Formerly an idyllic spot with abundant pools and a waterfall, a paved road cutting through the area has now taken away some of the charm and cut back the water flow – the road will eventually connect different parts of emirate of Sharjah, from the Masafi-Fujairah road near Daftah to Khorfakkan.
It’s still definitely worth paying a visit though – there’s a charming ramshackle cliff-top village near the site of the old waterfall which you can get to by climbing some steep steps, and a wonderful working , winding falaj system.
This little pocket is a lush green enclave, with irrigated date plantations and almost tropical terraced gardens. If you’re lucky you’ll find yourself there just as the dates are being harvested, and be offered some fresh-from-the-branch fare. There are still some smaller pools remaining, but these are no longer really sizeable enough for swimming (certainly not in the summer) – although you can at least cool your feet.
Just to exemplify the pace of progress even in this part of the region, on your way up towards Wadi Shis you’ll notice a modern looking village perched on high, complete with a by-pass road to prevent through traffic.