Dhayah Fort is a small mud-brick fortress perched on a rocky hilltop just inland from the coast about 20 kilometres north of the city. It is the only hilltop fort still standing in the UAE, and the short climb up the stepped path is rewarded with a sweeping view across date plantations to the sea on one side and the Hajar Mountains on the other.
The fort dates from the 16th century but its current form is mostly an 18th-century rebuild. It is small — three rooms and a courtyard — and visitors can wander freely. The site is at its best in late afternoon when the low sun catches the mud walls and the date palms turn gold. There is no entry fee and rarely anyone else there.