Khor Fakkan

Sand fills the inner curve, and the mountains cut the wind so the waves stay low. Palms along the promenade carry the shade through.

A stepped artificial fall was built into the hillside and lit after dark. The amphitheatre behind it hosts performances at times.

Coral and fish crowd the small island off the bay. You either swim out from the beach or take a boat across.

Steps climb the ridge to a watchtower at the top. The stair is steep, and the whole bay lies below the summit.

A dam between the mountains holds a lake with deeply coloured water. Pedal boats are hired for a circuit and a path follows the shore.

A platform at 580m looks down over the bay. As the name suggests, on days when the cloud sits low nothing below shows.

An amphitheatre was built between the mountain and the sea for performances. The seating turns its back to the water, which gathers the sound toward the hill.

A dry valley runs back into the mountains with pools left standing in it. The track narrows, and part of it needs a four wheel drive.

A large container port occupies the south of the bay and the ships can be watched working. Depth here lets the biggest vessels come alongside directly.

As the sun sets, the promenade lights come on and families appear. The carts open and more people spread out on the grass.

An abandoned stone village in the mountains behind Khor Fakkan, restored and opened to visitors. An old water channel threads between drystone houses, a watchtower and terraced fields. Tucked where the valley road stops, it escapes much of the coastal heat.