The abandoned settlement part of Al Madam in the East parts of the Emirate of Sharjah has become a hidden touristic gem in the United Arab Emirates. I had the place on my bucket list since quite a bunch of visits to the country, but its slightly remote location prevented it for quite a while. In February 2022, when I planned to concentrate on the Northern and East part of the country, I finally made a visit. Here is my Pictured Story of Al Madam Ghost Town.
Al Madam Ghost Town – Location & Access
The Al Madam Ghost Town is located South of the city of Al Madam, close to a commercial area. It is located West of the Maleha-Madam Rd (E55) and South of the E44 road. If you are traveling by rental car, you likely cannot head on Eastbound from Al Madam, as you will cross the Omani border behind the city limits. You need to use GPS or a map to find it – it is rather “accepted” than “welcome” to visit the place, I feel.
There are no entry restrictions to reach the Al Madam Ghost town. It is also a rather popular destination for jeep tours. If you do the visit on your own, there are two options: there is a trail from the E44, which is approaching the ghost town from a Northern direction. I haven’t tried it, but I read that 4WD and sand driving skills may be required. I took the route from the E55, which is approaching the place from the East. You first cross a commercial area on a paved road. The last some hundreds of meters, you need to drive on sand. Most of the road is very compact and there is no issue to drive with a normal road car. You see that closer to the former settlement, the color of the sand gets lighter – it is a good opportunity to park a 2WD car beforehand in the compact sand.
Views of Al Madam Ghost Town
From the East of the abandoned place, i.e. the route I took to visit Al Madam Ghost Town, you first walk (or drive if you are more confident and/or have a better car) through a former gate into the village. Camel footprints and tire marks in the sand tell you that the place is not as lonely as it feels to be. However, apart from some public workers who were cleaning the parking spot from dust, I have been on my own walking through the buildings. In general, all architecture is in a surprisingly good shape and going through this former part of Al Madam does not feel risky at all. I have not informed about potential wildlife threats, though.
There is not too much more to see than the buildings itself. The place is too known and popular that looters might find anything – even the rare cables have been ripped out. The more it feels remarkable that the level of vandalism is very limited.
A hidden “Star” at the Edge of the Village
The “hidden star” of the ghost village is definitely the mosque, which is located at the edge of the ghost town in a slightly remote loctation. It feels like that they tried to prevent animal encounters in the building by building a fence with a gate around it. Somehow impressive to enter this sacred building.
I just spend some twenty to thirty minutes in the village, not even having water or similar with me. On the pictures I took on the way back, you see how widespread this place has been – the main road through the village was really huge. I am also amazed that despite the dry landscape, you found a comparably high level of vegetation in there.
Flyctory.com about Sharjah
Here are all postings from or about Sharjah:

Sharjah Heritage Museum

Sharjah Calligraphy Museum

Al Noor Island and Butterfly House (Sharjah)

Al Majaz Park & Waterfront Sharjah (Pictured Story)

Sharjah Archaeological Museum

Sharjah Off Road History Museum

Sharjah Central Souq (Pictured Story)

DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

Arabia’s Wildlife Centre (Sharjah)

Sharjah Aquarium

Sharjah Maritime Museum

Al Hisn Fort Sharjah

Pullman Sharjah

Sharjah Classic Car Museum

Sharjah Al Mahatta Historic Airport Museum

A Special Roundabout in Sharjah
Flyctory.com Pictured Stories
The key contents of Flyctory.com Pictured Stories are the picture, not the text:

Exploring the West Coast of Sandoy from Sandur (Faroe Islands)

Exploring The Old Town of Bad Säckingen

Dubrovnik Old Town Impressions (Pictured Story)

Mohammed bin Rashid Library (Pict. Story)

San Diego Japanese Friendship Garden (Pictured Story)

Monaco & Provence at Miniatur Wunderland

Old Town San Diego (Pictured Stories)

Christmas Time Around Grand-Place in Lille

The Kolors (30th November 2024, Mons / Belgium, Pict. Story)

Autostadt Impressions (Wolfsburg)

Munich Airport (MUC) Visitors Tour

Skansin (Torshavn)

Traveling along the Liwa Forts Oasis Route (U.A.E.)

The Venetian Resort Las Vegas with Gondola Ride

Views of Sandoy Island (Faroe Islands)

Exploring Vienna Prater with the Prater Train (Pictured Story)

Views from the Terrace of Galeries Lafayette

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the Sandoyartunnilin (Sandoy Tunnel)

Nintendo Tokyo and Pokemon Center Shibuya (Pictured Story)

“Goldenes Oval” Opening Meeting – Opening Ceremony (Dresden, 30th August 2024)

Holland Park and Japanese Gardens (London, Pictured Story)

Grand Central Terminal New York (Pictured Story)

Torshavn – Old Town and Tinganes (Pictured Story)

Team D Fan Zone at the Paris Olympic Games 2024

Infosys Hall of Fame Open 2024 – Some Impressions

State Hall (Prunksaal) of the Austrian National Library (Pictured Story)

Walking Through Caesars Palace Las Vegas (Pictured Story)

Impressions of Spinola Bay (Malta – Pictured Story)

Faroese National Botanical Garden (Pictured Story)

Vienna Central Cemetery / Wiener Zentralfriedhof (Pictured Story)

Meiji Shrine Tokyo (Pictured Story)

Fremont Street Experience Las Vegas (Pictured Story)

George’s Street Arcade (Dublin, Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Wangerooge (Pictured Story)

Rhyolite Ghost Town (Nevada) and Goldwell Open Air Museum

Franciscan Monastery Dubrovnik (Pictured Story)

Germany’s Westernmost Point near Selfkant-Isenbruch (Pictured Story)

Svangaskard – The Traditional National Stadium of the Faroe Islands

Kansas City Union Station (Pictured Story)

Pokemon Center DX Tokyo (Pictured Story)

A Visit To Kirkjubour (Faroe Islands – Pictured Story)

Las Vegas New Year’s Fireworks 2024 near MGM Grand

Eysturoyartunnilin – The First Sub-Sea Roundabout in the World

Resurrection Cathedral Tirana (Pictured Story)

Impressions of Andorra La Vella (Pictured Story)

A Trip To Saksun (Faroe Islands, Pictured Story)

A Walk Around the Grounds of Wacken

A Short Roadtrip along Northwest Reykjanes

Inverness Cathedral (Pictured Story)

Schnoor – Bremen’s Oldest Borough (Pictured Story)

Hveradalir Geothermal Area (Pictured Story)

The (Vending) Machines of Tokyo (Pictured Story)

The Waterfalls near Seljalandsfoss (Pictured Story)

Brussels Grand Square – The Heart of the City (Pictured Story)

Walking Through Lillehammer City Center (Pictured Story)

Klaksvik and Djupumyra Stadium (Pictured Story)

Nyhavn Copenhagen (Pictured Story)

Wawel Castle Royal Gardens (Krakow – Pictured Story)

Helsinki Old Market Hall (Pictured Story)

Church of Saint Lazarus (Larnaca, Pictured Story)

Views of Wawel Royal Castle (Krakow – Pictured Story)

The Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth (Pictured Story)

Walking through Nicosia (Pictured Story)

The New Bedford (MA) Whaling District (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Inverness (Pictured Story)

There is a single Büchting Street in Germany – and I take you there

Dyrholaey (Iceland, Pictured Story)

Pasteis de Belem – Home of the Famous Pastry (Pictured Story)

Trafford Palazzo – Posh Shopping in Manchester (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Valletta Old Town (Pictured Story)

Rock of Ages Opening Night – Red Carpet Impressions

Nice Upgrades to Manchester Airport (MAN) Terminal 2 (Pictured Story)

Big Mac Museum (North Huntingdon PA, Pictured Story)

A Look Inside Palma Cathedral (Pictured Story)

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Orlando, Pictured Story)

Al Majaz Park & Waterfront Sharjah (Pictured Story)

Hambach Surface Mining – The Largest Man-Made Hole in the World

Leadenhall Market in London (Pictured Story)

ICE 3neo High-Speed Rail First Class (Pictured Story)

Phantasialand Wintertraum on the Evening (Pictured Story)

Asam Chruch Munich (Pictured Story)

Advent Time at Skanderbeg Square Tirana (Pictured Story)

Carlo’s Bakery Hoboken NJ – The Heart of a Cake Empire (Pictured Story)

Limassol Marina and Harbor (Pictured Story)

Gullfoss – Iceland’s Most Famous Waterfall? (Pictured Story)

Walking Along Castle Ruin Hohensyburg (Dortmund – Pictured Story)

Sunderland Empire Theatre Guided Tour with Rock of Ages Stage

Nashville Mural Art in the Broadway District (Pictured Story)

Exploring Hamburg with the HADAG Public Ferries – Line 61

Exploring Hamburg with the HADAG Public Ferries – Line 73

Exploring Hamburg with the HADAG Public Ferries – Line 72

Exploring Hamburg with the HADAG Public Ferries – Lines 62 & 64 & Overview

View Over Akureyri from Hlidarfljall

Khorfakkan – Amphitheatre and Waterfall (Pictured Story)

3,337 Waffle Houses Away – A Walk through Paola, Kansas

A (Partial) Trip along F899 (Flateyjardalsvegur – Pictured Story)

Exploring the City Center of Woodstock, NY (Pictured Story)

Helgoland Dune Ferry (“Dünenfähre” – Pictured Story)

UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex (Pictured Story)

Akureyrarkirkja – Akureyri Church

Oodi Helsinki – The Modern Library (Pictured Story)

The Historic District of Streetsville, Ontario (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Greetsiel in East Frisia (Pictured Story)

Sharjah Central Souq (Pictured Story)

Austrian Sculpture Park Graz (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Gdansk Old Town (Pictured Story)

Riding the Swan Adventure Pedal Boat in Dubai – A Special Ride and Posting

Cuvillies Theater (Cuvilliéstheater) Munich (Pictured Story)

Souk Madinat Jumeirah Dubai (Pictured Story)

Walking Through Historic Remscheid-Lennep (Pictured Story)

Ottawa ByWard Market (Pictured Story)

Geysir Hot Spring Area (Iceland – Pictured Story)

Urridafoss – The Highest Flow Waterfall in Iceland (Pictured Story)

Hverir Geothermal Area (Pictured Story)

Walking the Ulica Florianska in Krakow to Market Square (Pictured Story)

The Bridge Between Europe and North America (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Westerland (Sylt – Pictured Story)

BlueBrixx Megastore (Loop5 Weiterstadt) – The World Largest Brick Bar

Walking around Pilsum Light Tower (Pilsumer Leuchtturm, Pictured Story)

Walking in the London Docklands (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Berlin’s Government District

The Eschede Derailment Memorial

A Walk Through Cologne / Bonn Airport Terminal at Covid-19 Times (Pictured Story)

A Walk Through Zeche Zollverein (Pictured Story – Essen, Germany)

Yas Mall Abu Dhabi

Al Seef – A Historic District at Dubai Creek

Paseo de Canarias & Paseo de Gran Canaria in Firgas (Pictured Story)

Views of London from One New Change (Pictured Story)

Aviation Monuments on Gran Canaria (Pictured Story)

Namco Funscape London (Pictured Story)

The train to Hogwarts? King’s Cross, Platform 9 3/4 (Pictured Story)

Rossfeld Panoramic Route

Watching Cologne from Europa Rad Ferris Wheel

Elbphilharmonie (Elbe Philharmonic Hall) Hamburg

Hangar 7 (Salzburg, Austria – Pictured Story)

Milan Cathedral (Pictured Story)

Herbertstrasse Hamburg – A Covid-19 Vacuum in the Red Light District

Fujairah Fort (Pictured Story)

St. Helier (Jersey) Markets (Pictured Story)

Cologne/Bonn Airport during Covid-19 Times (Pictured Story)

Clarke Quay (Singpore) by Night (Pictured Story)
