.5 hours each way, which leaves little time on site, so a car or a shared taxi suits a day trip better.
FAQ
Is the Khorfakkan amphitheatre free to visit?
Waterfall admission is free and the plazas around the amphitheatre are open to walk through. Seats at concerts and performances are booked per event.
Is the Khorfakkan waterfall open on Monday?
No. The waterfall runs Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 8 PM.
How far is Khorfakkan from Dubai?
It is roughly 115 to 120 km by road, which takes about 1 hour 15 minutes on the Sharjah-Khorfakkan Road.
Is Khorfakkan in Sharjah or Fujairah?
Khorfakkan is part of the Emirate of Sharjah, on the east coast. The amphitheatre falls under Sharjah’s paid-parking rules and tourism authority.
Which dirham note shows the Khorfakkan amphitheatre?
The 10 dirham note carries the amphitheatre on its back.
Is the amphitheatre wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Six main lifts, accessible parking, drop-off zones and wheelchair seating areas are provided.
On the day
- Pick a Tuesday to Sunday so the waterfall is running.
- Reach the waterfront before 8 PM, and pay for parking by SMS to 5566.
- Walk the 3 km corniche track, then see the amphitheatre facade up close.
- Eat at Habib Beirut if you want a meal behind the waterfall.
- Add Al Suhub Rest House or the beach if you have the afternoon.
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