Unique amongst the Emirates in that it has coastline on both the West and East coast of the peninsula. This is by virtue of being split into exclaves of Kalba, Khor Fakkan, and Dibba Al Hisn.
As in the rest of the UAE, Arabic is the official language, with most residents actually speaking other languages entirely - particularly Hindi and Urdu. English is widely spoken in shops, souqs, and hotels.
Most people will arrive either via [http://www.sharjahairport.gov.ae/ Sharjah International Airport] or Dubai International Airport. Sharjah centre is around 15 kilometres from Sharjah Airport and 20 minutes taxi ride from Dubai International Airport (dependent upon traffic).
There is a shuttle bus connecting Sharjah international airport to Sharjah centre (Rolla) running all 30 min and costing 5 AED. From Rolla one can take a bus to Dubai for another 5 AED. To go to Dubai International Airport take a taxi that will set you back at around 100 AED and do the trip in 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.During rush hour 7am to 11am wekdays, travel by road from Sharah to Dubai can take up to 3 hours.
There is no public transport in Sharjah, which means that visitors will need to have their own wheels or rely on taxis. Sharjah's taxis have historically been unmetered, and although some of these remain, several new companies operating metered taxis have become operational. They are similar in quality to Dubai's taxi fleet.
Taxi Drivers, although mostly courteous, do have the tendency to refuse passengers if the time of travel coincides with rush hour traffic. It is advisable to plan your travel well, allowing for traffic jams which could take upto an hour/hour and half to get out of.
Bus travel to Dubai is possible via an inter-emirate bus service - this is run by the Government of Dubai Road and Transport Authority. Most buses leave from the [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Al+Jabal+Bus+Station,+Sharjah,+United+Arab+Emirates&sll=25.362176,55.394783&sspn=0.038469,0.063429&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&ll=25.351005,55.38178&spn=0.004984,0.007929&z=17 Al Jubail (Al Jabal) bus station (Google Maps)] next to the Sharjah Fish market and the Sharjah Fruit and Vegetable market, nearby to the Central Souk. A bus from Sharjah to Dubai can take about 1 hour and costs 5Dh. Timetables can be found at the RTA website ([http://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/links/publictransportpdf.htm (external link to timetables)].
The emirate itself has some middle of the road beach resorts in addition to having the reputation for being a center of Islamic education.
Sharjah was crowned the prestigious Cultural Capital of the Arab World in 1998 by UNESCO. H.H Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, continously enriched Sharjah with Heritage, cultural, and Historical value. He was behind the sucess towards establishment of seventeen world class museums in the emirate which displays multiple rich museums. A local overview of Sharjah's heritage is available at the Heritage Area including a few restoration of old houses. The Art Area includes Sharjah's Art Museum which covers regional and international art exhibits, with the oriental collection being its highlights. Other museums also covers marine, natural history, aviation, and other valuable aspects.
The public buildings in the Emirate were all designed by the present Shaikh (a qualified architect) and make a nice visual change from the usual fare of skyscrapers in the other Emirates. The "Blue Souq" (Souq Al Markazi or Central Souq) is an interesting, if slightly shambolic, shopping centre hosting around 600 shops in two wings. The ground floor shops tend to stock gold and expensive designer clothes, with the upper level containing shops stocking carpets and curios from as far afield as Afghanistan and Tibet. Haggling over prices in the upper-level shops will frequently attract massive discounts. A great place to buy gifts and traditional goods. Considered superior to Dubai for carpets by Western expatriates. Another souq worth a visit is Souq al-Arsah (considered to be the oldest souq in the country).
The Heritage District of Sharjah city is dominated by the Sharjah Fort Museum. The fort itself has been lovingly restored by the present Shaikh, and the museum provides something of a glimpse at social history of the Emirate. Many exhibit signs, however, are solely in Arabic, with those in English often being rife with errors.<br> Also in the Heritage District is the Islamic Museum. This is a fascinating place for any visitors with an interest in the faith, as there are handwritten Qur'ans, letters from the Prophet (saw) to other leaders of the time and various artifacts from Mecca itself. There is also a comprehensive display of Arab handicrafts.<br> Most sites in the Heritage District have certain opening times set aside solely for women. Visitors of both genders should make certain of these on arrival in the city.
Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah Art Museum (by the Old Souk), ? www.sharjahbiennial.org, [new]. Sharjah Biennial, a bi-yearly exhibition of international contemporary art and performance. 16 March - 16 May 2009
Also, it is legal to transport alcohol ''through'' Sharjah if your final destination permits it (eg. Dubai to Fujairah). Don't expect all police to be familiar with this rule though!