The Sharjah Fountain shoots water up to 100 metres straight into the air — roughly a 30-storey office building’s worth of height — across a 220-metre spread of Khalid Lagoon, through more than 200 individual jets carefully choreographed to light and music together. It’s widely considered the largest fountain of its kind in the whole region, and it is entirely completely free to watch, up to eight separate times a day.
Easy enough to reach from Dubai and packed with genuinely low-cost fun, Al Majaz makes for a rewarding half-day trip out, as part of our main Sharjah guide.
Updated: July 2026 — by Monica Bonalto
Getting your bearings in Al Majaz
The district curves gently around the whole of Khalid Lagoon, centred on Al Majaz Waterfront — a 231,000-square-metre waterfront park opened in 2010 by Shurooq, Sharjah’s investment authority — with its long promenade, landscaped gardens and the fountain itself, and Al Qasba just across the water. The whole promenade is flat, wide and pram-friendly throughout, and it stays open to walkers well after the restaurants themselves have closed for the night.
Where to eat in Al Majaz
Al Majaz Waterfront itself is lined with family-friendly restaurants and cafes overlooking the lagoon, ranging from casual bites right up to relaxed sit-down dining. Inside Copthorne Hotel Sharjah itself, The Lagoon Restaurant serves up a lagoon-view mix of international, Arabic and seafood dishes and doubles nicely as one of the better fountain-watching tables anywhere in the district. The wider strip layers in Ushna for North Indian cooking, Spice Grill for grills, Qasar Halab for Lebanese and Syrian dishes, and TGI Friday’s for a familiar, reliable American menu — enough genuine range that mixed groups rarely need to compromise on where they end up sitting.
Things to do in Al Majaz
Beyond the fountain shows themselves, there’s lagoon kayaking, a splash park, mini-golf, the Maraya Art Park and the adjacent Al Noor Mosque, an Ottoman-style landmark fully completed in 2005 with two 52-metre-tall minarets and space for around 2,200 worshippers — much of it free, see free things to do across the UAE. The Al Majaz Amphitheatre, a Roman-style open-air venue seating around 4,500 people, first opened on Al Majaz Island back in March 2014 as part of Sharjah’s official year as Capital of Islamic Culture, and it still regularly hosts concerts and events of all kinds through the cooler months. Just across the water sits Al Qasba and its Eye of the Emirates wheel, so the two pair easily in one trip. Kayaking runs at a flat AED 20 for unlimited time on the lagoon, life jackets included, and Maraya Art Park is the outdoor sculpture wing of Maraya Art Centre — founded in 2006 and now home to the Barjeel Art Foundation’s collection — so the half-day here covers water, art and food without much walking between them.
A 255-room hotel right on the lagoon
Copthorne Hotel Sharjah puts the fountain and promenade right on the doorstep — 255 individually furnished rooms spread across 18 floors, most with a lagoon-view balcony, running up to spacious executive suites for a longer stay. It’s genuinely the closest thing Al Majaz has to a proper landmark stay, and rooms book up fast on fountain-show evenings, so it pays to reserve ahead.
An easy taxi ride, best after dark
The waterfront itself is walkable end to end; taxis and ride-hailing apps cover the rest of the city easily, and it is generally under an hour’s drive from Dubai. Late afternoon running into the evening is genuinely best, when the fountain shows begin and the promenade comes properly alive; the cooler months are ideal for a visit.
Top things to do at Al Majaz
- The Sharjah Fountain — up to eight light-and-music shows a day on Khalid Lagoon, starting after sunset and running at intervals through the evening.
- Al Majaz Amphitheatre — a Roman-style open-air venue seating around 4,500, opened March 2014 as part of Sharjah’s official year as Capital of Islamic Culture, still regularly hosting concerts and events.
- Al Majaz Waterfront dining — a run of restaurants along the lagoon, from The Lagoon Restaurant to Spice Grill, Qasar Halab and TGI Friday.
- Al Qasba, across the water — Maraya Art Centre and the Barjeel Art Foundation for a cultural stop nearby.
Al Majaz, quick questions
How many times a day does the Sharjah Fountain perform? Up to eight separate shows a day, all timed to light and music together, starting after sunset and running at intervals right through the evening — exact times shift with the season, so it’s always worth checking on arrival.
Is Al Majaz Waterfront free to visit? Yes, entirely — the promenade, gardens and fountain shows all cost nothing at all; you only ever pay for kayaking, mini-golf, the splash park, or whatever you choose to eat.
How do I get between Al Majaz and Al Qasba? They sit directly across the same lagoon from each other and are connected by a short walk right around the water or a quick abra-style crossing point — both are comfortably walkable in a single visit.
Is Al Majaz good for families? Yes — the splash park, kayaking and flat, stroller-friendly promenade make it one of the easier half-days in Sharjah with kids in tow.
One lagoon crossing to Al Qasba
Across the water: Al Qasba. Or head back to the main Sharjah guide.
What is the Al Majaz Amphitheatre used for?
It’s Sharjah’s main open-air concert and events venue — a Roman-style bowl seating roughly 4,500, opened in 2014 and still regularly booked for concerts and cultural events today.