Sports
From indoor to outdoor activities, wet or dry sports, for fun or to learn, for teams or for individuals – you name it, you can do it. Just about every sport imaginable is available in the UAE – even snow skiing!
Sharjah Emirate offers the outdoor adventurer the perfect weather for hiking, camping, desert driving and wadi bashing, apart from the hotter summer months when scuba diving and dipping in a chilled pool can be a cooler option. For those who like to put their feet up and relax or to be groomed and pampered, the beach and health clubs, the beauty centres and the spas provide plenty of opportunities to unwind and de-stress. With the wide variety of malls and amusement centres, museums and cinemas, a good choice of indoor and family activities are available throughout the year. Sharjah’s east coast is close at hand and is one of the most beautiful areas in the UAE.
Sports
Walkers, joggers, climbers and cyclists have plenty of scenic routes to enjoy to get fit. Team players and racquet sport enthusiasts have a great variety of sports and clubs to join. Most of the larger hotel clubs in Sharjah offer courses, classes and coaching in various sports and also provide gymnasium facilities. Many of the smaller parks have playgrounds available to residents on a first come, first serve basis.
Basketball, volleyball, bowling, climbing, golf, cricket and horse riding - most sports are available in the various centres, hotels or clubs in the Emirate.
Sharjah provides ideal conditions for all water sports for most of the year; lagoons, bays and creeks for wind-surfing, with designated areas for water skiing and jet skiing, mangroves for canoeing and the east coast for snorkelling, fishing and diving, plus the Arabian Gulf coastal shores for sailing. The sea is generally safe and unpolluted, perfect for swimming and snorkelling.
Many of the beach clubs offer water sports facilities including hire of equipment. Pool facilities are widespread. Most hotels, furnished apartments and clubs have their own pool and some offer swimming lessons.
Bowling
Go for a strike at any of Sharjah’s three bowling alleys but call in advance to book your lanes: Ewan Hotel, 10 lanes (+97165280111), Radisson Blue Resort, 6 lanes (+97165657777) or Sky 24, 3 lanes (+97165560005).
Golf, Shooting & Paintball
Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club (+9716548777) offers 3 in one with a 9 hole floodlight grass course, 10 indoor shooting ranges, archery, and a floodlit paintball park with jungle and savannah playing fields. The club also has a health club, pool, basketball, tennis, conference facilities and two restaurants and is an excellent addition to Sharjah’s sporting facilities.
Horse Riding
Horse racing, desert hacks, pony rides, lessons and livery are all available at Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club (+97165311155) located at Exit 6 on the Sharjah/Al Dhaid Road.
Ice Skating
Sharjah Ladies Club (+97165067777) on the Corniche Road has a national sized ice rink. Public skating and lessons are available to members and to non-members (boys must be under 9 years of age). Skate at Sky 24’s (+97165560005) ‘rink in the sky’ located on the 24th floor of Al Durrah Tower.