With roots in the 16th century, this abandoned town is one of the oldest and best-preserved coastal villages in the UAE. Its people subsisted mostly on fishing and pearling until they picked up and left in 1968. Inside, the crumbled walls of coral-block houses, wind towers, schools and shops offer close-up views of this traditional building method. Beside the entrance gate, the old village mosque, with its squat, curvy minaret, was being finely restored on our last visit.
To get there, turn off Hwy E11 opposite Majan Printing and drive towards Al Hamra Village (also signposted for 'Al Jazirah Al Hamra Historic Site'). Turn right at the roundabout and right again, then take the road immediately on your left and drive for about 1km. If the gate in the metal fence by the mosque is shut, you can access the site by following the road around to the empty lot on the eastern side of the village and enter from there.
