Fujairah: I’d Like to See That! Playgrounds and Park Benches

Following the launch of the Fujairah Tourism Goals, I am going to write the occasional posting entitled, Fujairah, I’d Like to See That!

If you’d like to join in and submit a wish (it can be posted on this site with your name or anonymously) do email this to me. Alternatively, you can put your idea in a comment at the bottom of this posting or the latest in the series.

Whether you are a longtime resident or a relative newcomer, what would you like to see changed or different in Fujairah (the emirate as well as the city)? Don’t be put off if you’ve recently arrived in Fujairah. They say that the first 30 minutes in any country or city are the most important, as that is when things stick out like organ stops. After that, things become familiar.

To kick it off, I want to make the plea that many visitors to Fujairah over the recent Eid holiday made, as reported in the Gulf News. I wrote of this on the Experiencing the Emirates site at the time but let me say it again here:

A Gulf News article reports on the huge numbers of UAE tourists who are choosing to enjoy the Eid holiday on the country’s east coast. Among the attractive features mentioned about the east coast cities and towns include:

* Natural and rugged beauty of the mountains

* Wonderful picnic spots


* Clean beaches (?)


* Cooler weather than in Abu Dhabi and Dubai


* Safe family destination


* Ample places for camping overnight


* Opportunities to light a camp fire


* Historic places to visit like the Al Bidya mosque

The writer picks up on the disappointment expressed by many Eid holidaymakers over the lack of basic amenities at some of the popular east coast beaches in the UAE. These deficiencies are not itemized but they might include the following:

* More seats and park benches


* Better signage


* Bigger and more rubbish bins


* The need for a better campaign to get people to pick up their rubbish—the almost universal UAE practice of employing maids and cleaners in their homes leads to the widespread habit of leaving trash on the corniche and the beaches for others to pick up


* More public toilets


* More gas-fired BBQs


* More well-equipped children’s playgrounds


* More trees and shade


* Repairing holes and uneven brickwork on paths to eliminate accidents.



It would be good to survey people (locals and tourists) to find out exactly what they would like to see to enhance their beach experiences and visits to the UAE’s eastern cities.



To read this timely article in full, check this link:Fuad Ali, ‘Heading East to Celebrate Eid’, Gulf News, 13 October 2007.

That kicks off the Fujairah: I’d Like to See That! Series.

What would you like to see?

Geoff Pound

Image: Park bench. There are benches like this every 30 metres along the Sharjah walkway overlooking Khor Kalba and the inlet. I’d like to see more of these along the Fujairah corniche.