Kalba, the quiet east-coast enclave of Sharjah on the Gulf of Oman, is about to get a headline attraction. HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, has signed off on Al Freish Lake, a 51,200-square-metre park-and-lake project that will hold up to 28 million gallons of water and stretch roughly 750 metres behind Al Marsh Square.

The concept is simple and family-first. Visitors will park at ground level and explore on foot, following paths lined with newly planted trees and greenery, with cascading waterfalls running down the mountainside and eventually flowing toward the sea. The Ruler has described it as an enjoyable park for children, in the same spirit as the much-loved Al Rafisah Dam project further up the road in Khorfakkan.

There's a bit of friendly rivalry behind the timing, too. During a phone interview on Sharjah Radio and Television in April 2026, the Ruler said the wave of projects in Kalba was an answer to residents envious of the development seen in neighbouring Khorfakkan — and he promised work would start the very next day. No firm completion date has been given for the lake, but he indicated in May 2026 that several Kalba openings would land in December, with Jebel Deem's roads, landscaping and rest area among them, and more launches continuing until the end of the year.

The lake is one piece of a much bigger push. Also in the pipeline: the Al Hiyar Project with its own lake and rest area, the Shell Theatre (Al Mahara Theatre) featuring an underwater corridor, and a Kalba Heritage Museum designed as a living space where traditional crafts are practised rather than just displayed — complete with an elevated restaurant. Add the existing Hanging Gardens and Al Hefaiyah Lake, and Kalba is quickly assembling a proper weekend itinerary of nature spots within a short drive of each other.

For travellers, this matters because Kalba has long been the overlooked sibling of Sharjah's east coast. It sits on a mangrove-rich stretch of the Oman-facing coast, a couple of hours from Dubai, with birdwatching, kayaking and mountain drives already on offer. Once Al Freish Lake opens, it becomes an easy add-on to a Khorfakkan day trip or a calm overnight alternative to the busier Fujairah beaches — and, if the December openings land as promised, there will be several brand-new reasons to time a visit for winter.

It's one to watch rather than book around just yet: dates are still unconfirmed, so check locally before building a trip around it.