Ajman Fort is home to what’s claimed to be the oldest barjeel, or wind tower, in the UAE — built in the late 18th century from coral stone and gypsum. It housed the ruling family until 1970, did a stint as a police station through the late seventies, and became Ajman Museum in 1981, formally established in 1991. It sits a short walk from the corniche it now overlooks, and shows why Ajman is the UAE’s most underrated emirate.
Under an hour from Dubai, the corniche makes a relaxed beach day or overnight escape, as part of our main Ajman guide.
Updated: July 2026 — by Monica Bonalto
Getting your bearings on the Ajman Corniche
The corniche runs along the beachfront, lined with hotels, cafes and open sand, with the Ajman Museum and the traditional fish market close by.
The fish market, forty years in
Ajman’s fish market has run for more than four decades, open daily from 7am to 1:30pm beside the corniche and the central bus station, with local catch alongside imports from Oman and India — shari, hammour, kingfish and squid among the regulars.
Where to eat on the Ajman Corniche
Fresh seafood and casual seafront cafes are the calling card, best enjoyed as the sun goes down over the Gulf.
Beach and things to do on the Ajman Corniche
The public beach is free and rarely crowded — see the UAE’s best beaches — and the museum and fish market add a local flavour most corniches in the UAE don’t have.
Two five-star anchors, 457 rooms between them
A run of beachfront hotels along the corniche makes Ajman an easy, good-value overnight escape, anchored at the far end by Fairmont Ajman — 252 rooms and suites, 8 restaurants and lounges, a 200-metre private beach — and Ajman Saray, the first beachside Luxury Collection resort in the Middle East, with 205 rooms and suites and six dining concepts of its own.
Under an hour out, best at golden hour
Under an hour from Dubai; walkable along the waterfront, with taxis for the rest. The cooler months from October to April are best for the beach, and late afternoon into the evening is ideal for the corniche.
Around the Ajman Corniche
It’s a relaxed alternative to Dubai’s busier beaches, and one of the highlights in our feature on Ajman, the UAE’s most underrated emirate. From here you’re minutes from Al Zorah‘s mangroves and the wider emirate.
More of Ajman, inland from here
Head back to the main Ajman guide to explore more of the emirate.
Top things to do at Ajman Corniche
- Ajman Museum, inside Ajman Fort — home to what’s claimed to be the oldest barjeel (wind tower) in the UAE, built in the late 18th century from coral stone and gypsum; it housed the ruling family until 1970, served as a police station through the late ’70s, then became Ajman Museum in 1981, formally established in 1991.
- The corniche itself — the beach and waterfront promenade, a genuine local favourite rather than a tourist-built strip.
- Fairmont Ajman and Ajman Saray (a Luxury Collection resort) — the corniche’s two flagship stays, both with their own beach and dining.
What is inside Ajman Fort?
Ajman Museum — a fort built from coral stone and gypsum, home to the UAE’s claimed oldest barjeel (wind tower), which housed Ajman’s ruling family until 1970 before becoming a museum in 1981.