Nahwa Enclave: Location, History & How to Visit
A row of white boundary posts, an Emirati police outpost 80 metres further on, and you are back in the UAE, with Omani territory on every side. That is Nahwa, a village that belongs to the emirate of Sharjah but sits inside Madha, an Omani exclave that is itself surrounded by the UAE.
Nothing on the road announces the switch. No gate, fence or passport check separates the two countries, and the drive from New Madha is only about 5 km.
Nahwa Enclave overview
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Emirate | Sharjah |
| Surrounded by | Madha, an Omani exclave |
| Type | Counter-enclave (second-order enclave) |
| Area | 4.40 km² |
| Residents | About 300 |
| Elevation | 506 m |
| Settlements | New Nahwa, Old Nahwa and Shis |
| Distance from Sharjah city | 138 km east |
| Distance from Khorfakkan | 16 km southwest |
| Access road | About 5 km, paved and winding, from New Madha |
| Border controls | None; no fence or checkpoint |
| Boundaries fixed | 1969 |
| Coordinates | 25°16′6″N 56°16′49″E |
Why Nahwa counts as a counter-enclave
A counter-enclave is an enclave inside another enclave, and Nahwa has three layers:
- The outer layer is the UAE. The emirates of Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah fully enclose Madha.
- The middle layer is Madha, Omani territory governed as part of Oman’s Musandam Governorate.
- The inner layer is Nahwa, Sharjah territory that Madha fully encloses.
Nahwa is also an enclave within the UAE itself, because no other part of Sharjah touches it. It is one of only two counter-enclaves in the world.
Most of Nahwa’s roughly 300 residents live in New Nahwa, a modern village built on higher ground a few hundred metres off the main road.
How the borders formed
The layout goes back to a vote among village elders in the late 1930s or early 1940s. The leaders of four ruling clans (the Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah, the Al Qasimi of Sharjah, the Al Sharqi of Fujairah and the Bu Said of Oman) gathered Madha’s elders and asked which ruler they would follow.
Madha chose Oman. Nahwa stayed loyal to the Al Qasimi rulers of Sharjah, which left a Sharjah pocket inside Madha.
After consultations between the area’s tribes and Julian F. Walker, the British representative to the Trucial States, the boundaries were set and finalized in 1969. The UAE formed in 1971 with those lines already in place, and they have not changed since.
How to reach Nahwa
Nahwa is a Sharjah east coast destination 138 km east of Sharjah city and 16 km southwest of Khorfakkan, reached by road through Madha.
- Drive to Khorfakkan on Sharjah’s east coast.
- Take the northernmost road into Madha, south of Khorfakkan, and follow the signs to New Madha.
- From New Madha, continue on the paved, winding road for about 5 km.
- Watch for the white boundary posts. Nahwa starts there, an Emirati police outpost stands about 80 metres past them, and New Nahwa lies further up on the same side of the road.
There is no checkpoint, fence or passport control at any point on this route. The Madha and Nahwa area is the only stretch of the UAE and Oman border without a barrier.
Alternative route via Wadi Shees
Drivers on the Al Raugh tunnel road can exit at Shees, where the old village and Wadi Shees trail sit, and follow Wadi Shees to Nahwa. This way is off-road for its full length, so it suits a 4×4 and not a standard car.
Past New Nahwa the road quality changes, and wadi drainage channels cross it in places. The paved approach through New Madha is the easy option for any car.
What to see in Nahwa
- New Nahwa has about 40 buildings, a clinic and a school. The village was built in 1999 on a bend in Wadi Shis (also spelled Wadi Shees), after the original settlement was abandoned.
- Old Nahwa, further down the road, is the abandoned original village, now treated as cultural heritage.
- Al Nahwa Cave sits at the bottom of the wadi, with palm trees at its single entrance. A large domed chamber inside is tall enough to stand in, archaeological remains were found here in the 1930s, and the cave is open at all times.
- The Al Nahwa Archaeology Center is one of the few buildings beside the road, and a line of Emirati flags marks it as Sharjah soil.
- Date palm plantations and farms line the wadi floor.
- Freshwater pools in the Wadi Shis area are the draw for a swim.
Hiking, camping & off-road driving
Steps near Old Nahwa lead up to the Al Nahwa Mountain Trail. Beyond the first archaeological site the path turns rocky, so closed footwear matters.
A wadi walk runs behind the farming area and links the date palms and the old village with the mountain trail.
Camping, rocky-peak hiking, cycling and off-road driving are all options here. Cyclists should bring a gravel or mountain bike and a repair kit.
Nearby stops on the east coast
Nahwa is 16 km from Khorfakkan, so it pairs easily with the town’s main sights:
- Khorfakkan Beach is a 3 km crescent-shaped beach with fishing, water sports and parasailing.
- The Roman-inspired Khorfakkan Amphitheater stands beside a man-made waterfall on the Corniche.
- Al Rafisah Dam holds the seasonal waters of Wadi Shis as they flow down toward Khorfakkan.
- Al Suhub Rest House is a mountaintop stop on the Khorfakkan range with views toward the Gulf of Oman.
FAQ
Is Nahwa in the UAE or Oman?
Nahwa is part of the UAE, in the emirate of Sharjah. Omani territory (the Madha exclave) surrounds it completely.
Do you need a passport or visa to visit Nahwa?
No. There is no checkpoint, fence or passport control between the UAE, Madha and Nahwa.
How far is Nahwa from Sharjah city & Khorfakkan?
Nahwa is 138 km east of Sharjah city and 16 km southwest of Khorfakkan.
How many people live in Nahwa?
About 300 people live in Nahwa, most of them in New Nahwa.
Can you camp in Nahwa?
Yes. Camping is one of the activities in the enclave, alongside hiking, cycling and off-road driving.
Plan your visit
Nahwa fits into an east coast day trip, and a few points shape the plan:
- Fill the tank and pack food and water before leaving the coast.
- Stay on the paved road through New Madha unless you have a 4×4.
- Wear closed shoes for the Al Nahwa Mountain Trail.
- Skip the wadi after heavy rain, when its channels run with floodwater.
- Respect New Nahwa as a village of about 300 residents.
